In attendance: Phyllis Gates, Mary Dwyer, Sandy Krolik, Janalyn Travis-Messer, Ann Brunswick, Tullia Limarzi, Ellen Gove, Myra Peskowitz, Marilynn Pysher

Meeting called to order at 6:00.

Minutes of previous meeting approved.

Treasurer’s report:
• Report distributed; $3,000 in our account.
• There is a need to fill this position; please notify Marilynn if you have any interest in doing so or know of anyone who would.

Membership:
• 3 new members since July’s meeting, bringing total to 88.
• Phyllis and Georgiana sent out 71 solicitation letters or emails to recipients of the positive responses/promises to join and a membership from JoAnn Robotti and Joe Messing. Also, 54 renewal e-mail or letters were sent, with 20+ renewals, including 3 members in attendance. Phyllis anticipates no difficulty in getting members to renew as the League has such a positive image.
• Janalyn will do an ad for The Reporter re the League to generate membership. Any League ads should contain the membership registration form at the bottom.
• Phyllis submitted the idea of using Mimi Brennan’s list of teens to send birthday cards to teens who turn 18 including a voter registration form and invitation to join the League with one year free membership if they register to vote. Ann suggested having a junior membership at a reduced rate for those over 18. Since teen boys may be reluctant to join something associated with women, it was suggested that “Women” not be prominent in the solicitation letter and that it go out over a male member’s signature (Joe Messing possibility as he is also on the Education Committee for the school).
• A new membership directory will be coming out as soon as renewals/new member responses are in.

Observer Corps:
• Continues to be very popular as it offers a different view point than the paper

Voter Services:
• There will be a booth in front of the IGA this Saturday with voter registration and LWV membership forms
• No news about the candidate forums but the buzz is that people are very glad it is being split.

Education Committee:
• Janalyn is having difficulty getting any of the teachers to embrace anything other than their prescribed curriculum but is trying to meet with Sharon Clifford in the next couple weeks to explore possibilities for mock elections or Leader Spark.

Youth Committee:
• Ann has met with Lee Oliver once but summer has intervened so will meet again in the fall with the focus on the coming election and a possible forum of the candidates for the youth.

Programs/Special Projects/Speakers (Loren sent in a written report as follows):

• Near completion of Know Your Town. She could use 1 or 2 people to assist in updating a few sections and give her some objective feedback. Janalyn volunteered for this.
• Needs sponsors besides Georgiana. Janalyn has a list of past sponsors that could be sent a letter; Ann will follow up with them. Advertising/sponsorship should be on next month’s agenda for follow-up.
• Plum Island speaker is Public Affairs officer, Kristine Garland, available 9/29, Saturday at 10 a.m. Because of the constraints surrounding this presentation (LWV members only) the group felt Betsy should speak with Loren about trying to have these lifted and ask about a Q. & A., as this would be of great public interest. If speaker is unwilling to comply the group felt we should consider canceling. Tullia felt she could probably get a speaker on the environment (see below) if we don’t want to cancel the 9/29 program.
• Tullia is going for a spring forum but if she can get a speaker (Sandy suggested Ron Strauss who is a friend of hers and is living green) and Plum Island speaker is canceled, the 9/29 date could be used. John Hallman was suggested as a speaker on water issues and Sandy has other contacts that could be speakers if we do a series. Sandy also suggested a mini expo and Janalyn felt this might be a great thing to co-sponsor with the Historical Society for a Day in the Future. Mashomack and even the Garden Club might also be interested. Janalyn is going to explore this with the idea of doing it next summer. The group was very enthusiastic about this idea. Marilynn will review profiles for list of those interested in environment and will get to Tullia.
• Loren indicated she would be willing to do the Newsletter when Know Your Town is completed.
• New letterhead circulated with positive responses.
• No news on the welcome basket as Stephanie was not present.

Town Committees:
• An update on COMPASS/Communities That Care was given by Marilynn. The core work group has been formed for CTC and is now identifying key community leaders to invite to an orientation session that will be conducted by folks from SAMHSA (The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) hopefully in September. After this the school will receive the surveys to be given to the high school students and the core work group will collect data to combine with the survey results for a community profile. This will be presented to the Key Leader group who will select risk factors to be addressed and the programs to do so. For access to the considerable funding available, the process must be followed to the letter including extensive training at each step. It is a several year process that has proven very effective in other communities. All communities on the East End are currently beginning this CTC process.
• Almost all the permits are in hand and Janalyn anticipates implementation of the Deer and Tick stations by mid September. There will be 70 units throughout the island. Cornell will have 25 with the remainder distributed by the Committee. One or two people are being sought to service the stations and collect data that will be given to the Cornell folks who will be collecting extensive data on their own on their 25 units.

LWV County:
• There is a county LWV meeting tomorrow morning (10 a.m.) in Riverhead at the library, but no one was available to attend. Tullia said she would go to the next one 9/19. Janalyn also needs someone to replace her answering the LWV County phone. She will put a plea in the next newsletter.

Next meeting, Tuesday, September 18, 6 p.m., Center Firehouse.

Meeting adjourned at 8 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Marilynn Pysher



 

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Updated June 10, 2008