Central Oregon Governing Council Meeting Minutes

Monday March 16, 2026

1-2:30 pm Touchmark Pilot Butte Boardroom

Attendees: Susan Goracke, Brenda McDonald, Sheldon Zaslansky, Michael Graham, Melissa Elliott, Wendy Chase, Jim McDonald, Mark Goracke

Zoom UO-Sandra Gladney

Agenda Items

1. President Susan Goracke: Welcome to Sandra and introduction of new Council member Sheldon Zaslansky who provided his brief bio for the council.
2. Minutes from 1/26/26 reviewed and approved as written.
3. Membership Report

Report from Eugene will be available on 3/17 and Brenda will send out. Five new members added to bring number to 119 active and 158 members served for this fiscal year.

Mark reported stats from feedback calls to people registered/attended our January Experience OLLI. Leigh and Melissa and Mark feedback concluded highest interest was in history and field trips. It was suggested to provide a combined geology/history tour of Bend. Interests included hiking, coffee (already doing).

Future outreach events reported by Brenda:

3/30 2:30-3:30 Spring Preview Larkspur Classroom A. All contacts received an invitation to this event.

4/6 2:30-3:00 Information session for residents at Touchmark Mt. Bachelor-Brenda

4/10 10:00-11:30 Lecture at Touchmark Mt. Bachelor- Guest speaker Bill Taliaferro. Brenda said Touchmark Mt. Bachelor welcomes guest lectures that OLLI can provide.

4/17 10:00-12:00 Library lecture Sisters library -guest speaker Matti Neustadt on AI

5/28 12:00-1:00 Soroptimists meeting at Historical Museum -Melissa

6/9 11:00-2:00 BPRD Health Fair at the Pavillion

Sandra’s Report

OLLI Strategic Planning Process Update

Sandra will be retiring but will assist until new leadership is in place. Sandra’s boss, Deb Keyek-Franssen offered to facilitate the transition and attend our meeting in person at a future date. A Eugene-based strategic planning facilitator is not available to us at this time so work will be undertaken by key staff and members. This strategic plan should address cost issues. It was noted that there is not a current scholarship program, but we do provide guest passes for free classes to encourage prospective members. Suggested we reinstate the prior “Each One Reach One” campaign. Sheldon suggested everyone bring a guest whenever attending a class or event.

Q2 Budget is a merged budget for all OLLI sites. The current deficit is noted to be unsustainable. We need to consider financial options like travel company kickbacks, donation line on initial sign-up form etc. because meeting our membership goal doesn’t equal the deficit.

Action Items

Continue feedback calls on future events.

Next meeting in May - TBD

Respectfully submitted,
Melissa Elliott for Faith Hall