Committee for Community Involvement - August 18, 2026

Agenda

6 p.m. Welcome

6:05 p.m. Public Comment

6:15 p.m. CCI Candidate Interviews

• Interviews 
• Actions regarding recommending candidates to BCC

7:15 p.m. CCI Business:
Previous CCI Meeting Minutes

• July minutes

7:30 p.m. From CCI Action Plan:
Plan a 2026 Community Leaders meeting that provides a two-way communication forum between community leaders and the Board of County Commissioners. 

• Confirm date, amount of time, format, refreshments
• Plan invitation outreach to CPOs/Hamlets, and any materials or guidance needed for CCI, staff and BCC roles

7:55 p.m. Business for future agendas

• CPO insurance communication process
• Bylaws project

8 p.m. Adjourn

Minutes

Committee for Community Involvement

August 18, 2026, MEETING MINUTES 
Time: 6 p.m. 
Held via Zoom

CCI Attendees: Karen Bjorklund (Chair), Pat Erdenberger, Marrion Kaufman, Bill Merchant, Brent Parries (Vice-Chair)

Absent: Danielle Weber

Attending PGA Staff: Ed Nieto, Maria Magallon

Public Attendees:  Marti Bowne (Hoodland CPO), Evan Demaris  

1. Welcome

Chair Bjorklund welcomed public attendees, CCI members, and county staff. 

2. Public Comment
   There were no public comments.
3. CCI Candidate Interviews 

• Interviews

Evan Demaris, the only candidate from a field of four who attended the meeting, was interviewed by CCI members.  Committee members also agreed to leave open the possibility of interviewing the other three candidates in the future.

• Actions recommending candidates to BCC

Vice-Chair Parries motioned that the CCI recommend Evan Demaris to the Board of County Commissioners for approval as a CCI member, and Pat Erdenberger seconded the motion. The committee unanimously approved the motion. 

4. CCI Business: Previous CCI Meeting Minutes

• July minutes

Bill Merchant motioned to approve the July 21, 2026 CCI meeting minutes, and Vice-Chair Parries seconded the motion. The committee unanimously approved the minutes.

5. From CCI Action Plan: Plan a 2026 Community Leaders meeting that provides a two-way communication forum between community leaders and the Board of County Commissioners 

• Confirm date, amount of time, format, refreshments

Ed Nieto confirmed that the Community Leaders meeting will be held Wednesday, September 30 in the DSB Auditorium on the county’s Red Soils Campus. The room is reserved from 5 to 8 p.m. Commissioners Roberts, Savas, and Helm are expected to attend. Commissioners West and Schrader are unavailable due to scheduling conflicts. Administrator Gary Schmidt also plans to attend.

CCI members agreed that the event's goal is to provide a two-way communication forum for CPO leaders and County Commissioners to build relationships, get to know one another, and exchange information.

Members approved a plan that includes:

• Starting the event at 5:30 p.m. 
• An arrangement of three tables (preferably round) with approximately eight people per table, with one commissioner at each table, and possibly a fourth table for County Administrator Gary Schmidt and attendees
• A brief welcome/opening/overview by CPO Liaison Maria Magallon, who would also close the meeting and request that all attendees fill out the event evaluation forms. Maria and Ed Nieto would move around the room during the meeting and assist as needed.
• One-to-two-minute introductions from CPO representatives at each table
• Two discussion "rounds" at the tables (intended to give participants an opportunity to speak with more than one commissioner), with a flexible 30–45 minutes per round 
• Afterward, an optional informal networking until the end of the 8:00 p.m. room reservation
•  The serving of snacks, not a full dinner, including a mix of healthy and heartier options: vegetable and fruit trays, pastries, protein-based finger foods, pinwheel wraps, and salami and cheese. Drinks will include coffee, iced tea, lemonade, and a variety of waters (sparkling and still).
• Plan invitation outreach to CPOs/Hamlets, and any materials or guidance needed for CCI, staff and BCC roles

Ed Nieto agreed to send Karen and Brent a draft of a save-the-date message with a registration link, which will be distributed to CPOs, Hamlets, and other interested parties via the August CPO Notes Quarterly newsletter on Constant Contact and via regular email. After the initial invitations are sent, a second reminder will be sent approximately two weeks before the event.

6. Letter to Commissioners on role of CPOs & CPO Insurance

CCI members unanimously supported Chair Bjorklund sending a letter in her capacity as CCI Chair to all the County Commissioners to clarify in what ways Community Planning Organizations (CPOs) are and are not independent of the County, and the need for CPO liability insurance. This was to address a query from Commissioner West at the August 11 Issues & Updates public meeting related to CPO insurance.

Chair Bjorklund asked Ed for the PGA position on CCI sending a letter, and whether the letter could be sent from the CCI email address. Ed said he would talk to the interim PGA Director about it upon her return from vacation. It was also discussed that the commissioners were on recess until after Labor Day.

Maria Magallon provided a brief update on the county’s efforts to respond to the sudden termination of one of the insurance policies for CPOs provided by the county. Ed commended Maria for her work with HR, PGA, and other county staff to resolve the issue. He shared the resolution with CPOs and noted that an updated explanation of the new insurance option will appear in the next CPO Notes Quarterly Newsletter that will be sent out by August 21.

The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

Next meeting: Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 6–8 p.m. via Zoom.