Framingham Democratic Town Committee
Framingham Green 136 Maynard Road, Framingham, MA 01701
Meeting Minutes – Sunday, March 19, 2017 at 10:00 AM
Our annual Breakfast Social, was held from 10 to 10:30 AM. Thanks to everyone who cooked & contributed the great food, and especially to Jeanne Bullock for all her hard work and organizational skills!
Call to Order: Chair Beverly Hugo called the meeting to order at 10:30 AM.
- Candidates’ forum:
Ray Marchand, candidate for Town Moderator; statement from Cheryl Tully Stoll, candidate for Selectman, read by Stephanie Mercandetti; Deb Butler, candidate for Selectman; Gwendolyn Holbrow, candidate Selectman; School Committee candidates Michelle Brosnahan (a statement was read by her husband); Jim Stockless, Don Taggart, and Cheryl Gordon. Mike Rossi, candidate for Keefe School Committee; Setti Warren, possible candidate for Governor.
- From the Hill:
Rep. Jack Lewis announced his new committee assignments: the Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities; the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture; the Joint Committee on Public Health; the Joint Committee on Public Service. Jack can be reached at [email protected].
Rep. Chris Walsh announced his new committee assignments as well: Vice Chair Education, Joint Committee on Education; Joint Committee on Financial Services; Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies; Joint Committee on Public Service. Chris can be reached at [email protected].
- Attendance: Members:Chris Broyles, Jeanne Bullock, Carmen Chico, Jack Duffy, Maureen Dunne, Patrick Dunne, Linda Fields, Beverly Hugo, Michael Hugo, Barbara LeDuc, Jack Lewis, Kathie McCarthy, Stephanie Mercandetti, Ilma Paixao, Cindy Rubin, Margareth Shepard, Norma Shulman, Jim Stockless, Parwez Wahid, Rep. Chris Walsh, Mel Warshaw.Lifetime Members: none. Associate Members: Barbara Fontes, Robert Case, Gwendolyn Holbrow, Rosamond Hooper-Hamersley, Ohad Klopman, Bridget McManus, Larry Stoodt, Lissa Story. Guests: Deborah Butler, Celi Esquivel, Kurt Fusaris, Susan Gordon, Lloyd Kaye, Mia Lin, Colleen Lynch, Nancy Marchand, Ray Marchand, Amanda Northrup, Melvin Poindexter, Tina Poindexter, Mike Rossi, Charlie Sisitsky, Donald Taggart III, Diane Thomas, Kristi Thompson, Nadia Ullman, Scott Wadland.
- January 8, 2017 Minutes:Secretary Barbara LeDuc
Jack Duffy made a motion to insert language accurately describing the 1-8-2017 discussion on the Bylaw concerning endorsing candidates (Article 1). Jack read the suggested corrected wording to the members. After inserting the correction, the minutes were approved with 3 abstentions.
- Treasurer’s Report:Treasurer Margareth Shepard Approved unanimously
A total income of $365.61 and expenses of $141.99 increased the 12-31-2016 balance of $2414.71 to $2,638.33.
- Vote on the Bylaws:
– There had been previous discussion regarding whether the FDTC needed another 30 day period to approve Article 1 of the Bylaws. However, various legal sources indicated that a friendly amendment could be passed immediately (as it had been in January) if that amendment did not substantially change the meaning of the original Article. The majority of the FDTC members did not feel the meaning was changed substantially.
– Jack Duffy made a motion (Kathy McCarthy seconded) to reconsider the January 8 vote approving Article 1 with the friendly amendment included. The vote was 8-9-2; the vote to reconsider failed. (Needed a 2/3 vote)
– Mike Hugo then made a motion (Carmen seconded) to accept the revised Bylaws in their entirety. (Mike noted that the revised Bylaws would still need approval from the State Democratic Party chairman.) The vote to approve in the entirety was 11-5-0. Chair Beverly Hugo offered the FDTC’s thanks to the Bylaws Subcommittee which had worked so diligently on the Bylaws revisions for the last 18 months.
- Bev requested three nominations from the floor for the office of Framingham Registrar of Voters. The names will be submitted to the Framingham Board of Selectman, Cheryl Tully Stoll, Chair. The nominees were: Linda Fields (incumbent) (nominated by N. Shulman, 2nd M. Hugo); Parwez Wahid (nominated by N. Shulman, 2nd J. Stockless); Norma Shulman (nominated by M. Hugo, 2nd C. Rubin)
- Announcements:
– Bev announced there were signup sheets in the rear for members to indicate their preferences for subcommittee assignments: Programming Subcommittee, Legislative Subcommittee, Civics Education Subcommittee, and Communication Subcommittee.
– Bev announced some sad news. Leonard Desilets, brother of former FDTC chair Jerry Desilets, passed away recently after a long illness.
– Thanks to the FDTC members who contributed to today’s charity, the Arc of Massachusetts, in memory of Susie Spilka, sister of Sen. Karen Spilka.
All business being concluded, the meeting was adjourned at 11:58 AM.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara LeDuc, Secretary