ILGARD Helping Southern Ohio Use Resources To Fullest Extent

BY LARRY ARTHUR
Times-Journal Writer

Marsha Lewis, a representative of ILGARD (Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development), gave an informative talk at a recent Wellston Rotary Club meeting. She is pictured with Rotarian, Judge Leonard Holzapfel.

ILGARD is a name that might not be too familiar to people in our region, but the services that this agency offers have probably impacted residents of Ohio’s 29 Appalachian counties in one way or another.

ILGARD, which stands for Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development, is an office that operates from Ohio University, dedicated to improving the performance, innovation and efficiency of government.

ILGARD also serves as an applied research center for state, regional and local policy issues and provides information and technology services for increased regional exposure.

The agency gives back to the university for some of these services by providing an avenue for graduate and undergraduate students to become in public service projects.

In Vinton County, ILGARD was responsible for working with Zaleski officials in building part of the area’s technology infrastructure by getting the village on-line with MAGIGnet. The network connects government agencies and medical resources in a combined effort.

MAGICnet links communities in 11 Southeastern Ohio counties to each other.

Through the service, ILGARD helps community leaders develop web sites that promote what their region has to offer. The sites can also foster economic development be giving possible investors an easily accessible way to gain information on a region or particular community.

The system also provides email facilities which allow participants to communicate instantly with each other.

ILGARD’s Management Advisory Services Assistant Director Marsha Lewis paid a visit to the area when she spoke last Wednesday to the Wellston Rotary Club on what her office offers.

Lewis began her speech explaining what ILGARD does to help agencies in the area. ILGARD provides strategic economic planning and facilitates meetings to discuss those strategies.

ILGARD is also responsible for program evaluations for agencies seeking outside grant evaluators.

Regional research projects are also carried out by the offices evidenced by the recent year-long natural resources survey conducted at areas such as Lake Rupert to get an idea of how people utilizing natural resources affect the economy.

In closing, Lewis related to the listeners that the resources offered through her office are being utilized by area governments and organizations.

"It’s amazing to see what we in Southern Ohio do with our resources and how we use them to their fullest extent," Lewis said.