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Celebrating Older AmericansOn May 10, 2023, NARCOG hosted the Annual Older Americans Month Luau. Over 500 seniors from Cullman, Lawrence, and Morgan County attended. Various organizations in the community sponsored this event to provide seniors with fun and games. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Pop-Up Shop USDA GrantThe USDA Rural Business Development Grant will offer Pop-Ups, coaching, and education for rural entrepreneurs in Cullman, Lawrence, and Morgan Counties. South Vinemont and Somerville will execute a “Pop-Up” event that will support existing businesses in the area. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Aging & Disability Resource CenterThe Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) assists with questions on aging, disabilities, and caregiving. This program, known as One Door Alabama, provides free information, counseling, and access to programs and services provided by the Alabama Department of Senior Services. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Accelerate Business Growth FundLocal realtor Chase Grisham recently purchased a fire station, home to the Decatur Fire & Rescue Engine Company 5 since 1960, as his new home base office. This was possible with a traditional loan from the Accelerate Business Growth Fund provided through NARCOG. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Senior Center Pallet GardensNutrition is an essential part of healthy living, especially as individuals age. Therefore, NARCOG is supplying pallet gardens for senior centers in Cullman, Lawrence, and Morgan Counties. Gardens will include easy-to-grow vegetables and Marigolds for centers to enjoy. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Eva Receives CDBG FundsGovernor Kay Ivey recently awarded the Town of Eva $100,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to expand the town’s sewer system on Eva Road. This project will allow local company, J and J Fiber, to expand their company and hire at least 10 new employees. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Upcoming and Past Aging EventsAlong with Bingocize, Wellness Coordinator Stephanie King is introducing a new Aquatics Class starting June 7, 2023. This program is free to the public and is suitable for every fitness level. NARCOG will continue to attend or host health and community fairs. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Improve the FCC Broadband MapThe Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has recently released an interactive map that shows where Internet service providers say they deliver broadband. Errors were found in the map with missing addresses and overstating the availability of service at specific locations. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Celebrating GraduatesNARCOG celebrates three team members for continuing their high education and graduating earlier this month. One received her Associate’s Degree from Calhoun Community College, and two received their Master’s in Social Work from the University of North Alabama. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

DISASTER RECOVERY & RESILIENCY PLAN FOR THE ALABAMA-TOMBIGBEE REGION

ISSUE DATE: August 14, 2020 RESPONSE DATE/TIME: August 31, 2020

Please join the Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments (TARCOG) Board of Directors in congratulating Michelle Gilliam Jordan for being named to the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) 2020 College of Fellows!

Fellowship is granted to planners who have achieved certification through the American Planning Association’s professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, and have achieved excellence in professional practice, teaching and mentoring, research, public and community service, and leadership. Invitations to join the College of Fellows come after a thorough nomination and review process, ensuring the candidate has had a positive, long-lasting impact on the planning profession.

“Individuals who make up the College of Fellows are the true leaders of the planning profession,” said past AICP President Valerie Hubbard, FAICP. “These individuals have made lasting contributions to the profession and have inspired generations of new planners. They are truly awe-inspiring.”

“We are incredibly proud of Michelle’s accomplishments in the Planning profession, and look forward to celebrating her contributions throughout our five-county Region for years to come”, said TARCOG Board President, Thornton Stanley, Jr

Michelle’s most significant contribution is her service and advocacy in supporting African-American planning students in their transition to professional planning practice. Whether in the City of Huntsville, where Michelle was the first African-American and female to lead the Planning Department of Alabama’s economic engine; with the City of Decatur, where she transformed neighborhoods as the Planning and Development Director; or as Executive Director of the Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments, Michelle has been dedicated to the inclusion and hiring of dozens of Planning students of color, many of whom are making significant contributions to underserved communities and populations throughout the country. Michelle’s role in shaping North Alabama’s growth and development is undeniable, and her efforts to increase affordable housing options and paths to home-ownership, neighborhood reinvestment, and public-private partnerships are just a few of the reasons why she has been selected for admittance into the College of Fellows.

Michelle is one of 53 inductees into this year’s College of Fellows. Inductions are done biennially. This year’s formal induction was scheduled to take place during APA’s National Planning Conference in Houston, Texas; plans are in the works for a formal celebration of this honor at a later date due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

APA and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, are dedicated to advancing the art, science and profession of good planning — physical, economic, and social — so as to create communities that offer better choices for where and how people work and live. The American Institute of Certified Planners provides recognized leadership nationwide in the certification of professional planners, ethics, professional development, planning education, and the standards of planning practice. For more information, visit www.planning.org.

Meeting with Governor Ivey for the quarterly Director’s Meeting