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Interagency Coordination

The Commission views its coordinating role as central to its reason for existence. Intergovernmental coordination is facilitated through the development of the Annual Work Program & Budget, specific requests for assistance by using formal memoranda of agreement relative to programs and review procedures, and active and meaningful participation on advisory committees. Several major examples of the Commission’s work in the area of interagency coordination include:

To carry out federal water quality management planning requirements (Section 208 of P.L. 92500), it was necessary to form a new agency in the mid-seventies to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) urban industrial complex requirements for jurisdictional area and for one policy body. East Central and Brown County had jointly formed the Fox Valley Water Quality Planning Agency under SS. 66.30 in 1972 for such purpose. That agency was formally disbanded in December, 1989 principally because of inadequate funding resources and separate designation was sought by East Central. The Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) never acted on the request and reassumed the water quality planning responsibility at the state level. However, within the state Administrative Code for Water Quality Management, provisions are made whereby East Central is deemed the responsible agency for sewer service area delineation and administration under a memorandum of understanding with the WDNR. As a result, the Commission continues to play a strong role in the development and implementation of 25 separate Sewer Service Area (SSA) Plans throughout the region. Policies and procedures exist to update and amend these Sewer Service Area Plans on a routine basis.

The coordination of East Central’s transportation planning activities with state and federal transportation planning and management efforts is accomplished in numerous ways. First, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) have representatives on the Fox Cities and Oshkosh Area Transportation Policy Advisory Committees. Second, WisDOT Bureau of Planning, as well as the WisDOT’s regional offices have representatives on East Central’s Transportation Technical Advisory Committee. Third, East Central staff participates in numerous committees and regional transportation planning sessions.

The coordination of East Central’s transportation planning activities with local planning and management efforts is also accomplished in numerous ways. First, county highway commissioners, directors of public works, city traffic engineers, city and county planners, airport managers, among others, are members of the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee. Second, East Central staff members participate with local organizations such as the Appleton Parking and Transit Commission and county transportation coordinating committees. Each year, during preparation of East Central’s Work Program, East Central staff solicits input from local planning staff on transportation-related planning activities that will be undertaken the following year.

 

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