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Commissioners set a working calendar and marketing plan for May preservation events; choose joint name as placeholder
Summary
Commissioners discussed dozens of events and outreach channels for May preservation month, tentatively agreed on a working name and a marketing timeline, and assigned follow-ups to staff and the public information officer.
The commission spent the bulk of the meeting planning May’s historic-preservation activities across Benton County and nearby partners, compiling confirmed events, assigning outreach tasks and agreeing on a working name for the effort to use for immediate promotions.
Staff and commissioners reviewed a list of confirmed and penciled-in events for May: a presentation about a historic airport hangar (proposed May 17 at 1 p.m.), a Cumberland Community Events Center birthday celebration and vintage window restoration workshop (May 10, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.), Larry Landis leading an OSU historic-district tour (May 11 at 2 p.m.), a Leticia Carson symposium with a field trip component, a Greenbelt Land Trust tour of Bald Hill Farm, and numerous walking and neighborhood tours and museum programs. Commissioners noted additional potential presenters and venues, including the Albany Regional Museum, OSU faculty and local preservation trades programs.
After discussion about branding and how specific event names could constrain public understanding, commissioners agreed on a joint working title to use for promotion: a variation presented during the meeting was “Benton‑Linn Preservation Month 2025” (working name). Commissioners and staff noted this is not a formal adoption (the meeting did not have a quorum for official votes) but said they would use the placeholder name for marketing and outreach while final approvals are deferred to a future quorumed meeting.
For promotion, staff said they will: contact the county public information officer for graphics and email support; prepare an email “drip” (initial announcement, featured events, and a final reminder); place listings in local newspapers and radio event calendars; and provide flyers to libraries and visitor centers. The commission discussed leveraging partners’ email lists and local media (including OSU student media and the Albany Regional Museum) and using an online calendar and a centralized county web page as an event repository.
Commissioners assigned follow-up tasks: Morgan Driggs to coordinate with event presenters and the designer for any materials, Alyssa Schrems and Sarah Johnson to reach out to community partners (KinCultivate, Oregon Black Pioneers), and staff to contact the public information officer (Carly) to ensure jointly branded marketing materials. Commissioners also discussed logistics for the end-of-month celebration site, considering options including Whiteside and the Wren Community Center, and aimed for outreach to schools and community groups for field-trip participation.
Ending
Staff will consolidate the event list and begin promotion using the working title, confirm which events need venue or special assistance, and provide a marketing package to the public information officer within two weeks to meet publication deadlines for April newsletters.
