On October 19, 2023, the Lumber River Council of Governments (LRCOG) celebrated 51 years of regional excellence and recognized individuals who have generously given their time and energy towards the work of the LRCOG. Robert L. Conoly, LRCOG Board of Directors
Chairman, presided over the event.
Robert L. Conoly, City Councilmember of the City of Raeford, was the recipient of the Calvin Haggins Award for Outstanding LRCOG Board Member of the Year. Jenny Larson, Town Clerk for the Town of Fairmont, received the Annie Kohnen Regional Clerk of the Year award. David Townsend, Town Administrator for the Town of Rowland, received the John K. McNeill, Jr. Regional Manager of the Year award. Brenda T. Capel, Mayor of the Town of Ellerbe, was the recipient of the Leon Maynor Local Leadership Award. Mary Jo Adams, City Councilmember of the City of Laurinburg, was the recipient of the L.E. McLaughlin, Jr. and Bob Gentry Regional Leadership Award.
Additionally, each board and advisory council serving the LRCOG presented an award to their outstanding members. Those honored were Tim Ivey, Scotland County Commissioner, as the Rural Planning Organization Transportation Advisory Committee Member of the Year; Linda Revels of Hoke County, as the Aging Advisory Council Member of the Year; and Jay Todd of Scotland County, who received the Dr. Stanley Richardson Award for Workforce Development Board Member of the Year.
During the evening event, David Richardson, Executive Director for the Lumber River Council of Governments, announced that the work of the Lumber River Council of Governments had been recognized on the national level. The LRCOG received three National Association of
Development Organization Innovation Awards. The awards were for its Lumber River Redistricting, focused on updating municipal and county electoral districts following the 2020 census; Lumber River Rural Transformation Grant Assistance, which provided grant writing and
support to seven local governments and brought in almost $2,500,000 in grant funds to spur local economic development within the region; and the Lumber River Operation Heat Relief, which provided fans and air conditioners to our region’s older adults.
The LRCOG provides an array of programs and services to the member governments located within its region: Bladen, Hoke, Richmond, Robeson and Scotland counties. It serves as an administrative and service delivery arm for federal, state, regional, and local programs of its
member governments.
About Author
