Appointed by Allegany County Board of County Commissioners: Matthew Diaz; Lee N. Fiedler; Peter B. Halmos, M.D.; Robert M. Hutcheson; Robert Smith; James J. Stakem.
Appointed by Garrett County Board of County Commissioners: Ernest J. Gregg; Paul R. Dauphinais, Ph.D.; James C. Hinebaugh; Britten L. (Leo) Martin, Jr.; Jeff McCauley; Jeremy R. Thayer.
Appointed by Washington County Board of County Commissioners: John F. Barr; Jeffrey A. Kline; James F. Kercheval; Brien J. Poffenberger; David D. Smith; Timothy R. Troxell.
Western Maryland Senate Delegation: George C. Edwards; Donald F. Munson.
Western Maryland House of Delegates Delegation Chairs: Wendell R. Beitzel; Kevin Kelly; LeRoy E. Myers, Jr.
c/o Allegany Business Center at Frostburg State University
One Technology Drive, Suite 1000, Frostburg, MD 21532
(301) 689-1300; fax: (301) 689-1313
e-mail: lmazer@tccwmd.org
web: www.tccwmd.org
The Council is an association of the governments of Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties. It serves as a regional planning and development agency for the tri-county area. The Council works to enhance the quality of economic development in the region and strengthen relationships among its local governments.
Using State aid, the Council fosters the physical, economic and social development of Western Maryland. The Council also receives planning assistance funds from the federal Economic Development Administration and the Appalachian Regional Commission to administer regional economic development programs. Such programs create or retain permanent jobs and improve the standard of living for the unemployed and underemployed in the most distressed areas of the region. To facilitate planning, the Council may study regional resources; gather and analyze social and economic data; and join with other government agencies, educational institutions, and private organizations in coordinating research.
The Council's program for direct business assistance and enterprise development provides a variety of business financing tools and technical assistance, including a Revolving Loan Fund program, and Data Center Services. Local government aid focuses on grants writing and technical assistance, database resources, regional education, and intergovernmental cooperation.
Twenty-three members comprise the Council. From each county, the Council has three representatives of county government, one elected municipal official, and two private sector representatives, all appointed by the county commissioners. The House of Delegates delegation chairs from Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties and the area's two State Senators also serve on the Council. Annually, the Council submits its proposed program and operating budget for the next fiscal year to the Department of Business and Economic Development (Code Economic Development Article, secs. 13-701 through 13-733).
The Education Committee of the Tri-County Council for Western Maryland originated in 1967 as the Educational Subcommittee of the Appalachian Regional Commission. It became the Regional Education Service Agency of Appalachian Maryland (RESA) in 1973 under a joint agreement by its member institutions. It remained a separate administrative unit of government until 2006 when it merged with the Tri-County Council of Western Maryland and received its present name.
The Committee assesses education needs within the region and develops resources to meet them. It also is working to develop a strategic plan to integrate business and economic development needs with education goals.
© Copyright March 20, 2009 Maryland State Archives