We are celebrating over 50 years of regionalism!
The Piedmont Triad planning region was initially formed as an eleven county area in 1968, known as the Piedmont Triad Council of Governments. It included Alamance, Caswell, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, and Yadkin Counties, and was based in Greensboro NC. Throughout the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, regional councils were primarily responsible for processing federal grants. In the late 1970’s, federal grant money decreased rather drastically. Regional councils of governments were forced to reevaluate their missions and become more nimble in responding to the needs of their members.
In large part due to the changing role of regional councils, the Piedmont Triad region split into two councils of government in 1979. The five westernmost counties – Davie, Forsyth, Stokes, Surry, and Yadkin – became the Northwest Piedmont Council of Governments, and the six eastern counties -- Alamance, Caswell, Davidson, Guilford, Randolph, and Rockingham – continued to function as the Piedmont Triad Council of Governments.
In 2001, Governor Easley issued an Executive Order authorizing Montgomery County to be merged into the Piedmont Triad Council of Governments following the dissolution of the Pee Dee Council of Governments. The PTCOG became a 7 county planning region.
In 2010, talks began in earnest about merging the two councils of government in the Piedmont Triad. Local leaders realized that the political boundaries of the two separate COG’s no longer represented the functional and economic structure of the region, and that there needed to be a uniform approach to coordination and planning with the Piedmont Triad region. In an unparalleled show of regional cooperation and initiative, the region was officially reunited in July of 2011. Now, one regional council – the PTRC -- serves the entire 12 county area of the Piedmont Triad region of NC.
