COUNCILS OF GOVERNMENTS NATIONALLY AND IN ARIZONA

What Is a Council of Governments?

A Council of Governments (COG), or Regional Council, is a public organization encompassing a multi-jurisdictional regional community. A COG serves the local governments and the citizens in the region by dealing with issues and needs that cross city, town, county and even state boundaries. Mechanisms used to address these issues may include communication, planning, policymaking, coordination, advocacy and technical assistance.

Why are there COGs in the United States?

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, emphasis was increasingly placed on the need for long-range planning and closer coordination of program activities by governments at all levels. Federal requirements for planning in areas such as transportation, the environment and human services furthered this need. The establishment of COGs emerged as the preferred approach to this need in many areas.

What about COGs in Arizona?

In Arizona, there are six COGs. Through an Executive Order, the planning boundaries were established by Governor Jack Williams in 1970 in response to federal planning requirements and in an effort to achieve uniformity in various planning areas. COGs, as voluntary associations, have formed within these planning boundaries. In the urban areas, the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) and the Pima Association of Governments are the regional agencies which also serve as the designated metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) for transportation planning. In the rural areas of Arizona, the COGs perform planning services and direct service functions such as operating the Area Agency on Aging, the Head Start programs and employment programs.

LIST OF COGs IN ARIZONA

Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG)
Chairman: Mayor Skip Rimsza, City of Phoenix
Executive Director: James M. Bourey (602) 254-6300
Counties within boundary: Maricopa
Number of local jurisdictions served: 29

Pima Association of Governments (PAG)
Executive Director Thomas L. Swanson (520) 792-1093
Counties within boundary: Pima
Number of local jurisdictions served: 7

South Eastern Arizona Governments Organization (SEAGO)
Executive Director: Joe Brannan (520) 432-5301
Counties within boundary: Cochise, Graham, Greenlee & Santa Cruz
Number of local jurisdictions served: 18

Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG)
Executive Director: Kenneth J. Sweet (520) 774-1895
Counties within boundary: Apache, Coconino, Navajo & Yavapai
Number of local jurisdictions served: 25

Central Arizona Association of Governments (CAAG)
Executive Director: Maxine Leather (520) 689-5004
Counties within boundary: Pinal & Gila
Number of local jurisdictions served: 25

Western Arizona Council of Governments (WACOG)
Executive Director: Brian Babiars (520) 782-1886
Counties within boundary: La Paz, Mohave & Yuma
Number of local jurisdictions served: 16