About NCARCOG
Our Mission
Our mission is to find innovative solutions to North Carolina’s regional challenges and deliver excellent federal, state, and regional services to our member communities. We promote collaboration and partnership at the regional level.
Our Vision
Our vision is to set the standard for providing informed, creative regional answers to intricate challenges facing the state of North Carolina and its local governments.
NCARCOG History
North Carolina gained regional councils as a result of a 1969 legislation that charged the NC Department of Administration with developing “…a system of multi-county regional planning districts to cover the entire state” (gs 143-341). This came after Congress passed the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act in 1968 calling for closer cooperation between federal programs and state and local governments.
By 1970, an executive order had designated 18 regions in North Carolina. In 1971, the state announced its Lead Regional Organization policy that directed state agencies to deal with a single organization in each region of the state for services across several departments.
Regional councils have been operating in the state since 1972, though many were organically organized by local governments long before the official state designation. As the North Carolina landscape has changed over the years some of the regions have merged, bringing the current total number of regional councils serving the state to 16.
NCARCOG Executive Committee
David Richardson
Executive Director, Lumber River Council of Governments
Russ Harris
Executive Director Southwestern Commission
Matthew Dolge
Executive Director Piedmont Triad Regional Council
Robert Hiett
Executive Director Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments
Anthony Starr
Executive Director Western Piedmont Council of Governments
Todd McNeill
