| June/July 2022
Editor Jennifer Bales
communications@lwvbc.org
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President's Letter
for June/July 2022
By Elizabeth Crowe | | | Annual Meeting Celebrations and Appreciations
It was so wonderful to see League members in person at our LWVBC Annual Meeting in May! We welcomed guest speaker Carly Hare, who served as Chair of the Colorado Congressional Independent Redistricting Committee and shared some of her reflections about the process and results. One of the things I appreciated about Carly’s presentation was the reminder how important it is for women, and women of color, to offer ourselves up for and claim leadership positions; and ensure that systems work for everyone. Thank you, Carly for your work in this and so many other spaces, to promote equity and empowerment for community members in Boulder County and our country. | | | The leadership slate proposed by our Nominating Committee (see below) passed and we filled another position – Fund Development Director – with a nomination and acceptance from the floor. Thank you, Mary Anne Wilner for stepping into that role, and to everyone else for your time and energy for League. Appreciation for the entire Nominating Committee for your work.
We passed our 2022-23 budget, understanding that there will be a one-time financial impact from a change in LWVUS per-member-payment (PMP) collections; fortunately our League budget can withstand this change. Appreciation for Pat Long and Dave Stemler for their Finance team efforts and shepherding the budget through this process.
The program proposal for 2022-23 was also affirmed, with members supporting a LWVBC study on the timing of municipal and special district elections. Thank you to Celeste Landry for offering to coordinate the study…anyone else interested is welcome to join.
Merit awards are a highlight of our annual meetings, and I’m so pleased to share the 2022 award recipients. Hearty congratulations to the following outstanding League members:
• Community Partner: Ana Fernandez Frank
• Team Members of the Year: Jo Porter, Holly Monkman, Carol Brown (Voter Service); and Mary Anne Davitt (Voting Methods)
• Issue Team Leader of the Year: Tara Menza
• Operations Team Leader of the Year: Debby Vink
• Board Member of the Year: Ruth Stemler
• Members of the Year: Gaythia Weis and Neal McBurnett
A big thank you to the Annual Meeting planning committee: Debby Vink, Lisa Moreno, Molly Saunders; and the many others who helped with set-up, including Susan Saunders, Judy White, Paul and Holly Monkman, Cindy Outlaw, Carol Brown, Eli Grimm.
Lastly, thank you to Boulder County for the use of Goodhue Farmhouse, and those who contributed to the food and materials for the day: Sprouts, King Soopers, and the Unitarian Church of Boulder.
|  | To view the County Commissioner Candidate Forum live on Zoom, please click here to register.
Or, you can watch live, or watch the recording
on the League’s YouTube channel.
Got questions?
Click here to submit questions for
Candidates to the forum moderator. | To view the Sheriff Candidate Forum live on Zoom, please click here to register.
Or, you can watch live, or watch the recording
on the League’s YouTube channel.
Got questions?
Click here to submit questions for
Candidates to the forum moderator. | |
Election Season Sponsorships | Funds Development and the LWVBC Board have set a goal for election season sponsorships to help us continue our outstanding efforts to provide trusted, non-partisan information in advance of the 2022 elections.
Please reach out to your lawyer, real estate agent, local banker, veterinarian, insurance agent – any connection where your personal contact might result in a gift of $500 or $250. You will be supporting LWVBC activities and connecting local businesses with the League.
| These sponsorships provide community businesses the opportunity to gain visibility through our website, where they will be featured through December 2022; to have their logo visible in emails that reach 1,000 or more people; and at the $500 level, to be included in events and in promotional materials on social media. Last year we reached literally thousands of Boulder County citizens through virtual events, local gatherings, Vote411.org and social media.
If you would like the sponsorship flyer and a letter describing the funding opportunities ready to print out or email to your business contacts, please contact Ruth Stemler at Rjstemler@gmail.com.
| | |  | Welcome to Sarah Levinson, returning member in April.
Welcome to new Members in May: Suzanne Van Alstyne and Eli Grimm
2022 Scholarship Winner: Hannah Rain Crowe
Congratulations, Hannah! As a member of LWVBC since 2018, Hannah Rain Crowe made a major contribution to the League by creating a statewide “She is Me” project patterned after a similar one of LWVUS. The Colorado “She is Me” is a photo exhibit that tells the stories of League members from front range cities of Colorado who have made a difference in their communities. See the project at She Is Me website.
In addition, Hannah has been editor of the LWVColorado Legislative Action Newsletter and has served this past year on the LWVBC Board of Directors as Youth Engagement Co-Director. Hannah will use her $500 scholarship to study political science with a minor in Native American Studies at Metropolitan State University in Denver.
April Membership Coffee
The featured speaker for the April Membership Coffee was Elizabeth Holden from the Boulder County Clerk’s Office who spoke about increasing youth engagement in voting. She was introduced by Emma Piller, Voter Service Director. Fifteen attended the coffee via Zoom.
June Membership Coffee
The next Membership Coffee is June 18 at 10 a.m. via Zoom. The featured speaker is Andrea Wilkins, Legislative Liaison to LWVColorado. LWVBC members of the Legislative Action Committee will also discuss the bills they followed during the recent legislative session. Please register for the coffee here.
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LWVBC Leadership Slate 2022-2023 |  | |
Climate Action Team
The Climate Action Team (CAT) wants to focus on what LWVBC can do locally, municipality and county websites on climate change, a compost facility for the county that was put on hold last year, and EcoCycle.
Gun Safety Team
The new Action and Advocacy Team was formed last year after the tragic shooting at the Table Mesa King Soopers. We track and advocate gun safety legislation, evaluate gun safety and related legislation and recommend amendments as appropriate, promote gun safety awareness.
Voting Methods Team
We educate and advocate for better voting methods than our traditional Plurality voting method at the local and state levels. Alternative voting methods (such as Approval, Score and Ranking methods) can more accurately represent the voters' true preferences and improve the election experience.
Schools Team
The schools team is reviving after a hiatus during the pandemic when schools went mostly online. We have been doing fact-finding to ascertain the issues currently involving the schools, including bond issues.
Communications Team
We produce The Voter newsletter 10 times a year on Club Express, and help maintain our website, social media sites, and our YouTube channel. We send out press releases for our events and actions the League is advocating.
Voter Service Team
Our activities include candidate forums, ballot issue presentations, voter registration drives and our VOTE411.org election information platform. Our Ballot Issues team reviewed and prepared pro/con materials for 14 proposals for municipal ballots and made recommendations to the Board on ballot issues.
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