HOTCOG Economic Development Corporation Frequently Asked Questions

Since 1966, the Heart of Texas Council of Governments (HOTCOG) has represented a collaborative approach to addressing the needs of a region, including Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, Limestone, and McLennan Counties. HOTCOG exists to plan and initiate needed projects and offers services ranging from 9-1-1 emergency response to air quality monitoring to community food pantries.  

There are more than 80 member governments in HOTCOG’s service area. These include counties, cities, school districts, community colleges, and special districts. Each member government is represented by one or more elected officials. Council representatives meet twice a year: In August to approve HOTCOG’s annual budget and in January to elect officers and members of the executive committee. 

HOTCOG offers a broad range of services to address economic development, public safety, and quality-of-life needs within our member communities. These services include:

• 9-1-1 Program: In Texas, the 9-1-1 emergency response program is overseen by the Commission on State Emergency Communications and implemented at the Council of Governments level. HOTCOG’s 9-1-1 program serves all of our member counties except McLennan County, which operates a separate emergency communications system.
• Emergency Preparedness: The HOTCOG Homeland Security Department assists with regional preparedness programs, emergency management planning, grant compliance, and more to ensure our communities are ready in the event of an emergency.
• Economic Development: HOTCOG has a number of programs in place to support existing businesses and attract new business investment to our service area.
• Senior Support: The Area Agency on Aging, operated by HOTCOG, offers social services, assessment, and other support to residents 60 and older, their families, and other caregivers who live in the six-county region. AAA can offer guidance on Medicare and Medicaid benefits, support care coordination efforts, and more.
• Transportation: Heart of Texas Rural Transportation offers on-demand, public ground transportation for residents of all ages.

The Heart of Texas Council of Governments (HOTCOG) is led by Executive Director Russell Devorsky and a professional staff of more than 30 employees who provide a wide range of regional planning, technical assistance, and administrative services to local governments throughout the Heart of Texas region. HOTCOG is governed by a 17-member Executive Committee composed of elected officials representing its member governments. Executive Committee members are selected by a broader General Assembly consisting of representatives from all member governments.

The Heart of Texas Economic Development District (HOTEDD) is governed by a separate Board of Directors of up to 24 members representing public and private sector interests throughout the region. Through a contractual agreement, HOTCOG provides fiscal and administrative support for HOTEDD, with Executive Director Russell Devorsky overseeing those services.

You can call HOTCOG at 254-292-1800 or email info@hot.cog.tx.us. Find more information on our Contact Us page.

A diverse array of services is offered to seniors in the Heart of Texas, such as the Area Agency on Aging, the Aging and Disability Resource Center, a free 2-1-1 information center help line, public ground transportation, and much more. In HOTCOG’s six counties, seniors are valued community members who are looked after with care and compassion.

Medicare counseling in HOTCOG’s six counties is offered through the Area Agency on Aging’s (AAA) benefits counseling program. Staff provide one-on-one assistance services to any adult Medicare recipient regardless of age.

Heart of Texas Rural Transit District (HOTRTD) provides demand-response public ground transportation to the public, including seniors and individuals with disabilities. Reservations can be scheduled and changed at 254-292-1873 (for trips originating in Bosque, Falls, or Hill counties) and 254-729-2625 (for trips originating in Freestone or Limestone counties). 

The Area Agency on Aging (AAA) provides resources to family caregivers, with both group and individual evidence-based training on problem-solving and decision-making assistance for caregivers.  

Senior Nutrition Services, commonly known as Meals on Wheels, is available to eligible seniors in the Heart of Texas. Bosque, Freestone, and Limestone counties operate senior service programs. Meals on Wheels Waco covers McLennan, Falls, and Hill counties. Visit the Meals on Wheels Waco website or our helpful Community Resource Guide to find out more.

The Area Agency on Aging (AAA) offers access to social services, screening and assessment of individual needs, and general advocacy to persons 60 years of age or older (some exceptions apply) residing within HOTCOG’s six-county region. AAA staff provide four key services: benefits counseling, care/caregiver support coordination, healthy education programs, and long-term care ombudsman. The AAA in the Heart of Texas can be contacted at 254-292-1800 and is located at 1514 South New Road, Waco, TX 76711.

The Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) is an initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In the Heart of Texas, it provides information and assistance to seniors, individuals with disabilities, caregivers, veterans, and families with special needs children. The ADRC helps point individuals and families in the right direction towards specific local programs and resources pertinent to aging or living with a disability.

One of the Area Agency on Aging’s (AAA) four pillars of service in Central Texas is its long-term care ombudsman program. An ombudsman is a person specifically trained to protect the health, safety, and rights of residents of nursing or assisted living facilities. They listen to residents’ concerns, investigate, problem-solve, and help resolve concerns. Contact HOTCOG for more information.

Rural residents can get around via the Heart of Texas Rural Transit District (HOTRTD), which offers rides in Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, and Limestone counties from Monday-Friday. One-way trips within a county cost $1. A cross-county trip costs $2. To schedule or change a reservation, call 254-292-1873 (for trips originating in Bosque, Falls, or Hill counties) or 254-729-2625 (for trips originating in Freestone or Limestone counties). 

Heart of Texas Rural Transit District (HOTRTD) is an ideal way for seniors to get around in Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, and Limestone counties. Trips cost only $1 or $2, depending on destination, and can be booked Monday-Friday.

Demand-response public transportation is a form of custom travel in which transportation varies based on specific customer or individual needs, rather than following fixed routes, such as a city bus. Heart of Texas Rural Transit District (HOTRTD) allows seniors and the public to choose their exact destination and receive transportation there for a limited cost.

A council of governments works together to solve problems and plan for the future of its member counties. HOTCOG, overseeing Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, Limestone, and McLennan counties, features over 80 members in its government, comprising counties, cities, school districts, community colleges, special districts, and more. A council of governments is by the people, for the people.

Regional councils like HOTCOG play an integral role in economic development. HOTCOG’s diverse array of member organizations ensures that a wide range of opinions and perspectives is heard when considering how best to spur economic development in the Heart of Texas. HOTCOG compiles data for a regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), maintains detailed workforce statistics and available sites, directs small businesses to loans, and much more.

The City of Waco is served by its own planning organizations, but Waco is also the headquarters of HOTCOG, which plays a diverse regional economic development role in Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, Limestone, and McLennan counties. 

Local governments in Central Texas are collaborating to identify regional strengths and challenges across counties, improve residents' quality of life, and retain and expand businesses.