League of Women Voters of Butte County Board Meeting Minutes August 10, 2021   5:30 pm  Via ZOOM

Members Present: Mahalley Allen, Roxanne Ferry, Lori Fuentes, Claire Greene, Patty Haley, Janet Rechtman, Toni Reid, Freddie Shockley, and Satsie Veith 

Guest Present: Debra Barger

1. 1.     Call to Order

Meeting called to order at 5:31 pm.

2. Approve Meeting Minutes

The July meeting minutes were approved.

3. NCVF Statement, Cash Assets, and Year-End Report

The NVCF statement shows significant growth over the past fiscal year. LWVBC started the year at $35,792.40 and ended the fiscal year at $51,566.25.

The cash assets report shows that LWVBC currently has $84,252.07 in cash assets between the NVCF account and the Tri Counties bank account. The bank account does not generate interest income, but the NVCF account does generate income, so the budget committee will need to address how to balance using reserve funds from both accounts. We will need a fundraising committee so that LWVBC does not rely solely on donations.

The budget to actuals report shows that LWVBC ended the fiscal year with a net ordinary income of $1,436.35. This is despite not having fundraising income come into the bank account in the fiscal year.

The board discussed that both the asset summary and the budget to actuals report should be sent to the membership. Sandra will draft an email for the membership explaining the budget situation.

Motion:

Freddie moved and Toni seconded a motion to approve the budget to actual report. Motion passed unanimously.

4. Dues Form

Sandra created a membership renewal form to use in place of dues envelopes. The membership renewal form includes the same information as the dues envelopes with the addition of “Housing/homelessness” and “Fundraising” to the list of options members can check to indicate their interest in working with the League. Board members discussed different options for using the membership renewal form, such as including the form in the newsletter, mailing the form, or making printed copies available at LWVBC events, such as the fall coffee. Sandra will prepare fifty membership renewal forms and envelopes stamped with the LWVBC address for the fall coffee.

5. Voter Registration Plans

Patty reported that there are enough volunteers to staff the Johnny Appleseed Days event and a LWVBC booth at the Thursday night market for the first four weeks of September from 6-9 pm. The Dia Del Campesino event has been cancelled due to COVID concerns.

6. Redistricting Plans

Debra Barger shared information about redistricting and options for LWVBC participation.

Butte County Board of Supervisors – LWVBC could give public testimony before the Butte County Board of Supervisors to encourage them to do more outreach to engage the public, such as having a comprehensive redistricting website and a public meeting. Nevada County is a great model for a small, rural county that is already doing public outreach and has a redistricting website.

Motion:

Toni moved and Roxanne seconded a motion that the President or designee provide testimony before the Butte County Board of Supervisors to encourage the Board of Supervisors to do more to engage the public with redistricting by having a public meeting and comprehensive redistricting website. Motion passed unanimously.

California Citizens Commission on Redistricting – LWVBC could give either public or written testimony to the Commission asking that Butte County not be split between two Assembly districts. Debra volunteered to draft written testimony.

Motion:

Janet moved and Freddie seconded a motion that the LWVBC provide testimony before the California Citizens Commission on Redistricting and request that the Commission strongly consider making Butte County one Assembly district. Motion passed unanimously.

Public Workshops – Debra proposed two public LWVBC workshops, one in Chico and one in Oroville, to review the principles of redistricting, why it is important, and how to engage the public in the work of local redistricting. At the workshops, LWVBC could share large maps showing the county census tracts and ask the public to engage with the maps. Debra would need volunteers to assist with the public workshops. She suggested that the workshops be hosted in person with enough space to spread out and attendees wearing personal protective equipment. Board members discussed how to make the public interested in the issue of redistricting and whether the public would attend in person workshops. Because of these issues, the board set aside the idea of having public workshops on redistricting for now.

7. Collaboration on OLLI Civics Course

Debra has proposed to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) a four-part course on the basics of civics: 1. Citizenship, Voter Registration, and Voting, 2. Voting, Census, Reapportionment, 3. Redistricting, and 4. Local Redistricting. Debra would like this course to be a collaboration with the LWVBC. 

Motion:

Sandra moved and Freddie seconded a motion for the LWVBC to co-sponsor OLLI’s four-part civics course. Motion passed unanimously.

8. OLLI Connections

Tabled to next month.

9. Update on Contract with County Registrar

Satsie, Claire, and Patty will meet on Friday, August 13th, with the County Registrar about the contract for LWVBC to provide voter registration information to the county.

10. Nominating Committee Appointments, Other Committees

According to the bylaws, there needs to be two board members on the Nominating Committee. Freddie and Patty volunteered to be on the Nominating Committee. Lori volunteered to chair the Budget Committee, and Janet volunteered to be on the Budget Committee.

               Motion:

Sandra moved and Roxanne seconded a motion that Satsie appoint Freddie and Patty to the Nominating Committee. Motion passed unanimously.

Motion:

Roxanne moved and Claire seconded a motion that Lori chair the Budget Committee and Janet and Sandra be members of the Budget Committee. Motion passed unanimously.

11. Staffing Office on September 14th (Recall Election Day)

Tabled to next meeting.

12. Report from Communications Meeting

Tabled to next meeting.

13. Newsletter Articles

Tabled to next meeting.

14. Adjourn

Meeting adjourned at 7:00 pm.