to read the April 2015 Bulletin - League of Women Voters of Falmouth

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