Washington, DC (July 10, 2024) – The National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) presented their Achievement and Leadership Awards on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 during an awards ceremony held at its 58th Annual Conference & Exhibition in Atlanta, Georgia.
“Congratulations to all the award winners!,” said NARC President Carol Vinton. “Their vision, expertise, and dedication have set a new standard of excellence! These awards, and the projects and leadership they celebrate, demonstrate the breadth and quality of work taking place at the regional level.”
Ten projects received 2024 Achievement Awards and six regional leaders received 2024 Leadership Awards. More information about this year’s recipients can be found below.
ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments
Brownfield Program
Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG) provides brownfield services to 25 municipalities in West-Central Connecticut serving more than 600,000 residents. NVCOG’s brownfield program began with an $800,000 EPA pilot grant in 1996 and has since grown into the most comprehensive regional brownfield initiative in Connecticut and has been recognized as one of the most successful Revolving Loan Fund programs in the country. In 28 years, the program has funded 60 projects totaling $11,000,000 and yielding more than $112,000,000 in leveraged funding. NVCOG’s brownfields program brings together community members, governmental representatives, and private developers to facilitate projects that drive economic growth, promote conservation and climate resiliency, and provide opportunities for affordable housing. Cumulatively, these actions improve the resiliency and livability of our communities, particularly those that have been historically under-served.
To learn more about Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments’ Brownfield Program, click here (opens in a new tab).
San Luis Obispo Council of Governments
Housing & Infrastructure Regional Framework
The framework is a collaborative effort between the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments, the County of San Luis Obispo, California, and 7 California cities, in response to the region’s growing housing and infrastructure shortage. The framework includes an interactive mapping tool, funding strategies assessment, Affordable-by-Design (ABD) study, and housing highlights document. It allows the SLOCOG region to go from aspirational goals to implementation by taking inventory of infrastructure barriers and priorities for housing, identifying available grant funding options to implement infrastructure needs, and developing foundational information for the future 2027 Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). SLOCOG had a year before funding for this effort was to expire and within that year, over sixty engagement meetings and presentations were held, hundreds of participants provided insight, and three studies were completed. The Housing & Infrastructure Regional Framework was adopted by the SLOCOG Board and the County Board of Supervisors in August 2023.
To learn more about San Luis Obispo Council of Governments’ Housing & Infrastructure Regional Framework, click here(opens in a new tab).
Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments
Water Workforce Coalition
TMACOG took the lead in addressing water sector workforce shortages in Northwest Ohio, collaborating with Owens Community College and the City of Toledo. The Water Workforce Coalition aims to recruit, train, and hire public utility workers to mitigate the anticipated shortage in Northwest Ohio.
To learn more about Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Government’s Water Workforce Coalition, click here (opens in a new tab).
Central Pines Regional Council
Grant Assistance Program
The Grant Assistance Program, created by Central Pines Regional Council in Durham, North Carolina, is structured to track and analyze funding programs, provide strategic guidance, write competitive applications, and administrate grants on behalf of local governments. The program has analyzed more than 400 funding opportunities, has a success rate of 62%, and has brought nearly $22 million into the region.
To learn more about Central Pines Regional Council’s Grant Assistance Program, click here (opens in a new tab).
Centralina Regional Council
Small Towns Thrive Initiative
Centralina Regional Council in Charlotte, North Carolina, created a program to assist small local governments by offering a peer-to-peer program, direct technical assistance services, and educational resources. This initiative focuses on building local capacity, creating connections, and addressing community-specific needs. Smaller local governments often lack the resources for these kinds of programs and initiatives, and this program enables them to access services generally available to larger governments.
To learn more about Centralina Regional Council’s Small Towns Thrive Initiative, click here(opens in a new tab).
Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
DVRPC PennDOT Connects Bike-Friendly Resurfacing Program.
This program screens every road segment that appears on the regional PennDOT District’s 5-year resurfacing plan, prioritizing possible locations for improvements. Thanks to this program, approximately 32 miles of improved bicycle facilities have been implemented on suburban state roads, representing a roughly 60% increase in on-road bicycle facility mileage in southeastern Pennsylvania suburbs.
To learn more about Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission’s PennDOT Connects Program, click here(opens in a new tab).
Houston-Galveston Area Council
H-GAC Pop-Ups
This initiative bridges the gap between governance and grassroots, to listen, learn, and lead from the heart of communities. The H-GAC Pop-Ups is a series of meetings held in each county of the region, where elected officials and civic leaders share stories, aspirations, and concerns about their communities. H-GAC used the meetings to better understand the issues communities across the region are facing.
To learn more about Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Pop-Ups, click here (opens in a new tab).
Metropolitan Area Planning Council
Rooted in Nature
Rooted in Nature is a web series featuring experts from indigenous communities in Massachusetts, exploring perspectives on climate resilience and sustainability. This series highlights the importance of integrating indigenous knowledge into municipal climate resiliency efforts, fostering understanding and collaboration.
To learn more about Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s Rooted in Nature series, click here(opens in a new tab).
Wasatch Front Regional Council/Mountainland Area Council of Governments
Station Area Planning Technical Assistance program
In the past decade and a half, the Salt Lake City region grew at one of the fastest rates in the country. Strategies for managing this growth have shifted from greenfield developments on the edges of the metropolitan area to targeted infill and redevelopment concentrated around key transportation assets. This led to the passage of state legislation requiring cities with fixed-guideway transit stations to adopt a plan for the area around transit stations. This legislation set a path to fund Wasatch Front Regional Council and Mountainland Area Council of Governments’ Station Area Planning Technical Assistance (SAP) program. Through the SAP, cities in the greater Wasatch Front region apply to the relevant MPO for technical assistance, which comes as contracted consultant services. These consultant services help the cities develop their plans, which must increase availability and affordability of housing, promoting sustainable environmental conditions, enhancing access to opportunities, and increasing transportation choices. Since July 2022, the MPOs have awarded funds to 19 applications, covering 37 transit stations and 40 station areas.
To learn more about Wasatch Front Regional Council and Mountainland Area Council of Governments’ Station Area Planning Technical Assistance Program, click here (opens in a new tab).
Emerald Coast Regional Council
7-Layer Cake
Emerald Coast Regional Council in Pensacola, Florida developed a multimodal initiative comprised of seven projects that will bring the region closer to Vision Zero, a goal of having roadways with zero fatalities or serious injuries. The projects include a Safe Streets 4 All grant to identify the region’s highest crash network and develop strategies to decrease injuries and fatalities; a Smart (i.e. data-driven) Regions plan, which will identify technology to collect fatality data; a Data Analytics Plan to conduct a community needs assessments for the Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization; a Carbon Reduction Plan, focused on identifying specific technology projects that result in broad/large scale traffic and emissions reduction; Plan Implementation funds assigned to install and construct the identified technology infrastructure ; a Broadband/Fiber project to install identified technological upgrades; and a Transportation Management Center, the most technologically advanced facility in northwest Florida.
To learn more about Emerald Coast Regional Council’s 7-Layer Cake program, click here (opens in a new tab).
LEADERSHIP AWARDS
2024 JOHN BOSLEY AWARD
The John Bosley Award is awarded to an individual (other than an executive director or policy official) with at least 10 years of service whose time and dedication have provided benefit to the regional community.
Steve Dial
Deputy Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer of San Joaquin Council of Governments
Steve Dial is retiring after working for SJCOG since 1985, serving as an associate planner, senior planner, manager of finance and administration, director of administration, and finally his current role. Under his guidance, the agency has been consistently recognized for the “highest standards in government accounting and financial accounting” by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Steve has also served as the chair of NARC’s Finance Committee for the past decade.
2024 WALTER SCHEIBER LEADERSHIP AWARD
The Walter Scheiber Award recognizes significant impacts an Executive Director has made at the local, state, and national levels and contribution to the causes of NARC.
Erin Aleman
Executive Director of the Chicago Agency for Planning
Erin Aleman has led the Chicago Agency for Planning through unexpected shifts caused by the pandemic but has always remained true to the core set of values she outlined when she became executive director: serving with passion, pursuing equity, fostering collaboration, leading with excellence, and driving innovation. Erin is an active leader at NARC, co-facilitating the Major Metros discussion group. Erin continues to bring regional leaders together to shape policies and address challenges in northeastern Illinois and on the national level.
Rich Brierre
Executive Director of the Indian Nations Council of Governments
Rich Brierre has led Indian Nations Council of Governments in Tulsa, Oklahoma since 2008, but his influence has been shaping the organization since he began his tenure as a housing planner intern in 1973. One of his most significant contributions to the Tulsa region is the collaboration working on the Vision 2025 program, which was the culmination of a yearlong effort to grow economic and community infrastructure for future generations.
2024 TOM BRADLEY LEADERSHIP AWARD
The Tom Bradley Leadership Award recognizes the leadership excellence an elected or appointed official has shown in advocating regional concepts, approaches, and programs.
Karen Keith
Tulsa County Commissioner, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Karen Keith is in her fourth term as a Tulsa County Commissioner in Tulsa, Oklahoma and currently serves as Chair of the Indian Nations Council of Governments Board. She has been involved with NARC since 2018 and is currently an At-Large member of the Board. Commissioner Karen Keith is highly recognized, and widely regarded by her peers at the local, state, and national level. She is accessible, engaging, and involved in countless local and regional initiatives ranging from infrastructure, the arts, air quality and environmental issues, public safety, and civic engagement.
2024 PRESIDENT’S AWARD
The NARC President’s Award recognizes leadership and excellence in advocating regional concepts, approaches, and programs at any level of the regional community.
Paul DesJardin
Director of the Department of Community Planning and Services, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
Paul DesJardin built a 40-year legacy of excellence at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (Washington, DC) in regional technical analysis and metropolitan planning, directing programs focused on regional land use planning, economic analysis and demographic forecasting, affordable housing and homelessness, public health, foster care, and child welfare. Paul’s technical and policy work over the arc of his 40-year career at COG has had a meaningful impact on progress toward achieving the region’s long-held goals to promote balanced, sustainable growth and livable communities.
Matthew J. Stoll
Executive Director, Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho
Matt Stoll has led COMPASS since 2004 and he has led the region through an 85% population increase, the Great Recession, and COVID-19 with a balance of taking a long view while staying the course and proactively responding to the needs of Southwest Idaho. He has been an active member of NARC’s Executive Directors’ Council for over a dozen years, including serving as the EDC Chair from 2014 to 2015. Matt recently announced that he is retiring after 20 years at the helm of COMPASS.
More information about NARC awards, conferences, and leadership can be found at www.NARC.org (opens in a new tab).
About the National Association of Regional Councils
NARC serves as a national voice for regions by advocating for regional cooperation as the most effective way to address a variety of community planning and development opportunities and issues. NARC’s member organizations are composed of multiple local governments that work together to serve American communities.
