It never ceases to amaze me about the number of organizations there are that represent every level and every facet of government: Governors (NGA), Western Governors (WGA), Republican Governors (RPA), American Planning Association (APA), Oregon APA, City Mayors for U.S. and international - plus sub-groups (NLC), Oregon Cities (OLC), Oregon Mayors (OMA), Democrat Mayors (NCDM), Black Mayors (NCBM),attorney's General, Public Administrators (NAPA and ASPA).... the list seems endless. Add NGOs that try to influence government entities and the list alone would fill a book with more being added every day. The section on Green/Eco/Environmental groups would take up half the book.
What citizens don't know is the extent to which each of these organizations influence their members and their actions and beliefs which in turn affect their constituent parties - us. In all cases, public money from local jurisdictions funds the organizations, their staff, research, conferences, lobbying, etc. In some cases, NGOs, the federal government and international groups may fund the organizations. Beyond the obvious money machine that is easily known and understood, who is influencing our elected representatives?
Oregon MPOs
Here is one more entity to add to the list: Oregon Metropolitan Planning Organization Consortium
http://www.ompoc.org. I have no idea how influential his organization is - my gut tells me that Metro is the gorilla in any room of Oregon MPOs. The map shows what other MPOs exist in the state.
Welcome to the Oregon Metropolitan Planning Organization Consortium (OMPOC) website. This site provides information on OMPOC meetings, the Consortium's Bylaws, information on each of the member agencies, and products developed by the Consortium in pursuit of its mission:
- To provide a forum for Oregon's MPOs to address common needs, issues and solutions to transportation and land use challenges facing Oregon's metropolitan regions and surrounding areas.
- To provide recommendations for individual action of Oregon MPOs on issues of common interest.
- To advocate for Oregon MPO policy, regulatory and funding interests at the state and federal level.
OMPOC’s Greater Regions ProjectOver the past several years, OMPOC has worked to create a new definition of Oregon’s metropolitan areas that is based on travelsheds, not simply political boundaries. This approach helps frame the economic and travel relationships that define our regions, and often span formal boundaries, including urban growth boundaries. The purpose of the Greater Regions project is to bring more voices to the conversation as we work to plan the future of Oregon’s metropolitan areas.
The following materials describe OMPOC’s Greater Regions work for four major subareas:
- North Willamette Valley, which includes the Portland and Salem regions
- Southern Willamette Valley, which extends from Corvallis and Albany to the Eugene-Springfield region
- Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon, extending from Ashland to Grants Pass
- Central Oregon area extending from Bend to Madras
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