MACo Legal and Policy Counsel Les Knapp spoke at the Southeast Regional Directors Institute’s (SERDI’s) 2014 annual conference in Mobile, Alabama, on May 19 about building relationships with county associations. SERDI members include the executive directors for regional councils (council of governments and tri-county councils) for the southeastern portion of the United States. SERDI provides technical assistance and professional development services, as well as coordinating multi-state regional initiatives and assessing regional council effectiveness. It is governed by a Council of Peers.
Maryland has seven regional development councils:
- Baltimore Metropolitan Council
- Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
- Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland
- Tri-County Council for Western Maryland
- Upper Shore Regional Council
- Mid-Shore Regional Council
- Tri-County Council for the Lower Shore
Knapp was joined by a representative of the Mississippi Municipal League to discuss how regional councils can build a better relationship with their county and municipal associations and the benefits that such a relationship can bring. Other panelists on relationship building section included Alabama General Assembly members, United States House of Representatives staff, and a Durham County (North Carolina) deputy manager.
