PENDING APPROVAL

Minutes for Mar. 8, 2009 breakfast meeting of the Framingham Democratic Town Committee
===================================================================

Breakfast began at 10:30 am. Many thanks to those who helped prepare breakfast, most especially Elsa Aviza, Beverly Hugo, and Lloyd Kaye.

Vice Chair Person Tom Mahoney called the meeting to order at 11:15 am Sunday morning, March 8, 2009.

Minutes from the January 12 meeting were read and approved.

Treasurer Elsa Aviza reported a balance of $2052.55, and the report was approved.
Members were reminded to check with the treasurer to be sure they paid their dues for the fiscal year that is ending.

Tom Mahoney read the very appreciative thank you letter from Voices Against Violence for our $50 donation.

Parwez Wahid spoke about the MNW Alliance (for our state senate district). Our committee voted
unanimously to continue support and participation for the MNW Alliance.
We’ll elect two representatives at our April meeting.

Michael Zimmer was voted unanimously to fill Chris Lorant’s empty seat as member of the Framingham Democratic Town Committee.

We heard from the following candidates for the April 7 town election:
Beverly Hugo, school committee. Seeking re-election.
Carol Spack, planning board. Seeking re-election.
Tom Mahoney, planning board. Seeking re-election.
Ed Cahnberry, housing authority. Seeking re-election.
Nancy Coville Wallace, library board of trustees
Ed Burke, library board of trustees

Jerry Desilets opened the public hearing for the state Democratic party platform.
The current platform is listed at www.massdems.org.
The following people testified for changes or additions to the platform:

Beverly Hugo, education
Tom Driscoll, ethics reform
Mel Warshaw, equal rights and unused laws
Rep. Tom Sannicandro, equal rights
Rep. Pam Richardson, equal rights and immigration reform

The testifiers remind us that we are the party who lobbies for those without a voice and
who defends and promotes equal rights for all.

People can still send input to the platform. They can send it to
Jerry Desilets at mgdesilets@aol.com
or send it directly to the state committee by filling out the form at http://massdems.org/index2.cfm (see the link at the bottom of the page).

The platform hearing calendar is also at http://massdems.org/index2.cfm.

After the hearing, the meeting adjourned.

Approved Minutes for Jan. 12, 2009 meeting of the Framingham Democratic Town Committee
===================================================================

Chair Rochelle Sivan called the meeting to order at 7:15 pm Monday evening, January 12, 2009.

Minutes from previous meetings were not read or approved.

Treasurer Elsa Aviza reported and the report was approved.

The Caucus Committee was formed to organize the February caucus to elect delegates to the June state convention.
Assigned were: John Stefanini, Gerry Desilets, Dennis Giombetti, Pam Richardson, Terene Micciche, Rochelle Sivan, Sarah Micciche, Tom Mahoney, Elsa Avisa, Pam Roberts.

Sara Micciche introduced the program speaker.

Spencer Kimball spoke for the Stop the Pike Hike movement.
He’s an attorney, political consultant, and professor at Emerson College.

The business meeting resumed at 8:15.
The Committee voted to contribute $50 to Voices Against Violence as our service project in honor of the Inauguration and the National Day of Service on Martin Luther King Day. The meeting adjourned.

Minutes, Framingham DTC meeting, Sunday, September 21, 2008

Chair Rochelle Sivan called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm.
Secretary Pam Roberts took attendence and confirmed a quorum.
Treasurer Elsa Aviza reported balance of $2,248.11 as of 9/21/2008.
20 members have paid dues for 2007-2008.
15 members have paid dues for 2008-2009.
6 associate members have paid dues for 2008-2009.
Joan Rastani moved to accept the Treasurer’s report; Norma Shulman seconded, and the Treasurer’s report was accepted.

Nandi Varris and Alan Frankel are new Associate Members.

Rochelle and State Committee member Parwez Wahid described procedures and rules for electing delegates to
and attending the special caucus for Middlesex County Wednesday September 24. The caucus was to nominate
a new Democratic candidate for the Middlesex Register of Probate.
The Chair called for nominations for delegates.

The following candidates were nominated:
(8 women)
Elsa Aviza
Esther A.H. Hopkins
Beverly Hugo
Stephanie Mercandetti
Pam Richardson
Pamela Roberts
Norma Shulman
Rochelle Sivan
(7 men)
Gerard Desilets
Dennis Giombetti
Gerry Heng
Lloyd Kaye
Farooq Mirza
John Stefanini
Parwez Wahid

The meeting then heard six candidates for Middlesex Register of Probate:

Teresa Walsh
Dean O’Donovan
Tom Concannon
Bob Colt
Maria Sheehy
Tara DeCristofaro

After a break, Parwez moved to close nominations for delegates, Joan Rastani seconded, and ayes prevailed.
The Framingham DTC members elected all the nominated delegates to the special meeting.

Alan Frankel introduced Sarah Compton, State Field Director for Barack Obama’s campaign. Sarah said they’ve
recruited 4000 volunteers in Massachusetts and need more. 250 people are in coordinating roles.
The previous week MA volunteers started calling voters in New Hampshire.
The weekend of our meeting 700 volunteers from MA went to NH.

Sarah introduced Nurys Camargo, Field Orgainzer for Metrowest and Northern Massachusetts for Obama.
Contact her at obamaorganizer4ma@gmail.com.

Sarah and Nurys said you can post any local events for Obama on mybarackobama.com, on the Framingham page.

Sarah Micciche will send a pdf voter registration form to Rochelle Sivan to send out.

Norma Shulman described Hillary Clinton’s inspiring talk in Boston the previous Friday.
Hillary urges people who might be reluctant to support Obama to support her and the Democratic cause by participating
as a “Hillary Sent Me” Democrat.

Norma volunteered to help organize carpooling to the Sept. 24 special election.

Parwez announced there is a fundraiser for Obama on Friday October 3 in the evening at Gallery 55 at 55 S. Main St. in Natick.

Pam Richardson reported that the State Legislature continues to meet in informal session but does not return to formal session until January, unless budget deficits require legislators to return to session earlier.

Chair Rochelle called for hospitality volunteers for the next meeting.
Does anybody have results of that request?

Parwez moved to adjourn; Beverly Hugo seconded; ayes prevailed.

Calendar
————-
Oct 19 DTC meeting 2008
Nov 4 General elections
Nov 9 Pasta Dinner and DTC meeting
no Dec meeting
Monday Jan 12 2009
Feb 8 caucus
March 8, breakfast mtg 10:30 am
April 19
Monday May 11
June 17

NOTE:
At the Sept. 24 special caucus, Tara DeCristofaro (www.taradecristofaro.com, or email taraprobate2008@gmail.com) was elected the party nominee for the race for Middlesex County Register of Probate.

Attendees at the Sept. 21 meeting:

Elsa Aviza
Nancy Coville Wallace
Gerard Desilets
Dennis Giombetti
Esther Hopkins
Beverly Hugo
Lloyd Kaye
Stephen Joyce
Tom Mahoney
Stephanie Mercandetti
Sarah Micciche
Joan Rastani
Pam Richardson
Pamela Roberts
Chris Ross
Norma Shulman
Alan Silver
Rochelle Sivan
Cheryl Tully Stoll
Parwez Wahid

Nandi Varris
Claire Farragher
Alan Frankel
Carl Whitman

Randolph Black
Deborah Butler
Bob McHallet
Michael Healy
Karen Spilka

a couple people whose signatures I couldn’t read
candidates for office of Register of Probate

Minutes Framingham DTC
Sunday May 18, 2008

Chair Rochelle Sivan called the meeting to order 7:06 p.m.

Dawn Harkness moved to accept the treasurer report.
It was seconded and accepted.

Parwez Wahid moved to accept the minutes for the previous meeting.
It was seconded and accepted.

Parwez reported on the organizational meeting for the June debate. DTC discussed issues of location and content.

Pam Roberts took attendence.

Program
————-

Sarah Micciche requested program items for the next year.

Rochelle Sivan gave a Membership Committee report. We need participants for a membership drive.
Lloyd Kaye created a flyer to use going door to door.

Rochelle Sivan introduced the proposed schedule of meetings and activities for the year. DTC discussed the proposed schedule. Cheryl Tully Stoll suggested adding an inaugural ball. Parwez said he’ll speak to the State Committee about finances for an election party.
Stephanie Mercandetti moved to accept the schedule. Parwez seconded. DTC voted to accept the schedule.

Sarah Micciche introduced the program and the following speakers:

Town Meeting Member Dawn Harkness, candidate for State Representative for Sixth Middlesex District
Representative Pam Richardson, candidate for re-election for State Representative for Sixth Middlesex District
Town Meeting Member Chris Walsh, candidate for State Representative for Sixth Middlesex District
State Representative Tom Sannicandro, 7th Middlesex
State Senator Karen Spilka, 2nd Middlesex and Norfolk
Robert Jubinville, candidate for Governor’s Council, District 2

Parwez introduced Adil Najam, Director of Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future (see http://www.bu.edu/pardee). Dr. Najam spoke about the global links between development and the environment and climate. He spoke of the need for a perspective spanning many generations when asking what is “sustainable” development.

Business Meeting resumed
—————————————–

Parwez gave details about the June Democratic Convention.

Rochelle annoucned that we had two students for the student convention: Mari Ramey and Erin K-?-

Rochelle asked for volunteers for the Saturday, June 14 Flag Day booth. Norma, Pam, Pam, Tom, and Elso volunteered.

Rochelle asked for volunteers for a summer barbecue. Parwez and Sarah volunteered.

Parwez and Farooq Mirza volunteered for hospitality for the June debate.

The Democratic presence at the Framingham Common Summer Concerts needs volunteers. Rochelle will send out a signup request.

Announcements
———————–
Norma said the Metrowest Daily News fired local cartoonist Dave Granlin and
suggested people write to the Metrowest Daily News about it.

Pam Richardson reported from the Hill:
The House and Senate passed a $12 million life sciences bill.

Calendar
————-
Oct 19 DTC meeting
Nov 4 General elections
Nov 9 Pasta Dinner and DTC meeting
no Dec meeting
Monday Jan 12
Feb 8 caucus
March 8, breakfast mtg 10:30 am
April 19
Monday May 11
June 17

Members Attending
—————————–
Aviza, Elsa
Dunne, Pat
Giombetti, Dennis
Harkness, Dawn
Harkness, Kristin
Hugo, Berverly
Kaye, Lloyd
Mahoney, Tom
McCarthy, Kathie
Mercandetti, Stephanie
Micciche, Sarah
Mirza, Farooq
Muto, Betty
Richardson, Pam
Roberts, Pamela
Shulman, Norma
Sivan, Rochell
Tully Stoll, Cheryl
Wahid, Parwez

Associate Members Attending
———————————————
Walsh, Chris

Guests and Vistors
—————————–
Mirza, Farhana
Wilt, Bill
Mason, Lee
Hamlin, Peter
Godin, Michael
Merritt, Donna Kramer
Dinsky, Phil
Sannicandro, Tom
Najam, Adil
Bergman, Ronald
Spilka, Karen
Jubinville, Robert