A newly formed group in Carbon County is asking for help from its members.

The Carbon County Council of Governments, which includes municipalities, county commissioners, county agencies and state Sen. John Yudichak's office, is working to determine what equipment is available within the county limits and what is needed.During the COG meeting last week, two priorities were established creating an equipment list and figuring out what each municipality wants to get out of the group.Commissioner Wayne Nothstein welcomed the 10 municipalities and two county agencies in attendance and reported that 13 municipalities have determined they will be active members in the COG.The group then talked about creating bylaws and a preamble for the organization.Committees were formed for these tasks, and the groups will propose their findings at the next COG meeting, which is slated for 6:30 p.m. June 30 at the Carbon County Commissioners' meeting room, on the third floor of the county courthouse annex in Jim Thorpe.The meeting ended as Nothstein asked representatives to go back to their municipality and create an list of equipment items they have available and what officials feel they want to get out of the group and bring them to the next meeting or send them to him.He also urged other municipalities that were not in attendance to let him know if they are interested in being part of the group as it moves forward.The purpose of a COG is to serve as a common goal entity, consisting of municipalities, to better serve the people. COGs can share services, equipment and manpower to save taxpayer money and work as a larger entity to try to obtain grants.Most notably, the county and a number of municipalities worked together on the narrow-band radio project, which required changing over all emergency radios. Through the joint effort, the group secured just over $900,000 to cover the $1 million project.