The National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) presented its 2019 Achievement and Leadership Awards at its 53rd Annual Conference and Exhibition in Omaha, this Tuesday evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\nis such a great honor to be able to recognize the valuable contributions of my\ncolleagues \u2026We know that this work can be slow, frustrating and challenging at\ntimes, but we also know how valuable it is to our communities and how rewarding\nit can be.\u201d said NARC President \u00adGeof Benson during his remarks at the dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ACHIEVEMENT\nAWARDS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n MAJOR METRO\nACHIEVEMENT AWARD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Triangle J\nCouncil of Governments Nation Council of Governments<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Innovation\nSandbox Challenge<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Triangle J Council\nof Government\u2019s (TJCOG) Innovation Sandbox Challenge began in 2018 as a\nresponse to the need for more innovative, flexible, and responsive projects on\nbehalf of their member governments on issues that arose suddenly or became too\nchallenging for localities to tackle on their own. It focuses on public sector\nchallenges and provides a safe space outside of any single local government for\nexperimentation. Every other year, TJCOG staff will lead research, facilitate\nconversations, and manage workstreams to identify and implement unique\napproaches and solutions on a regional scale for challenges selected by\nstakeholders of the COG. The success and regional interest of the Sandbox Challenge\ncontinues to grow as partner organizations and member governments actively look\nto future \u201ccalls for challenges\u201d as an avenue for advancing solutions to issues\nthey are facing in their local communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alamo Area Council of Governments<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n TXServes\n\u2013 San Antonio<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2017, Alamo\nArea Council of Governments (AACOG) opened the first AmericaServes Coordination\nCenter in Texas, TXServes-San Antonio, to provide unequaled access to the very\nbest and most comprehensive network of services, resources, and care designed\nexclusively for military service members, veterans, and their families within\nthe region. In 18 months of operation, AACOG has received over 4,000 requests\nfor services and have 91 service provider partners in their network. Compared\nto other networks across the country, TXServes-San Antonio is operating at a\nlarger scale while maintaining their timeliness in serving clients. It was\nrecently recognized as the Regional Practice Champion by the Institute for\nVeterans and Military Families and in a recent report from the Governor\u2019s\nCommittee to Support the Military. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Northeast\nOhio Areawide Coordinating Agency<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Signal\nTiming Optimization Program (STOP)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Northeast Ohio\nAreawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) has studied various roadways to find that\noutdated and inefficient signal timing has caused unnecessary delays and\ncongestion in several major corridors situated in our busiest workforce areas.\nTheir Signal Timing Optimization Program (STOP) is a regional collaboration\npilot program between NOACA, local government and the state department of\ntransportation to improve corridors by optimizing traffic signals. The program\nhas become a recognized solution in the NOACA metropolitan area that has shown\nreduction in emissions, fuel and delay savings along with benefit cost ratios. NOACA\nhas met much success, as STOP was implemented in four distinct regional\ndistricts under the pilot program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n MEDIUM METRO\nACHIEVEMENT AWARD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Eastgate\nRegional Council of Governments <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Youngstown\nSMART Squared Network<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Eastgate Regional Council of Governments\u2019 Youngstown\nSMART Squared Network will connect Strategic & Sustainable, Medical &\nManufacturing, Academic & Arts, Residential & Recreational, and\nTechnology & Training centers in the heart of Eastern Ohio Appalachia\u2019s\nlargest metropolitan area \u2013 the City of Youngstown. The network will enhance\nmobility, improve safety, and integrate technology into a modern and efficient\nmultimodal transportation system in Downtown Youngstown that is responsive and\nadaptive to the needs of current and future users. Eastgate is the proud\nrecipient of a recent $10.8 million BUILD grant to fill the funding gap to\ncomplete this comprehensive effort. The SMART Squared Network project is a clear\ndemonstration of the collaboration and trust amongst the community anchor\ninstitutions, city residents, and local and state governments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Treasure\nCoast Regional Planning Council,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n South Florida Regional Planning Council, and <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n South Florida Regional Transportation\nAuthority<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Transit\nOriented Development Education and Outreach Program<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council\u2019s Transit Oriented Development Education and Outreach Program provided a collaborative, multi-agency effort to improve mobility, access, ridership, and land development potential for the Tri-Rail Commuter Rail Corridor in Southeast Florida. An extensive outreach program engaging local governments and stakeholder agencies expanded the understanding of Transit Oriented Development in the region. A regional Idea Exchange Network emerged through regional workshop discussions to help facilitate adoption of Transit Oriented Development policies and codes and approval of projects. The program established a more collaborative relationship between local government, MPOs, FDOT, RPCs, and the SFRTA as a resource and development partner for station-area land development and infrastructure investments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTreasure Coast Regional Planning Council\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Transit Oriented Development Education\nand Outreach Program created by Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, South\nFlorida Regional Planning Council, and South Florida Regional Transportation\nAuthority provided a collaborative, multi-agency effort to improve mobility,\naccess, ridership, and land development potential for the Tri-Rail Commuter\nRail Corridor in Southeast Florida. An extensive outreach program engaging\nlocal governments and stakeholder agencies expanded the understanding of\nTransit Oriented Development in the region. A regional Idea Exchange Network\nemerged through regional workshop discussions to help facilitate adoption of\nTransit Oriented Development policies and codes and approval of projects. The\nprogram established a more collaborative relationship between local government,\nMPOs, FDOT, RPCs, and the SFRTA as a resource and development partner for\nstation-area land development and infrastructure investments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n RURAL\nACHIEVEMENT AWARD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Green River Area Development District<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Reducing\nFood Waste and Helping Homebound Seniors<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n A regional hospital approached the Green\nRiver Area Development District (GRADD) with a problem: they discard 300-500\nmeals a week, and want to find a way to assist the older adults in the region\nwhile reducing their food waste. Meanwhile, the Senior Community Center of\nOwensboro Daviess County makes food deliveries to homebound seniors Monday\nthrough Friday, but not during the evenings or on weekends. GRADD connected\nthese organizations, providing technical assistance and encouragement to help\nthem work together to provide frozen meals for homebound seniors. To date, the\nprogram has helped provide 8,542 frozen meals to homebound clients to provide\nevening and weekend meals. There are about 60-90 seniors receiving two frozen\nmeals every weekend. The program has been so successful, the Kentucky\nDepartment of Aging and Independent Living are currently working with GRADD to\nfind a way to replicate the program statewide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n LEADERSHIP\nAWARD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 2019 WALTER\nSCHEIBER LEADERSHIP AWARD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tim Brennan <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Executive Director, Pioneer Valley Planning\nCommission <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tim Brennan has led the Pioneer Valley\nPlanning Commission (PVPC) for nearly 4 decades, serving 43 cities and towns in\nwestern Massachusetts. He began his career with PVPC as an intern, working his\nway up to eventually take on the role as executive director in 1981. One of his\nfirst accomplishments was helping to modernize and grow the Pioneer Valley\nTransit Authority. More recently, PVPC played a critical role in the launch of\nhigh-speed passenger rail service in 2014. Under his leadership, PVPC has\nhelped launch an electric bike-sharing program called the ValleyBike, craft\ncommunity development plans for numerous communities, assist organizations that\ndeal with domestic violence, and work hand-in-hand with membership communities\nto clean up the Connecticut River.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am extraordinarily proud of my staff and\nmy board who have supported me for 40 plus years \u2026and I am grateful for all of\nyou and to have served with all of you. Keep up the good work\u201d said Tim\nBrennan, in his remarks following acceptance of the award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n