Framingham Democratic Town Committee:  Minutes

Chairperson Rochelle Sivan called the meeting to order shortly after 7 p.m., Sunday, April 13, 2008.

Treasurer Elsa Aviza gave the treasurer’s report.

Secretary Pam Roberts asked for any corrections to the minutes. Alan Silver noted the minutes should have said he was present at the previous meeting.  Chris Lorant moved to accept minutes as corrected, Jerry Desilets seconded, and members so voted.

The group decided that we’ll decide a June meeting date at the May meeting. Pam Richardson suggested a debate meeting. Jerry Desilets, Parwez Wahid, and Tom Mahoney will put together a candidates debate and suggest either June 15 or a June Monday evening for the debate.  The Democratic Town Committee discussed that June was too late for a debate but that it can’t be arranged in time for the May 18 meeting. If the public is invited, we need to advertise and find a larger venue than Framingham Green.

The business meeting continued after the program.  The Chair called for nominations for the vacant member position. Parwez Wahid nominated Kristin Harkness. Stephanie Mercandeti nominated Bob Berman.  Chris Lorant nominated Mike Bower and Tom Mahoney seconded. Bob Berman and Mike Bower declined.  An unidentified member called for vote by acclaim rather than ballot. The group so voted, and Kristin Harkness was acclaimed the new member.

Parwez announced that we can send two youths to the youth convention in June and need to find youths who are interested in going.

The chair called for a motion to adjourn.  Norma Shulman so moved; Chris Lorant seconded; so voted.

Next meeting: May 18, 2008, Framingham Green, 7 p.m.    Program: Candidates for state representative.

Hospitality by Maureen and Pat Dunne

Announcements at the meeting included:

Stephanie and Parwez will continue to attend meetings of the MNW Alliance. Rochelle, as Chair of the DTC, should attend. Chris Lorant will continue to go. This Alliance gives area DTCs a chance to coordinate. The next meeting of the Alliance was 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, April 15 at Ashland High School.  Meetings alternate around the district.

The new schedule for DTC meetings in 2008/2009 is being drafted for discussion and voting at the next meeting. The program will be people running for state representative.

Norma asked if we want to have a presence at Flag Day and at the Friday night Concerts on the Green. Also, do we want a summer picnic — we’ll need a committee to organize it.

Beverly Hugo proposes having a community service project.

Norma ran at the federal congressional district caucus, to be a delegate for Hillary Clinton at the national convention. Despite running against a slate, she received 24 votes (though not quite enough to be elected).

Elsa, Parwez, and Chris L. went to the Obama caucus. Russ Ashton from Wayland was elected delegate.

There was discussion of our opportunity to send  one male and one female student from Framingham to the 1st Democratic Youth Convention being held with our State Convention on Saturday June 7th at the Paul Tsongas Arena in Lowell.

Program Announcements

Robert Jubinville, candidate for Governor’s council, was unable to attend and plans to come to our May meeting instead.

Kelly Timilty, the incumbent member of Governor’s Council, spoke and answered questions about the role of the Governor’s Council.  The position is not a paid one.

David O’Brien, member of the Democratic National Committee and a super-delegate, spoke and showed slides. He talked about party strategy and a new “VoteBuilder” tool the DNC is making available to states.  For building votes, he says: 1) Organize everywhere 2) Measure everything 3) Question assumptions about how to do things.

Attendence: Members

The following members checked off their names on the attendance sheet:

Coville Wallace, Nancy

Desilets, Gerard

Dunne, Maureen

Dunne, Pat

Giombetti, Dennis

Harkness, Dawn

Hopkins, Esther

Hugo, Beverly

Kaye, Lloyd

Joyce, Stephen

Lorant, Chris

Mahoney, Tom

McCarthy, Kathie

Medrano, Laura

Mercandetti, Stephanie

Richardson, Pam

Roberts, Pam

Shulman, Norma

Silver, Alan

Sivan, Rochelle

Stoll, Cheryl Tully

Wahid, Parwez

Harkness, Kristin: elected member in this meeting

Attendence: Associate Members

The following associate members checked off their names on the attendance sheet:

Berman, Bob

Bower, Mike

Farragher, Claire

Harkness, Kristin

May, Phyllis

Walsh, Chris

Attendence: Guests and Visitors

No guests or visitors signed the attendance sheet.

Treasurer’s Report

Democratic Town Committee

Treasurer’s Report April 13, 2008

Submitted by Elsa Aviza, Treasurer

Members owing dues for 2006-07: 34 paid members; 3 unpaid

Members owing dues for 2007-08: 22 paid members: 16 unpaid

Members with paid dues 2007-08:  20 Members paid

* Associates voted in Oct.: Beverly Hugo, Pam Richardson, Pam Roberts, Laura Medrano

Paid Associate Members for 2006 – 07: 15 Paid Associates

Paid Associate Members for 2007-  08:  10 Paid Associates: 6 unpaid

Associates with paid dues 2007-08: 9 Paid

Framingham Democratic Town Committee

Minutes of March 16, 2008  (Brunch Meeting)

Attendance (those who I saw or those who legibly signed in) 

Members: Elsa Aviza, Nancy Coville Wallace, Gerard Desilets, Dennis Giombetti, Dawn Harkness, Beverly Hugo, Lloyd Kaye, Chris Lorant, Tom Mahoney,  Kathie McCarthy, Laura Medrano, Stephanie Mercandetti, Sarah Micciche, Farooq Mirza, A.J. Mulvey, Mary Murphy, Betty Muto, Joan Rastani, Pam Richardson, Pamela Roberts, Norma Shulman, Rochelle Sivan, John Stefanini, Cheryl Stoll, Parwez Wahid

Associate Members: Bob Berman, Rita Blum, Christopher Broyles, Bob Edwards, Claire Farragher, Phyllis May, Chris Walsh

Guests: Ed Stoll, Phil Dinsky, Stan Berman, John Stasik, Adam Blumer, Joel Winett, Philip Dinsky, Michael J. Bower, Joanne Thompson, Arthur Finstein

Business

1. Treasurer’s Report received from Nancy Coville-Wallace):

(There’s been an adjustment in the opening balance.)

Dues:

Ÿ         Members owing dues for 2007-08: 16 unpaid; 22 paid. Paid up Members: E. Avisa, N. Coville-Wallace, G. Desilets, E. Hopkins, D. Howland, B. Hugo, P. Ottaviani, S. Khan, L. Medrano, S. Mercandetti, M. Murphy, B. Muto, R. Litter, C. Lorant, K, McCarthy, S. Micciche, J. Rastini, P. Richardson, P. Roberts, N. Shulman, A. Silver, R. Sivan, C. Tully Stoll, P. Wah

Ÿ          Paid up Associates Members for 2007-08: C. Boyles, R. Edwards,C. Farragher, J. Feingold, D. Harkness, K. Harkness, G. Heng,  F. Mirza, , Laura Wells, George Wells

Ÿ          Paid Associates for 2008-09: Michael Bower, Phyllis May, Chris Walsh

1. Minutes (Rochelle Sivan): Minutes from January 13 were accepted.
2. Norma introduced the new FDTC officers the nominating committee proposed: Rochelle Sivan – Chair; Pam Roberts – Secretary;  Elsa Avisa – Treasurer;  Sarah Michichi – Vice Chair;  Tom Mahoney – Vice Chair; Laura Medrano – Membership & Outreach.  A motion to accept the nomination passed. Members of the Nominating Committee: Norma Shulman, Pam Richardson, Stephanie Mercandetti, Tom Mahoney. Thanks to Parwez, the former chair for his great leadership, and Nancy Coville Wallace the former treasurer for her careful stewardship of the FDTC finances.
3. An Audit Committee consisting of Alan Silver, Nancy Coville Wallace, and Elsa Aviza (present and former treasurers to go over the books in preparation for the transition.

Announcements

1. Parwez Vahid and Stephanie Mercandetti were elected to the State Committee. Congratulations!
2. Chris Lorant and Elsa Aviza, the Barack Obama town coordinators, should be contacted if you’re interested in joining Obama’s campaign.
3. Bob Edwards announced that his bill for preventing head injuries was in committee.

Program:

Gerry Desilets moderated the presentations and questions and answers of registered Democrats who were running in the April 1 town election. The following people spoke:

Ÿ            Moderator: Joel Winett

Ÿ            Selectmen: Dennis Giombetti, Bob Berman

Ÿ            School Committee: Phil Dinsky, Michael Bower, Laura Medrano

Ÿ            Library Trustees: Joanne Thompson, Arthur Finstein

Ÿ            Keefe Tech School Board: A.J. Mulvey

Ÿ            Housing Authority: Phyllis May
Next Meeting –  at the Green, at 7pm on April 13.

Rochelle Sivan · (508) 333-5698 · shellyis@gmail.com

Framingham Democratic Town Committee

Minutes of January 13, 2008

Attendance

Members: Elsa Aviza, Bob Berman, Gerard Desilets, Dawn Harkness, Beverly Hugo, Tom Mahoney,  Kathie McCarthy, Laura Medrano, Stephanie Mercandetti, Sarah Micciche, Terene  Micciche, Betty Muto, Joan Rastani, Pam Richardson, Pamela Roberts, Norma Shulman, Alan Silver, Rochelle Sivan, John Stefanini, Parwez Wahid

Associate Members: Christopher Broyles, Bob Edwards

Guests: Jon Marker, David Henry, Drew O’Brien, Tom Sannicandro

Others: We unexpectedly ended up sharing the room in the Framingham Green with dozens of party goers celebrating a birthday. It was a bit crowded and noisy but we managed, and even joined in the “Happy Birthday” song.

Business

1.        Treasurer’s Report received from Nancy Coville-Wallace):

Dues:

Ÿ          Members owing dues for 2006-07: 3 unpaid members; 34 paid. Paid up members: E. Aviza, B. Berman, R. Black, R. Blum, R. Cotton, N. Coville Wallace, G. Desilets, P. Dunne, L. Fields, B. Haberman, E. Hopkins, D. Howland, S. Khan, R. Litter, C. Lorant,  T. Mahoney, K. McCarthy, S. Mercandetti, S. Micciche, T. Micciche, C. Monzon, V. Mulvey, B. Muto, P. Ottaviani, J. Rastani, C. Ross, N. Shulman, A. Silver, R. Sivan, J. Stefanini, C. Tully Stoll, P. Wahid

Ÿ          Members owing dues for 2007-08: 16 unpaid; 22 paid. Paid up Members: E. Avisa, N. Coville-Wallace, G. Desilets, E. Hopkins, D. Howland, B. Hugo, P. Ottaviani, S. Khan, L. Medrano, S. Mercandetti, M. Murphy, B. Muto, R. Litter, C. Lorant, K, McCarthy, S. Micciche, J. Rastini, P. Richardson, P. Roberts, N. Shulman, A. Silver, R. Sivan, C. Tully Stoll, P. Wah

Ÿ          Associate Members owing dues for 2006-07: 15 paidAssociate Members owing dues for 2007-08: 9 paid.  Paid up Associates: C. Boyles, R. Edwards,C. Farragher, J. Feingold, D. Harkness, K. Harkness, G. Heng,  F. Mirza, , Laura Wells, George Wells

2.        Minutes (Rochelle Sivan): Minutes from November 4 accepted.

3.        The upcoming February caucus was discussed, in which the Framingham Democrats would elect 15 men, 15 women, 1 either / or, and 3 alternates. Framingham’s number of convention attendees was reduced from last time because the number of registered Democrats in Framingham has gone down.

Announcements

1.        A new set of officers will be elected in the March breakfast meeting. The nominating committee: Norma Shulman, Tom Mahoney, Stephanie Mercandetti, Pam Richardson are polling the members to form an officers’ slate that will be voted on, together with nominations from the floor.

2.        On March 16^th there is a brunch meeting at 11:30AM and will feature presentations from Democratic candidates contesting in the 2008 town elections. The brunch committee: Laura Medrano, Sarah Michiche, Elsa Aviza, Pam Roberts, Dawn Harkness, Gerry Desilets, Tom Sannicandro.

3.        Bob Berman is running for Town Selectman, and would appreciate our help. Please contact Stephanie Mercandetti, his campaign manager.

4.        Parwez Wahid and Karen Spilka are running for the State Committee.

Program:

Drew O’Brien, the state director of John Kerry’s Massachusetts senate office was the guest speaker. He talked about Senator Kerry’s accomplishments in helping Iraq war veterans, helping would-be citizens navigate the horrendous INS bureaucracy, and attending the global warming conference in Bali. Drew stated that the Senator is taking the upcoming elections very seriously, and mentioned how important seniority is in the Senate, and the committees Senator Kerry is on, which include being the Chair of Small Business Committee and a member of Foreign Relations Committee, and Chair of the Near East South and Central Asian Affairs. Drew explained the Democrats’ dismal Congress record after the 2006 victory, by pointing to the very slim majority in the Senate.

Jon Marker, the Metrowest Coordinator for Barack Obama’s campaign, gave out contact information for potential volunteers.

State Rep. Karen Splika, and Framingham Coordinator Norma Shulman did the same for Hillary Clinton‘s campaign.

News From the Hill:

Karen Spilka and Tom Sannicandro spoke among other things about the limited budget and  the lower lottery revenues, which means hard choices have to be made; a new energy bill; a proposition to forbid cell phone use while driving.

Next Meeting – Brunch meeting at the Green, at 11:30 on  March 16.

Rochelle Sivan · (508) 333-5698 · shellyis@gmail.com