The Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County (MPOJC) is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Iowa City Urbanized Area which, under the guidance of a public policy board, provides leadership, expertise, and transportation planning services to member communities and agencies in Johnson County, Iowa.

History

JCCOG (Johnson County Council of Governments) was chartered in 1980 as a successor organization to the Johnson County Regional Planning Commission. The Iowa City community achieved urbanized area status with the 1980 census, and JCCOG was organized to accommodate federal transportation planning requirements for urbanized areas. In January of 1982 the Governor of the State of Iowa designated JCCOG as the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Iowa City Urbanized Area. In 2011, JCCOG become the Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County (MPOJC)

Board Representatives

All MPOJC policy board representatives are elected officials, except for the University of Iowa's who is appointed by the president of the University. This arrangement ensures that elected officials are involved in policy matters at the regional planning level. It also provides continuity between policies developed by MPOJC and policies developed by the city councils/policy boards of the MPOJC member agencies.

Relationship with the City of Iowa City

MPOJC is organized under the City of Iowa City. Although funding is received from all MPOJC members, MPOJC staff are employees of the City of Iowa City. Through a 28(E) agreement, MPOJC staff provide assistance to the other members of MPOJC. This arrangement provides for cost-sharing between Iowa City and MPOJC for such functions as accounting, legal and administrative services, software, motor pool, and building rental.

Relationship with the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG)

ECICOG is a six-county regional planning agency which includes Johnson County. It is Region 10 in the state's system of regional planning agencies. Planning assistance is available through ECICOG to rural communities in Johnson County.