The Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments:
Helping the Region Get Things Done Together

The Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments (COG) is a voluntary association of over 40 local governments. Members include Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties, 31 cities, 7 special districts, and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. The COG was formed more than 50 years ago to achieve greater coordination among local governments and to operate some regional programs that do not fit well within a single local government - such as regional transportation planning. The organization provides specialized development services that individual governments can use on an “as needed” shared basis such as land use planning, small business lending assistance and public infrastructure grant and loan preparation and administration.

The COG is governed by a Board of Directors which is comprised of elected officials representing the various member governments. The Board of Directors sets policy and direction for the agency and the programs it operates.

What services does COG provide?
Member services include economic and community development assistance, transportation systems planning, small business financial counseling and lending, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping, census services and local government capacity-building services.

The COG also sponsors a regional economic development district for Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties. The district receives some federal economic development planning funds annually and has a policy board made up of half elected officials and half business leaders. It’s mission is to: (1) improve access by local governments and small businesses to federal and state development programs and resources; (2) provide coordination and staff support to economic development initiatives and planning undertaken on a regional basis; and (3) provide a political forum for the consideration and resolution of regional economic development issues.

For more information about COG services please visit the COG website at www.mwvcog.org.

Salem Keizer Metropolitan Area EOA:
Taking Advantage of the Region’s Economic Opportunities

Decision-makers from the Cities of Salem, Keizer, Turner and Marion and Polk Counties are currently working together to develop an Economic Opportunities Analysis (EOA) for the Salem Keizer Region. A regional EOA identifies the regional competitive advantages and opportunities for long-term economic growth within a give region. The project will determine whether Salem, Keizer, and Turner have enough employment land within their Urban Growth Boundaries (UGBs) to accommodate expected employment growth over the next 20 years. The project will inform local community and policy discussions about how to provide land and associated strategies for economic growth, including the relative costs of providing services (e.g., water, wastewater, roads, and other services) to unserviced land within the UGB and outside of current UGBs.

The Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments (COG) is managing this project and working in conjunction with the five jurisdictions. The state Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) is providing financial, administrative and technical assistance. ECONorthwest and Cogan Owens Cogan, LLC have been retained to provide technical assistance for the study.

How can I participate in the study?
Fill out and submit the EOA survey questionnaire available online at www.surveymonkey.com/s/SVYM7C5 by July 31, 2010. Project staff will also be attending meetings with local business and civic groups during the months of June and July 2010 to obtain feedback on the regional EOA goals and objectives.

Where can I find additional information?
Visit www.mwvcog.org/planning/eoa or contact Suzanne Dufner at the Council of Governments at (503) 540-1616 or [email].