NEW BERN, NC – At the Eastern Carolina Council’s September 2023 Executive Committee meeting, several counties and municipalities were recognized and welcomed as returning / new Eastern Carolina Council (ECC) members in 2023-24, including:

 ·        Onslow County

·        Craven County

·        City of Jacksonville

·        City of New Bern

·        Town of Magnolia

·        Town of La Grange

 Additionally, the Town of Peletier joined in July, so 7 communities have returned to ECC in recent months. ECC is grateful to these communities and all member communities for their trust and support! 

The Eastern Carolina Council (ECC) was designated a Council of Governments by the North Carolina Legislature in 1967 and is 1 of 16 councils of government regions in the state.  

It is a multi-county, local government, planning, and development organization that serves county and municipal governments in the region’s nine counties (Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Green, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico, and Wayne). ECC is a membership organization that exists to serve the needs and decisions of its local government members. 

The Eastern Carolina Council’s mission is to improve the region’s quality of life by providing human, planning, and economic development services to local governments and area residents by leveraging resources and collaborating regionally.  Member governments pay dues, shape governance, and help make programmatic decisions. One of its goals is to strengthen collaboration between local governments, elected officials, community members, and resources.

 ECC is also home to the Area Agency on Aging, which works with communities and providers to serve and advocate for the senior population in the region.

 Jacksonville City Manager Josh Ray said, “The City of Jacksonville is excited to join the Eastern Carolina Council of Governments.  Regionalism and collaboration are critical components to the success of local governments in eastern North Carolina.  We feel strongly that Jacksonville should be a leader within our region and that our partnership with the COG [council of Governments] is the most effective approach in working together with our fellow local governments. Together, we can all improve our efficiency and effectiveness to serve our citizens.” 

“ECC is a great resource for Peletier. With their help, we are updating our zoning ordinances and are making improvements in our land use administration. Peletier is growing, and ECC will help us grow in a positive way”, said Peletier Mayor Dale Sowers. 

ECC President (and Pamlico County Commissioner) Ed Riggs stated, "We are thrilled and excited to welcome these governments as members of the Council.  ECC is dedicated to the citizens of our nine-county region through their local officials as we tackle local and regional concerns. Our expert staff will be available to provide technical assistance to these communities on a local level, while at the same time provide a forum for all our member governments to have a voice on issues that concern us all on a regional basis.  This is a great addition to our already strong membership base." 

For more information on ECC, visit https://eccog.org/.