SANTA CLARA COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL
COMMITTEE
County
Building cafeteria, 70 W. Hedding St. San Jose
MINUTES FOR Thursday, February 3rd,
2004
1. CALL
TO ORDER –
7:15 pm
2. ROLL
CALL
absent: Lind, Davis,
B Dias, C Dias, Lalwani, LaPoll, Parle, Song, Cahan, Kenney, Alexander,
Torrico, Ruskin, Coto, Cohn, Figueroa, Simitian, Eshoo, Lofgren
3. IDENTIFICATION
OF VISITORS
25 people signed
visitors sign-up sheet
Two candidate
running for SJ City Council, District 7, spoke: Buu Thai, Bob Dhillon
4. ADOPTION
OF AGENDA
5. APPROVAL
OF MINUTES (Minutes are posted at
sccdp.org)
A. December 2004 - approved
B. January 2005 - approved
6. NEW
BUSINESS
A. Endorsement of County Library Parcel Tax – Jim Thurber
presented details – replaces expiring current tax – there are two items on the
ballot: 1) renew tax; 2) increase level by $1/month ($12/year) – both questions
ENDORSED
B. Endorsement of Milpitas Measure A – School Parcel Tax
– Bill Ferguson spoke - $125/year/parcel - ENDORSED
C. Bylaws Changes – each proposal was voted separately –
both APPROVED by voice vote, with amendment to remove numbers (original
proposals at end of minutes)
D.
Central Committee
attendance policies – David Cohen explained that the bylaws of SCCDCC indicate
that members should miss no more than 3 meetings per year – as long as the
member or one of the two alternates is present, credit is given
7. REPORTS FROM OFFICERS AND OTHERS
A.
Executive Board: David Cohen for Hope Cahan
David presented a summary of the Jan. 18 Eboard
meeting
B.
Chair: Steve Preminger
The Call to Action event on Jan. 29 was a success. There are still interested Democrats out there anxious to help.
C.
Vice Chair: James Kim
no report
D.
Treasurer: Drina Collins
Please pay your dues. They are due in
March. If you don’t pay, you will not
be eligible to vote at subsequent meetings.
E.
Secretary: David Cohen for Hope Cahan
The web site continues to get 1300 visitors per week. The blog is the most popular page. Elisa’s series “Conversations with…” has been nominated for a
Koufax Award Best Series on left-leaning blog
F.
Community Services and Voter Registration: Linda Spangler
no report
G.
Finance: Jim Thurber
The JJ Dinner will be at the Fairmont Hotel on April 29. New gimmicks this year: a good keynote
speaker; VIP reception ahead of time for $50 extra; three table price levels
with different benefits
H.
Candidate Recruitment and Endorsement: Jon Kessler
Right after close of filing in District 7 endorsement interviews will be held.
I.
Campaign Services: Phaedra Ellis Lamkins
no report
J.
Issues: Emy Thurber
no report
K.
Political Outreach: Tom Cochran
Silicon Valley Latino Democratic Forum - Xavier Campos -
2005 goals (recruiting members, voter outreach), march 18 membership
luncheon
Moorpark Club - Herb Wadley - Jan
27 first meeting, 85 people, input on future -
setting
up website, newsletter
APA – Jeremy
Nishihara/Pearl Cheng - annual meeting in mtn view last month - contributed to
doris
matsui's race for congress - participated in mlk freedom train - feb 12
eboard
retreat - working with San Mateo group to start satellite club
LGBT - Clark Williams -
club going to Napa to campaign for city council race
with
openly gay candidate - club asked to participate in DNC winter mtg next
week
(focusing on mobilization to reno during nov election)
Santa Clara County Democratic Club - Herb Engstrom -
annual planning meeting held - feb meeting speaker about clean money
campaign feb 21, Carrows, El Camino - Straight Talk, feb 26 taping deals w
closing of SJ medical center and budget - can provide dvd of
shows
for $5
Evergreen
Democratic Club at the Villages - Bev Wharton – the club raised $915
for tsunami relief (UNICEF) – membership stands at 228, increase of 54 since
March 2004 – Jan meeting feature a Social Security reforem presentation by Club
President Bob Applebaum and Sanjeev Bery, director of the new San Jose ACLU
office. March mtg will be a panel of
own members, giving them an opportunity to be heard.
Dean
Democratic Club - Carolyn Curtis - monthly membership meeting,
Meetup, Feb 2; 47 people attended the north branch, at the home of Jay Jackman,
& 30 attended at Willow Glen Coffee. Wrote letters to the editor in
support of Gov. Dean's run for DNC chair and had a discussion. Many members
went to Sacramento Jan. 22 to attend DNC forum. Held an anti-inaugural party Jan 20 & raised $1400 for
Democracy for America in support of Dean's run. Attended a meeting in support
of the Palo Alto temp workers (SEIU bargaining unit), and a hearing in
Sacramento on voting machines. One of our members lobbied US Senators in
Washington DC to cosponsor Sen Ensign's (R-Nev) bill on voting reform
(bipartisan push). Gearing up for tabling, with some members already tabling in
Menlo Park, and continue working on the Lakoff event, April 22 at the Wyndham
Hotel in San Jose.
South County Democratic Club - Mark Moore - met in
Jan in Gilroy - Gilroy city council election in Nov, only 2 of 7 currently Dems, Club member Peter Arellano will run for Gilroy Council -next club
mtg in March (endorsement vote on library parcel tax)
DAWN - Carol Garvey -
brunch sun feb 13, SJCC, featuring 4 elected women -
how
to get more women into office - losing ground in SCC (30%) – also will have a 2
mules presentation
21st
ad - Thelma Spaziani - 125 attendees at reorg mtg - 22
candidates for 12
delegate
spots - eboard came up with plan of action for year
West
Valley Club - Dennis Austin - 4 new people attended last month - passed
motion
to disapprove of Eshoo's support of Roemer, and a letter to thank Boxer
28th
AD - Sal Alvarez
L.
Regional Directors – Emy Thurber (acting)
the Convention is expected to be April 15-17 in LA, but there is some trouble
getting the hotel. There is a slight
possibility the convention will be the first weekend in April in SJ instead.
M.
Democratic National Committee: Chris Stampolis
no report
N.
Pro-Choice Coalition:
Claudia Shope
FDA delayed its decision on emergency contraception. Go to www.ec-help.org to
find a pharmacist to provide it. Dept
of Justice didn’t include procedures for victims to be informed about emergency
contraception. Only 6 states do this
(California is one). Sen. Reid
introduced the Prevention First Act, which will provide greater access to family
planning nationwide. Next ProChoice
Coalition meeting Feb 17 at 1746 The Alameda.
O.
DTV Report: Steve
Chessin
Jan. taping with Neil Struthers, CEO of the Building Trades Council. Feb. guest will be Assemblymember John
Laird, Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee.
Expect to be on Gilroy channel 20 beginning in March. See sccdp.org for full schedule and
channels.
P.
CDC Report: Jay Jackman
DNC will elect chair on Feb. 12. CDC is
asking member clubs to make endorsements for chair by Sun. Feb 6, and then the
CDC will possibly make an endorsement.
8. OLD
BUSINESS
Call
to Action Update
Herb Engstrom summarized comments from the participants in the Call to Action
event on Jan. 29. There were 111 people
in attendance. Feedback: need something for volunteers
to
do including issues; outreach to red states and counties; adopt a county;
export call to action model; outreach to ethnic groups and youth; battle
Arnold,; reach moderates; anticipate what is coming from GOP; messaging;
develop infrastructure of Democratic organizations; connect with voters, get
out values driven message; coordinate clubs; promote internet; taxpayer
appreciation day; better pr with media; more community access TV; adopt a
district, like 11th CD; train voter registration volunteers; act more
strategically (support amendments); know what is coming up in legislature; keep
precinct work going year round.
9. ANNOUNCEMENTS
11. EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING
The
next Executive Board meeting will be Thursday, February 17, location TBA.
12. ADJOURNMENT – 9:10 pm
SCCDCC
BYLAWS AMENDMENT PROPOSALS
February 2005
IV.B.
change “six” to “seven”
add
IV.B.7. Director of Communications
IV.C.1.,
2., 10. change “six” to “seven”
Add
to Executive Board Duties and Responsibilities Act
II.J. Director of Communications
II.J.1. To provide for mechanisms of internal
communication among members of the Central Committee.
II.J.2. To coordinate communication with the public
through a newsletter or other appropriate mechanisms.
II.J.3. To maintain the County Party’s internet
presence and database systems.
II.J.4. To manage a PR committee for interacting
with the media.
V.A. The Executive Board
consists of the following as voting members: the ten elected officers of
SCCDCC, and the Regional Director who represents the largest number of
voters in Santa Clara County; and as non-voting members: the three
appointed officers.