Focus newsletter for September 2010

League of Women Voters^®
of Marion and Polk Counties

Focus is the monthly newsletter of the League of Women Voters of Marion and Polk Counties.

September Unit Meetings. Constitution Day Celebration. Natalie Dunn to Speak at Fall Brunch. LWVMPC Updates Need Volunteers. Leader of the Month. Summer Social. Voter Service. Advocacy on Climate Change. Observer Report: Polk County Board of Commissioners. LWV Mission Statement Explained.

September Unit Meetings

Delegates from LWVMPC to National Convention and State Council will tell us of their experiences at the September 13 and 15 Unit Meetings. Rose Lewis, Rebecca Smith, and Deanie Anderson attended the National Convention, and Petra Berger and Linda Baker attended State Council.

Constitution Day Celebration

Ross Runkel, Professor of Law Emeritus at Willamette University, will speak on Judicial Activism: What does the Constitution really mean? at the League's third annual celebration of the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. The event will be held on Thursday, September 16, at 7 p.m., in Loucks Lecture Hall at the Salem Library.
Prof. Runkel will talk about judicial activism, which has been both condemned and applauded. What is judicial activism? Is it something new? How does the makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court influence the law? Are recent controversial court decisions examples of judicial activism?
Prof. Runkel taught courses in Constitutional Law as well as Arbitration, Labor Law, Employment Law, Contracts, Employment Discrimination, Dispute Resolution. He has been an arbitrator, factfinder and mediator since 1976 and is the founder of LawMemo.com, which publishes information on employment law. Other experience includes terms as Chairman of the Oregon Bar Labor and Employment Law Section and Vice-Chair of the Oregon Dispute Resolution Commission.
The Constitution Day Celebration event is free, and the public is invited to attend. After Professor Runkel's remarks, there will be an opportunity for written questions from the audience. The moderator will be LWV member Berri Leslie.

Natalie Dunn to Speak at Fall Brunch

Natalie Dunn is a native of Augusta, Georgia. In 1993 she received a Bachelor of Science in History from Charleston Southern University where she was a member of both the volleyball and women's golf teams. She also obtained a Bachelor of Science from the University of South Carolina in Sports Administration & Entertainment in 1997.
During her nine-year career with Wachovia Bank, Natalie was promoted numerous times in the Retail Service division; her job brought her to Salem in November 2004. While at Wachovia, Natalie coordinated various site initiatives around leadership development and diversity.
She attended a cultural diversity conference in 2005 and was inspired to volunteer at the YWCA of Salem. She was elected to the YWCA Board of Directors in December 2007, and when the position of Executive Director/CEO of the YWCA opened in 2009, Natalie was selected to fill it.
An avid golfer, Natalie also loves spending time with her dogs, A.J. and Tiger.
Reservations are required. Cost of the brunch is $15. Mail check payable to LWVMPC to David Phelps, 1602 Sunrise Circle NW, Salem, OR 97304.
Silent Auction: A few classy items will be offered for a silent auction. Diana Bodtker and Linda Baker, Fundraising Co-chairs, are organizing the small silent auction to raise money to pay for LWVMPC's election-related activities. So bring your checkbook. You will not only be supporting the League, you may also pick up a real treasure. And pay your dues, if you haven't already done so.

LWVMPC Updates Need Volunteers

Kathy Pugh & Anita Francis, Co-Program VPs
At Annual Meeting we chose the following Updates:
1. Salem and Keizer Comprehensive Plans--Anita Francis and Susann Kaltwasser have volunteered to prepare a presentation for Unit meetings in January.
2. Aquatics in the Salem area--What is the status of Salem pools? How has the Kroc Center affected access to aquatics?
3. Community schools--What activities for children and families are available, what activities are needed, and how can these be made more widely available? What are the impediments to reviving access to school buildings for community groups?
4. Access to maternity care and the difficulty in finding an obstetrician.
5. DART--General meeting with speakers from Children & Families and a police representative. [Who suggested this topic? The Program VPs need more information about this program and the problems that prompted the suggestion.]
One of the Action Priorities adopted also needs volunteers: Cost of daycare, reduction in free playgrounds--An interest group could have a listening session with parents (and grandparents) of young children to find out their needs (perhaps as part of the Community Schools Update) and then recommend what action to take.
As you can see, Update #1 is taken care of. Who is interested in pursuing the others as part of an interest group or Update committee of two or three people?
An Update committee could develop a list of questions to be answered, look on appropriate websites for answers, conduct some interviews with local people in the appropriate organizations for more answers, and then write an article for the Focus or do a presentation for our two Units, probably in the spring.
If one of these Update topics interests you, please contact one of the Co-Program VPs. They can put you with other volunteers and help you organize your Update committee.
We get so enthusiastic at Annual Meeting to learn about new issues! Let's maintain that enthusiasm: Volunteer to help with one of the Updates.

Leader of the Month

Since we don't have a president this year, board members will take turns as "Leader of the Month" to preside over that month's board meeting and whatever else comes up that needs attention.
The scheduled leaders are:
September - Diana Bodtker
October -
November - Sally Hollemon
December - Rebecca Smith
January - Roz Shirack
February - Linda Baker
March - Petra Berger
April - David Phelps
May (annual meeting) - Rose Lewis

Summer Social

Elsa Struble
The Summer Social at the home of Rose and Dick Lewis on a hot Saturday in August was a pleasant occasion. Only a few League members attended, but that meant we got to know one another better. Adrienne Pauly, a prospective member, came; she learned more about League and we learned about her interesting life as a writer in the San Francisco area. Mt. Hood was visible. We ate outside in the shade and then went into the cool house for more visiting. Rose and Dick deserve a vote of thanks for hosting the Summer Social.

Voter Service

Petra S. Berger, Voter Service Chair
Voter service activities are becoming more varied, intense and exciting as we are entering the crucial month of September, the gateway to election cycle events that end later in October.
Collaborative Planning with the Salem City Club: The LWV has become an active partner with SCC in planning live candidate forums. The LWVOR was invited to co-sponsor one public debate that is yet in the planning stages and has taken the lead on another one, coordinating a debate between the candidates for Marion County Commissioner Position 1, incumbent Patti Milne and her challenger Jason Freilinger, on September 29 at 6 p.m. at the Mission Mill Dye House.
Gubernatorial Debate: As this newsletter goes to press, Jane Gigler and Deanie Anderson (representing LWVOR) and Petra Berger (representing LWVMPC) are on the Mission Mill team that is still hoping to implement a gubernatorial candidate debate taking place at Mission Mill on the evening of October 6. However, plans continue to be incomplete.
Candidate Forums on CCTV: In collaboration with CCTV, Sharon Johnson and Jeanie Schlottmann, with substantial support from Janet Adkins, are doing a great job as they continue to represent the LWVMPC in planning and implementing the taping of candidate forums scheduled for September 16, 17, and 20. A LWVMPC committee of dedicated volunteers just completed writing questions and recruiting four moderators as well as timers and greeters.
A taped "Ballot Measures" in which LWV volunteers will read the Voters' Guide explanations of ballot measures will be broadcast by CCTV before the November election.
Ballot Measure Presentations: Carol Doolittle is coordinating Voter Service plans relating to ballot measures. Ballot-measure information comes from LWVOR, and local League members are needed to give presentations to groups requesting them. If you can help with this short-term activity, please contact Carol.
LWVOR Website Re-design: A committee has met twice now to actively consider an improved design of the LWVOR website for the purpose of improved access by the voting public. Website examples of other State Leagues are being evaluated with special consideration of the particular needs in Oregon. As voter access is improved, so should the visibility and outreach of the LWVOR to fulfill our mission of non-partisan and unbiased public education related to election matters.
Distribution of Voters' Guides: Diana Bodtker is taking the lead in making sure that sufficient Voters' Guides are distributed at the most pertinent locations in a timely manner.

Advocacy on Climate Change

Deanie Anderson
LWV National Convention delegates attending the climate change caucus enthusiastically endorsed the idea that Leagues across the country participate in the International Day of Climate Action on October 10. The campaign is being organized by 350.org, a movement aimed at uniting the world around solutions to the climate crisis. Suggestions for projects are on the group's webpage at <http://www.350.org/>.

Observer Report: Polk County Board of Commissioners

Jean Sherbeck, LWVMPC Observer
At a July meeting Judge Luukinen announced his retirement as of the end of the month. League members will remember him as a participant in some LWVMPC events.
Sheriff Wolfe and the Confederated Tribes of Grande Ronde came to an agreement for enhanced patrol near the Grand Ronde Casino but with one less deputy than in previous years.
The Oregon Department of Transportation has notified the county that the Highway 22 Safety Corridor will be decommissioned. The County had argued that it is still necessary.
For minutes of Commissioner meetings, simply Google "Polk County Oregon Commissioners Minutes." The minutes are detailed and cover a range of topics.

LWV Mission Statement Explained

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. The League carries out its mission in two ways: 1) Education of voters with unbiased, factual information on issues and candidates appearing on a ballot, so citizens can cast an informed vote; and 2) Advocacy for public policy issues only after members have studied each issue and reached a consensus position. The League never supports or opposes any political candidate.

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: August 29, 2010 11:54 PDT.