Future 2075 Workshop Unites Local Governments to Blueprint the Region's Next 50 Years

The Benton-Franklin Council of Governments (BFCOG) convened nearly 50 local government elected officials, administration, public works, and economic development agency staff, and Regional Youth Ambassadors (RYA) for Future 2075, a first-of-its-kind, two-day regional leadership experience, centered on long-term regional collaboration.

Hosted at Terra Blanca Winery, the event invited participants to step into the role of Regionalists, leaders committed to thinking beyond jurisdictional boundaries and embracing the event’s central theme: Trust as Infrastructure. Through scenario planning, mapping exercises, and facilitated dialogue, attendees explored what the region could become by 2075 if local governments seize opportunities to collaborate rather than act independently.

BFCOG Executive Director Michelle Holt emphasized that Future 2075 was designed to deepen long-term regional collaboration, noting, “Fifty years from now, our region will look very different, but the foundation for that future is being built right now by how we listen and work together. Great regions don’t grow accidentally; they grow through trust, shared vision, and leaders willing to think beyond their borders.”

Regional Dinner: A Toast to Trust

Day one opened with a Regionalist’s Table Dinner: Where Collaboration Takes A Seat and “Toasts to Trust,” where participants shared personal reflections and raised glasses to the theme of collaboration. Dr. Lori Barber, President of the College of Eastern Idaho and the workshop’s Futuring Facilitator, along with Karl Dye, President/CEO of TRIDEC, set the tone for the evening with remarks on trust and regional partnership. The shared meal marked the beginning of building the relationships and rapport that carried into the next day’s work.

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