League of Women Voters® of Falmouth Bulletin April 2015 In This Issue Steering Committee Message……........Page 2 Civic Education: Hope for the Future …..Page 3 Legislative Meeting, Nominating Committee Report……………..…Page 4 State Senate Listening Tour, Candidates Night Notice...….…….……Page 5 Proposed Budget ………………….……...Page 6 LWVMA Day on the Hill, LWVF Friends & Convention Information ………………………..…Page 7 Member Event Calendar April 2015 16 7:30 pm Civics Education: Hope for the Future Falmouth Public Library, Hermann Room **Meet for dinner at Peking Palace at 6 pm** 10am-Noon LWVCC Community Forum on Healthcare Harwich Community Center 8:30 am LWVCC Legislative Breakfast CCCC, Lorusso Building, Solarium 7:30 pm Board Meeting Falmouth Hospital Maternity Meeting Room 10am-Noon Day on the Hill State House, Boston 18 24 28 28 May 2015 2 6 15-16 11am-2pm 7:30 pm 11 am Annual Meeting Falmouth Historical Society Candidates’ Night Morse Pond School LWVMA Convention, West Springfield New Members.…..Page 8 Annual Meeting Information………..Page 9 Contact Us Our address: League of Women Voters of Falmouth P. O. Box 450 Falmouth, MA 02541 Send us an email [email protected] Visit our web site www.lwvf.org www.mass.gov LWVF Board of Directors 2014-2015 STEERING First Vice-President Second Vice-President Voter Service At Large Local Study Secretary Treasurer Bulletin/Web Legislative Membership COMMITTEE Betsy Fontes Meg Borden Alice Carey Sylvia Szulkin Doris Epstein Kathryn Elder Joanne Voorhis Joan Boyer Kathy Mortenson Nancy Michaud Outreach Kathie Mount Observer Corp Denise Morreale Natural Resources Pam Polloni At Large Barbara Fanger Publicity Marcia Easterling If you wish to join the League, membership dues are $50 for an individual membership and $25 for an additional household member. Send your check made out to LWV of Falmouth, P. O. Box 450, Falmouth, MA 02541. Include your name, mailing address, email address and phone number. You do not have to be a resident of Falmouth to join. MESSAGE FROM THE STEERING COMMITTEE Sylvia Szulkin Happy Spring! At last we’re enjoying case it is left to “authorities” to impose near tropical temperatures which in other a solution which forces the wrongdoer years would seem more akin to a winter to take responsibility for his actions, chill. The Steering Committee is very preferably without giving the pleased that the Falmouth League’s three wrongdoer a criminal record. winter programs were well-attended despite In mid-March, the snow banks and icy roads. Our gratitude to Falmouth League held its annual the members who planned the programs Conversation with Our State and the hardy souls who took part in them. Legislators. Our gratitude goes to Our Local and State Planning State Representative David Vieira for Program in early February resulted in his candid and informative answers to consensus for a local study of questions and comments from the communications between Falmouth audience. Unfortunately, State Town Hall and the townspeople it Representative Tim Madden was serves. The parameters of the study unable to attend due to ferry have yet to be defined. However, the cancellations. Many thanks to Kathy study will likely include a description of Mortenson for making the the kinds of information currently arrangements and Meg Borden for disbursed to residents of Falmouth, moderating the program. the methods used to convey that We’re now looking forward to the information, and a comparison with Thursday, April 16 report of our Local the substance and methods of Study Committee on Civics Education municipal communications elsewhere and Civic Responsibility, to be held in on the Cape. The Falmouth League the Hermann Room at the main library was unable to reach consensus in at 7:30 p.m., our Annual Meeting on support of any of the studies Saturday, May 2 at the Historical recommended by the State League. Society’s meeting hall at 11:30 a.m. A second Falmouth League and Candidates Night at the Morse program in February explored the Pond School on Wednesday, May 6 concept of Restorative Justice, which starting at 7:30 p.m. calls for resolving violations of The Annual Meeting will feature criminal law without officially involving a buffet lunch, followed by a talk on the courts. A panel including homelessness on Cape Cod by Cape representatives of the Falmouth Police Cod Times columnist Dan McLaughlin. Department, the Barnstable County You will learn more about these three Sheriff’s Office, the Barnstable County exciting events inside this issue of the District Attorney’s Office, the Falmouth Bulletin. We look forward to seeing School Department discussed the you on all three dates. As always, we benefits and limitations of restorative enjoy your company and value your justice. Ideally, a facilitator would participation. bring the wrongdoer and his victim Also, a welcome to new together to fashion a resolution. members Judy G. Ernst and Penelope However, victims sometimes want no Duby. contact with the perpetrator, in which LWV 2015 Bulletin – Page 2 CIVIC EDUCATION: HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Marcia Easterling ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS! On Thursday, April 16 at 7:30 pm in the Hermann Foundation Room of the Falmouth Public Library, Doris Epstein’s Local Study Committee will host a public meeting on “Civic Education : Hope for the Future.” The main speaker will be Dr. Felicia Sullivan, senior researcher at Tufts University”s CIRCLE - Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. She is also on the faculty of the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her areas of expertise are the use of media and communications in communitybuilding, political engagement and personal change. There will also be information about the new Edward M. Kennedy Institute, the grand opening was on March 31; both President and Mrs. Obama as well as Vice President Biden attended. On March 7 several LWVF members attended a special “sneak preview” of the mission of the Institute which will be to serve as a dynamic laboratory for democracy, open to students at all levels of education as well as to teachers, scholars and the general public. Dr. Karen Mazza, former president of the Cape Cod League of Women Voters will provide information about the collaborative initiative of the League of Women Voters and the Cape Cod Foundation to create a grant fund known as The League of Women Voters Civic Education Fund of the Cape Cod Foundation and what it entails. Hope to see all of you on the 16th now that Spring has really come and bring friends. LWV 2015 Bulletin – Page 3 A LEAGUE LEGISLATIVE MEETING WITH STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAVID VIEIRA Kathy Mortenson Representative David T. Vieira took time from his busy schedule to join 40 league members and citizens in an informal conversation about his work at the Massachusetts State House at the League’s March 19th meeting. Rep. Tim Madden had planned to attend the meeting but bad weather that afternoon on Nantucket, where Rep. Madden lives, forced the ferry cancellation from Nantucket. Rep. Vieira spoke about the thousands of bills introduced at the beginning of each House session that must be reviewed and his new assignments on the House Committees on Rules and Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets. There were discussions about health insurance in Massachusetts and preschool education. Thank you, Rep. Vieira, for answering questions about Massachusetts government in an informal discussion NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT Marcia Easterling The Nominating Committee, consisting of Carol Chittenden, Chair; Marilyn Zacks, Carol McKeon, new offboard member and Board members Sylvia Szulkin and Marcia Easterling reports that Jacqui Webster has agreed to fill out the year remaining of Nancy Michaud's term as Membership Chair. The Committee has been unable to find a nominee to fill the position of Legislative Chair. LWV 2015 Bulletin – Page 4 STATE SENATORS LISTEN AT “COMMONWEALTH CONVERSATIONS TOUR” Kathy Mortenson On March 18th a crowd of 150 gathered at Massachusetts Maritime Academy for an unusual evening. State Senate President Stan Rosenberg was among the15 state senators, more than a third of a 40member legislative chamber who participated in the final stop on the “Commonwealth Conversations” statewide tour. State Senator Vinny deMacedo of the Plymouth and Barnstable district, and State Senator Dan Wolf of the Cape & Islands district hosted the evening. The two dozen speakers touched on about a dozen issues, asking for funding for mental health programs, tax incentives for films and support for the Community Preservation Act, among others. Some Falmouth residents spoke against the municipal wind turbines and others spoke for the turbines. Ed DeWitt of the Association to Preserve Cape Cod spoke about the Cape’s sensitive environment and the need for state funding to help solve the Cape’s wastewater disposal issues. REMINDER! LWVF CANDIDATES NIGHT WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015 7:30 P.M. MORSE POND SCHOOL JONES ROAD, FALMOUTH, MA Please send Alice Carey your questions for the Candidates ASAP. The Voter Service Committee will consider them as they prepare for the program. Email questions to Alice Carey: ([email protected] ) LWV 2015 Bulletin – Page 5 LWVF PROPOSED BUDGET Joanne Voorhis, Treasurer LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF FALMOUTH PROPOSED BUDGET FOR JULY 1, 2015 TO JUNE 30, 2016 INCOME Ads Annual Meeting Contributions - Friends Contributions - Members Dues Funds Raisers Interest Income Transfer from savings INCOME TOTAL Budget FY2013-14 $425 $600 $500 $1,500 $4,100 $100 $ $ $ $ $ $ $2,170 $9,395 $ Budget FY2013-14 Action/Program $ 500 Administration 225 Web Site Fee 200 Annual Meeting & report 1000 Bulletin Postage 185 Bulletin Printing 350 Convention - National 2016 750 Convention -State 2017 140 Membership & Directory 270 Participation 115 Per Member Pay Mass. (PMP) 1850 Per Member Pay US (PMP) 2700 Publications 25 Voter Service 85 Special Projects 1000 EXPENSE TOTAL $ 9,395 E XPENSES Budget FY 2014-15 400 600 650 2,000 3,500 100 425 400 725 2000 3900 20 7,250 660 8130 Budget FY 2014-15 $ 700 $ 100 $ 240 $ 400 $ 140 $ 355 $ 400 $ 400 $ 250 $ 115 $ 1,655 $ 2,395 $ $ Budget FY 2015-16 100 7,250 $ LWV 2015 Bulletin – Page 6 1000 300 240 400 200 400 400 200 115 1775 3000 100 8,130.00 LWVMA UPCOMING EVENTS April 28 Day On The Hill The LWVMA is pleased that Senator Stanley Rosenberg, the newly-elected president of the Massachusetts State Senate, will be the keynote speaker at our annual Day on the Hill lobby day, Tuesday, April 28. Plan now to attend to hear Senator Rosenberg and to advocate for the League's legislative priorities as the new session begins. Day on the Hill begins at 10 a.m. in Gardner Auditorium at the State House. More details coming soon. Kathy Mortenson plans to attend and to drive. Let her know if you would like to go with her. Her phone number is 508-457-4410 Please join us for the LWVMA Convention 2015 Women Leading the Way Keynote speakers include Rosalee Keech, LWVUS Board member, and LWVUS UN Observer, and Elizabeth Barajas-Román, Chief Executive Officer, Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts. May 15 and 16, 2015 Clarion Hotel 1080 Riverdale Street (Rte. 5) West Springfield, MA More information may be found at: http://lwvma.org/member-resources/convention-council/ LWVF FRIENDS FOR 2014-2015 Sally Fritz Nan Galbraith Joan Houlihan Christina Jacobi Winnie and Bill Mackey Robert Schneider Deborah Senft Freddy Valois Helen Wilson LWV 2015 Bulletin – Page 7 LWVF welcomes new members Penelope Duby and Cathy Kligler Marcia Easterling “ It took me far too long to join the LWVF and I’m looking forward to meetings,” says Falmouth resident Penny Duby. Penny’s life has taken her from western Pennsylvania to Philadelphia, Cambridge and Falmouth. She is particularly grateful for the strong women who have mentored, sheltered, and instructed her over the years. Until ten years ago, Penny worked in various aspects of education. She began as an elementary school teacher in Philadelphia, but went back to school to get a Masters degree in Public Health to work in community health education and became the AIDS education coordinator for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. Penny moved to Cambridge after the death of her husband to work for several years before settling here in Falmouth ten years ago. Penny’s chief interests are women’s pay equity, voter registration, comprehensive childcare, and increasing the number of women in local, state and national legislatures. Catherine (Cathy) Kligler: I have a husband Roger who is a physician and three children…two boys living in Miami and one daughter living in Providence. We also have a 3 year old golden retriever named Bodie. I retired from the practice of law but will be doing some family law pro bono work for a non profit in Harwichport called WE CAN. I was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Falmouth Service Center last fall and serve on their Governance Committee. I am also active in the Unitarian Fellowship, serve on several of their committees and sing in their choir. I also sing with a local female chorus, The Choraliers, and play the cello. Finally, I love nature and all outdoor activities including snowshoeing, cross country skiing, cycling and hiking and bird watching. We just finalized plans to celebrate my 60th birthday in the fall by hiking The Tour de Mont Blanc…which is a hiking trail that takes you into three countries..France, Italy and Switzerland. I have joined a French conversational group in the hopes that my high school French can be improved by the time fall comes. LWV 2015 Bulletin – Page 8 League of Women Voters of Falmouth Annual Meeting 2015 ANNUAL MEETING Buffet Lunch Saturday, May 2, 2015 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Falmouth Historical Society 65 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth Featuring: Professor Dan McCullough who will speak on “Homelessness on Cape Cod” (see below) Please RSVP no later than April 30th. Make $15 check payable to LWV Falmouth and mail to: Betsy Fontes, 48 Churchill Drive, East Falmouth, MA 02536, Telephone: (508) 540-9698 Cell (508)361-6631 email: [email protected] Name(s)___________________________________________________________________Phone _____________________ Email ________________________________ # of people ________ Amount enclosed ($15/person) $__________ Dan McCullough, has agreed to be our speaker for the annual meeting. He has taught philosophy for 4 decades at Cape Cod Community College. He has a weekly column in the Cape Cod Times and he started M25, a program to assist homeless individuals who refuse to go to a shelter. Please bring with you new socks and/or a monetary donation for the homeless. web: www.eightcousins.com email: [email protected] LWV 2015 Bulletin – Page 9 League of Women Voters P. O. Box 450 Falmouth, MA 02541 April 2015 Bulletin JOIN THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS Democracy in Action REMINDER! LWVF CANDIDATES’ NIGHT WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015 7:30 P.M. MORSE POND SCHOOL JONES ROAD, FALMOUTH, MA
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