The Voter: You LWV Newsletter for Jan. 2010
In This Issue:
*Think Grass Roots, Not Snow Flakes
– Jan. 20 Meeting
*Committee Reports:
1) Managing Growth Committee Report
2) Green Committee Report
* Great Decisions 2010
* Welcome New Members
* FOCO Dinner Announcment
* The Presidents’ Post: Our New Year’s Resolutions
Short Subjects
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Think Grass Roots, not Snow Flakes
Members Meet January 20 for Pizza and Program Planning
Come out on January 20 at noon to have your say on proposals for national and local League programming. The League, as a grass-roots organization, relies on its members to determine what issues to study–leading to consensus positions for advocacy. The meeting will be at the Delaware County District Library, 84 E. Winter St., Delaware.
To help in ordering the right amount of pizza, please email info@lwvdelawarecountyohio to let us know that you plan to attend.
(If you haven’t RSVP’d, don’t let that keep you from attending.)
On the national program side, we will zero in on four areas: education, the environment, meeting basic human needs, and representative government. In a departure from previous national planning procedures, we may select only one option to propose: we can suggest a new study, a review of an existing study, concurrence (as we did a few years ago with the death penalty) or no recommendation at this time.
Our national office has a discussion list for anyone to join who is interested in program planning (“convention discussion” <lwv-convention@lists.lwv.org>), leading up to the convention in Atlanta this June. The discussion has focused on a proposal from several California Leagues for a study of the role of the federal government in public education. The proposal was fueled in part by frustration that the national League cannot speak directly to federal legislation such as No Child Left Behind.
On the local level, we will review our current positions on education, managing growth, and social services, as well as discuss a board proposal for a study of public transportation in Delaware County. If members are interested, the proposal will be on the agenda for consideration at our annual meeting in May.
This is your opportunity to influence what the League does in the next few years–don’t miss it. Guests are welcome (and it’s a good way to learn how League works) but won’t have a deciding voice.
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*Committee Reports:
1) Managing Growth Committee Report
Managing Growth
Announcing:
EARTH DAY IN DELAWARE !
EARTH DAY 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Saturday, April 17, 2010, 10 am to 4 pm
Marking the 40th anniversary
of the first Earth Day
Planning is in process!
Tentatively featuring:
Green expo in downtown Delaware
Activities and film screenings
Creation of local environmental network
and green advocacy group
________________________________
GREAT DECISIONS 2010
FREE COMMUNITY DISCUSSION SERIES ON CURRENT U.S. FOREIGN POLICY
February 5
The Special Envoy in American Foreign Policy
David Steigerwald, Professor of History, The Ohio State University, Marion
February 12
The Global Financial Crisis and Its Effects
Goran Skosples, Professor of Economics, Ohio Wesleyan University
February 19
Europe’s ‘Far East: The Uncertain Frontier
Mark Gingerich, Professor of History, Ohio Wesleyan University
February 26
The United States and the Persian Gulf
Blake Michael, Professor of Religion and Chair,
Religion Department, Ohio Wesleyan University
March 5
Enhancing Security Through Peacebuilding
Dan Christie, Professor of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Marion
March 12
Transnational Crime: Globalization’s Shadowy Stepchild
Kathryn Meyer, Professor of History, Wright State University, Dayton
March 19
China Looks at the World: the World Looks at China
Ji Young Choi, Professor of Politics and Government, Ohio Wesleyan University
March 26
Charisma, Patronage and the Democratization of Violence in Kenya
Randolph Quaye, Professor of Black World Studies and Director of the
Black World Studies Program, Ohio Wesleyan University
The Great Decisions annual Briefing Book will be on sale at each
session to provide historical context and additional information on
each discussion topic.
When: Fridays from 12:00-1:00 p.m., 28 W. William Street
Where: William Street United Methodist Church Parlor
Sponsored by: American Association of University Women, Kiwanis,
League of Women Voters, International Studies Program, O.W.U., Rotary
Foundation, William Street UMC, Willow Brook Christian Communities
You are welcome to bring a brown-bag lunch. Coffee and tea are
provided.
________________________________
Welcome New Members:
-Hallie Serazin
-Lynn Exline
-Genevieve Peterson
-Nancy Verber
New Member Profiles:
It is my pleasure to start off the new year reporting biographies on four new members:
Hallie Serazin
Hallie was born in Lorain and raised in North Ridgeville, Ohio withher four siblings. She graduated from Miami University with a degree in Zoology/Ecology and went on to earn her Masters degree from the Ohio State University in Environmental Biology/Aquatic Toxicology.
Hallie and her husband, Jim Wilson, enjoy gardening and are currently working toward repopulating their pasture with native plants. Hallie was employed by the Ohio EPA until 1992. She now works as an environmental consultant and is currently involved with investigations for the Niagara Falls Storage Site, which is one of the most radiologically contaminated sites east for the Mississippi River. In addition to environmental issues, Hallie is interested in healthcare reform, population census and homelessness. Hallie has an abundance of knowledge to offer on issues that are of particular concern for many League members.
Welcome Hallie Serazin!
Lynn Exline
Lynn Exline was born in Columbus, Ohio and graduated from the Ohio State University with a degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in reading.She is married and has two daughters. She enjoys reading, gardening and fiber arts – especially knitting. Along with her husband, they sponsor two girls in Haiti. She has also volunteered at Global Village and Common Ground Ministries.Currently, Lynn is busy as a caregiver to her eighty-nine year old mother. Following her graduation from OSU, she taught second grade for three years in Reynoldsburg Schools and also worked as an LD tutor for the Hilliard Schools. Lynn’s interest in the League began at an early age. Her mother was a Poll worker and Lynn remembers being fascinated with the Voters Guide. Currently she is interested in Universal Health Care and would like to learn more about ways to bridge the gap between party line. She finds the current culture wars very disturbing.
Welcome Lynn Exline!
Genevieve Peterson
Genevieve was born in Cranbrook, British Columbia Canada and grew up in Illinois. She graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island Illinois with a degree in Education. Genevieve has been employed as a Kindergarten teacher and Elementary substitute teacher. She became interested in the League of Women Voters through friends and her interest in the issues addressed by the League of Women Voters. Her hobbies include recycling greeting cards, Habitat for Humanity, knitting and quilting. Issues Genevieve would like to work on are peace and justice, human rights and international friendship. She hopes to gain knowledge of local issues, increase access to the flow of information and meeting people of similar interests.
Welcome Genevieve Peterson!
Nancy Verber
Nancy was born in Columbus, raised in Newark and at nine years of age moved to rural Licking County. Nancy received her Bachelor of Science in Education (specializing in education of the multihandicapped). She added to her educationalaccomplishments at OSU, OU, Indiana U, Case Western Reserve and finally completed her Ph.D in Higher Education and Public Policy at Georgia State University. Nancy is very active with hobbies and volunteer activities. She loves the outdoors, especially snow skiing. She volunteers weekly at the Columbus Alzheimer Center and works as an ombudsman for the Ohio Department of Aging to name a few. She has volunteered on the school funding committee for the Olentangy Board of Education. This activity led to a presentation to a subcommittee of the Ohio House Education Committee concerning alternate funding sources for school districts.
(Whew! Thank goodness Nancy is retired!)
Prior to retirement, she held extensive positions related toeducation, psychology and public policy working with disabled children and adults. She also worked as a researcher and took a position with a regional educational laboratory funded by the U.S. Department of Education. While there, she developed training programs for educators and community-based personnel working with youth and then worked as an education policy research analyst for the six southeastern states. In that role, she served as consultant for the governors and legislators by providing research-based data to support informed education policy decisions.
In Georgia, Nancy worked with the League of Women Voters education lobbyist. As a government employee she couldn’t lobby but she managed to provide information to the Georgia LWV to assist them in supporting their positions’. Nancy is primarily interested in education funding and issues related to senior citizen quality of life in residential facilities. Nancy hopes to gain new acquaintances and continue her policy research activities as a volunteer.
Welcome Nancy Verger!
(It appears the Education Committee of the LWV will have excellent input from our new members.)
Diane Badertscher
Co President
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FOCO Roe v. Wade Anniversary Dinner
Freedom of Choice Ohio and the National Council of Jewish Women-Columbus Section invite you in celebrating the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. An evening with activist & author Cristina Page and honoring Phyllis Shwartz for a lifetime of service will be held on Wednesday, January 27th at:
The OSU Fawcett Center
2400 Olentangy River Road
Columbus, OH 43202
(click for map)
Click here to make your reservation on-line:
FOCO Dinner Reservations
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The Presidents’ Post: Our New Year’s Resolutions
The beginning of a new year and a new decade leads us to express our hopes and wishes for LWV Delaware County:
1. That we will continue and expand our efforts to provide voters with factual, unbiased information.
2. That League programming will lead to a better informed membership and community on the issues of the day.
3. That we will involve a greater share of our membership in all the activities of the League.
4. That our advocacy will make a difference in outcomes on issues.
5. That we honor our founders in this 90th anniversary year through our League efforts.
Thanks for being a part of League and please continue your support!
Karen and Diane
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Short Subjects
LWV Delaware County has received a grant of $500 from the Community Foundation of Delaware County for the purchase of 5,000 copies of the Voter Guide for the November general election. Our goal is to expand the distribution of this key voter education piece, particularly in the southern part of the county. Please feel free to suggest distribution sites at info@lwvdelawarecountyohio.
Plans for February events are taking shape. Watch for a Save-the-Date announcement about our celebration of LWV’s 90th anniversary, to be celebrated in mid-February jointly with the Marion League. And on February 23, we will host the annual meeting to update the community on our progress in ending homelessness in Delaware County, jointly sponsored with the Delaware County Affordable Housing Task Force and Continuum of Care Committee. This meeting will be at the Willis Building (next to Big Lots) beginning at 7:00 PM. Attendees will receive a booklet listing housing assistance programs available in Delaware County.
Phonathon is returning to bolster the state League’s fundraising efforts. You’ll be getting a letter near the end of January. Please be generous –our state presence and local League support rely on the state office having the resources it needs. Those not responding to the letter will be called by our board in March.
The Roe v. Wade annual anniversary dinner will be held at the Fawcett Center in Columbus on January 27. LWVO is a member of the sponsoring coalition, Freedom of Choice Ohio (FOCO). Proceeds from the dinner underwrite the costs of the FOCO annual lobby day, on April 21 this year. Our key legislation, the Prevention First bill, has had some hearings and needs additional support to move forward. To make a dinner reservation, please see the attached invitation. Anyone wishing to carpool from Delaware may call Karen Rainey, 740-368-9001.
News From The Net: In addition to the newsletter, Kelley Bell-Wenzlaff has added a new calendar feature to our website and has also created a Facebook Group for The League. If you have events you would like added to the calendar, please e-mail them to Kelley at kelleybell@kelleybell.com. Also, if you are a computer user, please take a moment to join our Facebook group. Facebook is the largest on-line community in the world, and just creating the group has led to three potential new members already even though we have not started adding content yet.
To join the Facebook group: Go on-line to Facebook.com, create a user profile, then use the Facebook search bar and type in: LWV Delaware County Ohio. Hit the “Join Group” tab and you’re in!
It’s Free, It’s Fun, and it’s a great way for us to expand our membership and stay in touch.
*On a side note Kelley will be a guest panelist on ONN-TV’s weekend political talk show Capitol Square airing this Sunday at 10am, and also did an interview on NPR’s Statehouse News Bureau radio program with Jo Ingles which aired Wednesday and Thursday. (So please forgive her for playing catch-up with League activities, it’s been a busy week.)
Margaret and I attended the City Planning Commission on December 9. The main item on the agenda was the revisions to the Comprehensive Tree Preservation and Landscaping Chapter of the Zoning Code. It is being revised with a goal of making it more realistic in regards to the number of trees that must be replaced for large projects and to provide incentives to Developers to save existing trees. There have been extended conversations with the Shade Tree Commission. Everyone agrees that trees are important to the city. While there had been some discussion of changing the current code which gives the responsibility for “street trees” to the city and making home owners responsible for all street trees. This idea has been rejected. There was Extended discussion by the members of the PC about the topic of how to design a Preservation and Replacement Schedule which makes sense and combines $ requirements as well as replacement for removed trees, depending on size and health of the removed trees. The Planning Dept will revise the proposed chapter and it will come back to the Planning Commission again.
A bike path development plan is in process, with additions prioritized. A map is being developed. Turkey Hill will be on the agenda on February 3 However, the application will be changed to include the Delaware Historical Society as co-applicant. It appears that they have offered some funds to help maintain the historical buildings, which was an issue for the Historical Society. We voiced our concerns in a letter to the Planning Commission earlier. Margaret and I agree that there is probably no need for the LWV to testify publicly, unless someone feels strongly that we should make a statement at the January meeting in support. There will be other testimony in support, the design is unique and in character for the site and it is expected be approved by the PC in February. However, there is a hold up regarding the “right turn in and right turn out” traffic configuration which has to be resolved to satisfy the Ohio Dept. of Transportation.
The Delaware Golf Course project is on hold. The Planning Dept. advised the proponents that there would be no reason to come back unless they could get the support of OWU/Perkins Observatory, Methesco, and the Home Owners Assn. Mr. DeGenova of the PC said he has been working on finding a purchaser for the course, but could not give any details.
It looks like the city will purchase the Delaware Hotel for the price they wanted and it should come down this spring.
There is some indication that some kind of “value” grocery will lease the former Kroger space in town and that business is good at Kroger in the WalMart shopping center, so that store should remain open.
The next meeting of the Managing Growth Committee will be on January 27, 12:00 – 1:30, 105 Campbell St., bring sack lunch if you wish. The agenda will include discussion of a local public transit study which will be proposed at the January 20 Program Planning Meeting. Anyone interested is invited to attend.
We have received word from Roger Koch at The Delaware CountyHistorical Society that the initial hearing for the Delaware CountyHistorical Society / Turkey Hill rezoning application for the Porterproperty at US 23 and Stratford Road has been rescheduled to the February 3, 2010 Delaware City Planning Commission meeting. Planned Mixed Development zoning requires all the details to be worked out ahead of time, reviewed and approved by city planning staff. There are many details.
-Katherine Gharrity, Chair
2) Green Committee Report
Earth Day in Delaware!!!
Saturday, April 17, 2010, 10 am to 4 pm
Marking the 40th anniversary
of the first Earth Day
Planning is in process!
Tentatively featuring:
Green expo in downtown Delaware
Activities and film screenings
Creation of local environmental network
and green advocacy group
Earth Day Planning Event -Jan. 7
This year we will celebrate this historic birthday of the “green movement”. It gives Delaware an opportunity to hold a big event for information sharing (among ourselves and with the public), networking and shaping an environmental advocacy agenda. The League of Women Voters of Delaware County is happy to launch the event.
We invite you to send someone from your organization to attend a planning meeting at NOON on THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010, at which we will discuss the Earth Day event, including form, agenda, location,program, budget, public communication and advertising, and interim planning tasks and dates. The planning meeting will be at 38 E. WINTER ST., Delaware, on the second floor. Among other things, the meeting will be the debut of a new space that may evolve to be part of the downtown core anchored around the Strand. It’s the next building east of the Strand, formerly the Finish Line. It is elevator equipped. Bring your own lunch (or eat earlier). Please let us know whom you will be sending to the planning meeting.
You may use this email: emgabel@gmail.com or respond to the person who contacted you. With your help, we look forward to a significant, game-changing event.
-E. Marianne Gabel
Join Us For Earth Day!
We invite your group to join Earth Day Delaware:
Please let us know by emailing emgabel@gmail.com,
or by faxing it to 740-548-5443 marked “Earth Day”
Questions: emgabel@gmail.com, 740-363-1324
Name, address of organization:
__________________________________________
Contact person: ________________________________ Phone: _____________
email address: _______________________________________
Mark all that apply:
___ We are already planning an Earth Day event.
Description: ____________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________.
___ We would like to participate in Earth Day Delaware as
follows:
__ having someone on the steering committee (supply
name and contacts)
__ tabling at the Green Expo
__ organizing or presenting an activity (attach a
description)
__ discussing formation of green advocacy group
__ being part of an ongoing green network
__ other:
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
__ We will be holding our Earth Day event elsewhere but would
like to supply materials/literature if
someone could include them on an
expo table
__ Comments/suggestions/other:
___________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Partial list of Earth Day steering committee members: Laurel
Anderson, Karen Chapman, Larry
Cline, Joseph Diamond, Sheila Fox, Marianne Gabel (chair),
Cara Hering, Eric Hess, Corinne
Lyman, Karen Rainey, Susan Sutherland, Barb Tull, Larry
Ufferman, Sally Waterhouse.
