The Philomath Inclusivity Ad Hoc Committee will revisit an ongoing conversation about age-friendly communities when it meets at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Philomath City Hall.
The committee is set to discuss the concept of age-friendly communities, a topic first introduced in 2024 when member Jane Sherwood brought information to the group about a potential partnership with AARP. While the committee ultimately decided not to formally enroll in the AARP program, members agreed that the framework’s areas of focus would serve as useful guidance for future projects.
Tuesday’s meeting will feature a recap of the earlier presentation and an open conversation about potential goals the committee might pursue. The AARP framework identifies eight domains of livability — outdoor spaces and buildings, housing, transportation, civic participation and employment, communication and information, respect and social inclusion, social participation, and health services and community supports.
Data pulled from AARP’s Livability Index shows Philomath’s zip code scored 53 out of 100 overall, placing it in the top half of communities nationally. The city scored highest in health (70) and engagement (67), while neighborhood (40) and opportunity (44) were among the lower-scoring categories. Housing scored 48 and transportation came in at 47.
The engagement category is one area where the committee may find actionable opportunities. The AARP index notes that Philomath currently has no local human rights commission and no municipal LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination laws — both policy indicators used in calculating the engagement score. Previous discussion suggested the committee could explore whether it might fulfill a human rights commission role or recommend that the City Council consider anti-discrimination protections.
Other potential directions include researching what formal enrollment in a WHO or AARP age-friendly community program would require and whether to recommend that path to the City Council.
The committee will also review content related to National Disability Independence Day and discuss planning for the fall.
For those not attending in person, the meeting will be live-streamed on the city’s YouTube channel.