LeagueofWomenVoters®ofCortlandCounty(LWVCC)

V O T E R March-April 2018

Editor:scohen3@twcny.rr.com

CortlandLWV.org;lwvcortland@gmail.com;LWVCC,POBox22,Cortland,NY13045 SPECIALEVENTS

MARCHANDAPRIL

Saturday,March24,2018,2-3:30pm

FORUM:HOWTORUNFORELECTEDOFFICEOR

VOLUNTEERFORAPOLITICALCAMPAIGN,Details,p.3

Saturday,April7,2018,10am-3pmLWVNYREGIONALTRAINING,Registrationinformation,p.4

Monday, April 16, 2018, 4-6pm DELIBERATIVEDIALOGUES,

Details,p.5

Tuesday, April 24, 2018, 10am-3pm LWV ADVOCACY DAY IN ALBANY

Details: http://www.lwvny.org/index.php

CONTENTSLWCCMission;Officers&BoardofDirectors(BOD)Members,p.2

BODMeetingSchedule,p.2

WelcometonewBODMembers,p.2

HowtoRunforPoliticalOffice,p.3

LWVNYSRegionalWorkshop,p.4

DeliberativeDialogue,p.5

AliceA.WalkerNominationForm,p.6

StudentsInsideAlbany,p.7

LWVMembershipApplication,p.8

CalltoAction,pp.9-10

Spring2018Calendar,p.10

LettertoLegislature,p.11

NOMINATEaLEADERfortheALICEA.WALKERAWARD

DEADLINEforNOMINATIONS–MARCH30,2018This award honors a member of the Cortland County community whose volunteer leadership

reflects those qualities that we valued in Alice A. Walker:

• a commitment to community service, • an independent spirit and outlook,

• a clear sense of justice, and • an ability to focus on an area of need in the community.

Nomination form on page x for the award can be sent via email to Sheila Cohen at lwvcortland@gmail.com OR via US mail to LWV Cortland,

PO Box 22, Cortland, NY 13045.

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LWVMISSIONTheLeagueofWomenVoters,anonpartisanpolitical organization, encourages theinformedandactiveparticipationofcitizensin government, works to increaseunderstandingofmajorpublicpolicyissues,and influences public policy througheducationandadvocacy.

2018LWVCCBOARDMEETINGSOPENTOALLMEMBERSCortlandFreeLibrary

1:30-3PMMondayJanuary8,2018MondayFebruary5Monday,March5MondayApril2MondayMay7MondayJune4

ANNUALBUSINESSMEETING

TuesdayJune12,2018.

Inadditiontodinnerandafeaturedspeaker,ourLeaguepresentstheAliceA.Walker.

Award.SeeAwardnominationformonp.6

OFFICERSANDBOARDMEMBERS

President:AlisonKing

VicePresident:(open)

Secretary:(open)

Treasurer:LenoreSchwager

BoardMembersRachelAndersonSheilaCohenCharlotteFarrisDorotheaFowlerLindaFrankRyannHudsonJoSchaffer

NominatingCommitteeNormaRhodes,chairperson

CharlotteFarrisAnitaWright

WELCOMETONEWBOARDMEMBERS:

RachelAnderson,CommunityEducationCoordinator,AccesstoIndependence

RyannHudson,Student,dualmajorinPoliticalScience

andCommunications,SUNYCortland

‘Like’usonFacebook-LWVofCortlandCountyVisitourwebsite:http://www.cortlandlwv.org

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HOWTORUNFORELECTEDOFFICEORVOLUNTEERFORAPOLITICALCAMPAIGN

Saturday,March24,2018,2-3:30pm

CortlandCommunityCenter(formertrainstation)90CentralAve.,Cortland,NY13045

JaneHallhasorganizedaninformativeeventtoencourageyoutogetmoreinvolvedinelections,perhapsevenrunningforpoliticalofficeyourselfor

volunteeringonacampaign.Thetwo-partforumincludesthefollowingtopicsandspeakers:

HowtoRunforOfficeandOptionsforVolunteeringonCampaigns

RepublicanCommitteeChairConnieWhiteandDemocraticCommitteeChairTimPerfettiwillwalkyouthroughtheprocessofrunningforofficeatthelocallevel.Forthosewhochoosenottorunbutareeagertohelpinotherways,theywillalsodiscussthemanyoptionsforyoutoparticipateasavolunteerwithlocal,state,andnationalelectioncampaigns.

“FromtheTrenches”Perspectives

TworecentlyelectedCortlandCountylegislators,MichaelBarylski(D,LD12)andAnnHomer(R,LD7),whowonofficeinNovember2017despitetoughpoliticaloddswillofferunique"fromthetrenches"perspectivesontheirdecisiontorun,problemsandsurprisestheyencountered,andstrategiestheyfoundusefulonthe

roadtovictory.

JOINUS.ALLAREWELCOME!

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All members of Central NY Leagues are invited to a LWVNYS training workshop in Cortland.

Apri l 7, 2018, 10am-3pm CNY Living History Center, 4386 US-11 , Cortland, NY

Come for all or parts of the day to learn and network. The Cortland LWV will reimburse the $20 registration

fee for our members upon request. Fee includes the cost of lunch.

Sample Workshop Topics : Creatively Managing Your Local league

Getting Members Active on Issues

Engaging in Our Democracy

Social Media & Apps for Engaging New Members and the Public

Becoming a Player in Your Community: Observer Corps, Hot Topics & Collaboration

Raising Funds & Having Fun

Making the Most of Voter Service Activities

Civic Education & Engagement for Students & Communities

Registerat:https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/1Z8RiqOqQSIzwMaEDlpS-Qwithcreditcard,byfax518-465-0812orbyphone518-465-4162

oremailtoMeg@lwvny.org

OR send payment with your name, address, phone number and email address to

League of Women Voters of NYS

62 Grand Street , Albany, NY 12207

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DELIBERATIVEDIALOGUE

Monday,April16,2018,4-6pmCoreyUnion,ExhibitionLounge,SUNYCortland

JohnSuarez,DirectoroftheInstituteforCivicEngagement(ICE)hasannouncedthefirstDeliberativeDialogueofthespringsemester.Thetopicwillbe,“Wherehaveallthevotersgone?”SomeLeaguememberswillhelpfacilitate.AllLeaguemembersareencouragedtoparticipateintheDialogues.

Thesessionbeginswithanoverviewofthegoalandguidelinesforthedialogues,followedbyfacilitatedsmall-groupdiscussionsandconcludeswithalarge-groupdebriefsession.

TheInstitute’snineActionTeaminternsarehelpingtoguidethiseffort,whichispartoftheTeam’sRegionalVoterEducationProject.Also,someoftheinternswill“table”atNeubigHallonMarch28tolearntopicsthatstudentswouldliketoexploreinasecondDialogue.

SuareznotedthatDeliberativeDialoguescanhelp“setthestage”forcivilandproductivediscussionsofcontroversialtopicsthatwillenergizethemid-termelectionsinNovemberof2018.

ForfurtherinformationabouttheDialogues,contactJohnSuarezatjohn.suarez@cortland.edu.

YoucanfindanICEnewsletterathttp://www2.cortland.edu/programs/civic-engagement/civic-engagement-newsletter/ICE%20Newsletter_March%202018.pdf

REGIONALVOTEREDUCATIONPROJECT(RVEP)

DeliberativeDialoguesisoneofanumberofactivitiesrelatedtotheRVEPthatSUNYCortlandisparticipatinginalongwithTompkinsCortlandandCornell

RVEPwillalsofeaturespeakers,paneldiscussionsanddebateswhereparticipantscanlearnaboutimportantissuestoconsiderintheNovember2018midtermelections.Thiswillincludediscussionsonhowthestateandnationallegislatureswork,aswellasstepsstudentscantaketobemorepolitically-engaged.Amajorgoaloftheprojectis“toconvincestudentsthateachandeveryvotecounts!”

RyannHudson,ourLeague’snewboardmemberandSUNYCortlandstudent,isoneofthenineActionTeaminternsworkingonthisProject.

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NOMINATE A LEADER for the ALICE A. WALKER AWARD

NominationFormfor2018–DueFridayMarch30,2018

TheLeagueofWomenVotersannouncesitsAliceA.WalkerawardtohonoramemberoftheCortlandCountycommunitywhosevolunteerleadershipdemonstrates:

• acommitmenttocommunityservice• anindependentspiritandoutlook• aclearsenseofjustice,and• anabilitytofocusonanareaofneedinthecommunity

ThedeadlineforreceivingnominationsisFriday,March30,2018.TherecipientwillbeourdinnerguestandreceivetheawardattheLeague’sannualmeetingTuesdayJune12,2018.

Candidate’sName: ____________________________________________________________________________________Candidate’sAddress:____________________________________________________________________________________Candidate’sPhone: _______________________________ Email:___________________________________________Nominator’sName: ____________________________________________________________________________________Nominator’sAddress:__________________________________________________________________________________Nominator’sPhone: ______________________________ Email:___________________________________________Pleasedescribethecandidate'sbackground,currentactivities,andotherpertinentinformation,aswellasthereasonforyournomination.Includeastatementonhowthecandidateexemplifiessomeorallofthecharacteristicsmentioned.Feelfreetouseadditionalspace.Additionalsupportingletterswouldenhancetheapplication.

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Emailnominationformandcandidatedescriptiontolwvcortland@gmail.com,ORmailtheformandletterofsupporttoLWVCortlandCounty,P.O.Box22,Cortland,NY13045.

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STUDENTSINSIDEALBANY(SIA)

2018 Awardees

LindaFrank,chairoftheLWVCCYouthServicesCommittee,announcedtheawardeeswhowillrepresentCortlandCountyatSIAthisyear,JosephineWilliams(junior) and ReedCleland(senior).BotharestudentsatHomerHighSchool.ThestudentswillattendthiseventMay20-23,2018wheretheywillhavetheopportunitytoviewtheNYSlegislatureinaction,meettheirstatesenatorandassemblymember,aswellasinteractwithotherstudentsfromhighschoolsacrossthestate.Theprogramisdesignedtoincreasehighschoolstudents'awarenessoftheirresponsibilityinrepresentativegovernmentandprovidethetoolsnecessaryformeetingthatresponsibility.StudentsInsideAlbanyissponsoredbytheLeagueofWomenVotersofNewYorkStateEducationFoundation,Inc.(supportedbyNYSUnitedTeachers,CivilServiceEmployeesAssociation,PriceChopper'sGolubFoundation,andKeyBankFoundation).Itisalsosupportedbyindividualcontributions.TheFoundationcoversthecostofonestudentfromthisregion.OurlocalLeaguecoversexpensesforasecondstudenttoattendthisconference,thankstoindividualcontributionsanddonationsfromAAUWCortlandBranchandCortlandZonta.WelookforwardtohearingthestudentsgiveanaccountoftheirexperienceatourannualmeetinginJune.

TosupporttheLWVNYSEducationFoundation,Inc.,youcansendataxdeductibledonationofanyamountforeducationalprogramsmadepayableto“LWVNYSEducationFoundation”c/oCortlandLeagueofWomenVoters,P.O.Box22Cortland,NY13045.

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BECOMEANACTIVELWVCCMEMBERIN2018!Needtostretchyourmindandskillsaswellasmakeadifferenceinthecommunityandtheworld?Thesearereasonstobecomeamemberandvolunteerwithothermembersofourorganization.WeareaffiliatedwithhighlyeffectiveNYSandUSLeagueorganizationsthatsupportouractivitiesinmultiplewaysandprovideopportunitiesfor

stateandnationalinvolvement.

Wetailortheexperiencetoyourneeds.Belowaresomeideastohelpyouthinkabouttheperfectroleforyou!Serveononeormorecommittees.Checkyourpreference:□ Communications(workonthenewsletterandwebsite;publicizeleagueactivitiesand

positions)□ MembershipandFundraising(keepourbaseofsupportincreasingandstrong);□ VoterServices(organizecandidateforumsforlocal,state,andnationalelections;planvoter

registrationactivities;attendnaturalizationceremonies);□ Program(planandexecuteprogramsonlocalissuesandcurrentprioritiesoftheNewYork

StateandUSLeagues);□ YouthServices(registerandeducatenewvoters;identifyoutstandingstudentstoparticipatein

“StudentsInsideAlbany;”□ Nominating(makesurewehaveadynamicBoardofDirectorsandcommittees,)and□ GoodGovernment(helpensurethatlocalgovernmentisopenandresponsivetocitizens)

Serve as a member of the Board of Directors or as an officer. We are always looking for newleadership.

JointheLeague:http://www.cortlandlwv.org/join_form.html

MEMBERSHIPFORM

Name________________________________________________________

Name(s)ofadditionalmember(s)inhousehold__________________________

Address___________________________City_________________________ZipCode____________

Phone(home)___________________Phone(work/day)_________________

Cellphone___________________________Emailaddress____________________________

Amountenclosed$______________________$50.00onemember.$80.00twomemberssamehousehold.Otheravailablemembershipcategories:$15Friend-receivenewsletter.Duesarenottaxdeductible.Pleasewriteyourcheckto:LeagueofWomenVotersofCortlandCountyIncludecomments(e.g.interests,howyouheardabouttheLeague)PleasesendthispagewithchecktoLWVofCortlandCounty,P.O.Box22,Cortland,NY13045TaxDeductibledonationsofanyamountforeducationalprogramspayableto"LWVNYSEducationFund(oncheckMemo,write:CortlandLWV)"whichisa501(c)(3)organization.Mailto:LWVofCortlandCountyLWV,P.O.Box22,Cortland,NY13045.

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CortlandCountyNeedsAProfessionalFull-TimeAdministratorCortlandCountyCallToAction--CallYourLegislator

Overadecadeago,aCortlandCountyLegislativeCommitteeandtheLeagueOfWomenVotersofCortlandCountycalledforthecreationofafull-timeprofessionalcountyadministrator.In2002,theCountyLegislatureestablishedthepositionthoughlocallaw.TheCortlandLeagueurgestheLegislaturetohireanAdministratornow.With a $134 million budget, our county needs a full-time professional. Only ten of New York State’s 62 counties have no administrator or executive. We recommend that the Legislature establish a search committee that includes private and public executives who have hired successful senior administrators. An experienced search committee may help ensure that we hire someone with both the managerial qualifications and the people skills to be an effective administrator.

ThisisalinktothelocallawontheCortlandCountywebsite-http://www.cortland-co.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/1107ThisisalinktothejobdescriptionontheCortlandCountywebsite-http://www.cortland-co.org/DocumentCenter/View/797

AftertwoAdministrators,theLegislaturehasallowedthepositiontoremainvacantsincethelastadministratorresignedin2014.

Sincethen,theparttimeChairoftheLegislaturehasactedasAdministrator.

Sincethen,theCountyhasbeenunabletoresolvethechallengesofthelandfillandrecyclingcenter,evenwithseveraloutsidestudies.

Sincethen,theCountyhasbeenunabletoresolvethechallengesofovercrowdingattheCountyjail,evenwithseveraloutsidestudies.

Itispasttimeforafull-timeprofessionaladministratorwhocan:

• CoordinatestaffservicestoLegislature,• DevelopandenforceCountypolicies,• Coordinateadministrativefunctionsofdepartments,meetregularlywithdepartmentheads,liaise

betweendepartmentsandLegislature,• RepresentLegislatureincontactsw/State&Federalofficialsandagencies

PERSONNEL• Supervisedepartmentheads,• Conductperformanceappraisals,Recommendappointments/dismissals

FINANCE• PreparetentativeCountybudget,• AuditCountydepartments,• Measurepolicyimpactontaxbaseandeconomicdevelopment

LABORRELATIONS• Participateinalllaborrelationsactivities

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WHATCANYOUDO?Callyourlegislatorandaskhowyoucanhelpgetthisdonebecause-

• TheCountyisconsideringspendingover$50milliononanewjailcomplex,butbasicquestionshavenotbeenanswered.

• Wearestillwaitingforsolutionstosolidwastemanagementandenforcementofthenewflowcontrollaw.

• The$34millionCountybudgetisbigenoughtorequirecentraloversight.Only10countiesinNewYorkStatehavenoAdministratororExecutive.

• WeneedaCEO(ChiefExecutiveOfficer).TheCEO/Administratorpositionisresponsibleforoversight,planning,futureexpenditures,theentireoperation.ComplexorganizationsarenotrunbyCFOs(ChiefFinancialOfficers).TheCFOonlydoesfinances.

• WithoutanAdministrator,countydepartmentheadsandtheCountyAttorneyareoverseenbyapart-timeLegislature.IsanyoneinchargeandawareoftheeverydaygoingsonintheCountygovernment?

• Ourcountygovernmentmustfollowproperproceduresincontractsandgoverningtoavoidputtingthecountyinlegaljeopardy.

• WecanaffordtohireanAdministratortoleaddecision-makinganddoitright.Wearelosingmoneyandopportunitieswithoutaprofessionaladministrator!Askyourlegislatorhowyoucanhelpherorhimmoveforwardwithre-hiringaCountyAdministrator.

LWVCC2018CALENDAR

March24 HowtoRunforOfficeorVolunteeronaCampaign March30 DeadlineforSubmittingNominationsforAliceA.WalkerAward April7 LWVNYSRegionalTrainingWorkshopinCortland April16 DeliberativeDialogueatSUNYCortland April24 LWVNYSAdvocacyDay,Albany,NYSMuseumRoomsA&B May10 AliceA.WalkerAwardeeAnnounced May20-23 StudentsInsideAlbanyConference May–DatesTBD MeetCandidatesforSchoolBoards(tentative) June12 AnnualMeetingofLWVofCortlandCounty June28-July1 LWVNationalConvention,HiltonHotel,ChicagoIL

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