Technical Assistance
A major component of the commission's daily activities is technical assistance and various services to member governments. Technical assistance and services are provided in many forms such as population, employment, and housing data; zoning ordinance regulations; mapping; federal programs and directives; voting district plans and maps; recreation and conservation programs; and grant and loan programs. The WARC also provides technical assistance to agencies in Region 2 that receive federal funds for urban or rural transportation.
Public Information
An integral part of the commission's activities is public information. The commission utilizes news releases, public meetings, correspondence, public presentations, an annual report and other means available to keep interested sectors of the public apprised of projects, programs and services.
WARC publishes a directory of municipal, county, state and federal officials every other year. The "Regional Directory" is used as a single source of names, addresses, and telephone numbers of persons frequently contacted in the daily operation of intergovernmental affairs. The directory is distributed to local governments and state and federal officials, and to others upon request.
WARC publishes the "Directory of Manufacturing Companies in West Alabama" to promote trade among the industries in West Alabama. It lists a contact person, address, telephone, number of employees, raw materials used and products by county location.
The commission also publishes study results and reports for limited distribution to local governments and appropriate state and/or federal agencies.
Data Center Network
Another of WARC's distinctions is that of State Data Center Network Affiliate, a designation made by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, in November 1988. This status enhances the commission's ability to assist with area development via continuous access to census publications and information from state and federal agencies. The commission gathers and disseminates statistical data for use by member governments.
WARC served as the local liaison between the Bureau of the Census and a number of member governments for the 1990 census and was designated a coordinating agency for updating maps for the 2000 census.
Geographic Information System
WARC's Geographic Information System enables staff to provide numerous mapping services and location-specific data including topography, historic sites, hazardous materials sites, tourism attractions, traffic patterns, countywide addressing, voting districts, zoning and others.
Bibb County Maps
Fayette County Maps
Greene County Maps
Hale County Maps
Lamar County Maps
Pickens County Maps
Tuscaloosa County Maps