Policy on Regional Affairs |
The Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments is a cooperative of governments. The designation of the Northwest Missouri region as an area-wide planning district affords the opportunity for better community planning throughout the region, and will enhance the planning capabilities of local governments. The NWMORCOG encourages all local governments in the region to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by membership in the Regional Council of Governments.
Membership in the NWMORCOG
Voluntary Membership -It is the responsibility of elected municipal and county officials to determine whether membership in the Regional Council will benefit their respective jurisdictions. For that reason, membership in the Council, while encouraged, must be voluntary. The state and federal governments are urged to refrain from enacting any legislation, administrative regulation, or other action which could infringe upon the integrity of local governments to make this choice.
Composition of Governing Board -As a voluntary organization of local governments, the governing board of the Regional Council of Governments should accurately reflect Council membership and be composed of elected officials in general purpose local governments or their appointed designees. Regional special purpose committees, subsidiary task forces, or other regional agencies should be endorsed and membership chosen by locally elected officials. The chairperson of the Regional Council of Governments' governing body should be an elected official of a member local government or the chairperson's designated representative.
Responsibility of Membership -Maximum effectiveness of the NWMORCOG can be achieved only if delegates fulfill their responsibility to report frequently and fully to their constituencies on Council activities.
Professional Staff -The Council should be staffed by professionals, with compensation the responsibility of member governments. Regional Council of Governments personnel should be, in name, fact, and practice, employees of the local governments they serve. The Regional Council of Governments' executive director should be directly responsible to the Council's governing body. A Council executive director, or any other member of the Regional Council of Governments' staff, should not be directly or indirectly, an employee of the state or federal governments. This same principle applies to any regional board or agency which serves local governments.
Purpose and Function
Regional Multi-Purpose Planning - The basic purpose of the NWMORCOG is to perform regional, multi-purpose planning, to promote cooperative arrangements and coordinate action among its member governments, and to provide a meeting point for local governments to discuss and to determine among themselves the impact that any regional plan will have on their respective communities. For these purposes, the NWMORCOG should be designated as the lead regional planning agency with responsibility for regional planning functions. This includes comprehensive health, water and sewer planning functions among others. Existing laws and administrative regulators which are contrary to this principle should be amended so as to affect unified planning.
A-95 Review -The A-95 review process has become an integral part of the federal grant system. The expansion in the number of federal programs subject to A-95 review is encouraging and continued expansion in the number of federal programs subject to this review is urged. The cooperative memo provisions of the revised Office of Management and Budget A-95 Circular are particularly endorsed as a means of achieving effective coordination between the Regional Council of Governments and any regional agency which is not the area-wide comprehensive planning agency where such council and agency cannot be merged. Further revisions in the A-95 Circular should insure the autonomy of local government. All state and federal plans or grant projects which either directly, or indirectly, affect the region should be subject to A-95 review by the region.
Service Delivery and Technical Assistance -The Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments was established to facilitate planning, to promote cooperative arrangements, and to coordinate actions among member governments. The NWMORCOG should restrict its activities and programs to those necessary to fulfill those purposes. General purpose local governments, rather than the Regional Council of Governments, should be the purveyor and operator of all local government services. Technical assistance should be available from the Regional Council of Governments where such qualified assistance is not available in local government. No organized program in technical assistance should be undertaken unless approved by the governing body of the Regional Council of Governments.
Finances
Membership Assessment -Funds necessary to adequately operate the Regional Council of Governments should be the financial responsibility of member local governments. It is in the best interests of local government to retain direct control over the Regional Council of Governments by being the principal authority of the Council's financial support. The Council should establish its own system of, and annual rates for, membership assessments. Assessments should be sufficient to provide for the basic administrative cost of the Council.
Federal and State Revenue -The State should provide funds on a regular basis for the general administrative support of the Regional Council of Governments. Revenue from either the state or the federal government should include funds for specific regional projects which are initiated at the local level, as well as those initiated by the state and federal governments.
Other Revenues -The Regional Council of Governments should not have the power to levy taxes. However, the Council should have the authority to levy charges and fees for staff services for specific organized technical assistance contracts.
