![]() |
|
![]() Year in Review: by Terry Hluchyj LWVKA is alive and well and growing stronger! |
Our activities this year were based on a strategic plan we developed following a spring 2007 leadership retreat. That plan was organized around four areas on which to focus our efforts: membership, election administration processes, voter outreach and education, and issue study and advocacy. We thought we were busy last year, but look what we’ve done this year! And, as we approach the presidential election in November, we are receiving more and more requests for our publications and services. Being more active in the past couple of years has made us more visible. Here’s a summary of what we did between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008. Membership To capture the spirit of our work in a member recruitment message, the Board decided to adopt the LWVMI statement: “The League of Women Voters is where hands-on work to safeguard democracy leads to civic improvement. Join us in making democracy work!” Election Administration Processes Voter Outreach Under the leadership of Diane Worden, we partnered with the Michigan Citizen Education Fund to go door-to-door in Kalamazoo’s Precinct 23, providing registration and voting information, including our Voter Guide. LWVKA members Connie and Steve Ferguson, Holly Jensen, Terry Hluchyj, Susan Kitchen, Janet Scarrow and Jack Urban, along with 10 friends, joined Diane to visit most of the precinct’s 1042 voters twice during the pre-election period. Results were encouraging, with 23% increase in voter turnout. Suzanne Cook organized voter registration drives at KVCC’s Cougar Connection and WMU’s Bronco Bash. Volunteers included Suzanne, Camilla Davis, Rebekah Fennell, Lois Jackson, Holly Jensen, Janet Jones, Sue Nelmes, Janet Nykaza, and Gail Walters. Janet Jones, Kate Ferraro, Jack Urban and Terry Hluchyj organized an educational forum at the Portage District Library on the KRESA and Portage Public Schools millage requests on the November ballot. Sharalyn Davis, Gail Walter and Beverly Byle conducted a Kalamazoo City Commission candidate forum in conjunction with Friendship Village. Camilla Davis, working with Sue Nelmes and others, has been busy planning an educational program and mock election for fall 2008 for the three Kalamazoo public high schools (Central, Norrix and Phoenix). They have been working with the Kalamazoo Public Schools, the Kalamazoo City Clerk’s office and the Kalamazoo Gazette. They expect to reach about 3000 students. As part of an LWVMI outreach, LWVKA has been registering voters each week at the Kalamazoo County office of the Michigan Department of Human Services. Mabel Stenesh and Suzanne Cook recruited workers, including Paula Aldridge, Camilla Davis, Connie Ferguson, Barbara Huber, Lois Jackson, Sue Kitchen, KC Miller, Janey Nykasa and Diane Worden. The program will continue until the deadline for registration for the November 2008 election. Issues and Advocacy As part of our state consensus study on local government, Barbara Huber and Janet Scarrow organized a public meeting in February. Panelists addressed challenges facing local government. They were: Rick Brill of KVCC; Texas Township supervisor, Ron Commissaris and clerk Linda Kerr; and David Buskirk, chair of the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners. Betty Lee Ongley served as moderator. Also in May, LWVKA with many co-sponsors organized a public meeting on Climate Change: Global Concerns and Local Actions. Speakers were Kurt Cobb, writer; Sr. Ginny Jones, from Transformations Spirituality Center; David Karowe, Western Michigan University; and Ahmed Hussen, Kalamazoo College. Paula Manley, Phyllis Thayer and Connie Ferguson made the arrangements, and Paula acted as moderator. This program was made possible by a grant from Oxfam America and League of Women Voters Education Fund. Studies and Consensus Barbara Huber, with the assistance of Janet Scarrow, led the LWVMI local governance study. Key local government officials were asked to provide input and a public meeting was held in February. They published Bulletin articles and held a consensus meeting on February 12. Advocacy Locally, we supported two KRESA millage proposals. Voters adopted both proposals. The November 2007 ballot included a proposal to fund a new facility to replace the Croyden Avenue School and renovate Croyden to accommodate the County’s Young Adult and Early Childhood programs. Barb McWethy researched the proposal. Following board support, Terry Hluchyj wrote a Letter to the Editor of the Kalamazoo Gazette, urging voters to approve the proposal. The May ballot proposal was for a renewal of KRESA’s 3-year school enhancement millage. Janet Jones and Connie Ferguson made statements and Connie wrote a Viewpoint in support of the enhancement millage. Discussion of term limits for the state legislature continues, and Laurel Luehrig gathered information to keep us up to date on this topic through board reports and the Bulletin. We shared this with LWVMI. We looked at both LWVUS and LWVKA program positions at our January program planning meeting and discussed what changes or additions might be needed to allow us to address rising issues. We submitted our recommendations for LWVUS and decided that no changes were needed at the local level. Other Activities Finances Newsletter Meetings The April LWVKA annual meeting, held at the new Girl Scouts Glowing Embers Council Building, featured a talk by Glowing Embers CEO Jan Barker. Members elected a slate of officers and directors including: Connie Ferguson and Terry Hluchyj, co-presidents; Paula Manley and Ken Manley, co-vice presidents for program; Tanya Potter, treasurer; Paula Adridge, Barbara Havira, KC Miller and Carol Urban, directors; and Janet Jones, Kay Perry and Cheryl Lyon-Jenness, nominating committee. Continuing board members are Kay Anderson, vice-president for organization; Camilla Davis, secretary; and Laurel Luehrig, Jessica Reiser and Diane Worden, directors. Connie Ferguson attended the LWVUS biennial convention in Portland, OR, in June and returned with a collection of materials and ideas. Thanks to all, including those not specifically mentioned, for supporting us with your membership, your talents, and your dues and contributions. The League of Women Voters of the Kalamazoo Area is alive and well, and growing stronger!
|