Policy, Management and Operations

A 44-member Board of Directors sets policy for the Council of Governments. Two-thirds of the members are local elected officials, including state legislators, county council members, and mayors or city council members. County councils appoint the remaining citizen and minority members, some of whom may also be elected officials.

The Executive Director is responsible for the overall management of the Council of Governments. The director runs the day-to-day operations, and delegates specific responsibilities to department directors and staff members in their fields of expertise.

About the COG

The Appalachian Council of Governments is a voluntary organization of local governments in Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens and Spartanburg Counties in Upstate South Carolina.

Created in 1971, the Council of Governments has become a valuable resource for area local governments in the areas of public administration, planning, information systems and technology, grants, workforce development and services to the elderly population. While assistance to local government remains as the Council's first priority, the private sector also benefits from services designed to enhance the region's economic environment. These efforts include public/private partnerships in support of economic development, economic research and analysis, and small business lending programs.

Encouraged and facilitated through the Council of Governments, this marriage of intergovernmental and private sector cooperation continues as a critical element in the region's economy and quality of life.