SHERMAN, August 2, 2017 – Dr. Susan Thomas, Executive Director of Texoma Council of Governments (TCOG), announced that results from the April 2017 Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Event have been released. Overall, the three counties saw an increase in the number of cars totaling 938, up from 644 cars in 2015.

“The triple-digit percentage increase in waste collected over the 2015 collection event clearly shows a considerable demand for this service,” Thomas stated. She also emphasized that this region-wide event is oftentimes the only resource available to residents in the Texoma region for properly disposing household hazardous waste.

Cooke County Judge Jason Brinkley, who currently serves as president on TCOG’s Governing Board, said, “This year’s household hazardous waste collection event was a great benefit to the residents of Cooke County and the Texoma region. The significant increase over the previous collection event shows not only a real need for this service, but also the commitment that our residents have to ensuring that such waste is disposed of properly. I appreciate the help of the numerous volunteers and TCOG staff for making it a success.”

According to Michael Schmitz, GIS & Planning program manager at TCOG, the primary goal of the Municipal Solid Waste program is to extend the life of area landfills by promoting and practicing recycling, composting, and proper disposal of hazardous materials – and in doing so makes for healthier and safer communities by diverting hazardous or potentially hazardous items from area streams and landfills. Schmitz also stated, “It is my hope to be able to hold this event annually—instead of the current cycle of every other year—so we will begin working with local member entities to fill the funding gap in the state grant received from Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) that allows us to hold such events for citizens in our region.

For information and resources about the Municipal Solid Waste program, please visit www.tcog.com/msw. Complete results from the 2017 Collection Event may also be found on TCOG’s website at www.tcog.com/news/2017-hhw-results.

The Texoma Council of Governments is a voluntary association of the local governments in Cooke, Fannin, and Grayson Counties. Established in 1968, the Texoma Council of Governments promotes economy and efficiency in the coordinated planning and development of the tri-county region through its community and economic development activities. Either directly, or through contractors, the Council provides housing, utility assistance, and weatherization services for low-income citizens in the region and assists the elderly through a variety of Area Agency on Aging programs. The Council also facilitates the delivery of grant funding for homeland security and criminal justice.

2017 Totals

Compared to 2015 results

2017 Breakdown

2017 HHW Results Infographic

For Immediate Release

Regional Solid Waste Funding Plan

SHERMAN, September 9, 2013 – Dr. Susan Thomas, Executive Director of Texoma Council of Governments (TCOG) announced today that a public meeting has been scheduled to gather comments on the Fiscal Year 2014/2015 Regional Solid Waste Grants Program Funding Plan and discuss the process for private industry notification. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 9, 2013 at 4 pm in the Texoma Room on the second floor of the TCOG building, 1117 Gallagher Drive, Sherman, TX.

Dr. Thomas stated, “The purpose of the Regional Funding Plan is to provide information and a plan for the use of grant funds for the new funding cycle to all eligible entities of pass-through grant funding. This plan allows the solid waste program of the COG the opportunity to plan for the use of the grant funds received from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).”

Municipal Solid Waste Grant funding is available to all eligible local governments in the TCOG region for establishing recycling and composting projects to reduce the amount of material introduced to local landfills, educate the public about their environmental options, and help fight illegal dumping situations.

The Texoma Council of Governments is a voluntary association of the local governments in Cooke, Fannin, and Grayson Counties. Established in 1968, the Texoma Council of Governments promotes economy and efficiency in the coordinated planning and development of the tri-county region through its community and economic development activities. Either directly, or through contractors, the Council provides housing, utility assistance, and weatherization services for low-income citizens in the region and assists the elderly through a variety of Area Agency on Aging programs. The Council also facilitates the delivery of grant funding for homeland security and criminal justice.