THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF CONCORD-CARLISLE BULLETIN LWVCC Website: www.lwvcc.org; LWVCC telephone #: (978) 254-1598 March 2012 P.O. Box 34 Concord, Massachusetts 01742-0034 Vol 16 2011-12 #4 CALENDAR MARCH 21 Wed LWVCC Privatization Consensus, 384 Hayward Mill Rd. 9 coffee, 9:30 mtg 28 Wed LWVCC Book Group, Concord Library, Trustees Room 10:00-11:30 am APRIL 4 Wed LWVCC Board Meeting, 384 Hayward Mill Rd. 9 coffee, 9:30 mtg 11 Wed LWVCC Concord Warrant Review, 342 Sudbury Rd. 9 coffee, 9:30 mtg 18 Wed LWVCC ESC meeting, 100 Newbury Ct. #208 8:30-9:30 am 22 Sun LWVCC Carlisle Candidates Forum, Town Hall 3:00-5:00 pm 23 Mon Concord Town Meeting, CCHS (first night) 7 pm 25 Wed LWVMA Day on the Hill, “Democracy for Sale?” State House, Boston 30 Mon Carlisle Town Meeting, Corey Bldg, 150 Church St. 7:00 pm MAY 2 Wed LWVCC Board Meeting, 418 Monument St. 9 coffee, 9:30 mtg 5 Sat LWVMA Council, “Challenges to Democracy” Lasell College, Newton 10:00 am 8 Tues Carlisle Town Elections, Town Hall 7am - 8 pm 16 Wed LWVCC ESC meeting, 100 Newbury Ct. #208 8:30-9:30 am 17 Wed LWVCC Campaign Finance Program: Tom Ashbrook, CCHS 7:30 pm 23 Wed LWVCC Annual Meeting, Newbury Court, Concord TBA 30 Wed LWVCC Book Group, Trustees Room, Concord Library 10:00-11:30am JUNE 6 Wed LWVCC Board Meeting, 64 Strawberry Hill Rd. 9 coffee, 9:30 mtg 8-12 LWVUS Convention, Washington DC Members are invited to attend monthly Board meetings. Please contact Cindy or Paula if you would like to attend any of them. The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan political organization of men and women formed in 1920 and dedicated to the principles of self government established by the Constitution of the United States. The League works to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government. Co-Presidents Cindy Nock (978) 254-1598 [email protected] Paula Vandever (978) 254-1598 [email protected] Membership Dee Ortner (617) 254-1598 [email protected] Bulletin Editor Anne Hayden (978) 254-1598 [email protected] Webmaster Julie Rohwein (978) 254-1598 [email protected] 1 CO-PRESIDENTS’ LETTER Cindy Nock and Paula Vandever, Co-Presidents March 2012 Dear League Friends, It is election time and our Candidates Forum committee is working diligently to help us become knowledgeable about candidates at every level. We hope you were able to attend LWVCC’s Concord Candidates Forum held February 12th at the Town House. It was well attended and informative. We will also be likely holding a candidates forum for the 3rd Middlesex Senate District, before the September primary. A Carlisle Candidate Forum is planned for April 22 for the local Carlisle election on May 8. The stakes are always high and the League steps up to create platforms enabling the public to see and hear their candidates. At the same time Concord and Carlisle are preparing for April Town Meetings. Our League members are currently studying Concord warrant articles in preparation for Town Meeting which begins April 23rd. There will be an informal review of the warrant articles on April 11th at the home of Anne Hayden followed by a brown bag lunch and decision making about League positions on warrant articles. If there are warrant articles you want our League to consider supporting or opposing, please let us know and plan to attend the April 11th meeting. Our membership will participate in the second LWVUS study this year, this time to identify the parameters and policy issues related to “Privatization of Government Services, Assets and Functions.” We hope that you were able to read the article in the January Bulletin and those in this Bulletin in order to prepare for the consensus meeting which will be held at the home of Louise Haldeman on March 21st at 9:00 a.m. To prepare for the meeting, refer to further information available on the LWVUS website at: http://www.lwv.org/member- resources/privatization . We continue to be active with strong committees. One is leading campaign finance reform (CFR): Follow the Money. On May 17th at CCHS, Tom Ashbrook will moderate a panel on issues and possible solutions resulting from the set-back of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision. We expect to be filled to capacity. CFR is a pressing and important issue. A second committee, Town Government Initiative, is following local government activities. If you are interested in participating or observing town government in action, contact one of us. A third committee, working on defining Sustainability, will be making recommendations at annual meeting for adoption of a working definition and for education and local consensus meetings on Sustainability next fall. It has been a while since we have had a local study and adopted new positions. This month we are participating in all three pillars of the League: voter service, study and consensus, and advocacy. We are also very involved in the League at all three levels; local, state and national. Stay informed, be involved and continue helping us make democracy work as we head into this season of Town Meetings in April, LWV State Council in May and LWV National Convention in June. Sincerely, Cindy Nock and Paula Vandever, Co-Presidents 2 MEMBERSHIP CONCORD WARRANT REVIEW By now you should have received your MEETING Membership Directory for 2012. If you Members are invited to attend the haven’t, please send a message to LWVCC’s Concord Warrant review meeting [email protected] or contact Dee which will be held at 342 Sudbury Rd. in Ortner at 978.254.1598. Concord Wednesday, April 11th at 9:00 a.m for coffee and conversation with the At the May 17th Forum (information found program beginning at 9:30 a.m. We expect later in this Bulletin) membership will have to have a few Concord town officials to give a table after the event during which you can us their perspectives on what may be encourage your friends and neighbors to join significant Articles. If you have any the League. New members will be given a particular Warrant Articles that you wish the year’s membership that is good through June LWVCC to support or oppose, please let us 2013. know by attending the meeting. Paula Vandever, Co-President At Annual Meeting we will begin our membership renewal drive for the League year of July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013. What? So soon? Yes. We’re trying to ‘sync’ LWVMA COUNCIL our renewal period (late May through June) The Massachusetts League will not be with the real League year and stay away meeting in Convention this spring as it is the from the fall when all of us are bombarded year for National Convention. In its place with fundraising and membership requests will be State Council which will be held on (and the sometimes confusing requests from May 5 at Lasell College in Newton. The State and National League). Please help us theme for the Council will be Challenges to with this transition. Democracy: Protecting Voter Rights and the Influence of Money. We hope you can join us at Annual Meeting – it’s going to be great! The Council will feature a speaker, Dee Ortner, Membership Chair luncheon, and various workshops as well as Membership Committee: Barbara Lewis, the annual business meeting. All members Cindy Colleen, Irmi Doane, Mary Chapman are encouraged to attend. As more specific & Nancy Beeuwkes information arrives, it will be included in the LWVCC’s Monday Member News or log LWVCC SUSTAINABILITY STUDY onto the LWVMA website. The Sustainability Committee has Louise Haldeman, LWVMA Specialist researched and discussed options for a definition of Sustainability for the League and will be recommending the adoption of a working definition at Annual Meeting in May. To see what the committee has been considering and collecting for background information visit our LWVCC.org website. Cindy Nock, Sustainability Committee 3 VOTER SERVICE UPDATE Barbara Lewis, Voter Service Carlisle & Erin Pastuszenski, Voter Service Concord Upcoming Local Elections and Town understanding of Town Meeting articles, as Meetings well. Carlisle: In Carlisle, the Town Caucus held on February 27 yielded candidates for all LWVCC’s Concord Town Meeting Warrant open positions for the first time in years, and Review on April 11 (342 Sudbury Rd. 9:30 two races are contested. There are four a.m.), to which we are inviting key town running for two open seats on the Board of officials, is another opportunity to get up to Selectmen and two running for Town Clerk. speed on the issues you will vote on at Town The League will hold a Candidates Forum Meeting. We hope to see you there. on Sunday afternoon, April 22, from 3 to 5 at Carlisle Town Hall. If you would like to New Projects Serving Our Community – help out, email [email protected]. Join In! LWVCC is planning some new Voter The Carlisle Town Warrant will have its Service projects. How can you help? Email final review and close on March 13. It will Erin Pastuszenski and Barbara Lewis at be posted on April 9, the Town Meeting will [email protected] to express interest. be on April 30, and Elections will be held May 8. 1. High School Voter Registration As part of the League of Women Voters’ Concord: Concord’s Annual Town Meeting “Power the Vote” initiative this year, the begins at CCHS on Monday, April 23 at state League is encouraging all local 7:00 p.m., and will include a Special Town Leagues to conduct a voter registration Meeting on April 24.