2017 Nov 27 Agenda & Minutes

Agenda

League of Women Voters of Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville Board Meeting
Monday, November 27, 2017 7:00-9:00pm
LWVBAE Office, 2530 San Pablo Avenue, Suite F, Berkeley, CA 94702

  1. Review of Group Agreements
  2. Approval of minutes from the 10/23/2017 meeting
  3. Public Forum
  4. President report on:
    • Update on Fiona
    • Report on Conversations on Health Care in California
    • Update on Environmental Concerns
    • Update on Internship Program
    • SEEDS Office use: December 6th
    • December Board Meeting
    • Discuss mid-year review and 2018 plans
  5. Treasurer: Emily Beckhusen  
  6. Secretary: Christine Wenrich
    • Holiday Party update
  7. Action Chair: Preston Jordan
    • Prop 13 Reform Team   
    • Climate Change Team
    • Immigration Team: update on potential team leader, Marian Gonzales
    • Election Method Study update
  8. Voter Services Chair: Phyllis Gale
  9. Membership Chair: Jinky Gardner  
    • Switch to JoinIt after per member payment in February  
  10. Government Accountability Chair: Ken Bukowski
  11. Communications and Nominating Committee Reports: Nancy Bickel
  12. Announcements

Adjournment

 

Minutes

LWVBAE BOARD MEETING MINUTES
November 27, 2017 @7:00 PM
LWVBAE Office,  2530 San Pablo Ave.,  Suite F,  Berkeley, CA

Present: Adena Ishii, Emily Beckhusen, Jinky Gardner, Christine Wenrich,  Ken Bukowski
Participants: Nancy Bickel

Call to Order: By Adena Ishii, President, at 7:00 PM.

Review of Group Agreements:  Reviewed the agreements.

Review of Board Minutes:  Minutes from 10/23/17 reviewed.  A motion was made by Jinky Gardner to approve the minutes,  seconded by Emily Beckhusen; all approved.

Presidents Report:

  • Conversations on Health Care in California was not well-attended so will hold again with increased publicity.
  • Environmental Concerns meeting for Dec 13th only has two people signed up at this point so must publicize this.  
  • Internship program will not be organized with Fiona as she has gone other ways.  Adena Ishii has been busy but will write up and publish details online in a week or so. Climate Change would like an intern to monitor various meetings, as would Preston Jordan, Action, for  report write-ups. Voter Services has expressed interest also.  
  • Seeds will use the office on December 6th.
  • Board retreat or mid-year review perhaps January 16th or 22nd.  Standard Board Meeting will the 29th of January.  

Treasurer:  Emily Beckhusen told of an eventful November with Membership Dues coming in.  Additional contributions numbered 18.  Expenses have been light.  Noted no bills from Environmental Concerns for their monthly meeting.

Holiday Party Update: Christine Wenrich reported that our musician is booked, SemiFreddi’s is donating cookies, and people have agreed to shop, set-up, man the tables, and bring foods.  Emily Beckhusen said not to worry if we go a pinch above our budget due to inflation.

Action Chair: Preston Jordan submitted a report on his study of multi-seat plurality.  It needs board approval to begin developing questions.  Here is his statement of scope:

The study will consider multi-seat ranked choice, a non partisan proportional method, and compare it to the multi-seat plurality at large and single-seat ranked choice by district methods currently used in Berkeley, Albany, and Emeryville. The study will judge these election methods by criteria supported by League positions and principles.

Nancy Bickel noted that this is close to what was announced at the General Meeting in May so that the Board could approve the next step tonight.  Emily Beckhusen moved to support the statement of scope as written, Jinky seconded; all approved.

UUTr –   Nancy suggested transferring this issue to Climate Change. They could follow-up what Preston has done and go forward.

Immigration Team –  Marian Gonzales was to speak at a meeting, but it was rescheduled.

Civil Talk – Setting up a Speakers Bureau at this time.  Nancy Bickel said they are looking for organizations with similar interests.  It was suggested that $30 for refreshments at their meeting would do fine.

Climate Change -Nancy Bickel counted 30 people at the last event. There is concern about attracting more people for December’s meeting.  

Voter Service:  Vote 16 update – Mr.V from Berkeley High and Vote 16 group will work with LWVBAE to register high school students.  Last week met with the Berkeley City Clerk who directed members to the County Registrar of Voters. Phyllis Gale is awaiting a reply from the Registrar.  Issue is Superintendent of BUSD will need to pay for the ballots as no one else is willing.  LWVBAE will help the 16 years old register in late January and February by presentations to classrooms on how to register to vote.  We assume that the more students registered the more likely they will actually hold a vote.  Candidate Forum will be hosted during the day and videotaped so as to be able to reshow to students on request.

Membership:  Jinky told of our switch to Join-it.  The last membership meeting was a discussion of the recent picnic and the possibility of having another in the spring.  Emily Beckhusen, Treasurer, added that 300 renewal letters were sent out recently with 90 returned to date.  Will send a follow-up email next week; then a second notice letter to the laggards.

Government:  Ken Bukowski reported that the Legislature voted to have a bridge toll increase.  The projects were not vetted sufficiently.  Lack of accountability shown on this issue.  

Adjournment:  Emily Beckhusen made the motion to adjourn;   Jinky Gardner seconded, all approved. Adjourned by Adena Ishii at 9:00 pm.