Rusk mayor named chairman of East Texas Council of Governments

Jacksonville Daily Progress, Texas
·2 min read

Oct. 1—The East Texas Council of Governments announced its new chairman is City of Rusk Mayor Ben Middlebrooks. ETCOG also announced the new board and executive committee officers serving for FY 2023, and executive committee members serving a new two-year term. The ETCOG Board of Directors appoints the Executive Committee, which is responsible for establishing the policies, programs, and services on behalf of the board for the 14-county region.

Board Officers are:

—Chairman — City of Rusk Mayor Ben Middlebrooks

—1st Vice Chairman — Harrison County Commissioner William Hatfield

—2nd Vice Chairman — City of Quitman Mayor Randy Dunn

—3rd Vice Chairman — Smith County Commissioner JoAnn Hampton

—Secretary/Treasurer — Rusk County Commissioner Robert Kuykendall

New Executive Committee Terms

—Cherokee County — City of Rusk Mayor Ben Middlebrooks

—Gregg County — County Judge Bill Stoudt

—Gregg County Cities — City of Kilgore Councilwoman Merlyn Holmes

—Marion County — City of Jefferson Mayor Rob Baker

—Panola County — Commissioner Billy Alexander

—Rains County — Commissioner Jeremy Cook

—Smith County — Commissioner JoAnn Hampton

—Smith County Cities — City of Whitehouse Mayor James Wansley

"I am grateful for the volunteer service rendered by all of our elected officials and particularly want to thank and congratulate our new chairman, City of Rusk Mayor Ben Middlebrooks, and the rest of our ETCOG Officers and Board members for their selfless dedication and service to our region," said ETCOG's Executive Director, David Cleveland.

To learn more about FY 2023 program goals, visit www.etcog.org/financials to view the approved Budget and Planning Guide totaling $81.1 M.

The East Texas Council of Governments is a voluntary association of counties, cities, school districts, and special districts within the fourteen-county East Texas region. ETCOG assists local governments in planning for common needs, cooperating for mutual benefit, and coordinating for sound regional development. Established in 1970, ETCOG, either directly or through its contractors, provides programs and services for East Texas seniors, employers, and job seekers. ETCOG and its contractors also build the 9-1-1 emergency call delivery system, provide peace officer training and homeland security planning services, and deliver rural transportation services, business finance programs, and environmental grant funding for the region. For more information, visit www.etcog.org.