Meeting Attendees: All FDC members listed, those in BOLD were present
Members: Lori Bornstein, Christopher Broyles, Tracey Bryant, Jeanne Bullock, Jerry Desilets, Patrick Dunne, Mary Kate Feeney, Barbara Fontes, Adam Freudberg, Kurt Fusaris, Linda Fields, Danielle Gregoire, Ruth Litter, Audrey Hall, Jim Hansen, , Rosamond Hooper-Hamersley, Beverly Hugo, Mike Hugo, Shahid Khan, Ohad Klopman, Doug Lawrence, Barbara LeDuc, Caraline Levy, Chris Lorant, Jack Patrick Lewis, David Magnani, Thom Mahoney, Betty Muto, Kathie McCarthy, Amanda Northrup, Phil Ottaviani, , Cindy Rubin, Margareth Shepard, Norma Shulman, Ravi Simon, Priscila Sousa, Yvonne Spicer, Adam Steiner, John Stefanini, Cesar Stewart-Morales, Jim Stockless, Larry Stoodt, Cheryl Tully-Stoll, Parwez Wahid, Mel Warshaw
Associate Members: Associate Members: Maureen Dunne, Ricky Finlay, Brooke Harvey, Leslie White Harvey, Karen Garafolo, David Gordon, Tilia Klebenov Jacobs, Andrew Machkasov, William LaBarge, Isabella Petroni, Joan Rastani, Pamela Roberts, Brandon Ward, Joel Winett
Guests: Rob Adamson, Pam Richardson, James Thrasher, Natascha Rausch, Grace Sneddon, Juan Valdez, Alberto Brito, Jessica Da Silva, Access Framingham, Nanette Magnani, Kalee Balde
Meeting called to order at 7:03PM
Welcome, Announcements and Updates – Chair Mike Hugo (5 min)
Candidate Forum for 6th Middlesex State House District (South Framingham)
Candidates Priscila Sousa and Margareth Shephard attended. Candidate Drubha Sen was invited but declined to participate.
Questions captured here, not answers, meeting was recorded on Zoom.
In your position as elected official what have you learned about yourself? What challenges have your encountered?
If you win the seat, which 3 committees would you like to join and why?
The new district has some of the City’s most contaminated sites. What specific legislative steps and initiatives can you sponsor to clear up our contaminated sites and prevent future sites from being contaminated.
What steps will you take to reduce social media bullying and racist trends in the City? To curtail harassment by anonymous parties on social media and to help close the divide in our City?
Would you vote to repeal the state constitutional requirement to swear “so help me God” and replace it with a non-religious affirmation.
What legislative initiatives would you support to address the housing crisis?
What are the most urgent parts of the pending climate bill? Which other legislative initiatives would you support?
Where would you stand on severe vs fatal anomalies and the post 24-week expansion in the MA abortion legislation pending in the State House?
What are the alternatives to high stakes testing in the MA education system? What will you support?
How do you plan to collaborate with fellow legislators and constituents who hold beliefs and ideas that are fundamental opposite from yours?
2 Minute closing statements for each candidate.
Treasurer’s Report – Larry Stoodt
Bank Balance 4438.87 in June
+$0.18 in interest
+ $ 56.00 + 20 + 60 in dues paid
4575.05 beginning balance
- 0.83 paid to Act Blue
$ 4574.22 is current bank balance
- Dues are $20 Member /$15 Associate. You can pay by Act Blue, or cash but check is preferred, to save the $0.79 Act Blue admin fee (to offset the cost of ActBlue, please increase your donation to $21.00)
- please mail your 2022 dues to Larry Stoodt at 615 Belknap Road, Framingham, MA 01701.
Vote to accept Treasurer’s Report: K. McCarthy moved to accept Treasurers Report, seconded by Tracey Bryant, vote to accept was unanimous.
Motion to reimburse M. Hugo $102.30 for a new tent for our presence at Framingham Concerts on the Common (M. Hugo) – Moved by Kathie McCarthy, Unanimous support
Report from our City Council representatives
Phil Ottaviani – Sarkis Sarkasian in City Econ Development is working on workforce and affordable housing. We have a housing crisis, and are in danger of falling below 10% as a city which would remove local control of certain projects under state law.
2 people resigned from CPC and will be replaced. Conservation Dept has seen resignations and retirements, will see new nominations. Good progress on diversification of city appointees.
Tracey Bryant – Local opposition to Framingham Hospital Cancer Dept closure has had some progress at the recent meeting but is still a concern. Please keep following and supporting attempts to preserve this key resource.
Adam Steiner – Conservation Positions have not been posted. Diversity Equity & Inclusion role remains open in 7th month of the new administration. Framingham zoning may move to a higher % affordable in new projects. We may increase to 15% from current 10% of units.
Report from School Committee
Priscila Sousa, Chair
SC on hiatus June 29 to July 27th. New member is David Gordon, he is a great progressive voice and southside school advocate. Unit T agreement ratified with over 90% of members, which reflects well on negotiations and support for educators. Some units have been 99% to 100%. Last year renaming of Harmony Grove has helped lead to an active PTO as seen at the recent highly successful June Fest. City Welcoming Ordinance Comm has had 3 meetings, Priscila is representing the SC, and is drawing attention to need for diverse teaching staff, which has created resistance among racist voices in town. Plans to recruit diverse teaching staff are in place. Elected new clerk, Valerie Ottaviani.
Beverly Hugo
Spent Fri and Sat at state conference, learning about state budgets, Ch 70 Budget. Voluminous FOIA requests and social media requests being seen in many communities including ours. Some requests have been from people not within the Framingham community. Considering a policy that limits response to requests to our local citizens.
State Legislature
Jack Patrick Lewis – budget is now in our in-boxes, vote on conference comm budget will be 1PM tomorrow, then it will go to governor and line-item vetos are expected and many will be overridden. Many local earmarks for Framingham. Notable progress includes HIV prevention for Youth. House and Senate passed abortion access bills, which will protect local medical staff in cases where actions may be illegal in other states. JPL’s bill with Sen. Lewis to establish a study commission on a bill for medical licensure of MDs etc. from other countries to be recognized here is moving forward, with a recommendation now issued by the committee. PFAS task force 2 pieces of his language have been included in final text. Hopeful that 2 Home Rule Petitions for Framingham will be passed this session (by July).
Danielle Gregoire
General Govt Bond Bill includes 5-year moratorium on new prisons. Transport Bond bill includes Federal Build Back Better funds. Also a large Economic Development Bond Bill. Our effort on Roe act has gone forward. There is a threat of veto by the Governor. Also working to address the gun violence crisis in wake of Uvalde and recent Supreme Court rulings. We will continue to lead on guns and more will be done in the next few weeks. Massachusetts is a “may issue” state, we must become a “shall issue” state. gregoire07@gmail.com (508)479-9127
Subcommittee Reports, discussions, actions, and votes:
Coordinated Campaign Office for Fall Campaign – Beverly, Phil, Mike are looking at Framingham properties that may be suitable for this office. 3 places that would work have been identified, landlords to be contacted. Seeking foot traffic, first floor, ADA accessibility etc.
Mike Hugo – Motion to Authorize him to commit $1000 to office setup. Office needs to be set up for the day after the primary. Funds may not be used if state resources will cover the costs or may be reimbursed.
Moved Phil Ottaviani, Beverly seconded. K. McCarthy requests that accessibility be reviewed by someone who know the law. Unanimous in favor (members only).
There is a strong movement among conservatives in Massachusetts to repeal the drivers license bill by ballot initiative which is very dismaying and will require work in the fall.
Committee Reports: Un-minuted committees were SKIPPED in interest of time
Bylaws – Mel Warshaw
Communications – Jim Hansen
Discussed use and permission to use our email system. Balance of spam vs utility of having a forum. Will be small changes in ground rules for approving posts. Will put a link to the Dem Party Platform and require posts to support the platform. Be sure you are not in digest mode, as this will delay messages to the next morning.
Civics Education – Beverly Hugo
Environmental/Climate Change – Larry Stoodt
Outreach – Parwez Wahid
Legislative – Ravi Simon
Programming – Rosamond Hooper-Hamersley & Cesar Stewart-Morales
June 18th we held a great conversation with local pastors and others on our local party antiracism initiative. Will have their support in making a substantive move to combat egregious issues in our City and to take further action within the Framingham Democrats.
Updates from the Chair – M. Hugo
Annual Barbecue will be August 27 with August 28th as a rain date at Ottaviani residence. Anyone interested in helping please contact Mike Hugo. Will be interesting gathering due to the election cycle under way, every rep is likely to attend.
We plan to return to live meetings in September, hope to return to Framingham Green. Will be hybrid format to start. Will continue to evaluate the (still challenging) COVID situation in the state and act accordingly.
New Associate members – introduced at the last meeting
Motion to accept Leslie White Harvey, Brooke Harvey, William LaBarge as associate members.
Moved by Ottaviani, seconded by Shulman, vote was unanimous
Potential associate members introduced this month to be voted on at September meeting
Kalee Balde
Rob Adamson
Update : MetroWest Blue & Beyond, former. Sen. David Magnani and Nanette Magnani
Our next fundraiser is Sept 13th. ALL IN FOR NORTH CAROLINA. Organizing rural black vote via the NC Black Alliance and A. Philip Randolph Institute. Please join us at our fundraising event on Sept 13th. There is a very close Senate race…they need our support.
New Business, member announcements, general announcements for the good of the order
TOMORROW NIGHT – Susan Wild and Matt Cartwright (author of veterans PACT legislation and Camp LeJeune bill). Districts have been jerrymandered and both are highly threatened. Pennsylvania – if we lose PA we could lose our Democracy. Republican Gov candidate is very scary!
Canvassing Update – Norma Shulman
Quentin Palfrey may be coming next Friday to concert on the common. First Healey canvas was held and was a success. Plan to canvas in other towns, some turf remains, contact Norma to take up remaining geography. Why canvas the governor’s race given Healey is unopposed in primary? We must emphasize get out the vote and prepare for November. First Healey lawn signs are available send Norma a text or email to get a sign to get on the list. Please volunteer to do a couple hours for Maura and to vote in the primary.
Margareth Shepard will hold postcarding event on Friday, all are welcome to assist.
Adjourned at 9:11pm – moved by K. McCarthy , seconded by T. Bryant , passed by acclamation.