LWVNM Board meeting, 2019-03-09, Santa Fe

League of Women Voters of New Mexico

Board Meeting Minutes

March 9, 2019, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm

Higher Education Center, Room 135

1950 Siringo Rd. Santa Fe NM 87505

Meeting was called to order at 11:04 in the Higher Education Office in Santa Fe.

Present: Judy Williams, Dick Mason, Akkana Peck, Chris Furlanetto, Barbara Calef, Laura Atkins, Leah Ingraham, Karen Douglas, Meredith Machen, Susan Haase, Hannah Burling, Karen Wentworth

Agenda

Policy statement consideration was added to the agenda.

Dick Mason moved to approved agenda, Meredith Machen seconded. Agenda approved unanimously.

Minutes

One correction on the minutes. Change the date of the women’s calendar meeting to Jan 11.

Meredith Machen moved to approve minutes, Dick Mason seconded. Minutes approved unanimously.

President’s Report

Judy Williams said the U.S. League has a monthly webinar. Membership in the LWVUS membership is up 34% from 2015. The Biennial Council Meeting is this year, and Judy is thinking it is increasingly important for New Mexico to be represented. Two people from each league can attend. The meeting is outside Washington, DC, near Dulles Airport, this year. Hannah Burling and Susan Haase will go to the convention on behalf of the NM League. LWVNM will pay the registration fee, which covers the hotel and meals. There is $1,700 in the budget for this purpose. Susan and Hannah are willing to pay their own airfare.

Barbara Calef moved that we make reservations for two people to go. Dick Mason seconded.

Unanimously approved.

Judy mentioned that she had an email from a woman in Magdalena, New Mexico. Some people there are interested in forming a league. The board of LWVCNM voted to mentor the Magdalena group. Karen Wentworth and Mary Wilson will visit the interested people to determine whether they want to formalize as a league chapter or merely want to hold candidate forums.

There are currently more than 400 league members in the state.

Treasurer’s Report

Suzanne Ronneau said the legislative reception was only a little more than $1,400, which was less than budgeted. She plans to open a CD at Wells Fargo and will work out the details.

Jan Strand presented the proposed biennial budget. She says the League will need income to support the budget and there could be some kind of fundraising event. She says they are projecting some kind of fundraiser in February. If there is an event in August 2020, that will be in the 2021 budget year. The board can spend some funds in support of the 19th amendment centennial. The board is setting aside $2,500 for the centennial celebration and legislative reception in Santa Fe in February. Meredith said there is $5,000 from a Common Cause grant that could support the events. Jan suggested that the budget be left intact and the final decisions can be made later.

Dick Mason moved to approve the budget. Susan seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

The money is in the LWVNM account. Jan will write the budget article that will go into the La Palabra.

Everyone in the league now has email so there are no print expenses for La Palabra.

Convention Report

Barbara Calef is preparing an agenda for the state convention. The registration fee will be $35. and the dinner will be $35. Holiday Inn Express in Los Alamos will hold rooms until April 17. LWVNM will pay registration for LWVNM board members. She will send out hotel information and schedules.

Nominations and Bylaws

Proposed bylaws would change the elected number of board members to eight. It would allow a first vice president/president-elect, a second vice president, and an action chair. The past president will also be on the board in a mentorship position.

It revises the job of vice presidents to say “The vice-presidents shall perform such duties as the president and Board may designate. The two vice-presidents, in the order of their rank, shall in the event of absence, disability or death of the president, possess all of the powers and perform all the duties of the presidency until such time as the board of directors shall select one of its members or a former president to fill the vacancy in the office of president. In the event of the resignation, disability or death of the first vice-president/president-elect, the vacancy shall be filled by a majority of the remain members of the Board. Before the office holder may succeed to the presidency at the next state convention, that name shall be submitted with those of the other nominees for office, to the membership for vote.”

The Action Chair is defined this way: The action chair will coordinate action activities for the LWVNM.

The president from the previous biennium will provide guidance and continuity to the board.

The board will make a decision about leadership at the board meeting after the state convention in May. There may be a president nominated and elected at the convention, or if not, then there may be a leadership group.

Meredith Machen moved the bylaws changes be approved, Hannah Burling seconded. The changes to the bylaws were approved unanimously.

Nominating Committee Report

OFFICERS /Leadership Team

President Vacant

1st Vice-President Vacant

2nd Vice-President Barbara Calef 505-662-3825

Action Chair Dick Mason 505- 994-0685

505 -239-3804 cellSecretary Kim Sorensen 541-910-8449

Treasurer Suzanne Ronneau 505-699-7781

Past President Judy Williams 505-920-7817

BOARD OF DIRECTORS (Elected: up to eight allowed)

Program Chris Furlanetto 505 428-0288

843 901-0846 cell

Communications* Janet Blair 505-259-0203

Director

Education/ Meredith Machen 505-577-6337

Immigration

Voter Services/ Diane Goldfarb 505 821-4229

Reproductive Rights 505 239-9478 cell

Webmaster Akkana Peck 505 500-5964

At-Large Karen Douglas 505-263-3297

At Large Hannah Burling 505-603-1601

At-Large Susan Haase 505-303-3759

NOMINATING COMMITTEE – 2019-2021 (Elected: three non-board members; Appointed: two board members by the Board)

Chair Gwen Hanson 575-556-9251

Member Andrea Targhetta 505-280-8892

Member Rosmarie Fredrickson 505-662-5915

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Appointed (up to six)

Special Projects - Meredith Machen 505-577-6337 100th Celebration

OFF BOARD DIRECTORS and PORTFOLIO HOLDERS:

Archivist/Historian Vacant

Budget Committee Appointed 4 months before convention

Health Care Dick Mason, Judy Williams, Akkana Peck

Natural Resources Barbara Calef, Judy Williams

Constant Contact Janet Blair, Lynn Jones Emails

Member Data Base Lynn Jones

Meredith Machen moved we accept the nominations, Hannah Burling seconded. Approved unanimously.

Archivist position is open. The state wants an archivist in Albuquerque because that person would be closer to the actual archives. Karen Wentworth will ask the history committee if they want to take on archival responsibilities. Everyone will search for additional La Palabras in print form.

LWVGLC had a great afternoon tea celebrating their 50th anniversary.

Action/Advocacy

The legislative reception was good, but only two senators attended because HB51 was being debated on the house floor at the same time.

Dick Mason said HB4 and SB619, the ethics commission bills are proceeding. HB4 is supported by the league. SB619 is opposed. Ethics Commission bills will be heard on Sunday at the legislature. HB6 (tax changes) is in Senate Corporations. HB5 and SB1, the education bills are now being worked out. They eventually will be incorporated into the budget. HB51, the decriminalization of abortion, does not yet have a date for hearing in Senate Rules. The permanent funds for early childhood constitutional amendment was tabled in Senate Rules. The strategy in the Iowa Redistricting model is to do op-eds and public information to try to build support for a separate commission. SB519 (solar tax credit) may pass. Dick says he thinks this has been a good session for league priorities. Everything seems to be on hold for census advocacy. End of life bill has been placed on the speaker’s table. Contraception bill is in the senate.

Nuclear Waste Storage – there are two issues. The committee is currently exploring who will be the decision makers in New Mexico for the facilities that have made applications. The draft fact sheet has been distributed, but the board wants to know who the target audience is. Dick Mason suggests the committee decide. There is a lot of heavy metal in material that will be involved with the Texas application. Chris Furlanetto suggests the board not be involved but that the discussion should continue to be internal. Judy says board does not have to be involved until an advocacy action is proposed by the committee. Dick says there are major problems in Germany where some of their deep storage areas are collapsing. Judy says the committee should continue its work and bring information when they know more.

Program Change Proposals

Transfer of Federal Public Lands – New position

The League believes that federal public lands should benefit all Americans. The lands should remain under the jurisdiction of the federal government and be managed according to the Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield policy. We support improvements in management and regulation.

Federal law allows for the sale or exchange of federal lands if it is in the public interest. Prior to any transfer, a comprehensive assessment that covers the following issues should be performed:

The League is opposed to the sale of federal lands to private entities except for small tracts surrounded by nonfederal lands.

The League is opposed to the transfer of subsurface rights to the state or other entities. Any development of subsurface rights on federal land should benefit all Americans.

Meredith Machen moved to adopt, Dick Mason seconded. Approved unanimously

Education

Existing text from the 1st paragraph of the Charter School position moved to between the 1st and 2nd paragraphs of the education position (not necessary to bring this change to convention)

The League of Women Voters of New Mexico (LWVNM) believes that education is the cornerstone for perpetuating a strong and viable democracy. The public education system should impart to all students an understanding of the nature of democracy and the responsibilities of citizenship, the ability to think critically, and the skills necessary to continue to learn and function as adults in a complex society.

The League of Women Voters of New Mexico believes that every student should have access to a high quality, publicly funded education regardless of race, ethnicity, family income, or geographical location.  The League believes in accountability, transparency, and equity in the use of public funds for education.

The League supports public schools as the primary method of educating students. The League opposes the presence of private, for-profit companies in the governance, management, and provision of public education. LWVNM believes that a regionally elected State Board of Education should be responsible for appointing a Superintendent of Public Instruction and directing education policy, regulation, and finances.

Barbara Calef moved to accept. Meredith Machen seconded. Unanimously approved.

Election Procedures – Not approved

Proposed replacement Text underlined; previous text in brackets.

The League of Women Voters of New Mexico supports:

  1. protection of the right of every citizen to vote;
  2. procedures to guarantee the integrity of all statutory methods of voting in New Mexico;
  3. funding to meet the requirements of the law and to serve the needs of the voters to ensure that elections are conducted accurately, fairly, and efficiently;
  4. a centralized voter registration and election management system;
  5. statewide uniformity in early voting for all elections;
  6. [an all-inclusive system of voting that allows all registered voters to participate in the primary election;] policies that permit broad citizen participation in primary elections while balancing the interests of major parties, minor parties and independent candidates;
  7. more direct citizen involvement in the candidate selection process for special elections to fill a vacancy;
  8. ranked choice voting (RCV) for all elections;
  9. consolidation of elections in New Mexico;
  10. methods that increase voter participation, including automatic voter registration and same-day voter registration;
  11. systems that improve the election experience and provide ease of ballot access including vote-by-mail, supplemented by secure ballot drop boxes and accessible voting centers.

Gun Safety – Change in one word in existing position

Protect the health and safety of citizens through limiting the accessibility and regulating the ownership of handguns and semi-automatic weapons. Support regulation of firearms for [consumer] public safety.

Akkana Peck moved to accept the change. Dick Mason seconded. Unanimously approved.

Health Care – Text added to existing position

LWVNM believes that any health system implemented should have the following:

  1. (as is)
  2. (as is)
  3. Effective cost management: Cost management should increase the health care benefits that accrue to patients from any given level of spending. Cost and pricing data from private and government sources should be transparent.
  4. (as is)
  5. Equitable funding: Reform should seek to reduce or eliminate cost-shifting across categories of insurance programs and payers, both public and private, and to make the distribution of financial burdens more equitable. Billing should be comprehensible and transparent.
  6. (as is)
  7. (as is)

Barbara Calef moved to accept position. Meredith Machen seconded. Unanimously approved.

Immigration – New immigration position (adopted by concurrence with LWVMN)

LWVNM supports:

In transition to a reformed system, LWVNM supports provisions for unauthorized immigrants already in the country to earn legal status. 

Meredith Machen moved to approve position. Dick Mason seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

Selection of Judges – Revised/additional text.

Judges of the [higher] New Mexico state courts, i.e. Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, and District Courts, should be appointed by the governor from a screened list submitted by a non-partisan nominating commission and only be subject, at intervals, to non-partisan election for retention or rejection.

Judges of limited-jurisdiction, i.e., magistrate, municipal, probate and metro courts, should be qualified for their position, at a minimum having a Certificate of Good Standing from the New Mexico Supreme Court, and be elected in non-partisan elections.

Suzanne Ronneau moved passage of the motion. Meredith Machen seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

Legislature – New position, text moved from Campaign Finance and Ethics position plus text by concurrence with LWVMA

The League of Women Voters of New Mexico supports legislative compensation that is fair and reasonable, recognizing that there is a cost to government and that the cost should be paid by the taxpayers of New Mexico.

The League recommends:

Dick Mason moved to approve. Akkana Peck seconded. Motion approved unanimously.

Civil Engagement/Civil Discourse – New position adopted by concurrence with LWVOR

The League of Women Voters of New Mexico promotes civil discourse through action and education for all government bodies, staff, and citizens for the purpose of improved public policy decisions and processes. Civil discourse means, at a minimum, mutually respectful, courteous, constructive, and orderly communication.

Meredith Machen moved adoption. Hannah Burling seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

Changes to Concurrence Policy

Addition to the required background information for a concurrence proposal: The original position of the other Leagues as well as the proposed LWVNM position must be included in the proposal.

Motion made by Dick Mason. Seconded by Meredith Machen. Unanimously approved.

Other Policies

Meredith Machen seconded. Approved unanimously

Voter Services

Judy says Vote 411 is going to be redesigned. She wants to follow up with their project. We will seek another grant at the Thornburg Foundation for the Native American Voter guides.

Special Projects

Centennial celebrations. People are writing historical stories. Meredith is looking at activities in other states and is working on drafting language for proclamations. There was a memorial for the 90th anniversary. U.S. has a committee, which will do a launch in August and will put out instructions and helpful hints.

Mary Wilson is interested in cards, etc.

Meredith says they are planning an event at the Acequia Madre house in August.

AAUW is hosting equal pay day with Lilly Ledbetter. Scholarship for women.

Meeting was adjourned at 2:50 p.m.