The Lima-Allen County Regional Planning Commission (LACRPC) has announced Rebecca Phillips as its new executive director. The vote was made official in a special board meeting with the organization’s executive committee on Feb. 20. Phillips’ new role became effective immediately following the vote. 

The Lima Allen County Regional Planning Commission has been selected by Governor Mike DeWine to become one of seven regional transportation planning organizations in the state. The newly formed West-Central Ohio Rural Planning Organization, or WORPO, will serve Auglaize, Hancock, Hardin, Mercer, Van Wert, Putnam, and Wyandot counties. This organization can give rural counties outside of the Allen County Metropolitan Planning Organization funding and resources for transportation projects and allow multi-jurisdictional collaboration. The process of getting this designation took two years but will now give rural counties an opportunity to finance more road projects.

A public open house was held today about upcoming road projects in surrounding rural counties. The West Central Ohio Rural Planning organization held an open house for the public to come to voice their opinion and provide input on future transportation projects. The projects on display are in surrounding rural counties such as Putnam, Auglaize, Mercer, Hancock, Van Wert, and Wyandot counties. This is the first year for the regional planning organization, and they felt it was a long time overdue to solve the unique needs that exist in the rural counties surrounding Lima.