21Dems General Meeting Feb. 17, 2021
Notes – Peter Henry, Secretary
28 members/guests present at 8:20 pm
AGENDA
7:00 Call to Order and Announcements
7:15-7:35 Guest Presentation: Carin Chase
7:40 Old Business
7:45 New Business
- Officer Reports
- Committee Reports
- Budget Preview / Discussion
8:00 BIO break until 8:05
- Issues: Proposed Resolutions (3)
8:45 Good of the Order
9:00 Adjourn
7:14 – Call to Order
Recognition of guest speaker, Carin Chase
Recognition of local Fire Department board member, David Chan
Recognition of Edmonds City Councilmember, Luke
Candidate speeches
Brandy Donaghy – Running for SnoCo Council District 5. We need to emphasize homelessness and invest in permanent solutions. Let’s focus law enforcement on their main job, and use other professionals for social service work.
Whitney Rivera – Running for Edmonds Municipal Court judge. Was appointed to the bench. Prior to being appointed, she worked as a public defender. I look forward to going through the endorsement process.
Susan Paine, President of Edmonds City Council – I appreciate activism and commitment to people. We are working on a progressive tree code.
Adopted agenda w/o objection
Adopted Jan. 20 minutes by voice vote, no dissension noted
Luke Distelhorst – Running for Edmonds City Council; he had been appointed January, 2020.
Presentation – Carin Chase
I just joined as an Auxiliary member of the 21st!
What can we do as we move forward together?
“Building the Bench” / Redistricting / Health Care / Education
Redistricting is coming up. Last time, 32nd District took all the leadership of the 21st!
We need to continue our strong relationships! The 32nd and 21st could collaborate on candidate forums for Edmonds, for example.
SnoCo is the key to statewide progressive legislation in Washington State! We have been targeted, and we need to improve our game.
Think about positions that need to be filled, for example, volunteers in County commissions, for example SnoCo Human Rights Commission
“Build the Bench” for these supporting roles as well as for candidates.
Recruiting, we need to go to where people are.
LWV is mounting “Redistricting 101”
Universal Health Care – bill #5204
Edmonds School Board – This is the worst possible situation … need to pay attention to safety of students/teachers and to those furthest from educational justice (e.g. those w/o internet access). We’ve gotten hot spots distributed but many students cannot engage in Zoom (their internet only supports audio).
We are negotiating with bargaining units to make sure it is safe for everyone before going back in-person.
Also working with Pramila Jayapal to get more vaccines. Looking to get all of our teachers, eventually all our kids vaccinated in the near future.
ELL students have been hurting, others (food insecurity for example) – Opening up more hubs
Edmonds has over 20K students.
I’m not going to be asking teachers to come back to work, while school board is not meeting in person!
Edmonds was able to open up College Place middle school as a “warming center” during “Snowmageddon”
SB #5204 – Health Care bill, “Whole Washington” – did not get a hearing!
We have already DONE a study, and the report just came out in January.
The recommendation was: “Option A, universal health care”
Will share with secretary the links on redistricting:
Redistricting 101 forum and others.
Whole Washington – https://wholewashington.org/what-you-can-do-right-now/
Report from Universal Health Care Workgroup: https://www.hca.wa.gov/assets/program/final-universal-health-care-work-group-legislative-report.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2RUaFRN5xuDGUHayrsw35tXWly5Tyq7dvujmYTGjH_gAvBrWSN6YLQ5yM
Old Business
Recall Fortney Campaign
Sue Nicholls – adding volunteers, need phone banking, lit drops
The deadline is March 5, but they are filing for an extension.
New Business
Officers’ Reports
First Vice Chair – not present
Second vice chair – not present?
Secretary’s report – Will post minutes from Jan. meeting and draft minutes from this meeting and will work with past chair to get instructions on specific duties. Will be presenting resolutions later in the meeting.
Treasurer’s report – Working with PayPal (?)
County Rep. reports –
Heather Damron – Elections; ??
Ahamad Ceesay – PCO certificate discussion tabled to later date
State Committee members
Thom Garrard – Asked for requests for committee assignments; comments about votebuilder (if there is a challenger from within party against an incumbent). Legislature is remote so there is improved access (e.g. pro/con on specific bills, to your district reps/Senator – or all committee members)
Sharon Holt – Priority has been to lobby legislature, for example, Ranked Choice Voting; high capacity magazines; dropping student loan debt (federal); increasing internet access.
Christine Henry at SnoCo Dems talked about homesteader expansion.
Our 3 elected district State representatives are behind this.
Will post “hot list” – top bills that are moving.
Also helping with new roles
Ranked Choice Voting is one where we can make a difference this session!
Q/A – Student loans – Biden says students may have to work some of it off. Students knew what they were getting into. It’s an equity issue … for those students who didn’t take huge loans …
JW – Please sign up for committees. Issues and Education has been active; tech committee has been very active. Rules committee is pretty thin. Any other committees who wish to report?
Q/A – Can you review the committees?
Here is a link: https://21dems.org/membership-services/join-a-committee/
JW – Diversity/Membership; Elections/Endorsements; Fundraising/Events; Issues/Education; Technology; Rules; Finances (composed of ex officio members)
Draft budget presentation (Tom Jurewicz, Treasurer) on behalf of Finance Committee
Projected to have $500 surplus each year. Dues is a major revenue source.
Perhaps members could increase their dues voluntarily by about 20%
Expenses – PO box, texting tool, website, MailChimp, Zoom
Q/A – An easy way is to set up a monthly recurring contribution through PayPal.
This is PDC-compliant.
Q/A – On line “campaign support” – this is a projection. Last year there were lots of candidates. We planned for $2K and we were able to fund-raise and were able to distribute $3K
Plan is to adopt the budget at our March meeting (per bylaws requirements)
Resolutions
Resolution recommending law enforcement policy regarding search/arrest warrants
Moved by Richard McManus, seconded by Peter Henry
Vote by raised hands on video or in “participants” window
No opposition noted by Chair; resolution is declared passed w/o opposition
Resolution for Safe Opening of Schools
Moved by Peter Henry, seconded by Tom J.
Motion to amend Scott Marshall, Rose seconded – add ‘Only’
Amendment carries
Motion by David Chan to add “as soon as safe to do so following CDC guidelines” dies for lack of a second
Resolution carries
Resolution in support of raising homestead exemption
Moved by Sharon Holt, Seconded by Tom J.
Resolution carries
Resolution to prosecute Donald Trump as accessory to a pandemic – 2nd degree murder
Moved by Richard McManus, seconded by Peter Henry
Motion to amend Scott Marshall, seconded David Chan add “in the International Criminal Court”
Further modification to add “in a US court of competent jurisdiction or in the International Criminal Court”
Motion by Sharon Holt, seconded to refer back to issues and education committee for further work
Motion to refer carries
Good of the Order
Whoever is eligible for COVID vaccine (SnoCo) who need language help, don’t have a computer, have questions – 425-339-5278
Edmonds School capital levy is coming up! We did not pass the bond last time, and several buildings need updates. Please vote for the levy on April 27. It is for $30M.
Move/second to adjourn at 9:25 pm