Morgan County Commission could become a full-fledged voting member of the North Central Alabama Regional Council of Governments soon if board members from Cullman and Lawrence County agree to a proposed re-organization of the board.

Morgan County pulled out of NARCOG earlier this year when a request to realign the board based on population fell on deaf ears. Such a board would give Morgan a majority of the votes since it has 51 percent of the three-county area’s population. Subsequently, the commission applied for membership in TARCOG and was approved; however, the change had to have the Governor’s approval and it was held up pending an effort by all parties to resolve their differences.

Currently, Morgan County has an agreement with NARCOG to handle funding of its aging program, subject to a 30-day cancellation.

A meeting between a representative of each of the three counties and Jim Bynard Jr., director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Com-munity Affairs was held in Montgomery on Dec. 5, according to Morgan County Commission Chairman Ray Long.

“The purpose was to come up with a proposal to reorganize NARCOG’s board according to each county’s population, and we did that,” Long stated. “The ball is now in their court., he added “It’s up to the representatives of Cullman and Morgan County to convince other board members that the proposal we came up with is in the best interest of all three counties, then act accordingly.

“If and when that happens, I’m prepared to bring the proposed board reorganization agreement to our commissioners for consideration, Long pointed out.

“Otherwise, our request for membership with TARCOG is still on the Governor’s desk and I’ve been assured that it will be signed if we can’t get a working relationship re-established with NARCOG.”