DETCOG Celebrates 60 Years of Regional Service during Houston County Stop
By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter
HOUSTON COUNTY – The Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) marked its 60th anniversary year Thursday with a courthouse reception in Houston County before gathering near Kennard for its monthly board meeting and a special luncheon at Larry Bruce’s Gardens.
The celebration highlighted six decades of regional cooperation among 11 East Texas counties — and underscored a unique generational connection between the organization’s founding and its current leadership.
Founded in November 1966, DETCOG serves Angelina, Houston, Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity and Tyler counties. The voluntary association of local governments covers 9,413 square miles — an area larger than the states of New Hampshire, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island — and serves a population of more than 339,000.
DETCOG is both a political subdivision of the State of Texas and a federally chartered Economic Development District. It is one of 24 regional councils of governments in Texas and was created to facilitate planning, eliminate duplication and promote economy and efficiency in coordinated regional development. While it is a governmental agency, DETCOG has no taxing or ordinance-making authority.
Lonnie Hunt, executive director of DETCOG, said the Houston County stop was part of the organization’s regular rotation among member counties.
“The main purpose we’re here today is just one of our regular monthly DETCOG board meetings,” Hunt said. “We represent 11 counties, and we like to get out among our counties, so our board meetings are held in a different county every month. We come to Houston County every February.”
This year’s visit carries special significance as the organization celebrates its 60th year.
“In November of this year, it will mark the 60th anniversary of the organization of DETCOG,” Hunt said. “So we decided we’d just celebrate all year long. As we go to each of our counties during the year for our board meetings, we’re also tooting our horn a little bit, I guess you’d say — just celebrating the fact that it is our 60th year of service.”
Houston County Judge Jim Lovell welcomed attendees at the courthouse reception, noting the county’s historic standing.
“On behalf of Houston County — which, by the way, was the first county formed in Texas, and we still think we’re No. 1 — welcome to this DETCOG meeting,” Lovell said.
Lovell asked Houston County employees in attendance to stand and be recognized, drawing a visible show of local support for the regional organization.
“I can’t say enough about Larry and Sarah Bruce for hosting us,” Lovell added of the luncheon venue in Kennard. “Sadly, they’re not open on a regular basis; it’s just for special occasions like this and holidays.”
Lovell said the anniversary carries personal meaning.
“DETCOG is really special to me for lots of reasons,” he said. “One of them is that my dad, as a newly elected state representative, was in on that first organizational meeting when DETCOG was formed. That makes it special to me.”
Hunt confirmed that connection, noting that the original organizational meeting was held in Groveton in November 1966.
“At the organizational meeting for DETCOG, which was held in Groveton in November of ’66, the three people representing Houston County at that meeting were J.B. Sallas, who was mayor of Crockett, Herman Ainsworth, who was a county commissioner, and James Lovell,” Hunt said.
James Lovell had just been elected state representative at the time and would take office the following January.
“He happens to be the father of Jim Lovell,” Hunt said. “And Jim Lovell is currently our president-elect and will take office as president in July. So when we actually hit that magic date in November of 60 years, one of the original organizers’ sons will be serving as president of the board.”
Lovell is set to assume the presidency during the organization’s anniversary year, creating a full-circle moment linking DETCOG’s founding generation to its present leadership.
U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Waco, attended the event and presented DETCOG officials with a U.S. flag flown over the United States Capitol in honor of the anniversary.
“This flag was flown over the United States Capitol in honor of the 60th birthday of DETCOG,” Sessions said as he made the presentation.
Sessions congratulated the organization for six decades of regional collaboration and emphasized the importance of rural counties working together.
“When you get something started, you have an understanding of how important gathering together is,” Sessions said. “Years later, here we are in the same world, and that is we have to gather together groups of counties to speak with one voice to make sure that the things that are in their best interest are also in other people’s best interest. And that is exactly what DETCOG is about.”
He added that as Texas continues to grow — particularly in urban centers — rural communities must remain unified in advocating for infrastructure and economic opportunity.
“Increasingly as Texas grows, we will find that the growth goes to large cities,” Sessions said. “But we have needs, too.”
From its organizational meeting in Groveton in 1966 to Thursday’s gathering in Houston County, the council’s mission remains the same: bringing counties together to plan, coordinate and advocate for the collective interests of Deep East Texas.
Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]
