From TMACOG to Lake Erie West
A nonpartisan regional planning partnership of voluntary governmental members in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan, advancing cooperation in transportation, the environment, and economic development.
A new name for one connected region
In January 2026, the members of the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments (TMACOG) — founded in 1968 — voted to adopt a new name: Lake Erie West Regional Council. The General Assembly approved the change on January 30, following a unanimous recommendation from the Governing Board.
The change grew out of the council's 2024 strategic plan and a year of focus groups, surveys, and meetings with members. The new name reflects the region's geography and the resource that ties it together.
"Lake Erie is the thread that connects our communities, our economies, and our future." — Mayor Ed Schimmel, outgoing chair
Our members work on transportation, water quality, and other economic development endeavors that affect quality of life for everyone in our region.
To be the governmental partner of choice to coordinate regional assets, opportunities, and challenges.
Reach the council
Visit
300 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Suite 300
Toledo, OH 43604
Call
419-241-9155
Questions
Rosanna Hoelzle, Chief of Staff
hoelzle@LakeErieWest.org