Orcas Center looks for "big picture thinkers"

The Board of Trustees of Orcas Center announces the launch of a broad-reaching strategic planning process that will result in a multi-year plan to guide the organization through the next several years of programming and operations.

The planning process will take place over the next several months, with a completed plan to be distributed publicly in the fall of 2006. Those involved in the strategic planning process will reach out to community members to learn their perspectives and desires for Orcas Center. It will be a significant component of the process, and will include interviews, focus groups and a widely distributed survey mechanism.

To steer the outreach process, the Orcas Center Board has named a “Futures” task force, a group of 17 community members who represent the past, present and future of Orcas Center. "We're seeking big picture thinkers with no set agendas; people who will listen to different segments of the community, and could network to a larger group," Executive Director Barbara Courtney explained.

Once their work is complete, the task force will submit its recommendations to the board, which will than set Orcas Center's future priorities. Courtney cautioned that the board "can't implement every request that is made."

Tom Ritter and Mary Riveland will co-chair the task force, the members of which include Carl Ageros, Marilyn Anderson, Dwight Duke, George Garrels, Barbara Kline, Patty Monaco, Coleen O’Brien, Anita Orne, Susan Osborn, Jenny Pederson, Abby Rueb, Judy Schliebus, Susan Singleton, Betsy Wareham and Dacia Youngren. Courtney and President Kathy Youngren will provide guidance and support to the "Futures" task force.

The next meeting of the Orcas Center “Futures” task force will be held at Orcas Center on Monday, Jan. 16, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Members will identify the questions they will ask the public as they go about their work. The public is invited to observe the task force meeting.

Future meetings and agendas will be announced in The Islands' Sounder.

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