The City of Talent Council approved city sponsorship for an "Embodied the Future" intergenerational workshop organized by the Together for Talent committee and authorized an additional $250 from discretionary funds to support the event.

Together for Talent representatives described the workshop concept as a pilot drawn from the Elders Action Network future-design methodology. The session would convene elders, midlife residents and youth to co-design a community vision; organizers said the format has been used internationally to support long-term planning and civic engagement.

Committee members said the request is in addition to the $500 annual allocation committees receive. Organizers asked for $250 to cover modest refreshments, printing and to contribute to travel costs for facilitators who are coming from out of the area and are covering much of their costs privately.

Council members discussed whether committees should exhaust their current $500 allocation before requesting additional funds and whether committee funding should be integrated into next year’s formal budget process. Several councilors urged the committee to participate in the annual budget planning cycle so future event funding can be anticipated.

The motion to approve city sponsorship (use of city space and communications) and a $250 budget supplement from discretionary funds passed on a council roll call. Council members asked staff to identify the discretionary line to be used and encouraged the committee to return if additional funding is later required.

Why this matters: The event is an example of the city partnering directly with a volunteer committee to run community planning and outreach. Council discussion emphasized transparency about committee budgets and incorporating committee needs into the city’s budget cycle.