The Ojai Chautauqua – Civil Discourse

The purpose of the Ojai Chautauqua is to engage Ventura County in civil discourse about controversial and highly passionate subjects. The Chautauqua was an adult education movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s.

The Chautauqua brought entertainment and culture for the whole community, with speakers, teachers, musicians, entertainers, preachers, and specialists of the day. Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt was quoted as saying that Chautauqua is “the most American thing in America.” The Ojai Chautauqua is continuing this movement, with a special focus on encouraging civil discourse on controversial and highly passionate subjects. The feedback so far has been phenomenal. Civil discourse is dangerously absent from all aspects of contemporary life. The result of this failing is not only sad… it is dangerous. If we can develop this essential ability, we can begin to affect a positive change to many aspects of life that can extend far and wide.

 

 

 

The Future of Water in the Ojai Valley
What’s Changing and What Might Still Need to Change

Sunday, September 30, 2018
3:00-5:00PM – Matilija Auditorium
703 El Paseo Road in Ojai

Download the handout that was on every chair at the event.

This free event was made possible by individual donors, the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce, and the Ojai Valley Inn.

In the face of an ongoing drought and a diminishing lake, the Ojai community has paid a lot of attention to water recently. Our government, environmental nonprofits, and water management agencies have also been working on the challenge of securing a sustainable water future for our valley. This Ojai Chautauqua will focus on the changes that are currently underway, as well as additional changes that we may need to consider.

The panelists were:

Anthony Emmert – Assistant General Manager of United Water Conservation District

Richard Hajas – Board Member of the Ojai Basin Groundwater Management Agency

Susan Mulligan – General Manager of Calleguas Municipal Water District

Stephanie Pincetl – Director of California Center for Sustainable Communities

Jim Word – Board Director of Casitas Municipal Water District

 

 

Watch the August 22, 2018 Casitas Municipal Water District Board Meeting on the state water connection, with the General Managers of Calleguas. United, and the City of Ventura The Future of Water for the Ojai Valley

 

 

Over the next twelve months, the Ojai Chautauqua will produce up to five events focusing on issues particular to the Ojai Valley. With the success and impact of the November 19, 2017 event on Tourism in the Ojai Valley (watch it here) and the April 15, 2018 event on Water in the Ojai Valley (watch it here), our committee and sponsors realize that the greatest impact we can achieve is through this narrowed focus. The Ojai Valley is in a time of substantial transition and is striving to establish a sustainable vision for the future. The Ojai Chautauqua is pleased to work with non-profit and business groups, the City of Ojai, the public and private school systems, as well as educational institutions outside of the Ojai Valley to bring these communities together to build the momentum we need to become a model community that will inspire others to vibrancy.

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The Ojai Chautauqua
Free Community Seminar Series on
The Foundations of Our Republic
Taking place the first and third Thursdays of each month
beginning May 3, 2018

We are thrilled to offer our first free community seminar series, taking place at the Ojai Library from 12:00 – 1:00PM on the first and third Thursdays of each month, beginning May 3rd. Groups will be kept small (12-18 people) in order to facilitate conversation. Registrants are invited to attend as many sessions as they would like, and can begin at any time. Reservations are required and attendees read the scheduled material prior to attending each seminar. Click here to register. Download the first reading here – The Declaration of Independence.

What are the fundamental principles of our Republic? Are these principles based on a view of objective reality/nature, or simply the “consent of the governed”? Are these principles changeable, and if so on what grounds? What authority is given to the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary branches? What are rights? Are they based on nature or consent? Are they inalienable? We invite community members to join us as we discuss these founding and subsequent documents in an effort to better understand the principles of our ongoing American experiment.

Next Events:
Thursday, October 4, 2018

Readings:
The Declaration of Independence, selected Federalist Papers, The U.S. Constitution, Dred Scott Decision and Dissenting View (edited), Lincoln Douglass Debates (edited), Letter from Birmingham Jail.

Location:
The Ojai Library
111 East Ojai Avenue
Ojai, California 93023

 

 

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On Sunday, April 15, 2018, at the Matilija Junior High Auditorium, we continued our discussion of Water: Part II.

There was free admission thanks to private donations, the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Oak Grove School.

In addition to our panels promoting civil discourse on topics of national concern, The Ojai Chautauqua is launching a series of events specifically focused on issues facing the Ojai Valley. We kick off this new series with an imminent and critical choice facing all of us – Water. In 2014 we held a panel on The Future of Water (view the event here) and since then the situation has only become worse with the continuing drought. There are several proposals under consideration and the purpose of this panel is to thoughtfully consider all of the options and their implications. We hope you will join us as we work together to ensure the vitality of this beautiful community.

 

Moderator:

Tom Krause
President of the Ojai Chautauqua Committee

Panelists:

Tom Ash
Water Conservation Expert and Horticulturalist

Mary Bergen
Board Member of the Casitas Municipal Water District

Dan Breen
Board President of the Ojai Basin Groundwater Management Agency

Richard Hajas
Member of the Ojai Valley Water Advisory Group

Connor Jones
Ojai Permaculture Founder

Bruce Kuebler
Board Member of the Ventura River Water District

Alex Kim
Managing Director of the Ojai Valley Inn

Bill Weirick
Ojai City Council Member

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On every chair at the Panel on Ojai Tourism event – Sunday, November 19th, 2017, there was a handout containing data about Ojai tourism history, tax revenue, population, traffic, and housing. Click here to download in PDF format.

 

 

 

 

1129 Maricopa Highway #156 • Ojai, California 93023 • (805) 231-5974 • ojaichat@gmail.com • www.ojaichat.org

Since 2014 The Ojai Chautauqua has provided forums for intelligent and civil discussion. And this is only the beginning.

Watch the September 30, 2018 panel The Future of Water in the Ojai Valley – Part III Moderator – Tom Krause – President of the Ojai Chautauqua Committee Anthony Emmert – Assistant General Manager of United Water Conservation District Richard Hajas – Board Member of the Ojai Basin Groundwater Management Agency Susan Mulligan – General Manager of Calleguas Municipal Water District Stephanie Pincetl – Director of California Center for Sustainable Communities Jim Word – Board Director of Casitas Municipal Water District  Watch the April 15, 2018 panel Water – Part II Moderator – Tom Krause – President of the Ojai Chautauqua Committee Tom Ash – Water Conservation Expert and Horticulturalist Mary Bergen – Board Member of the Casitas Municipal Water District Dan Breen – Board President of the Ojai Basin Groundwater Management Agency Richard Hajas – Member of the Ojai Valley Water Advisory Group Connor Jones – Ojai Permaculture Founder Bruce Kuebler – Board Member of the Ventura River Water District Alex Kim – Managing Director of the Ojai Valley Inn Bill Weirick – Ojai City Council Member  Watch the February 17, 2018 panel Beyond the Whistle-Blowers – What Happens Next? Power, Gender, and Writing New Rules for the American Workplace Moderators – Cecile Ablack and  Dan Schnur Shakari Byerly – Managing Partner of EVITARUS, INC. Ana Cubas – Founder of the Latina Public Service Academy Ted Johnson – Senior Editor at Variety Magazine Cinny Kennard– Executive Director at The Annenberg Foundation Tom Krause – President of the Ojai Chautauqua Committee Watch the November 19, 2017 event Tourism in the Ojai Valley Panelists Include: Caryn Bosson, Leslie Clark, Michael Haley, Johnny Johnston, Hallie Katz, and Dennis Rice. Moderator –  Tom Krause. The Advisory Committee Includes: Misty Volaski, Kit Stoltz, Scott Eicher, Tim Dewer, Veronica Cole, Andrew Cantwell, Kimberly McLin, and Bill Moses. Watch the October 20, 2017 event An Evening with Dan Schnur and Warren Olney Watch the June 3rd, 2017 panel on Politics, Media, and Society Moderator – Dan Schnur – Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC Bill Burton – Managing Director at SKDknickerbocker Ken LaCorte – 18-year Fox News veteran Naomi Seligman – Communications Director for Mayor Eric Garcetti John Thomas – Founder and President of Thomas Partners Strategies Alice Walton – Leader at Ek, Sunkin, Klink & Bai Watch the May 6th, 2017 panel on An Unconventional Presidency – Donald Trump’s First 100 Days Moderator – Dan Schnur – Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC Claudia Cowan – Fox News Channel San Francisco-based correspondent Henry C. “C.J.” Jackson – writer and editor for POLITICO Mike Madrid – Principal at GrassrootsLab Johanna Maska – Former White House Aide and LA-based Consultant Seema Mehta – Political writer for the Los Angeles Times Watch the October 8, 2016, panel on the 2016 Presidential Election – Part Two – What Happens Next? Moderator – Dan Schnur – Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC Gail Becker – Former head of Global Communications for Edelman Worldwide Jeff Greenfield – Award-winning television journalist and author Adam Nagourney – LA Bureau Chief for the New York Times Conan Nolan – KNBC political editor and host of “News Conference” program Roberto Suro – Professor at USC and Director of the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute Watch the September 17, 2016, panel on the 2016 Presidential Election – Part One – How Did We Get Here? Moderator – Dan Schnur – Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC Brian Calle – Opinion editor of the Los Angeles Daily News. Cinny Kennard – Executive Director of the Annenberg Foundation Steve Lopez – Los Angeles Times columnist Larry Mantle – Longtime host of “Airtalk” on KPCC. Bill Schneider – Professor of Communications at UCLA and CNN commentator. Watch the June 7, 2015, panel on Income Inequality Moderator – Dan Schnur – Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC Matthew Fienup – Economist, California Lutheran University William Voegeli – Author, editor of The Claremont Review of Books Sarah Bohn – Economist and analyst for the Public Policy Institute of California Edward Kleinbard – Former lead staffer on a Congressional tax committee Nelson Lichtenstein – MacArthur Foundation Chair in History at the University of California, Santa Barbara Watch the April 12, 2015, panel on Immigration Moderator – Herbert E. Gooch – Cal Lutheran Professor, Department of Political Science Elton Gallegly – Former U.S. Representative Hiroshi Motomura – UCLA scholar of immigration and citizenship law. Abbé Kingston – Immigration Attorney Arsenio Lopez – Executive Director of the Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project Ric Oberlink – Former Executive Director of Californians for Population Stabilization Watch the November 9, 2014, panel on The Future of Fracking Moderator – Kit Stolz – Writer Brian Segee – Environmental Defense Center Don Clarke – Petroleum Geologist Craig Nicholson – Geophysicist at UCSB Dave Quast – Director of Energy In Depth Henry Stern – Legislative Aide to State Senator Fran Pavley Watch the June 22, 2014, panel on The Future of Water Moderator – Timm Herdt – Ventura County Star Steve Bennett – Ventura County Supervisor Eric Bergh – Calleguas Municipal Water District Lynn Maulhardt – President of the United Water Conservation District Emily Friend Thacher – Ojai Citrus Farmer 1129 Maricopa Highway #156 • Ojai, California 93023 (805) 231-5974 • ojaichat@gmail.com