National Association of Regional Councils

• About NARC
  • 1.1: About Us
  • 1.2: Vision and Mission
  • 1.3: Board of Directors
  • 1.4: Executive Directors
  • 1.5: Regional Futures Institute
  • 1.6: NARC Services
  • 1.7: NARC History
  • 1.8: NARC Staff
  • 1.9: FAQ
  • 1.10: Join NARC
  • 1.11: Become a Sponsor
  • 1.12: Job Opportunities
• Activities
  • 3.1: Development
  • 3.2: Environment
  • 3.3: Homeland Security
  • 3.5: Transportation
• Regional Councils/MPOs
  • 4.1: What is a Regional Council?
  • 4.2: What is a Metropolitan Planning Organization?
  • 4.4: Listing of COGs and MPOs
• Government Affairs
  • 5.1: Legislative Information
  • 5.2: Policy Statements and Testimony
  • 5.3: Legislative Tracking and Links
  • 5.5: Legislative Updates
• Events
  • 9.1: Conferences
  • 9.2: Telecasts
  • 9.3: Workshops
  • 9.4: Development Symposia
• Resource Center
  • 10.1: Publications
  • 10.2: Press
  • 10.3: What's News
  • 10.4: Visiting Washington?
  • 10.6: H-1B Visa Information Page
  • 10.7: Regional Council Graduate Course
• Job Postings
  • 11.1: Job Postings
• 19: Members Only
  • 19.1: Member Update
  • 19.2: Vendor Specials
  • 19.3: Calendar of Events
  • 19.4: Technology
  • 19.5: Maps
  • 19.6: Mentor Exchange
  • 19.7: Members In the News
  • 19.8: The Learning Series

Medium Metro Award

The Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC), led by Executive Director John Swanson, was presented with the Medium Metro Achievement Award by the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC).

The award recognized the innovative transportation summit organized by the NIRPC in November 2005 entitled “Moving Northwest Indiana Forward.” The summit was a public-private collaborative effort to engage the public in meaningful dialogue on regional transportation priorities and methods to meet challenges and opportunities. It featured an interactive wireless electronic key-pad polling of sixty questions covering a wide range of regional transportation, financing and development issues, bringing together over 600 attendees, speakers and elected officials.

The interactive process gave the audience instant poll results, which enabled them to gauge public opinion and to openly discuss, comment and ask questions throughout the six-hour forum. NIRPC facilitated the summit by preparing the key-pad polling portion of the program, developing the questions, tabulating and evaluating results, preparing analyses and reports and providing staff support.

“Moving Northwest Indiana Forward” participants came from various sectors including business, elected officials, labor unions, education, public transit, the elderly, persons with disabilities, faith-based community organizations, economic development, non-profit agencies and citizenry. This is in line with NIRPC’s mission of reaching all citizens of Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties to understand and meet the region’s planning needs.

“Northwest Indiana is a very diverse region that is coming together to become competitive in a global setting. A major goal of the Transportation Forum was to elevate public discussion and work towards agreement on regional priorities. This award is a testament to the efforts of citizens in our region who are cooperating to move Northwest Indiana forward,” said Mr. Swanson.

The achievement award was given to NIRPC at the NARC 40th Annual Conference held in San Antonio, Texas. It recognizes programs that exemplify regional cooperation, coordination and excellence with the involvement of private and civic sectors. The NIRPC competed with other regional planning organizations from around the country.