TARCOG, the five-county government agency that serves 48 municipalities in North Alabama, will again have a permanent home.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison County Commission Chairman Mac McCutcheon and Alabama House member Laura Hall joined TARCOG workers, administrators, board members and others on a gray Friday morning for a groundbreaking ceremony on an $8 million building that will rise in the next year on Corporate Drive in the MidCity District.

TARCOG, an acronym for Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments, has been housed temporarily on Old Madison Pike since its former home was sold for use at MidCity.

“Cloudy skies can’t dampen our spirits because it’s a very special day for our organization and we appreciate each of you for being here to celebrate with us,’’ said Connie Spears, TARCOG’s board president.

The building has been in the works since its former location was sold.

“We are very excited to have reached this point,” said Michelle Gilliam Jordan, TARCOG’s executive director. “It’s taken nearly two years of thoughtful planning, but we believe the building plan is perfect for our needs now and into the future.”

Plans for the structure were developed by Les Tillery and a team from Fuqua & Partners Architects. Doster Construction is the contractor.

“Much remains to be done as we continue to improve the quality of life within our area,’’ Spears said. “We look forward to meeting these challenges head on with continued teamwork, as we create the new space for our robust and resilient staff.’’

Representative Hall was the guest speaker for the occasion.

“Today is about celebrating the start of construction on this new building that you’ve heard about, but it’s also about honoring the history and the people who have previously worked and who continue to take TARCOG into the future,’’ Hall said.

“I’m seeing the name more often these days, but I still feel like TARCOG is one of our hidden gems in North Alabama,” Hall continued. “This is an agency which does important work and for anyone who doesn’t know about it, they should take some time to learn about TARCOG because, chances are, they may be able to help you at some point in your life.’’

TARCOG facts:

Serving North Alabama since 1968, TARCOG supports DeKalb, Jackson, Limestone, Madison and Marshall counties.

Handles 4,000 calls annually, assisting residents with various needs.

Provides essential support such as food, medical supplies, prescription medications and caregiver assistance across its five-county region.

Keeps seniors in their homes—900 TARCOG clients eligible for nursing homes receive care at home through the Medicaid Waiver program, saving Alabama Medicaid nearly $82 million.

Secured $11.3 million in grants for projects including parks, sewer system upgrades, land use planning and police equipment.

Supports senior employment and volunteerism, helping older adults find part-time and/or volunteer work.

Delivers 637,000+ hot meals annually to more than 5,000 seniors, saving them over $3 million.

Saves 3,237 people over $3.4 million on Medicare premiums through Alabama’s SHIP program.

Provides free legal aid to 850+ clients, saving them nearly $1 million each year.

Helps 2,000+ seniors save $7 million annually through the SenioRx prescription assistance program.
Supports nearly 200 caregivers with over 41,000 respite hours, valued at more than $900,000.

“So a big thank you to TARCOG, the staff and to all of you that have been a part of this organization to make it the organization that it is,’’ Hall said. “And you make it that way because of the service that we provide, that you provide.’’

Among those in attendance were Michelle Gilliam Jordan, TARCOG’s executive director, and two previous executive directors: Bob Culver and Nancy Robertson.

“We have so much to be thankful for at TARCOG,’’ Spears said. “We have incredible people taking care of our most vulnerable population as well as making sure we have good and safe infrastructure, economic development and strong growth plans for our future.”

“TARCOG does so much for so many and that’s why when it came time for the board to decide on how to proceed with this new building, it was easy for us,” Spears continued. “We knew we wanted to give our staff a good space to do their work with room for expansion.’’