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Welcome to TARCOG! We are pleased to bring you TARCOG’s new monthly e-newsletter. You will find updates about current projects, announcements of upcoming events, and information about the impact we are having in our communities. Our website is also new and improved, redesigned to help you find the information you need. TARCOG exists to serve as a unifying regional partner that helps improve the quality of life throughout northeast Alabama. We are proud to serve you, and we look forward to building a stronger region together. Visit Our Website

Serving People: Celebrating Older Americans Month

Observed every May, Older Americans Month was first established in 1963 to acknowledge the contributions of past and current older persons to our country. To celebrate Older Americans Month this year, TARCOG staff assisted with events in all five county regions: Jackson County: Luau on the Lake on May 5; Madison County: 24th Annual Retirement Lifestyle Expo on May 9; Marshall County: Older Americans Festival, Football Blast on May 11; Limestone County: Countywide Bingo on May 12; DeKalb County: Countywide Bingo on May 17.

Each event was highly successful with great staff support and community involvement. A total of 1,730 seniorsattended events across the five-county region.  The events were also supported by community leaders, including Mac McCutcheon, Chairman of the Madison County Commission; Collin Daly, Chairman of the Limestone County Commission; and Nick Nyberg with the Alabama Department of Senior Services. These events were made possible by our partners throughout the region: Jackson County Council on Aging, Studio 60 Senior Center, Marshall County Council on Aging, Limestone County Council on Aging, DeKalb County Council on Aging, and Fort Payne Parks and Recreation. We look forward to next year’s Older Americans Month celebrations!

Growing Our Economy: How We’re Helping Our Community

Our Economic Development & Planning (ED&P) team provides an array of services to local governments and acts as an advocate for partners and citizens throughout the region. Check out some of our recent successes:  U.S. Space & Rocket Center (USSRC) Receives Funds for New Space Camp Operations CenterThe ED&P team helped the USSRC receive $1 million of Appalachian Regional Commission funds to support expanded STEM-based programming for Space Camp. The funds will be used to purchase equipment for a new, state-of-the-art Space Camp Operations Center, where students will train in aviation, aeronautics, robotics, cyber, and related career pathways. Pryor Field Regional Airport Receives Funds for New Industry GrowthWith help from the ED&P team, partners in Limestone County received $1 million of Community Development Block Grant Economic Development funding and $1 million of Appalachian Regional Commission Southern Aviation and Automotive Workforce funding. Along with local matching funds, these grants will enable the Pryor Field Regional Airport to extend the wastewater system to the airfield. The project will leverage $25 million in private investment and create 250 well-paying aviation-related jobs in Limestone County.

TARCOG Initiates Regional Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Action PlanThe TARCOG Rural Planning Organization received $400,000 of U.S. Department of Transportation funding to conduct a regional transportation safety plan for all municipalities in the service area. The action plan is a requirement of the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. All participating jurisdictions will be eligible to apply for SS4A implementation funding. This region-wide planning effort will address transportation safety issues across the TARCOG region. Learn More About Our ED&P Programs and Services

Save the Dates2nd Annual PEACE Conference & Fraud Summit Wednesday, June 288 a.m. – 3 p.m.First Baptist Church of Huntsville The PEACE Conference (Preventing Elder Abuse and Criminal Exploitation) & Fraud Summit is open to the public. CEUs will be offered, and lunch will be provided. Registration opens in June.  Check the TARCOG website for more details coming soon!  See Our Events CalendarMasters Games of Alabama, District 2 June 14 & 16Athens Rec Center in Athens, AL June 20Monrovia Community Center in Huntsville, AL June 22Brahan Springs Rec Center in Huntsville, AL June 26AMF Pin Palace Bowling Lanes in Huntsville, AL Come cheer on the District 2 teams for the Masters Games! All events are free to attend. For more information, contact Emily McCamy at 256-845-8590.

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.