We are on a mission to expose a new generation of Westonites to the excellent lessons that can be learned from League...

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

- LWVUS "Mission Statement"


The League of Women Voters of Weston is organizing a 17th Annual "Speak Up". The group also recently underwent an organizational restructuring. Local league members include, back row, from left, Barbara Rowland, Ann Malin, Pat Heifetz, Helen de Keijzer, and Pat Powers, and, seated, from left, Lucy Bowden, Kay Clark, and Terry Hulley. —Patricia Gay photo 

T H E   W E S T O N    L E A G U E    S T E E R I N G   C O M M I T T E E
LWV of Weston, CT continues functioning without naming Officers or electing or appointing members to Board Portfolios 2008-2009 - roles & responsibilities here:
NOTE:  summaries of minutes of meetings here;  names of Conveners, more detail available upon request:  webmaster@lwvweston.org


League of Women Voters of Weston, Connecticut - watch this year's "Speak Up" 2008!


League of Women Voters: Revamped organization focuses on voter service in Weston
Weston FORUM
by PATRICIA GAY
Aug 8, 2007

Members of Weston’s League of Women Voters have their work cut out for them. And they know it.  While summer is in full swing and most people are on vacation, league volunteers are meeting to discuss the logistics of scheduling a selectmen’s debate and voter registration sessions.  The group is also in the throes of an internal restructuring to improve its operational efficiency.

“Our big focus is on voter service,” said Lucy Bowden, league member.

The League of Women Voters of Weston is a nonpartisan political organization whose mission is to encourage informed and active participation in government.  Despite its name, the league is open to both men and women who seek to improve the quality of democracy by increasing voters’ knowledge of candidates and issues.

Nonpartisan services

The local league provides many services to Weston voters.  For the upcoming November municipal election, the league will sponsor a debate among the candidates for first selectman and selectman.  League member Terry Hulley will be available at the local Farmers’ Market and the Emmanuel Church Fair to register new voters.

The group is also helping to organize a voters guide to be published before the election in The Weston Forum to help voters learn more about candidates running for elected office.

In additional to election activities, the league is busy throughout the year as well. 

The League of Women Voters of Weston is a member of both state and national leagues, charged with the same mission — to educate voters in a nonpartisan manner.

Members believe one of the league’s strengths is the fact that it does not support any particular party.  When league members get together they leave their political affiliations at the door. “We don’t support individual candidates, our goal is voter service and education,” said league member Helen de Keijzer.

“This is not a political group,” said Ms. Heifetz.

Exposure

The national League of Women Voters first came about in the 1920s as a continuation of the women’s suffrage movement. Today, there are hundreds of local leagues nationwide.

Although the league is nonpartisan and does not support a political party, league members have gone on to political careers.  According to league member Pat Heifetz, perhaps the most well-known member to gain political recognition was Ella Grasso.  Ms. Grasso, a Democrat, was a member of her local league in the 1940s. She served in the state legislature in the 1950s and then as Connecticut’s secretary of state for 12 years, before being elected governor in 1974.

She had the distinction of becoming the first woman governor of Connecticut, as well as the first woman to be elected governor of any state who was not the wife or widow of a governor.  Ms. Grasso was elected to a second term as governor but resigned in December 1980 due to ovarian cancer. She died several weeks later at the age of 61.

Ms. Heifetz noted that since Ms. Grasso’s time there are many more women serving in government. “I think in that regard, the League of Women Voters has been successful,” she said.

New format

Recognizing that the league’s events and projects require a substantial amount of work, in June the Weston league decided to change its organizational structure.

Starting this month, it is no longer operating with a president or other permanently elected officers, except for a treasurer. The duties which formerly fell to the officers are being divided among the group.

Because there is no president to lead meetings, each month, on a rotating basis, a member will be designated as that meeting’s “convener.” The convener will also act as the recorder and take notes.

Other positions under the re-structuring include the designation of a contact person for the Connecticut and national leagues; membership coordinator; education fund treasurer; Webmaster and videographer; finance drive coordinator; signage director; editor/publisher of the membership handbook; editor/publisher of the Know Your Town Guide, and communication coordinator for members without e-mail.

The treasurer’s position from the old format will remain the same.

“These are new waters for us, and I’m not sure how it will turn out,” said Ms. Heifetz. But so far, she said, the change has appeared to be very positive among members.


Minutes of the Annual Meeting, May 16, 2008, Cobb's Mill Inn

With a quorum present, Annual Meeting 2008 began!  Annual Meeting minutes of 2007 approved May 16, 2008.  As minutes for 2008 are in draft state until approved the next year;  we will not upload the draft. 

Lots happened, all good.  A budget was approved for both LWV and Ed Fund.  We will still be a Steering Committee again next year, but we are getting comfortable with this new structure.  Steering Committee will next meet Wednesday, June 4, 2008 in the Weston Library small conference room. 

Annual Meeting goers wanted everyone to know we meet in a public place and if you would like to see what the Steering Committee does, drop in the first Wednesday of each month (not in the summer, tho') at 9:30a.m. at Weston Library's small conference room!  And join the League!!!

LWV of Weston Steering Committee Meetings 2008-2009  - names available on request.
Time:  Monthly on Wednesdays at 9:30a.m.
Location:  Weston Library small conference room



Minutes of the Feb. 13 Steering Committee in Weston Library:
Steering Committee meeting
February 13, 2008

The January 8th convener’s notes were approved as written.

An abbreviated treasurer’s report was given... more detailed accounting will be available next month...donations for the 2007 Ed Fund totals.  A new member joined the League at ‘Speak-Up’.  Actual Ed Fund expenses reported.

Everyone was delighted with how ‘Speak-Up’ went this year (including how smoothly the sound system worked) and we thanked Barbara once again for doing such an outstanding job of coordinating everything.  Barbara’s letter-to-the-editor thanking those who participated in the event will appear in The Weston Forum this week. 

The Directory was discussed next and everyone thanked Helen for her efforts in updating it. Discussion of paying for occasional revisions of the PDF file to keep the web version updated was postponed until our next meeting.

The date for the annual meeting and Betty Hill Forum on International Affairs was tentatively left at May 16th and Helen suggested that it would be great to have Lynn Pierson as our speaker if , by any chance, she was going to be back for a visit from the Middle East where she is serving as an educational consultant. All agreed and Helen will investigate.

The next steering committee meeting was set for Wednesday, March 12 at 9:30 am at the Library Conference Room and Barbara volunteered to serve as convener.

See Speak Up 2008 again!

Secondhand report for the web...
The Steering Committee met Wednesday, January 9, 2008 in Weston Library.
A long agenda considered a report on the Fundraising Drive.  Thank you, thank you, thank you to a generous Weston community once again!  "Know Your Town" to be republished in time for "Speak Up 2008" - which will be on February 9, 2008 from 10:30am to 12 noon at Norfield.  Onion Barn sign, video arrangements, and other details, including selecting a moderator, invitation letter, arranging for good weather...
Fundraising effort through December...
The Steering Committee met Wednesday, November 14, 2007 in Weston Library.
At the beginning of the meeting many thanks were expressed to the Voter Service team for the Voters' Guide, the Debates (back-to-back Finance and Selectmen contests).  Future events were discussed, including Speak Up 2008 (more to come).

See the debates again from the VOTER SERVICE season in 2007!

The Steering Committee met in the autumn twice before Election for the purpose of VOTER SERVICE reviews:

Minutes of September 19 approved;
At the October 17 meeting plans for debates finalized;  video online Oct. 30, on Town TV weekend of November 3 & 4.

The event:  hot or cold sider plus donut holes at the debate, signs posted at Town Hall, other buildings;  on nifty standing boards around town and a traditional sign on the Onion Barn;
League membership, finance discussed;
Next meeting November 14 at the Library.

Steering Committee August 3rd distributed responsibilities for upcoming ELECTION and voter service events.  Members present discussed roles and responsibilities for assuring that this contested election for both the Board of  Selectmen and the Board of Finance receive proper attention for the electorate thru the full venting of opinion on major issues that face Weston.  See FORUM article above.

The Steering Committee met on  June 15, 2007 and determined that there would be the following activities and "roles" created for the upcoming year:


"Contact Person" for LWVCT and LWVUS
Membership Coordinator
Treasurer
Ed Fund treasurer
Convener(s ) - rotating role
Recorder(s) - the convener of the particular meeting will take the notes of each meeting

***************

ADDITIONAL ROLES AND VOLUNTEERS
Webmaster and videographer
Finance Drive Coordinator
Signage
Editor/publisher of the membership handbook - temporary appointment
Editor/publisher of the Know Your Town Guide
Communication Coordinator for members without e-mail


ACTIVITIES DISCUSSION/ACTION/RESPONSIBILITES
Setting dates for activities for each project or event 2007-2008
Voter Service Team (includes additional help as available in addition to coordinators)
Fall Registrations
Voters Guide (November 1 FORUM, tent.)
Candidates Forum (Saturday after Kiwanis, at Library or Norfield,  October  20 or 27)
Know Your Town Guide (available first at Speak Up 2008)
Speak Up 2008 (Saturday at usual time, 10:30am - in February)
Annual Meeting/Betty Hill Forum - (tent.) May 30, 2008