| Framingham Democratic Town Committee
Framingham Green, 136 Maynard Road, Framingham, MA 01701 MINUTES — Sunday April 12, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. |
| Call to Order: Chairman Jerry Desilets called the meeting to order at 7:05pm.
1. Attendance: Members: Elsa Aviza, Jeanne Bullock, Carmen Chico, Jerry Desilets, Jack Duffy, Patrick Dunne, Linda Fields, Beverly Hugo, Michael Hugo, Barbara LeDuc, Jack Lewis, Christopher Lorant, Kathie McCarthy, Stephanie Mercandetti, Joan Rastani, Norma Shulman, Cheryl Tully Stoll, Parwez Wahid, Mel Warshaw. Lifetime Members:none. Associate Members: Chris Broyles. Guests: Robert Jubinville, Mort Shuman, Jim Stockless, Sheri Thomas. 2. 3/8/2015 Minutes: Secretary Barbara LeDuc Approved unanimously 3. Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Mel Warshaw Approved unanimously A total income of $122.23, with no expenses, increased the 3-8-15 balance of $2,555.25 to $2,677.48. Mel noted that some receipts from the Annual Breakfast have not yet been reimbursed, and would appear next month. Annual dues (2015-16) are payable tonight. ($20 for members and $15 for Associate Members.) 4. Caucus planning: Norma Shulman outlined plans for our Framingham Democratic Caucus on Sunday, May 17, at the Framingham Green. Doors will open at 6PM for registration, and elections of delegates to the state convention will begin at 7 PM. The Massachusetts Democratic Convention will be held September 19 at the Mass. Mutual Center in Springfield. Framingham needs to elect 34 delegates and 6 alternates; we will need to recruit people. We will be focusing on the Presidential Primary. Candidates must have been registered as Democrats by the Jan. 31, 2015 deadline in order to be nominated. Members indicating an interest in being delegates were: Barbara LeDuc, Bev Hugo, Mel Warshaw, Stephanie Mercandetti, Chris Lorant, Jack Duffy, Carmen Chico, Elsa Aviza, Mike Hugo, Linda Fields, Chris Broyles, Jeanne Bullock, Joan Rastani, Jack Lewis, and Jim Stockless. Jerry Desilets will be the 34th delegate. Volunteers for the Caucus Subcommittee were Parwez Wahid, Stephanie Mercandetti, and Linda Fields. Any other members interested should contact Norma Shulman. 5. Election of a new FDTC member: Jim Stockless was nominated and the nomination seconded. Jim was elected by a unanimous vote. 6. Councillor Bob Jubinville presented his report on the Governor’s Council. This is the first time in history that such a report has been prepared and distributed publically. The General Assembly meets weekly; also there have been 88 formal Hearings. (CouncillorJubinville has a 100% attendance record.) Furthermore, this is the first year that hearings have been held outside of the statehouse, specifically in Pittsfield, Greenfield, and Springfield. While these meetings are unofficial, they are designed to gain a sense of the opinions of the electorate. It is hoped there will be such a meeting in MetroWest next year. Councilor Jubinville brought copies of the written report for distribution to FDTC members and the general public. Please contact the Secretary if you would like a copy. Mel Warshaw commended the Councilor for his efforts to publicize the serious problems that result from minimum mandatory sentencing laws and judges considering drug addicts as criminals belonging in jail. 7. Reports of the Subcommittees: By-laws: Mike Hugo noted that the revisions to the By-laws would be reported next month. A member noted that the revisions should reaffirm the concept that town elections are non-partisan. Legislative: 1) Mel Warshaw noted that Rep. Jay Kaufman had responded earlier to an invitation to speak to the FDTC. A time will be scheduled. 2) On behalf of the subcommittee, Barbara LeDuc offered a motion to the FDTC to support a Resolution to request that the legislature increase the starting salaries and make tuition loan repayments for Assistant District Attorneys in Massachusetts. Currently, new ADAs have a starting salary of $37,500 year, one of the lowest salaries in the U.S., and their tuition loan indebtedness is between $140,000 and $160,000. After being seconded, the motion passed unanimously. 3) The subcommittee is continuing to explore a mechanism to have voter registration and driver’s license renewal occur simultaneously, as it does in the state of Oregon, where a person must opt out of registration instead of opting in. 4) On behalf of the subcommittee, Mel Warshaw proposed a motion to support a bill filed by Rep. Walsh and others which would repeal several unconstitutional and/or unenforceable laws, namely M.G.L. Ch. 272, Sec. 36 (Blasphemy – Misdemeanor), M.G.L. Ch. 71, Sec. 31 (Requiring bible reading in the public schools), M.G.L. Ch. 272 Sec. 14 (Crime of Adultery – Felony), M.G.L. Ch. 272, Sec. 18 (Fornication – Misdemeanor), M.G.L. Ch. 272, Ch. 26 (Immorality in Restaurants and Taverns – Misdemeanor), M.G.L. Ch.272, Sec. 29 (Disseminating Obscenity – Felony), M.G.L. Ch. 272, Sec.34 (Committing abominable and detestable crime against nature – Felony), M.G.L. Ch. 272, Sec. 35 (Committing unnatural and lascivious acts – Felony The motion passed with no votes opposed and one abstention. Mel indicated that the subcommittee would follow-up on these issues with press releases and other appropriate action. Programming: There were several suggestions for Program topics for the June 14 meeting (carbon charge, Trans-Pacific Partnership, Rep. J. Kaufman). Our Annual Barbecue will be held in August, and the State Convention in September. Civics Education: Jack Duffy will convene the committee. 8. Report from the MNW Alliance: The 3 voting members to the Alliance are Bev Hugo, Norma Shulman, and Tom Mahoney. Anyone interested in being considered for an alternate position should contact Jerry. Rep John Fernandes, House Chair of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, presented on the process of hearing hundreds of bills that come before them each session. There was a lengthy discussion about the PAC money coming into MA to target 20 House Reps in the past election. This flood of PAC money continues. We need get donations to the MDP to counter some of this. David Rosenberg, a member of the Alliance, talked about the “We the People Act”, H3127. The official text of the bill is at https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H3127. http://www.wethepeoplemass.org has more information. The Alliance will consider a motion to endorse this bill at the May 4 meeting. 9. Announcements: · The Middlesex & Worcester Democratic Coalition Annual Brunch will be held on April 26. Tickets are $25; please notify Parwez if you are interested in attending. · Voter Registration, part of the “1965 Project” was held on Saturday April 11 at the main library and was very successful; a number of new citizens registered to vote or were given mail-in forms. · The “Library Brick” project is complete. After donating the first brick, there were sufficient funds to purchase a second brick “In memory of MARY E MURPHY”. 10. Charitable donations: Tonight’s charity donations were for the Pearl Street Cupboard. The charities for the May caucus will be the Pathways and Pearl Street shelters. Our caucus is on May 17; the next FDTC business meeting will be on June 14, 2015. The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 PM. Respectfully submitted by Barbara LeDuc, Secretary
RESOLUTION Legislative Subcommittee, Framingham Democratic Town Committee WHEREAS, Assistant District Attorneys (ADAs) in Massachusetts have a minimum of a four-year undergraduate degree and a three-year JD degree followed by the completion of an intensive Bar Review course leading to successfully passing the Massachusetts Bar Exam; WHEREAS, the average ADA in Middlesex County carries the burden of unpaid college loans in the amount of $160,000; WHEREAS, the starting salary for ADAs in Massachusetts is a mere $37,500; WHEREAS, the unconscionably low salary opportunities for ADAs are evidenced by a high turnover rate and an overall degree of inexperience that contributes to a degradation of the criminal justice system. WHEREAS, higher salaries and incentives are necessary to recruit and retain talented ADAs; WHEREAS, many states have had the foresight to pay higher salaries and institute Loan Forgiveness Programs for ADAs; THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Massachusetts Legislature pass legislation that would provide livable wages for ADAs and establish a Student Loan Repayment Program for eligible ADAs. higher salaries and incentives are necessary to recruit and retain talented ADAs; |