Polk County Minority Representative Brandon Prescott has been sworn in as the new President of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments and Economic Development District. The oath of office was administered to Prescott and other DETCOG officers during the organization’s Annual Membership and Awards Luncheon held June 27 at the Pitser Garrison Convention Center in Lufkin.
The other officers for 2024-2025 include San Jacinto County Commissioner Mark Nettuno who is President-Elect, Houston County Judge Jim Lovell serving as Vice President, and Lufkin City Councilman Robert Shankle who is the new Secretary. The immediate Past President, who also serves on the DETCOG Executive Committee, is San Augustine County Judge Jeff Boyd.
“I am excited to begin my year of service as President of DETCOG,” said Prescott. “This is an organization which provides many valuable services to the local governments and citizens of our region. Our goal is to bring people together to improve the lives of the people of this region. It’s an honor to serve.”
Organized in 1966, DETCOG is both a Regional Planning Commission of the State of Texas and a federally chartered Economic Development District. It serves an 11-county region encompassing all of Angelina, Houston, Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity and Tyler counties.
The organization is governed by a 54-member Board of Directors, composed of elected officials of counties and cities, the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, and various other governmental entities in the region. The Board also includes a Minority Representative from each of its 11 counties. Prescott has represented Polk County in that capacity since 2019. He has served as a DETCOG officer for the past three years.
