December 2017: ARTS UPLIFT! The Economic and Social Impacts of Art Programs in Central Oregon

PRESENTING SPONSORS: OLD MILL DISTRICT and TOWER THEATRE FOUNDATION

SUPPORTING SPONSOR: STEELE ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS, US BANK and ASHLEY & VANCE ENGINEERING, INC.

For the first time, Central Oregon has made the list for the Arts & Economic Prosperity Report, a study by Americans for the Arts that details the impact of nonprofit arts organizations across the nation.

In 2015, the total expenditure for arts programs in Central Oregon reached $34 million. The impact of arts programming goes beyond the economic and has social impacts that particularly enrich the lives of our youth.

Please join us for this uplifting and in-depth look at Central Oregon’s art community.

November forum:The Role of Immigrants in Central Oregon

October 2017: THE TRUST GAP. Exploring the crisis of confidence in the American news media and how to fix it.

PRESENTING SPONSORS: DESCHUTES PUBLIC LIBRARY and THE SOURCE WEEKLY

SUPPORTING SPONSOR: STEELE ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS

Journalism is an institution built on trust. Yet just 32 percent of Americans say they trust the news media. Why is journalism so distrusted? What are the implications? And what might be done to rebuild trust? Join University of Oregon journalism instructors Todd Milbourn and Lisa Heyamoto for an interactive presentation on the crisis of confidence in American journalism. Milbourn and Heyamoto, both former newspaper reporters, have been traveling across the country and listening to citizens first-hand experiences with reporting in their communities. They’ll share insights from their research and offer strategies for bridging the trust gap.

Lisa Heyamoto is a narrative journalist and senior instructor at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. Her work focuses on community-building through storytelling. Before academia, she was a columnist and reporter The Sacramento Bee and The Seattle Times.

Todd Milbourn is an investigative reporter and journalism instructor at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. He teaches courses on writing, multimedia storytelling and journalism innovation, and serves as co-director of the UO’s journalism master’s program.

A response panel consisting of our local media will be in attendance to voice their observations and answer questions from the audience.

moderator:

Bruce Cummings’ career as a broadcast journalist spanned four decades.  Nearly thirty of those years were spent at NBC Nightly News, where he worked as a senior producer with Tom Brokaw and then Brian Williams. Bruce spent 18 years in the Washington, D.C. bureau of NBC News, managing the reporting of correspondents and producers covering the White House, the Hill, State, the Pentagon and the federal agencies. He and the Nightly team won numerous Emmys and other national awards. Bruce was regularly called on to manage the coverage of major ongoing breaking news stories for all NBC News programs, including the Enron meltdown and the D.C. sniper. Bruce  transferred to the Los Angeles bureau of NBC News in 1997, continuing in his role as a senior producer of NBC Nightly News. He oversaw coverage of national stories from Alaska south through the Pacific Northwest, California, Mexico, and inland through the intermountain west. Before joining NBC News, Bruce worked in Washington, DC as a news producer for the late Peter Jennings at ABC’s “Good Morning America”.

September 2017: HOOKED! Understanding Our Addiction to Opiates

PRESENTING SPONSOR: BESTCARE

In the mid 1990s, the country’s pendulum of prescribing practices dramatically swung: doctors who at one time were prosecuted for overprescribing opiates to patients were now facing mounting pressure to write scripts for chronic, non-cancer pain. Since then, both the dosage and use of therapeutic opiates has skyrocketed, leading to widespread abuse—and what is now considered the worst drug crisis in American history. City Club’s September forum will examine the causes and impacts of this crisis, as well as our community’s approach to tackling an epidemic that not only kills, but also has major social and economic implications.

Panelists: 

Jessica LeBlanc, MD: board-certified family practice physician who cares for adults and children at Mosaic Medical. Her philosophy incorporates holistic care for the entire family. She has significant experience in addiction medicine, chronic disease management, nutrition and maternal-child medicine, including breastfeeding education and postpartum health. Dr. LeBlanc completed undergraduate studies at Northern Arizona University with a degree in anthropology followed by a Master’s in Public Health from University of Arizona. She went on to complete medical school at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and her residency at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, Wash.

Bend Police Chief Jim Porter: began his law enforcement career in 1983, serving with the Crook County Sheriff’s Department and the Brookings Police Department. He was hired with the Bend Police Department in 1991. He has served as captain for the Investigative Division, Support Services and the Training Division. In April 2014, he was promoted to chief of police for the City of Bend Police Department. Chief Porter has been awarded the United States Air Force Achievement Medal, the Medal of Valor from Oregon Police Officers Association, the Bend Police Department Unity Citation Award and the Chief of Police Commendation Award.

Kimberly Swanson, Ph.D.: a licensed psychologist working full time as the Director of Behavioral Health at Mosaic Medical. Dr. Swanson has more than 20 years combined experience in medicine including more than a decade of clinical research and direct clinical experience in integrated health care settings. She has completed multiple publications and presentations. Dr. Swanson is a member of the American Psychological Association and concomitantly serves on the Provider Engagement Panel for the Central Oregon Health Council. She was appointed by Governor John Kitzhaber to the Prescription Drug Abuse Academy in 2011. Dr. Swanson presently chairs the regional Pain Standards Task Force which boasts 28 regional interdisciplinary members that was formed to address the opioid epidemic in Central Oregon. Dr. Swanson was awarded the 2016 Deschutes County Health Hero award for her work chairing the Pain Standards Task Force.

Moderator:

Markian Hawryluk: health reporter for The Bulletin. He has previously written for The Houston Chronicle, American Medical News and a number of other health policy publications. He is currently reporting a series of stories on the health response to the opioid epidemic as part of a yearlong fellowship through the Association for Health Care Journalists and The Commonwealth Fund.

August 2017: Bend’s Central District – What Will Future Urban Density Look Like in the Center of Our City?

PRESENTING SPONSORS: ULTRA ARCHITECTURE, R&H CONSTRUCTION
SUPPORTING SPONSORS: BLACKMORE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, ASHLEY & VANCE ENGINEERING, COMMUTE OPTIONS

This forum will highlight how Bend is growing and potential future growth impacts, focusing on urban density and livability in the Bend Central District, the key area expected to take on a more urban feel over time.  How can we shape urbanization and new development to improve and enhance the “Bend Feel,” maintaining our city’s overall livability and character?Bend’s population is predicted to expand by 35,000 people over the next 12 years and, according to City pans, the growth will increase densities in selected areas of the city, including new multifamily housing, commercial development, increased transit use and related changes. This forum will highlight how Bend is growing and potential future growth impacts, focusing on urban density and livability in the Bend Central District, the key area expected to take on a more urban feel over time.The Bend Central District covers an area of roughly 206 acres, bounded by Bend Parkway to the west, NE Revere Avenue to the North, NE 4th Street to the east and the rail line to the south. It includes designated State routes, some of the region’s most heavily used intersections and a wide variety of bluishness and automobile-oriented commercial uses, as well as the evolving Makers District.This area is already planned for increasing urban densities, is beginning to see pedestrian and bicycle-oriented improvements and is the subject of ongoing studies and public interest regarding its future development.PANELISTS:

• Brian Rankin, City of Bend
• Moey Newbold, Central Oregon Land Watch
• Kirk Schueler, Brooks Resources

July 2017: Economic Development in a Housing Crisis. Real Solutions for Solving our Middle Market Crunch.

PRESENTING SPONSOR: PINNACLE ARCHITECTURE
SUPPORTING SPONSOR: COBA

Any large employer is quick to tell it like it is—the region’s workforce housing crisis is a major barrier to recruitment and retention of a stable workforce.

High prices and a lack of availability are doubling up to prevent potential hires from making the move to one of the nation’s fastest growing regions, hampering the plans of both public and private employers.

But there are real solutions for spurring the kinds of middle housing we need to accommodate young professionals, outdoor and tech industry workers, teachers, nurses, firefighters and the rest of the workforce that keeps our economy humming.

Tangible tools such as restructuring SDCs, encouraging new housing types such as courtyard apartments and cottage housing, prioritizing transportation spending that leads to housing development and more are all real answers to Bend’s missing middle housing crisis.

Hear the breakdown of the problem from moderator Roger Lee, executive director of Economic Development for Central Oregon. Get the latest research from Lorelei Juntunen of ECONorthwest. And join us for a lively panel discussion on solutions with St. Charles, Hayden Homes and Bend 2030. Together our speakers bring decades worth of experience and varying perspectives in the sectors of economics, land development, employment, and community collaboration leading to solid answers for solving our missing middle housing puzzle.

Moderator:
Roger Lee, Executive Director of Economic Development for Central Oregon

Speaker:
Lorelei Juntunen, Project Director with ECONorthwest

Response Panel: 

• Rebecca Berry, Vice President of Human Resources at St. Charles Bend
• Geoff Harris, Hayden Homes
• Erin Foote Morgan, Executive Director of Bend 2030

June 2017: Oil Trains Transiting Our Community, Are They Safe?

SUPPORTING SPONSORS: STEELE ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS and COLEBREIT ENGINEERING

Railways are an important part of Central Oregon’s history and our current economy. Hundreds of trains travel through our towns and cities carrying everything from logs and personal goods to crude oil. With horror stories in the news about derailments and spills, how safe is our community? Join an expert panel in learning what prevention programs are in place to keep us safe, who’s responsible, and, in the case of an emergency, the steps for remediation and cleanup. Learn what’s happening in your backyard!

Moderator:

Andrew Phelps, Director, Oregon Office of Emergency Management

Panelists:

Hal Gard: Rail and Public Transit Division (RPTD) Administrator, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT)
Michael Heffner: Emergency Response Manager / Assist. Chief Deputy, Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal
Courtney Wallace: Director, Public Affairs, BNSF Railway

May 2017: Is Being Civil Important to Our Democracy and Community?

PRESENTING SPONSORS: CIVIC EQUITY PROJECT (A PARTNERSHIP OF BEND 2030 AND OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS) and SCHMID MALONE BUCHANAN

Is being civil important to our democracy? Should civility be part of our public and community conversations? We will explore these questions and hear from panelists about their experiences with public conversations and what happens when things become less than civil.

PANELISTS:

• Victor Chudowsky, former Bend City Councilor
• Robyn Holdman, Sisters Country Civility Project
• Moe Carrick, Moementum, Inc.

April 2017: Zero Suicide – A Community’s Call to Action

PRESENTING SPONSORS: YOUTH VILLAGES OREGON and  ST. CHARLES HEALTH SYSTEM
PRESENTING CO-SPONSORS: CITY OF BEND POLICE DEPARTMENT and BEND FIRE AND RESCUE

Nearly two people die in Oregon every day by suicide, one of the state’s most persistent yet largely preventable public health problems, according to the Oregon Health Authority. Suicide is complex, touching people of all ages and from all walks of life, making prevention the responsibility of an entire community. Please join us at this important forum to learn more about how suicide arises from the interaction of multiple risk factors, and how Zero Suicide—an evolving national initiative and aspirational goal—is aimed at addressing system gaps and providing best practices care.

PANELISTS:

Cheryl Emerson, MS, NCC, LPC

Cheryl Emerson is a licensed professional counselor in private practice in Bend. She offers a wide variety of counseling services to adults, adolescents, couples and families. She holds a master’s degree in counseling (clinical mental health), is certified by the National Board of Certified Counselors and is an adjunct instructor in the Masters in Counseling program at OSU-Cascades. She has served on the Deschutes County Advisory Team for the Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention Grant and the Deschutes County Suicide Prevention Advisory Council. She currently serves on the Central Oregon Suicide Prevention Alliance, the affiliated Primary Care Workgroup and the OSU-Cascades Health and Wellness Advisory Council. Cheryl trains and consults in suicide prevention, intervention and postvention using evidence-based practices and programs.

MODERATOR:

Molly Wells Darling, LCSW

 Molly Wells Darling is St. Charles Health System’s Director of Inpatient Behavioral Health Services, which covers all Emergency Department behavioral health services, the Psychiatric Services (PES) Unit and Sage View, a 15-bed adult psychiatric unit. Sage View is the only acute inpatient psychiatric facility east of the Cascades. Molly is one of the founding members of Crisis Intervention Training for Law Enforcement in this region, and has been instrumental in training law enforcement around the state in Crisis Intervention Training techniques for the last seven years. Molly has 22 years combined experience in emergency mental health evaluation and treatment, civil commitment services, inpatient psychiatric services, mental health treatment within the judicial system and outpatient treatment in the community mental health system.

March 2017: Muslim in America – One Woman’s Story

PRESENTING SPONSORS: COLEBREIT ENGINEERING, STEELE ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS, ROSELL WEALTH MANAGEMENT
SUPPORTING SPONSOR: CENTRAL OREGON COMMUNITY COLLEGE

The news has been rife with opinions on the topic of Muslims in America. How long has the Islamic religion been around? What is it like to be a Muslim in the United States? Should I fear someone who comes from a predominantly Muslim country? Do entertainment and news media offer accurate portrayals of Muslims?

This educational forum will take you through one Muslim woman’s story of raising children and working toward peace in America. It was because of her experiences that Soraya Deen was inspired to create community with others. Soraya is the founder of Muslim Women Speakers Movement, co-founder of Peacemoms (Promoting Christian Muslim Dialogue), lawyer, a spiritual activist, Certified Nonviolent Parent Educator, and author of “Peace Matters – Raising Peace Conscious Children”. She encourages Muslim women and women of all faiths to promote interfaith dialogue and engage in social change. At this forum, she will address some timely questions and address common myths.

David Rosell, Founder and President of Rosell Wealth Management, author of Failure is Not an Option, and Past City Club President will introduce Soraya and moderate audience questions.

About Soraya

Soraya Deen is the founder of the Muslim Women Speakers Movement and Co-founder of Peacemoms (Promoting Christian Muslim /Dialogue). She is a spiritual activist, lawyer, and author of PEACE MATTERS – Raising Peace Conscious children. She is a certified Nonviolent Parenting Trainer. Her vision is to create 10,000 VOICES OF HOPE. 

Soraya brings together Muslim Women and women of all faiths empowering them to resolve conflict, and be effective communicators, social activists and say “YES” to civic engagement. 

She calls on her community to rethink some central concepts of the Received Islamic Theology. She also organized the first Interfaith Women’s Leadership conference at the Los Angeles City Hall October 2016. Of utmost importance today is to give power and place to Muslim Women’s Voices. 

In the corporate world Soraya speaks on Diversity and Team Building. Her TRAINING program, THE WORKPLACE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM explores a unique way of creating collaborative and compassionate workplaces to enhance Profits, Productivity and Performance.

Soraya is a mother of two and encourages women not to stay at the bottom because it is too crowded

February 2017: The Needs, the Challenges and the Faces of Low Income Housing

PRESENTING SPONSORS: IMORTGAGE, R&H CONSTRUCTION and PINNACLE ARCHITECTURE
SUPPORTING SPONSOR: SZABO LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Central Oregon has a housing problem. From skyrocketing prices to extremely low rental vacancy rates, residents can’t afford, much less find places to live. So why isn’t more low-income or affordable housing being built? With a population of 208,000 people in Central Oregon and only 1750 units of affordable housing available (that’s less than .008%), the need is apparent. Our panel will uncover the challenges associated with developing low-income housing and introduce you to the faces of those who reside in them. Learn what’s being done locally and the important role each community member has in addressing our housing crisis.

Lynne McConnell, Deputy Director, Community Services at NeighborImpact will moderate the lively session with John Gilbert, local housing developer, Jason Graham, local artist known as Mosley Wotta, and Vivian Monohan, affordable housing resident. Together let’s examine the future of housing in our community.

January 2017: Brown is the New Green – How Biomass Could Shape Central Oregon Energy

PRESENTING SPONSOR: THE MARY ORTON COMPANY
SUPPORTING SPONSORS: COIC, OCHOCO LUMBER and THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER

While solar and wind power have become popular renewable energy sources in the Northwest, biomass energy—defined as heat or electricity generated from organic materials—has struggled to gain a foothold in the region. However, a number of professionals are working to reverse that trend by partnering with public and private institutions to increase the profile of biomass in Oregon not only as a clean energy source, but as a tool to improve forest health and reduce major wildfire risk.

• Is biomass a good fit for Central Oregon’s energy portfolio, economy, and environment?
• How clean is biomass – won’t it be smoky?
• Could a biomass industry in Central Oregon be a key partner in wildfire risk reduction and forest health restoration, or would a renewed interest in removing woody materials from forests prompt us to repeat forest management mistakes from the past?

Join City Club as we answer these and other burning questions about biomass.

Panelists:

Dylan Kruse is Policy Director for Sustainable Northwest, a non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon whose mission is to bring people, ideas, and innovation together so nature, local economies, and rural communities can thrive. Their work to forge solutions for people and natural systems places Sustainable Northwest at the radical middle of community, economy, and ecology. Founded in 1994, Sustainable Northwest is a pioneer in solving problems through collaboration and has grown into one of the most trusted organizations working at the intersection of the environment, economy, and community.

Dylan is responsible for state and federal legislative activity and agency engagement, and represents the organization’s broad market and public policy priorities. In addition, he is the organization’s bioenergy lead, and works on wood biomass utilization and energy projects across the Northwest. Dylan is co-chair of the Oregon Forest Biomass Working Group, is on the board of the Biomass Thermal Energy Council, and holds a seat on the steering committee of the National Rural Assembly. He is also coordinator of the Western Juniper Alliance, a 50 member partnership to accomplish rangeland restoration, produce sustainable wood products, and create jobs in juniper supply and market chains along the West Coast. Before joining Sustainable Northwest, he attended Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR and received a B.A. in International Affairs. His work at Sustainable Northwest has linked his diverse interests of resource management, conservation, renewable energy production and economic development.

Andrew Haden is the founder of Wisewood Energy and has over 12 years of experience in the biomass industry. Over his career, Andrew has led the development and implementation of biomass energy projects across the West and is considered one of the nation’s foremost experts in biomass systems and technology. Prior to founding Wisewood, Andrew worked at Bear Mountain Forest Products, an Oregon wood pellet producer, and Ecotrust, a Portland based environmental non-profit that works to promote ecologically-sustainable economic development. Andrew holds a master’s degree in Rural Development from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala, Sweden and a bachelor’s in Sustainable Agriculture from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. The common thread running throughout all of his work and research has been a focus on community-scale infrastructure projects that increase local economic self-reliance using locally-available natural resources.

Andrew is native of Seattle and has lived throughout the Northwest as well as in Sweden and Denmark, where he caught the biomass bug. He now lives in Portland and spends much of his free time skiing, fly fishing and mountain biking, as well as helping tend his family’s forest in Tillamook County. In addition to running Wisewood, Andrew serves on the Board of Directors of 1000 Friends of Oregon and the Biomass Thermal Energy Council.

 Moderator:

Jennifer Letz is a sustainability consultant based in Bend.  She holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Management from Prescott College and is also a graduate of Bend Senior High. Her background includes work with the National Park Service and US Forest Service in a variety of positions including sustainable operations specialist, backcountry ranger, and wildland firefighter. She currently is the vice-president of the Board for The Environmental Center.

December 2016: the Upper Deschutes Settlement – What’s Next?

Farmers, frogs, and fish settled their Endangered Species Act case this fall. For now the settlement assures that 100 cubic feet per second of water will continue to be released from reservoirs into the Upper Deschutes this winter. That’s a 400 percent increase in minimum flows from recent years, though less than fifteen percent of the flows that existed before reservoirs and canals.

Does the settlement represent the end of efforts to restore the Deschutes, or a new beginning? Will further improvements be made from field and flow efficiencies? Who will finance those improvements? Who will reap the rewards? If taxpayers fund the improvements, what will the taxpayer get in return?

Farmers? Fishermen? Frogs? Funders?

For answers to these questions and more, join moderator Tod Heisler and City Club as they explore efforts to stretch Deschutes River flows to meet the diverse needs of farmers, frogs, fish, and funders.

Panelists:

Craig Horrell: Manager, Central Oregon Irrigation District

Gail Snyder: Co-Founder and Board President, Coalition for the Deschutes

November 2016: Smart Cities

PRESENTING SPONSORS: STEELE ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS LLC and MILLER LUMBER
SUPPORTING SPONSORS: SCHMID MALONE BUCHANAN, SZABO LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, CS CONSTRUCTION and PARAMETRIX

Whether a bustling metropolis or a mid-size burg in the middle of the high desert—smart cities are the way of the future. Across the world and here in Oregon, cities are harnessing technology and data to offer new ways to solve real world problems.

Imagine using sensors in a roadway and cameras overhead to create a smart parking service that can direct drivers to open parking spots efficiently, reducing emissions, travel times, and stress for the driver. Think of the savings if public trash receptacles could send an alert when full instead of requiring a daily check-in by maintenance staff. Or picture a police department being able to predict crime based on data analysis. These kinds of smart city projects are fast becoming reality and not just in major cities.

Come to the forum and hear our panelists discuss lessons learned so far from preparing Smart City proposals and implementing pilot projects in Portland and the rest of Oregon. Learn how smart cities create opportunity for the private sector. And explore how universities and cities can collaborate in national networks to help facilitate urban innovation and applications. The discussion will be followed by a question and answer session that is sure to include possible Smart City applications for Central Oregon.

Panelists:

• Christine Kendrick, Air Quality Lead and Smart Cities Project Manager for the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
• Skip Newberry, president of Technology Association of Oregon (TAO)
• Jonathan Fink, Professor of Geology and Senior advisor to the President at Portland State University (PSU)

Moderator:

Scott Steele, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, Steele Associates Architects

October 2016: Measure 97 Debate

SUPPORTING SPONSORS: US BANK and ACUITY WEALTH ADVISORS

Measure 97 would establish a minimum tax of $30,000 plus 2.5 percent of gross sales that exceed $25 million. It would remove the current minimum gross sales tax rate, which is around 0.1 percent and capped at $100,000. Corporations with a high enough income are taxed according to their income in lieu of the gross sales tax. The income tax rate for qualifying businesses is 6.6 percent of taxable income up to $1 million and 7.6 percent of taxable income above $1 million. These rates apply when the result is greater than the minimum sales-based tax. The income tax on high-income corporations would be retained if the initiative passed.

According to the Oregon Legislative Revenue Office, for example, a corporation with less than $20 million in sales would not be affected by the change. A corporation with $70 million dollars in sales would see a 23-fold increase in its tax obligation.

Join representatives from each side of the issue to learn about the tax and its implications.

Panelists:

Tonia Hunt (YES of 97) is the Executive Director of Children First.  She served for nine years as Executive Director of the Children’s Center in Clackamas County. There, she oversaw the development and significant expansion of services at the child abuse assessment center, and led a successful capital campaign to build a new medical center for children suspected to be victims of abuse. During the last two years, Tonia has worked as Director of Marketing and Development at the Children’s Trust Fund of Oregon. Earlier in her career, Tonia served with Children First for Oregon for seven years as Policy Director and manager of Oregon’s KIDS COUNT project.

Alison Hart (NO of 97) is an Outreach Consultant for the statewide coalition that has formed to oppose a $6 billion tax increase on Oregon sales that will be on the November ballot.  Alison’s advocacy efforts with community members and organizations are helping increase awareness of the harmful impacts of the proposed tax.  Alison also handles the association management practice at Public Affairs Counsel including the Oregon State Chamber of Commerce for which she is the Executive Director.  Prior, she was the CEO of the Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce.

An accomplished business and community leader, the foundation of Alison’s career has included designing, developing, marketing and facilitating membership and community-building programs for both private sector and nonprofit organizations. She brings an innate ability to cultivate trusted relationships by delivering significant value to her clients, navigating them to success by serving as a valuable resource while providing leadership on key issues impacting the region.

Moderator:

Anne George, Facilitation, Mediation + Public Involvement

September 2016: Oregon, Heal Thyself

PRESENTING SPONSORS: Partners in Care and Friends of Hospice

What We Need to Learn From International Healthcare.

Panelists:

Theodore R. Marmor, PhD is emeritus professor of public policy and management at Yale University School of Management. Dr. Marmor has written and presented extensively on social security, healthcare policy, and healthcare reform since his participation in the creation of Medicare in 1965 as aide to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. The author or co-author of eleven books, Marmor has published over a hundred articles in a wide range of scholarly journals, as well as being a frequent op-ed contributor to U.S. and Canadian newspapers. He is currently on the editorial boards of the Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis and the Journal of Health, Politics, Policy and Law.

Kieke Okma, PhD is Visiting Professor at McGill University, Canada and has spoken around the world on international healthcare policy. She has been Senior Policy Advisor to the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport in the Netherlands, Advisor to the World Bank on Health Policy, and a participant in other international health policy agencies. She has been published in several languages on healthcare policy and economics.

One of her recent articles, co-authored with her husband Dr. Marmor, was “A Dutch Model for Medicare? Sobering Lessons from the Netherlands’ Experience with Competition” (2011) in the New England Journal of Medicine.

[gdlr_divider type=”double” ]August 2016: TOURISM OR TOURISN’T: Is the Juice of a Tourist Economy Worth the Squeeze?

What are the costs and benefits of tourism? Who visits? Who stays? Is our brand of tourism sustainable? Who determines our brand? How do we care for the goose that laid the golden egg?

With the audience, our panel will ponder these questions and more as City Club explores the branding, promotion, and impact of tourism.

Panelists:

• Damon Runberg: Regional Economist, State of Oregon
• Carolyn Eagan: Economic Development Director, City of Bend
• Kevney Dugan: President and Chief Executive Officer of Visit Bend, a non-profit entity

Moderator Bill Buchanan: attorney

[gdlr_divider type=”double” ]July 2016: Rethink Homelessness…it’s not who you think it is

You may associate homelessness with the person camped outside of your local business or the young man and his dog congregating in Drake Park but homelessness in Central Oregon is more than what you see. The loss of a job or an unexpected medical bill can tip the scale from barely covering rent to homelessness. It’s your children’s schoolmate, the person next to you in line at the grocery store, or even your neighbor.

In 2015, more than 2,000 individuals self-identified as experiencing homelessness in the tri-county region. We’ll dispel many misconceptions of homelessness from those who work in the field and learn more about what’s being done in government so we can take action.

Together with Gwenn Wysling, Bethlehem Inn Executive Director, Bruce Abernethy, Former Bend Mayor and LaPine School District Grantwriter and Erik Kancler, Public Policy Representative, let’s rethink homelessness!

[gdlr_divider type=”double” ]June 2016: Bend’s UGB – the Final Chapter

[gdlr_divider type=”double” ]May 2016: Whose Federal Lands are These? Public Lands in the West

Early this year, when an armed militant group occupied the federally owned Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Oregon, they said they wanted the refuge returned to the people.

But which people? They meant the local community. However, the Burns Paiute Tribe, birders, recreators and conservationists say the federal lands are also theirs.

Based on Article IV, Section 3 of the Constitution, “the Property Clause,” the federal government is responsible for managing public lands for the common benefit of all.

At the May 19 City Club Forum, “Whose Federals Lands are These? Public Lands in the West,” Ken Bentz, a third generation rancher from Eastern Oregon, Brent Fenty, the executive director of Oregon Natural Desert Association, and OPB reporter Amanda Peacher who covered the Malheur occupation, will discuss the differing views of the nature of public lands management, and the conflicts that these contrasting perspectives stir. 

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April 2016: Get your P3hD on the Future of OSU-Cascades – Planning, Process and Participation

SUPPORTING SPONSORS: WALSH CONSTRUCTION CO., CASCADE BUSINESS NEWS

Come get educated on the future of OSU-Cascades and learn about the planning, processes and participation opportunities so you can help shape our university!

Kelly Sparks (OSU-C Associate Vice President, Finance & Strategic Planning) will present the long-range development plan and ways the community can get involved. She will also discuss factors driving the process and share images related to the long-range development plan.

Russ Grayson (Development Services Director/City Engineer at City of Bend) will present City of Bend land-use processes relevant to the OSU-Cascades long-range development plan, future development code changes, and share how the community can get involved.

Mary Orton, local mediator and facilitator, will be the moderator.

[gdlr_divider type=”double” ]March 2016: March forum: 2016 Agenda and Priorities with Oregon’s Governor Kate Brown

PRESENTING SPONSOR: ROSELL WEALTH MANAGEMENT

SUPPORTING SPONSORS: SCHMID MALONE BUCHANAN, GOLDEN VISIONS & ASSOCIATES, DESCHUTES COUNTY

Join us to discuss the current plans for our great state with invited guest Governor Kate Brown!

Governor Brown’s 2016 policy agenda prioritizes the well-being of Oregonians and local economies. At our forum, the Governor will discuss her 2016 agenda and the important role state government plays in adding value to Central Oregon’s economic enterprise.

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February 2016: WATER MANAGEMENT LESSONS – What Can We Learn From the Land of Oz?

SUPPORTING SPONSORS: SCHMID MALONE BUCHANAN, HWA, DESCHUTES BREWERY

Annual fish kills, loss of frog habitat, and competing demands by irrigators, municipalities, and river users have created the perfect storm for conflict in the Deschutes Basin. In a quest for possible solutions, City Club will look beyond the Basin to earth’s driest inhabited continent, Australia.  Keynote speaker, Brett Walton will examine how a 17-year Aussie drought led to innovations in water markets, conservation efforts, and collaboration.  Could those innovations work here?  In short, what can we learn from Oz?

Keynote Speaker:  

Brett Walton  – A reporter for Circle of Blue, for whom he writes about agriculture, energy, and the politics and economics of water throughout the world.

Panelists:

David Pilz –  A water law and policy analyst for Ecosystem Economics, a firm that specializes in developing water markets worldwide.  David has studied and written extensively on the Australian experience.

John DeVoe – The executive director for WaterWatch of Oregon, a state-wide nonprofit whose mission is to protect and restore flows in our rivers and to sustain the native fish, wildlife, and people who depend on healthy rivers.

Moderator: 

Ryan Houston – Executive Director of the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council.

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January 2016: Prepare to be Inspired: An Update from Deer Ridge Correctional Institution

What do you think would happen if the inmates at a prison complained about too much profanity?

If you are an aficionado of “Orange is the New Black,” or if your understanding of prisons otherwise comes from modern media, you might imagine that the response would be laughter—or worse.

When those complaints were received at the Deer Ridge Correctional Institution in Madras, the response was quite different.

Be prepared to be surprised and inspired by the story of the Pro-Social Communication Workgroup at Deer Ridge. The community at the prison developed a self-empowerment program that is designed to have lasting positive implications for inmates, staff, visitors—as well as for those communities where the inmates will live after release.

This group of men has worked to create a positive climate within the prison and to motivate their peers to prepare for successful re-entry into the community as productive citizens. The program also helps fulfill the Department’s mission to promote public safety by holding offenders accountable for their actions and reducing the risk of future criminal behavior.

Bryn Hazell will moderate the panel. Bryn is with the Center for Compassionate Living, a Bend-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides skills for self-understanding and solving conflicts peacefully. She’s been teaching Compassionate (Nonviolent) Communication classes in Bend for fifteen years and at the Deer Ridge Correctional Institution for five years. She is also a founding member of the Pro-Social Communication Workgroup.

The panel will consist of two people:

Kevin Hormann is the Assistant Superintendent of Security at the Deer Ridge Correctional Institution. After 9 years in the ministry, Kevin began his career in corrections as a drug counselor for inmates in 1985. He has managed rehabilitation programs at three different prisons during his tenure with the Department of Corrections. Over the last two years, Kevin has helped to implement the Pro-Social Communication Workgroup at DRCI as a means to encourage and empower adults in custody to take advantage of the opportunities for positive change available at the institution.

Frank Patka was incarcerated January 2010 for a robbery tied to a drug debt. After some trouble early on, Frank was given the opportunity to change through the investment of people who believed in him. At Deer Ridge, he got to be part of innovative initiatives geared toward improving the prison environment to be more focused on promoting pro-social behavior. He was released November 2015 and is currently working and gaining business experience. He also plans to finish the Manufacturing and Technology degree he started at Deer Ridge.

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December 2015: What Millennials Think About Myths About Millennials

SUPPORTING SPONSOR: BANK OF THE CASCADES

The largest generation in history, the Millennials – generally described as those born between 1980 and 1996 – are entering their peak years for working and spending. Their upcoming impact on our national economy and culture is huge.

This well-researched generation has been written about with considerable mystique and is the target of many myths. Everyone wants to know: Who are these people? In December’s City Club of Central Oregon forum, an all-millennial panel will discuss what has shaped their actions and aspirations, and they’ll answer those questions you’ve been wanting to ask.

Are they still living with their parents? Are they opting to live in apartments and tiny houses by some philosophic ethic, or by economic necessity? Why are they delaying marriage and childrearing? Do they fear face-to-face social interaction, preferring the veil of their iPhones? Why are they reluctant to buy cars, cultivating instead a shared economy? Are they “slacktivists” who believe that a ‘like’ on Facebook equates to political activism? Can they handle criticism, or do they believe everyone on the team deserves a trophy?

The Millennial panel will share the circumstances and experiences that shaped their generation’s world of housing, economy, technology and civic engagement, and they’ll tell you What Millennials Think About Myths about Millennials.

Panelists:

• Damon Runberg, ‎Regional Economist at Oregon Employment Department, 28
• John Dempsey, Strategist with Wieden + Kennedy, 29
• Moey Newbold, Outreach and Communications Coordinator for Central Oregon LandWatch, 26

Moderator: Lorelei Williams, Programs Coordinator City of Bend, 29

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November 2015: How Will THE BIG ONE Impact Central Oregon?

PRESENTING SPONSOR: MID OREGON CREDIT UNION

Do Central Oregonians need to worry about the potential mega earthquake and tsunami from the Cascadia Subduction Zone?  It will only impact the Coast, right?  This forum will be a discussion of nature of the threat, including its initial impact and effects on fragile infrastructure. It will address the current measures under way to better prepare the entire State to build more resilient communities. There will be information on the ways our coastal areas will be impacted, but also focus on the manner in which Central Oregon will both participate in the response and recovery, and be effected by interruptions in all major aspects of commerce.  

Reviews of response and recovery efforts to recent major disasters have clearly demonstrated that informed and prepared communities are a vital component of successful responses and recoveries.  We will discuss the concept of “whole community” involvement, the informed engagement by businesses, faith based and volunteer organizations, residents, and all levels of government working together.  This approach has become the model for building more resilient communities and responding to and recovering from major events such as the Cascadia Subduction Zone.

Speakers:

• Scott A. Ashford, College of Engineering, Kearney Professor and Dean 
• Andrew Phelps, Director of the Oregon Office of Emergency Management within the Oregon Military Department
• Ken Murphy, FEMA Regional Administrator, Region X

Moderator:

• Amanda Peacher, reporter and producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting. Amanda operates OPB’s Central Oregon Bureau and has been part of OPB’s team reporting on the Northwest’s disaster readiness in the multimedia series, “Unprepared: Will We Be Ready For The Megaquake In Oregon?”

[gdlr_divider type=”double” ] October 2015: The High School Story—What Do Graduation Rates Tell Us and Can We Move the Needle?

SUPPORTING SPONSORS: BBT Architects, BLRB Architects, Steele Associates Architects, DOWL

By most accounts, Oregon is failing. Our graduation rates are 49th in the nation, with only about 72% of Oregonians graduating in 4 years. What is behind this statistic and does this number tell the full story?  How bad is it really and why? Are our kids being adequately prepared for college, business and the real world?

In this forum, we’ll take a dive in to the numbers to analyze which areas within Central Oregon are getting it right, and how they’re doing it. We’ll discuss innovation versus sustainability, address community culture, and how one district is beating the odds.

Speakers:

• Stefanie Garber, Superintendent & Elementary Principal, Culver School District
•  Mike McIntosh, Superintendent, Redmond School District
•  Katie Condit, Executive Director Better Together

Moderator:

• Shay Mikalson, Superintendent, Bend La Pine School District

[gdlr_divider type=”double” ] September 2015: Rethinking Transportation – How Do We Define a Functional System?

SUPPORTING SPONSORS: Commute Options and Cascades East Transit

As Bend continues to grow with a four-year university, expanding UGB and changing demographic, it is evolving into something more urban. Our transportation system will need to reflect these changes.

It used to be that a functioning transportation system was measured solely by how many vehicles could get through an intersection in a given period of time. As Bend matures with more mixed-use and diverse development, the community may need to redefine ‘functional’ and plan for a transportation system that’s more cost efficient, safer for all users, and friendlier for people who bike, walk and ride a bus.

How can the community’s values be considered to make our transportation system a success?

Come listen to what local land use and transportation planners are doing here, learn how transportation systems are working elsewhere, and seize the opportunity for input into a Central Westside land use and transportation planning study that will shape Bend’s future.

Speakers:

• Wayne Kittelson of Portland, founder of Kittelson and Associates
• Nick Arnis, City of Bend Growth Management Director

Moderator:

• Keith Witcosky, Redmond City Manager

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August 2015: The Attorney General and Justice in Oregon–from Government Transparency to Internet Privacy (and everything in between)

PRESENTING SPONSOR: MILLER NASH GRAHAM & DUNN
SUPPORTING SPONSOR: SCHMID MALONE BUCHANAN

with Ellen F. Rosenblum, Attorney General

As our Attorney General, Ellen Rosenblum runs the state Department of Justice with about 300 attorneys and 1,000 employees around the state, making it in essence the largest law firm in the state. The DOJ represents the state in litigations and appeals; its eight divisions include Child Support, Civil Enforcement, and Crime Victims’ Services.

The Attorney General is one of five statewide elected officeholders. Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum is the first female to hold the office in Oregon history. Three years into her first term, her talk will be a far ranging one–her personal path to the office, why it’s important to know what our state’s Department of Justice does and how the AG’s commitment to transparency in government and protecting Oregon’s most vulnerable is being carried out. 

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July 2015: Central Oregon Trends and Opportunities to 2040 with Dr. Arthur C. Nelson

PRESENTING SPONSOR: SKANSKA
SUPPORTING SPONSOR: BANK OF THE CASCADES

Implications for housing, transportation & economic development

Between 2010 and 2040, Central Oregon will grow from 200,000 to more than 350,000 or 76%. Growth in seniors (65+) will be equivalent to approximately 40% of the growth. Households with children will account for only a quarter of household growth. Single-person households will grow more, accounting for more than a third of household growth. Because of demographic changes, starter-home and downsizing households who seek smaller homes on smaller lots, and attached homes, will account for nearly two-thirds of the new housing demand.

Jobs will grow at an even faster pace by more than 90%, mostly as part time jobs replace full time ones. In 2010, Central Oregon supported about 46 million square feet of nonresidential space such as offices, stores, warehouses and institutions. The inventory of nonresidential space will nearly double to 90 million square feet. Yet the rebuilding and repurposing of existing space combined with building new space will mean more than 120 million square feet of space will be constructed, nearly three times the space existing in 2010. Because most nonresidential development is very low intensity, there is an opportunity to reshape Central Oregon’s cities to meet new development needs.

These are just a few of the insights Dr. Arthur C. Nelson will present to the City Club of Central Oregon.

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June 2015: You’ve Been Hacked!

SUPPORTING SPONSOR: DESCHUTES PUBLIC LIBRARY

Privacy and Security, Obsolescent Values in the Digital Age

Did you know Oregon rocketed to 3rd in the nation in Identity Theft complaints last year?

If you are like most people, not an hour goes by when you are not connected to your computer, mobile phone, or purchasing something with your credit card. You expect that your personal information is protected by people you communicate with; businesses, governments and friends. Unfortunately, your information is likely NOT as protected as you think or would like, and today, virtually any digital information can be hacked with the right expertise.
This forum will bring to light the many facets of digital theft, your exposure to it, and how your privacy can be better protected. Our panelists will consist of speakers representing the internet communications and law enforcement sectors. Learn about how these issues impact our society, our community, and you personally.

Join the conversation and learn about “hacking the human”, among other issues, with

Stephanie Senner – Director of B2B marketing for BendBroadband (moderator)
Sgt. Dan Ritchie – Administrative Patrol Sergeant with the City of Bend Police Department
Chris Akenson – Senior Security Analyst with Redhawk, providers of network security solutions

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May 2015: Planning for Wildfires and Development,  Inflammatory Economics

SUPPORTING SPONSORS: LUMBERMANS INSURANCE and FRANCIS HANSEN & MARTIN LLP

Forest fires are inevitable, as is the cost of defending communities in the path of those fires.  Who pays that cost?  Is the benefit of forest living worth that cost?  Can improved land use planning and building codes mitigate that cost?  Can economic incentives provide a “carrot” for building defensible developments?

For the answers to these questions and more join City Club and moderator Jamie Christman for a conversation on this “hot” topic with Economist Ray Rasker, Ph.D.  Dr. Rasker is the Executive Director of Headwaters Economics.

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April 2015: UGB Recommendations – How Much Land Does Bend Need For Its Future?

PRESENTING SPONSOR: ZERO NET ENERGY HOMES
SUPPORTING SPONSORS: DREAM HOME BUILDING AND DESIGN LLC, PACIFIC POWER

Here’s a golden opportunity to get up-to-date highlights of specific recommendations of the three Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) charged with the responsibility to help chart a path for Bend’s future growth.

Moderator Mary Orton will provide an overview of why the city is doing this, what the goals were for this remand project and the current status of the project.

Panelists representing each TAC will provide a summary of recommendations to the UGB Steering Committee. They are:

• Residential: Tom Kemper
• Employment: Joan Vinci
• Boundary: Sharon Smith

Panelists will touch on the compelling conversations involved in reaching their TAC’s summary recommendation.

City Club of Central Oregon will ask audience members for feedback on the recommendations.

The first forum on this topic was an overview of the process. This second event will be a bridge from the first forum to the third forum, a presentation on the final recommendations of the UGB Steering Committee.

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[gdlr_space height=”-30px”]March 2015: What Does the Georgetown University Energy Prize Have to Do With Us?

PRESENTING SPONSOR: MILLER LUMBER
SUPPORTING SPONSOR: DESCHUTES BREWERY

Bend has officially advanced to the Semifinal round of the national competition that is challenging communities across the U.S. to rethink their energy use. At a press event in Washington, D.C., Bend was announced as one of the 50 local communities who are leading the way on energy efficiency.

This interactive City Club session will present an overview of what the Georgetown University Energy Prize competition means, how every Bend citizen can play a part, why it matters, and what could be done with the $5M prize.

speakers:
Mike Riley, The Environmental Center
Angela Price, Pacific Power

Moe Carrick, moderator

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[gdlr_space height=”-30px”]February  2015 Forum: Benefit Companies – Oregon’s New Law For Social Entrepreneurs

SUPPORTING SPONSORS: JONES & ROTH, NEIL KELLY

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[gdlr_space height=”-30px”]January  2015 Forum: Decisions By Committee – Who’s Running City Government?

SUPPORTING SPONSOR: SCHMID MALONE BUCHANAN

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[gdlr_space height=”-30px”]December Forum: Generations in the Workplace

PRESENTING SPONSOR: EXPRESS EMPLOYMENT PROFESSIONALS

SUPPORTING SPONSOR: CENTRAL OREGON COMMUNITY COLLEGE

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[gdlr_space height=”-30px”]October Forum: The Highs and Lows in the Vote About Cannabis – Do You Know Enough to Decide?

PRESENTING SPONSOR: SCHMID, MALONE, BUCHANAN

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[gdlr_space height=”-30px”]September Forum: A Values-Based Introduction to the Proposed UGB Expansion

PRESENTING SPONSOR: MILLER LUMBER

SUPPORTING SPONSORS: BANK OF THE CASCADES, DESCHUTES BREWERY AND DREAM HOME BUILDING AND DESIGN

The City Club of Central Oregon is pleased to present three Forums on the City of Bend’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) remand and possible expansion.

The first of these will be in September 18, 2014, and is intended to be educational about the law, the process, and the different values that might produce different perspectives about the decisions that the City will make.

The focus of this Forum will be the impact of this planning process on the City inside the boundary. Many people predict that the City will be denser in residential and commercial development. How will this impact the livability of this wonderful City?

Victor Chudowsky, Bend City Councilor and Chair of the UGB Remand Steering Committee, will educate us about the law that requires this kind of planning, outline the three-phase approach, as well as touch on the 2007 City decision that was rejected by the State. He will also talk about the importance of public involvement.

Then, we will hear from two advocates who have different core values that drive their perspectives on what is best for the community: Paul Dewey, Executive Director, Central Oregon LandWatch; and Sharon Smith, Land Use and Real Estate Attorney, Bryant Lovlien and Jarvis.

The second Forum, which will take place in 2015, will focus on growth scenarios and the proposed urban growth boundary. The subject of the third Forum, which will take place in late 2015 or early 2016, will focus on phase three: adoption and implementation with specific topics to be determined at that time.

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August Forum: HOW WILL CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECT YOUR LIFE AND LIVELIHOOD?

SUPPORTING SPONSOR: THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER

Reduced mountain snowpack, increased wildfires, longer lasting droughts are all possible in Central Oregon’s future. Climate change is happening now, and will continue to affect our region and our livelihoods. There is still time to act to reduce some of these impacts, but smart planning will be required to help Oregon reduce its vulnerability to climate change. Kathie Dello, the Associate Director of the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute at Oregon State University will present the newest science on regional climate change impacts, as they pertain to Central Oregon. Ms. Dello will also talk about adaptation strategies underway in the region to help build resilience to this serious problem.

About Kathie Dello: Kathie is the Associate Director of OCCRI, and Deputy Director of the Oregon Climate Service (OCS). OCS serves as the State Climate Office for Oregon. She works on climate impacts analysis, climate adaptation, and public outreach for OCCRI and the Climate Impacts Research Consortium (CIRC). She coordinated Oregon’s first climate assessment report, which is required under the legislation that created OCCRI. She has a BS in Atmospheric Science and an MA in Geography (Physical) from the University at Albany (State University of New York).

[gdlr_divider type=”double” ]July 2014: Child Victims of Sex Trafficking in Oregon

SUPPORTING SPONSOR: OXBORROW CONSULTING

with Dennis Morrow of Janus Youth Programs

We hear about child sex trafficking in other parts of the US or overseas in other countries. But did you know it happens here in our community?

Dennis Morrow, the executive director of Janus Youth Programs in Portland will be speaking about child victims of sexual trafficking in Oregon. Dennis  will discuss the current state of trafficking across the state and locally, how children end up being pimped, the challenge of treating child victims and the struggle to keep them from returning to that life.

This is not a pleasant topic but increasing public awareness of it, and alerting people about how they can contribute to ending it, is a role City Club believes is part of its mission to encourage positive change in Central Oregon.

NOTICE: THIS IS A TOPIC FOR MATURE AUDIENCES AND MAY CONTAIN LANGUAGE NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN.

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June 2014: How Do We Become a Zero Carbon Emissions Community?

PRESENTING SPONSOR: THE CITY OF BEND

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May 2014: Water in Central Oregon – Is There Enough Now and in the Future?

PRESENTING SPONSOR: THE MARY ORTON COMPANY SUPPORTING SPONSOR: DESCHUTES  COUNTY

We’ve all seen the stories about the drought in the Southwest and the dire water situation in California, with farmers unable to irrigate their fields, residential and municipal wells running dry, significant impacts to jobs, increased poverty, and even food banks having less food to give away. Closer to home, the Klamath Basin has struggled with water promises made to tribes, farmers, wildlife, and residents that could not be kept. Conflict there among water users has teetered on the edge of violence, while collaborative agreements don’t seem to be able to be funded by Congress. What about here in Central Oregon? What is our water situation? Is a drought next for Central Oregon? Are there conflicts among the water users, and can it get as bad here as in the Klamath Basin? May’s City Club Forum will address these questions, and yours, as well! These panelists will discuss the water situation in Central Oregon and what is being done to make sure there is enough water for everyone:

• Tod Heisler: Executive Director, Deschutes River Conservancy, will provide an overview of the water situation in Central Oregon.
• Mark Capell: Bend City Councilor, will represent the municipalities who need water for their growing populations.
• Phil Fine: Madras-area farmer and North Unit Irrigation District Board member, will represent farmers and irrigation districts who need water for their crops.
• Ryan Houston: Executive Director, Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, will represent the rivers of Central Oregon and how water supports their long-term sustainability.

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April 2014: What’s Next For Developing Central Oregon’s Recreation and Tourism Asset?

PRESENTING SPONSORS: DESCHUTES LAND TRUST and BEND PARK & REC DISTRICT

Chances are you participate in at least one of the many recreational opportunities offered all around us. From biking, hiking, fishing, floating, skiing or the myriad of other outdoor activities, these valuable assets are also the things that draw thousands of visitors from all over the country – and the world. The quality of our outdoor recreation is the most important factor in our tourism and thus for our broader economic development.

April’s City Club forum involves how best our Central Oregon community can plan for recreation.  We’ve got a great natural “field of play” and a great team of private and public players, each with great plans.  But  is there a comprehensive game plan for how these entities might best coordinate their efforts?  Do we need a coach?  Or do we rely on private enterprise and markets to guide the process? Let’s hear from you.

Doug LaPlaca: (Visit Bend) will give an overview of the importance of outdoor recreation to tourism and economic development.

Response panelists include representatives from various sectors of outdoor recreation, including: Woody Starr: Central Oregon Trail Alliance Aaron Switzer: Lay It Out Events John Allen: USFS Dave Rathbun: Mt. Bachelor JD Downing: XC Oregon moderator: David Blair, City Club board member For more background regarding this topic, please download the Deschutes County Committee on Recreation Assets – June 2008.

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March 2014 – Mirror Pond: One Year Later

PRESENTING SPONSOR: DESCHUTES BREWERY PRESENTING CO-SPONSORS: BEND PARKS AND REC DISTRICT and THE CITY OF BEND

Three distinct approaches to Mirror Pond have evolved since our last forum on this topic: Mirror Pond at its historic level, a river-like approach that also maintains Mirror Pond,  and a free-flowing river.  All proposals value the river for its scenic and recreational benefits to the community. All of the alternatives have costs and benefits.  The cost of dam removal or repair and the required remediation are present in all scenarios.  The entity responsible for the costs, however, will differ widely depending on the ultimate solution.

Scott Wallace: (BMPRD) will give an overview of the Engineering Report on condition of the dam

Speakers for the three alternatives: Victor Chudowsky: (Bend City Council) Mirror Pond Historic Level David Blair: (informal group of Mirror Pond supporters including members of the paddle trail alliance) River-like approach that also maintains Mirror Pond Ryan Houston: (Executive Director of the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council) Free-flowing river moderator: David Rosell, City Club board member

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February 2014 – Mental Health: Finding the Elephant in the Room

PRESENTING SPONSORS: ST CHARLES HEALTH SYSTEM and OLD BACK NINE

Mental health profoundly affects our loved ones, schools, judicial system, public spaces, jails, hospitals, and shelters.  Mental illness is the largest single challenge facing our society that nobody wants to talk about.  So let’s talk about it.  Join us as we explore its local impact, the magnitude of the challenge, resources, and how to identify and respond to symptoms in our families and friends.  To lead us in that discussion, City Club president Bill Buchanan will moderate a discussion with the following special guests:

• Robin Henderson, PsyD – Chief Behavioral Health Officer and Director of Government Strategies, St Charles Health System
• Susan G. Keys, Ph.D. – Associate Professor and Senior Researcher, OSU/Cascades
• Eilene C. Flory – CIT Coordinator, Bend Police Department
• Tina Busby, M.D. – primary care provider for annex project, a joint clinic with DCBH and Mosaic Medical for patients with severe mental and physical illness

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PRESENTING SPONSOR: KARNOPP PETERSEN LLP

What are WE going to do to improve our economic climate and grow our economy in 2014?

Where are we STRONG?   Where are we WEAK?  How should we be building on our strengths and fixing our weaknesses? We asked Roger Lee, Executive Director of EDCO, and Carolyn Eagan, Business Advocate for the City of Bend, to “set the level” and pose ideas around our near-term strategy.   The remainder of  our time will be spent in discussion with the audience and with a response panel of noted local business leaders, including:

• Kirk Schueler –  former CAO, St. Charles Health Systems
• Stacey Dodson – Region President, U.S. Bank, Central & Eastern OR
• Darren Powderly – President and Partner, Compass Commercial
• Dino Vendetti – Founder, Seven Peaks Ventures and Founders Pad

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December 2013 – What Do Oregonians Value & Believe?

Join City Club to dig into the latest results of the Oregon Values & Beliefs Study conducted every 10 years by DHM Research and sponsored this year by the Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon Public Broadcasting, Oregon Health & Science University, and Oregon State University. Adam Davis, DHM co-founder, will discuss how Oregonians value education, healthcare, the environment, religion and a host of other issues. Davis will breakdown the regional differences in the survey results so Central Oregonians can learn if their values and beliefs vary from the state as a whole. Forum attendees will also have a chance to give their two bits by answering some of the survey questions during the forum. MODERATOR: Kathy Oxborrow [gdlr_divider type=”double” ]

November 2013- SAVING THE AMERICAN DREAM

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October 2013 – CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF A SMALL CITY CAMPUS

MODERATOR: Lawrence Schechter, City Club member SPEAKER: David C. Bagnoli

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September 2013 – HEALTHCARE OR HEALTH SCARE?

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August 2013 – OREGON, PORTLANDIA AND THE ECONOMICS OF WEIRD

How a different kind of city can economically succeed

with former Portland Mayor Sam Adams

The current issue of Atlantic Magazine includes an article, “Weird Is Good: What Portland’s Economy Can Teach Every City in the World”.    For more than 20 years – as Chief of Staff to Mayor Vera Katz, as a City Councilor, and then as Mayor, Sam Adams has been in the forefront of positioning Portland both as an economic force and also as an American city that is not only unique, but uniquely weird. We asked Sam to drive over the hill and talk to us about Portland:  what’s worked, what hasn’t worked, what’s been learned, and what would’ve been done differently the second time around. [[gdlr_divider type=”double” ]

July 2013 – Drones at Home

The Evolution From Battleground to Backyard

• Potential Economic Impact for Central Oregon
• Assisting Law Enforcement and Public Safety
• Agricultural Benefits and Environmental Impacts
• Leveraging Limited Resources for Search & Rescue, Fire and Outdoor Recreation

Panelists:

• Josh Brungardt, director of unmanned systems PARADIGM isr
• John Lester Miller, Chief Technical Officer for FLIR Systems’ Surveillance Division
• Collins Hemingway, author and former chair EDCO aviation recruitment committee
• Jeff Sale,  Bend Chief of Police
• Becky Straus, attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, Oregon Chapter

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June 2013 – How Do We Fix Our Forests?

Central Oregon values the forest for environmental benefits, recreation and for jobs. But the forests in Central Oregon are not healthy.  The severe fires of the last several years illustrate danger of a sick forest. Lumber and recreation jobs are major part of Central Oregon’s economy.  The lumber industry in Central Oregon is being threatened by the unavailability of logs and fires are threatening recreation interests.  Our economy needs a healthy forest.  It will be expensive. This program will examine strategies for paying the bill to bring our forest back too good health.  With cooperation and conversation, recreation and timber interests are working with the Forest Service to demonstrate an affordable model approach for bringing the forest back to health.  This fall, forestland to the west of Bend will be actively managed to log timber, increase the environmental benefits and improve the recreational value of the land.  The revenue from the logging will help to offset the costs of fixing our forest. PANELISTS:

• Pete Caligiuri – Forest ecology  –  The State of the Forest
• Kevin Larkin  –  Bend West project
• Kreg Lindberg  –  What Does Outdoor Recreation Bring?
• Chuck Burley   –  What Does Timber Bring?

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May 2013 – Is There a Method to the Madness?

TAXES, SPENDING AND UNDERSTANDING THE PRICE OF GOVERNMENT

Panelists (Leadership Bend):

• Brady Fuller (CH2M Hill)
• Shon Rae (First Story)
• Brent Irwin (Spectrum Building & Restoration)
• Trygve Bolken (Bend Research)
• Dana James (Bend resident)

Moderator: David Blair Response Panel:

• Finance Director Sonja Andrews, City of Bend
• Assessor Scot Langton, Deschutes County
• Finance Director Lindsay Lombard, Bend Metro Parks and Recreation District
• Superintendent Ron Wilkinson, Bend – La Pine Schools

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April 2013 – What Do Central Oregon Teens Really Care About?

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March 2013 – Guns in America

Panelists: Bob Nosler, Jim Foster. Moderator: Bill Buchanan  [gdlr_divider type=”double” ]

February 2013 – Mirror, Mirror on the Pond

Panelists:

• Bend Mayor Jim Clinton
• Mike Hollern, Brooks Resources’ President and CEO
• Gary Fish, President of Deschutes Brewing
• Ryan Houston, Executive Director – Upper Deschutes Watershed Council
• Gabe Williams, hydrologist

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January 2013 – BEND2030/ACCELERATE BEND

Moderator: Lawrence Schechter A panel of BEND2030 board representatives will share the results of ACCELERATE BEND, highlighting top projects that are already moving forward – or are poised to launch.  Organized around the vision’s six focus areas, they include:

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December 2012 – The Nurturing of an Olympian

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Territorial Desputes in the South China Sea

November 15, 2012

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