WOODVILLE – “It’s nice to see a date up there older than me,” quipped Woodville mayor Amy Bythewood in her introductory remarks at the monthly meeting for the board of directors of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) and Economic Development District.
The meeting, held last Thursday, Sept. 24, took place at the Family Life Center of Woodville’s First Baptist Church, which is customary for the agency’s September meeting, as each county represented under its banner takes a turn hosting. DETCOG has been celebrating its 60th year of service, which is what Bythewood was referring to, and a public reception to honor that anniversary took place prior to the board meeting on Thursday morning at the Tyler County Courthouse.
Before the business meeting’s agenda, those in attendance heard from Whitney Burran, who serves as executive director of the Janelle Grum Family Crisis Center of East Texas, known as the Women’s Shelter of East Texas, Inc.
Burran that in 2025, her organization served 1,496 clients, and she outlined the variety of services covered by the Family Crisis Center, which includes transitional housing and emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Burran also spoke of her nonprofit organization’s transparency, and said that it recently underwent an audit, with which it fared “very well.”
Burran emphasized that anyone who has been a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault is eligible for the center’s services, and she spoke to a stigma in society regarding men who are victimized in such ways. “A lot of people think the Family Crisis Center only serves women and children…men are victims of domestic violence and sexual assault just like women,” she said.
In 1979, when the organization was incorporated, it was just the Women’s Shelter, Burran said, but in 2009, was changed to its current name.
Burran said one of the common questions surrounding domestic violence victims is “Why don’t people just leave?”
“Leaving an abusive relationship…is one of the most dangerous times,” Burran said, and added that her organization helps with safety plans and leaving abusive situations for clients.
DETCOG budget passed
The key agenda item up for the DETCOG agenda on Thursday was to consider action on the 2027 fiscal year budget for the agency.
DETCOG Executive Director Lonnie Hunt said that the morning of the meeting, he met with the finance committee, which recommended that the board approve the budget, which it did.
Of the administrative budgets, 31.95% was allocated for its indirect cost pool; 51.68% for its employee benefits pool and the remainder to the space cost and IT pool.
Of the IT allocation, Hunt said that the agency has “been fortunate that we’ve not had any incidents,” regarding cyber-attacks or other malicious internet-borne problems, but noted an increase in the IT budget for the coming fiscal year cycle.
Hunt spoke of DETCOG’s service over the past 60 years before the meeting adjourned. “We’ll continue to show up in the community to celebrate DETCOG’s 60th anniversary and to spread the good word about what DETCOG does.”
For anyone needing the services of the Janelle Grum Family Crisis Center of East Texas, the agency has a 24-7 Crisis Hotline, which can be reached at 1-800-828-SAFE (7233), and a 24-7 text message line at 936-552-9256.
