The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation’s (LVEDC) newly-revitalized Local Government Council is about to meet for the first time.

The council will include elected and appointed representatives from all 62 municipalities, who will meet on a regular basis throughout the year to discuss economic development needs within the Lehigh Valley and to engage ideas and perspectives on such issues as planning, zoning, infrastructure, and regulation.

The Council’s inaugural meeting, which will be focused specifically on Lehigh County, will be held on July 22 at the Holiday Inn in Upper Macungie Township. Another meeting for Northampton County representatives will be held at a later date, according to Andrew Kleiner, LVEDC’s director of redevelopment and external affairs.

“The Council serves to connect the activities of LVEDC with our public sector partners,” Kleiner said. “We’re 62 municipalities, but we’re also one region, and by understanding the needs of each town and borough, we can learn how to make every one of them the best they can be, and help move the entire Lehigh Valley forward from an economic development perspective.”

During the July 22 event, LVEDC President and CEO Don Cunningham will describe trends in the Lehigh Valley economy, the mission and vision of LVEDC, and the work of LVEDC’s councils and committees. He will also provide a snapshot of where the Lehigh Valley is heading throughout 2015 and beyond, and engage with audience members in an open question-and-answer session.

The event will end with a networking and cocktail reception, where attendees can share and learn about various success stories across the Lehigh Valley. Running from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the event is free to attend but pre-registration is required.

Since last year, Kleiner has led an increased outreach effort with all 62 municipalities in Lehigh and Northampton counties. Kleiner has visited officials from those municipalities to learn the development priorities of each individual township and borough, and to discuss what specifically LVEDC can do to help facilitate those efforts.

“Gathering this input from each of the municipalities will allow us to establish a road map of economic development needs for the entire region,” Kleiner said. “Hearing their stories will ultimately help us tell the Lehigh Valley’s story.”

For more information about the Local Government Council event, contact Kleiner at akleiner@lehighvalley.org or 610-266-7619.