League of Women Voters of Butte County Board Meeting Minutes May11, 2021   5:30 pm, via Zoom

Members Present: Debra Barger, Roxanne Ferry, Sandra Flake, Claire Greene, Patty Haley, Maureen Kirk, Toni Reid, and Satsie Veith.  Claire Greene is serving as temporary Secretary in Mahalley’s absence for this meeting only.

1. 1.     Call to Order

Meeting called to order at 5:35 pm.

2. Approve Meeting Minutes

The April meeting minutes were approved.  Roxanne Ferry moved and Satsie Veith seconded; the motion carried.

3. Prep/Updates on Annual Business Meeting and Packet

The Annual Meeting Packet was sent out as a draft, because corrections inevitably come up.  We have already heard from Carolyn Dusenbury about the absence of a Pros and Cons Report.  If she sends one to Debra, it will be included in the final packet.  The Board members did not notice any other omissions.

4. Filling Board Vacancies

We have an incomplete slate for nominees for Board positions, something we have never had.  We have some flexibility in the numbers of Board members but we have designated areas of responsibility, such as the Director of the Observer Corps, which is an important position.  Another position that continues as a vacancy is the Assistant Voter Service Director, but this is a Board Appointment position with the term ending in 2022.

The Bylaws do not specify how to fill a vacancy where there is no nominee presented to the membership to elect.  Can the Board appoint someone later?  We will continue to seek a Director of Observer Corps and will continue to do so if no nominee is presented from the floor at the Annual Meeting.  The next membership meeting at which this Director could be elected is the Fall Membership Meeting (i.e. the Fall Coffee).  This is not a position that is available for Board appointment at this time.  Perhaps when the final Annual Meeting packet goes out, we can highlight that line item.

Mahalley agreed to be the election chair, but Mahalley has agreed to stand again for Secretary and can no longer serve as elections chair.  Debra has asked Lorie Fuentes to serve as election chair instead.  We will use the Zoom polling function as the means of electing the Board members.   The disadvantage to this is the household membership – there are two members in the household and each of those household members would be entitled to a vote.  The solution: have the members of the household connect with a different device so they can vote separately.

5. April 29th Follow-up/Local Redistricting Planning Resources

Debra emailed out a number of different resources following up on Helen Hutchinson’s presentation on April 29.  A three-hour workshop focused on redistricting is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon; Debra will participate.  Debra received an email from Pam Crowe of the Redding Area League asking join them and the Northstate United Way to promote a presentation next Tuesday, May 18 at 2pm with CA Citizens Redistricting Commissioner Patricia Sinay (unconfirmed that this is the commissioner).  This presentation would be via Zoom.  Promoting would involve encouraging people to participate, such as posting on Facebook, etc.  Debra will be a backup moderator in case one of the moderators drops out.  We do not have a program schedule, only the date and time.  Sandra moved that we joined with the Redding Area League of Women Voters to promote this presentation; Roxanne seconded; the motion carried.

Follow-up to Butte’s redistricting efforts: Chico AAUW has expressed interest in having someone from the Butte County League to come talk to them in September or October about redistricting.  Nothing has been finalized.  Debra expressed that more training on how to use the map drawing tools would be a good goal.   Satsie wants more effort to reach out to other parts of the county.  Redistricting could be incorporated into our program for the Fall Coffee.

6. LWVC June Convention Registration Voting/Non-Voting Delegates

Roxanne Ferry will go as a non-delegate and will pay her own registration fee.  Satsie Veith will attend as a voting delegate.  Sandra suggested reaching out to possible new Board members, though Debra suggested them as non-voting delegates.  Debra will reach out to Freddie Shockley and Janet Rechtman and see if they are interested in participating as voting or non-voting delegates.  We want to have our three voting delegates covered.  Debra will be a voting delegate if need be. 

7. Proposed In-Person June 8 Board Meeting

Debra proposed an in-person meeting for June 8 Board meeting.  It is outdoors and easy to social distance; however, Debra’s outdoor Wi-Fi will not support others joining by Zoom.  All Board members in attendance for this meeting were in favor of an outdoor Board meeting.

8. Other Business/adjourn

Adjourned at 6:50 pm.