Framingham Democratic Town Committee

Minutes of September 17, 2006

Held at Framingham Green from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.

Attendance

Members: Debby Blumer, Nancy Coville Wallace, Gerry Desilets, Linda Fields, Bill Haberman, Donna Howland, Tom Mahoney, Joan Rastani, Norma Shulman, Rochelle Sivan, Cheryl Tully Stoll, Parwez Wahid

Associate Members: Elsa Aviza, Pam Roberts

Special Guest speaker: Michael Sullivan former mayor of Cambridge and candidate for Middlesex County Clerk of Magistrate.

Guests: Wes Ritchie, Edward Sullivan, Jenn Dever

Treasurer’s Report

One member owing dues for 2005 – 2006.

Sixteen members with paid dues for 2006 – 2007.:

Twenty-one members owing dues for 2006 – 2007.

Seven associate members for 2006 – 07.

Paid Members:

D. Blumer, N. Coville Wallace, G. Desilets, L. Fields, W. Haberman, D. Howland, R. Litter, C. Lorant, D. Magnani, T. Mahoney, M. Murphy, J. Rastani, N. Shulman, A. Silver, R. Sivan, C. Tully Stoll, P. Wahid

Business

1. Minutes for the June meeting were accepted
2. Bill Haberman presented the results of the biennial review of the DTC’s financial records performed by the Finance Audit Committee consisting of : Nancy Coville-Wallace, Bill Haberman, Donna Howland, Alan Silber: The audit found that the previous treasurer, Donna Howland had done an excellent job – everything was in order and there was an exact match to the bank account figures. The audit was accepted.
3. Norma Shulman gave a report of the information table she set up for the FDTC on Flag Day and during the Friday night Concerts on the Green. Four of the nights were rained out; a handful of people wrote their names on the sign-up sheet; and Tim Murray the candidate for Lieutenant Governor made an appearance one evening. Norma suggested creating a leaflet or brochure promoting the FDTC and obtaining a tent for future events.
4. The motion from the previous meeting to authorize a Victory 06 donation with a cap of $500, was rescinded in favor of a new motion: To donate 200$ to the Metrowest Alliance with the provision that the FDTC officers can raise the amount up to 500$ without a new vote taking place. The new motion was accepted.

Program

Norma Shulman spoke for Mike Firestone from the Victory 06 program, who couldn’t attend in person. Norma described the new office on route 9 east, 280 Worcestor Rd., with 5 phone lines for phone banking and the canvassing and festive opening scheduled to take place on September 30, and the debate-watching party taking place at Senator‘s Karen Spilka’s house on September 25th.

Special Guest Speaker:

Michael Sullivan urged everyone to remember go to the bottom of the ballot where his position was listed and to vote for him. He described the duties of the clerk: scheduling the important trials and presenting a human face at the courthouse. Then Michael introduced his uncle, Edward Sullivan, who has served as Middlesex County Clerk for 48 years(!), and who was the first elected Democrat for the job. Michael Sullivan also spoke about the importance of Victory 06 and electing a Democratic Governor responsive to the needs of the towns and cities. He brought up a story of Governor Romney presenting the budget to the mayors and town managers and the press with much fanfare when Sullivan was the mayor of Cambridge. Michael Sullivan had checked the budget figures and saw that they didn’t add up. He told this to Romney, who simply arranged his hair and walked out without answering him. Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey wordlessly followed Romney out of the room. In the end, a much lower level official responded that they knew the budget was wrong but that corrections would be forthcoming shortly. And that was the Romney / Healey administration in a nutshell – all style, no substance.