At their meeting last week in Groveton, the Deep East Texas Council of Governments Board approved a $26.6 million budget for Fiscal Year 2015. Executive Director Walter Diggles said the $4.6 million increase is due to the Hurricane Ike Housing Recovery program as it enters the construction phase. Diggles said 40 families have been approved to receive benefits from the program, and construction has already started on homes throughout the 12-county region. In other business, the DETCOG board authorized the agency to take bids on a new building in Lufkin. The next DETCOG Board meeting is scheduled for Sept. 18 in Tyler County.