Columbia County Democratic Central Committee

http://www.columbiademocrats.org/

Minutes

CCDCC Meeting Jan 31, 2007

Wayne’s Chicago Red Hots, Warren

Attendees: Rita Bernhard, Craig Frasier, Karen Fox Ladd, Chip Bubl, Nancy Bubl, Donna Nyberg, Patrick Cunningham, Roger Wuollet, Julane Grant, Gayle Lee, Josette Hugo, Jamie L. Maygra, Tamara K. Maygra, Rosemary Lohrke, Bill Blank, Margaret Magruder, Earl Fisher, Joe Corsiglia, Bill Eagle

Excused: Betsy Johnson, Brad Witt
Guests: Amanda McKuen - Scappoose High School

Call to Order.

Approval of Minutes:
The minutes from October 14, 2006 as posted on our website were approved without change.

Treasurer Report:
Julane Grant, who took over the treasurer’s duties after Karen requested to be released, prepared the report for 2006 showing an ending balance - $2124

Meeting/Committee Reports
A proposal for Columbia County Dems to do a memorial event for our sister, Paula Becks who never stopped and never gave up the fight was passed by unanimous consent—T/B/A

Fund Raising – We still need someone to assume leadership of this important committee. If anyone is interested, please contact Jolene.

Report from the Legislative Committee - Josette
Brad sends his regrets. This is the deadline week for bills to be introduced in the Legislature. Brad chairs the Workforce and Economic Development Committee and also sits on the prestigious Revenue Committee. Holding the majority in the House is exciting stuff for the whole team from the Governor on down. His “Healthy Kids” bill is a starting point for health care reform.

We are now able to watch the live proceedings in the House and Senate on the internet at http://www.oregonchannel.org and on OPB television. Committee meetings are also viewable.

County Report –
Rita: Columbia County is struggling financially—not as bad as some. Small counties are losing funding resulting in a potential loss in services and staff. Wyden and Smith are pushing the federal legislature to reinstate the timber payments [smoothing the curve]. Joe concurred and added that Smith would filibuster if necessary and that Oregon has 3 more shots at favorable legislation. They are going to need the support of other states to get the job done.

Rosemary brought up a systems development that could enforce the collection of taxes on timber that goes out of the county which, she added, is supported by the small loggers. Joe responded that it couldn’t be done on a county basis. A discussion followed showing the need for additional information. Rita said the intent of the depletion tax was to give local guys an even playing field. Everyone agreed the law was poorly written and recommendations for change would come up at a work session. Rita and Joe will readdress the issue at our next meeting.

Old Business –
December State Party report: Jolene reported bylaws changes and reorganization structure including the vibrant groups like the Rural Caucus that give representation to different sectors and spawn a laundry list of possible accomplishments. Jolene was elected to sit on the exec board, representing our region (Columbia, Clatsop, Washington, Deschutes, Clackamas and Marion Counties).

The State Party voted on the following resolutions: to get us out of Iraq, to send a thank you to Howard Dean, and to erect a Monument for peace laureates.

CD1 met after Christmas with Karen Greeney, Donna, and Jolene attending. At that meeting, Jolene was elected as CD1 treasurer and the follow people were assigned to State Party committees:

Donna – Credentials

Karen - Campaign

Jolene – Platform

Impeachment Resolution proposed:
Craig handed out a proposal for CCDCC to consider. There was a great deal of discussion regarding both the content and protocol of such a proposal. Although a consensus of opinion agreed in principle, there were wide ranging opinions as to the most cohesive way for Dems to address the egregious decisions by this administration. When resolutions are presented on the same day, vs send ahead for review, the State Bylaws require a 2/3 majority to pass that resolution. Craig's resolution failed with a vot of 6 for; 10 opposed.

Jolene suggested that Craig rewrite the resolution on the party template and resubmit at our next meeting. She also mentioned a similar resolution did pass at the state level during the December session.

Other areas discussed
Budget and fundraising – we need a lead

Money for candidates, office for 2008, advertising, mailings

Suggestions – request $10 or more from each PCP/Democrat

Bill – restart raffle at each meeting

Partner with Clatsop on bulk mailers, shared newsletter

A silent auction at a summer event
Volunteer coordination – we need a lead

Build our base through volunteers and PCPs

Manage activities to keep volunteers engaged

Recruitment –
Two new requests to become PCP’s received by Jolene. Jesse Lohrke and Ann Cox were unanimously welcomed to the Central Committee.

Movie Night – Raising awareness
Julane: We can raise awareness through Movie Night, the 1st Wed of each month. February’s movie is “When I came home”. Get can still get speakers for our meetings and advertise. Our guest, Amanda suggested on line blogs and websites to appeal to the next generation of voters, although she admitted, the kids in her class were not all that interested in politics unless in struck a personal chord.

More discussion followed and Pat told us to look for his work on U-tube and his www.lowergorgeousnews.com website.

For more visibility, we should fund movie night and advertise. Jolene volunteered Jeff to design and a motion passed to place ads in the Chronicle and Spotlight.

Publicity Committee– Tamie, Jamie, Pat, and Karen Greeney
Karen volunteered to lead this committee

Ideas

- We need to put meeting announcements out earlier.
- We need to put Democrat faces in the newspaper-send information regarding community activities to Pat C
- Letters to the editors are still a powerful tool- Jolene
- Set up and advertise “welcome dems for Coffee”; starting date - ??? We need about a 2 mos turn around to plan it out.- Tammy
- Use ice cream give aways in our booths this summer. Joe- We will look into the competition/ food license issues.

We need a volunteer to begin planning for our summer events and Fundraising.
Many ideas were tossed around and we were all charged to put our creative juices to work.

Goals for 2007
Role of PCP – 2007 goals
Charter our primary reason to be - we’re here to elect democrats
Goals- 2007
                  County Platform
                  Reach out to New voters
                  Check out non affiliated votes
                  Billboard
                  Adopt a highway project
                  Registration for new voters

Upcoming events:
Forest grove town hall –David Wu
School board elections – other boards - March election
Planning commission – Clatskanie and Scappoose need new members

Announcements
Our thoughts and very best to Thelma’s husband who is in the hospital.

Next meeting – March 20 – location TBD
Bill Bradbury speaks on Global Warming in Clatskanie on the last Tuesday of February 27, 6pm           Clatskanie High School Auditorium