ATCOG official addresses Economic Development Consortium

The newly formed Cass County Economic Development Consortium in its third monthly session heard from the executive director of Ark-Texas Council of Government and an ATCOG development specialist as well Feb. 1 in Atlanta, Texas.

The ATCOG leaders stressed two main points. First, ATCOG provides many economic loan and grant opportunities to assist local development, and, second, AT-COG is as close as the telephone because ATCOG is a powerful facilitator and communicator of information and connections.

“Call us, and we’ll get you in contact with the people and organizations you are seeking. That’s our

job,” said Sarah James, development specialist for ATCOG.

“It is surprising how often town

government of all sizes face similar challenges, but we don’t realize unless we hear from and meet with each other. That’s one reason I am attending and pleased with this consortium group. We need to learn from each other,” responded Danica Porter, city manager for Atlanta.

Several other points were touched upon during the noon meeting of the five members of the consortium who are the county’s judge and directors and staff for economic development corporations now functioning in Atlanta, Linden, Queen City and Hughes Springs.

Also to be included are interested development groups such as those in Bloomburg, Avinger, McLeod, Douglassville, Domino and other communities.

Three additional points about the meeting were mentioned by Lee Elliott, director of the Linden Economic

“One, we want to explore the possibility of partnering to develop a Cass County economic development plan, one that would touch upon evaluating land availability and other such provisions for working together.

“Second, we will look forward to having a training session for our consortium members and other economic development groups on how to work together and our roles as members of an economic development corporation.

“Third, for our next consortium meeting we’ll plan to have the Texas Department of Transportation update us on their plans affecting us.”

(Photo by Neil Abeles) The tables are filled as members of the Cass County Economic Development Consortium meet with leaders of the Ark-Tex Council of Government to discuss working together. From left are Sarah James, specialist, and Chris Brown, executive director, of ATCOG. Following are Megan Kirkland, Lee Elliot, Stephen Barnes, Shawn Larsen, Donna Bird, Shannon Nolan, Amanda Wiley, Danica Porter and Miranda Johnson who are members of the area’s economic development corporations.

(Photo by Neil Abeles) Danica Porter, Atlanta city manager, center, speaks to the Cass County Economic Development Consortium. With her are other consortium members, from left, Shannon Nolan and Amanda Wiley, both of Queen City, and Miranda Johnson of Atlanta.