1. Intergovernmental Collaboration
#IowaLeague17
Intergovernmental Collaboration
Success Stories
Denise Bulat, Executive Director, Bi-State Regional Commission
Handouts and presentations are available through the event app and at

2. COG/RPC/MPO’s are Facilitators of Collaboration
Councils are formed voluntarily by counties, cities and towns to serve local governments and citizens.

3. History of COG/RPA/MPO’s
Federal Aid Highway Transportation Act of 1962 cooperative transportation planning in metro areas
HUD 701 Comprehensive Planning
Designated as Federal Clearinghouse for review of applications for Federal Assistance 1967
U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration regional economic development districts – 1970’s

4. Mission of COG/RPA/MPO’s
Provide Individual Direct Assistance to Local Governments
Provide Planning Services for Multiple Jurisdictions
Serve as Forum for Intergovernmental Cooperation and Delivery of Regional Services
Applicable to Other RPA’s/MPO’s

5. Role as Federal and State Regional Liaison
Direct Link to Federal and State Agencies for Funding of Community Projects
Project Development and Resource Identification
Grant Writing and Administration

6. Bi-State Board Organization
26 Elected Officials - Mayors/Alderman, County Board Chairs/Members
10 Appointed Officials – Business, Banking, Housing, Social Services, Labor, Minorities
Not Another Layer of Government – An Extension of You!

8. Bi-State Commission Budget
Total Budget of $1,900,000
Member Dues $400,000
Federal and State Grants $1,000,000
Other Contracts $500,000
Member Dues
Based on Population
Range from $1,100 – $77,400

9. Reasons to Cooperate Regionally/Collaborate
Many Adjacent Local Governments in Urban Area/Region
Urban area population is nearly equal on each side of the Mississippi River
Plan More Comprehensively
Achieve Greater Political/Economic Clout
Deliver Quality Services
Address a Specific Issue
Share Scarce Federal/State/Local Resources
Save Money

10. Plan Comprehensively - Economic Development
Annual Development of Regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies
Marketing/Data Coordination
Revolving Loan Funds – 3,000 Jobs, $9 Million Loaned
Multi Jurisdictional Enterprise Zone
Multi County Federal EDA Districts – Joint EDA Applications

11. Plan Comprehensively - Transportation
Regional Coordination of Transportation Projects
Long/Short Range Planning
Surface Transportation Programming
Traffic Safety – CARS Group
Freight Planning – Freight Forum
Multi-Purpose Trail Planning – ADT, MRT, GRT Council

12. Multi-Purpose Trail Planning

13. Achieve Greater Clout - I-74 Bridge

14. Achieve Greater Clout – I-74 Trail Feature

15. Deliver Quality Services – Solid Waste Planning
Collaborative Solid Waste Plan Prepared in and Updated as Required by DNR
Initiated Scott Area Solid Waste Agency/28E
Initiated Rock Island County Solid Waste
Management
Share Use of Material Recovery Facility, Etc.

16. Address an Issue – Drug and Alcohol Testing Consortium
Members Municipalities, Counties, Townships, School, Other Gov. Org.
RPA Conducts RFP Process/Holds Contract
Covers Transportation Safety-Sensitive Employees
Complies with 1991 U.S. DOT Employee Testing Act
Contract for Multiple Years

17. Address an Issue - Emergency Preparedness
Evacuation Plans
Hazardous Mitigation and Planning
Administration of Federal Disaster Assistance Programs – Jump Start, FEMA Buyouts
Regional Coordination of Public Safety Programs and Services

18. Share Scarce Resources –Administrative and Planning
Shared Human Resources – Job Descriptions, Classifications, Performance Evaluation Systems, and Salary/Wage Plans
Joint Training Coordination of Personnel
Payroll and Accounting Services
RFP Process Facilitation for Joint Projects
Park and Recreation Planning

19. Save Money - Joint Purchasing Council
Members are Local Governments
Lower Costs through Volume Buying
Lower Costs through Competitive Buying
Reduce Duplicate Administrative Costs
(1 spec, 1 advertisement, 1 bid opening)
Information/Expertise Sharing
Some Purchases Lower than State Bids

20. Save Money – Aerial Photography Project
Acquire New Aerial Photography Every Four Years – 3 times 
Multi-agency Consortium - Cities and Counties
Imagery Used for GIS and Engineering Applications
Up to 25% cost savings was achieved.
Increased Quality for Lower Price

21. Observations and Suggestions
Strengthen Trust
-Develop informal communication networks
-Inform the right people
-Scan the environment
Encourage Partnerships
-Build coalitions
-Focus on commonalities
-Develop unified message
-Avoid overlap
-Develop niches
Address Tough Problems
-Jointly analyze problems
-Dialogue with neighbors
-Monitor progress

22. Relationships or at least good relationships, don’t take away from our individual identities. They add a new element, an entity, that we grow to value. There’s still me, and you but now there’s also us. That’s how collaboration works when done well. It gives far more than it takes. -Russell M. Linden, Working Across Boundaries