Members: Lori Bornstein, Christopher Craig Broyles, Tracey Bryant, Jeanne Bullock, Stephanie Deeley, Barbara Fontes, Kurt Fusaris, Audrey Hall, Jim Hansen, Brooke Harvey, Rosamond Hooper-Hamersley, Tilia Klebenov Jacobs, Heather Klish, William LaBarge, Doug Lawrence, Barbara LeDuc, Chris Lorant, Jack Patrick Lewis, Katie Murphy, Thom Mahoney, Kathie McCarthy, Isabella Petroni, Brandale Randolph, Cindy Rubin, Margareth Shepard, Priscila Sousa, Yvonne Spicer, Adam Steiner, Cesar Stewart-Morales, Larry Stoodt, Cynthia Villanueva, Brandon Ward, Mel Warshaw, Lesley White Harvey, Joel Winett
Lifetime Members: Jerry Desilets, Patrick Dunne, Linda Fields, Shahid Khan, Bettie Muto, Phil Ottaviani, Norma Shulman, John Stefanini, Cheryl Tully-Stoll, Parwez Wahid
Associate Members: David Gordon, Samantha McGarry, Grace Snedden, Ricardo Robles, Meghan Todd
Guests: Carlton Phleps, David Reservitz, Muriel Kramer, MK Feeney & Guest, Kim Comatas, Trent Fortner
1:05 – 1:12 Preliminary announcements – Cesar Stewart-Morales, Co-Chair
Cesar: Thanks to Jack & Norma for all the hard work on Group 1.
Norma: Additional thanks to Heather, Adam, & Nancy Stoodt for graphics.
Cesar: Thank you to all that stepped up as we filled in as chairs. We’ve seen lots of new energy and folks that care about democratic issues have come forward. We’ve come together stronger. For today’s Re-Org meeting, only newly elected members and lifetime can vote.
Welcome to Parwez Wahid & Shahid Khan as new lifetime members. Tom Mahoney reaches Lifetime in September.
1:13 – 1:14 Welcome and reading of FDC Mission Statement – Rozzy Hooper-Hamersley, Co-Chair
1:10 – 1:15 Treasurer’s Report – Larry Stoodt
Larry: We start with $4020.88 and had income of $0.30. After expenses, there remains $2693.03 in the bank.
Motion to accept the report Kathy, 2nd Lesley, passed unanimously.
1:15 – 1:19 Acceptance of Past Minutes – Doug Lawrence/Lori Bornstein – Mar 2, 2024
Correction: Joel is a member (not associate)
Motion to accept Kathy, Larry 2nd, passed with 1 abstention.
1:20 – 1:30 Election of New Officers: Rozzy Hooper-Hamersley & Cesar Stewart-Morales
The Nominating Committee, Mel (chair), Jim, Thom, and Norma nominated:
Chair: Douglas Lawarence
Vice Chair: Rosamond Hooper-Hamersley
Treasurer: Larry Stoodt
Secretary: Lori Bornstein
Affirmative Action and Outreach Advisor: Cynthia Villanueva
Mel: The task was easy with so many good folks to choose from. We have a deep bench and can expect a great two years.
Motion to Close nominations Larry, Lesley 2nd, passed with 1 abstention.
There were no additional candidates from the floor.
The slate was unanimously elected.
1:31-1:34 Membership Dues – Parwez Wahid
Parwez: Recommend increasing the dues to $25/$20 for next year.
Larry: The treasurer can waive fees due to financial need.
Note: Current Dues are $20 Member /$15 Associate. You can pay by Act Blue or cash but check is preferred, to save the $0.79 Act Blue admin fee (to offset the cost of ActBlue, please increase your donation to $21.00) Donations gratefully accepted. Please mail your 2024 dues to Larry Stoodt at 615 Belknap Road, Framingham, MA 01701.
1:34 -1:51 Guests
Carlton Phelps Ashland resident running for state rep.
David Reservitz is an Attorney and running for Governors Council.
Muriel Kramer is a Licensed Clinical Social worker and running for Governors Council.
1:52 Update MetroWest Blue & Beyond: Dave Magnani on Democrats taking action nationally
Norma: Dave is under the weather. Please watch for emails- PA is next.
1:53-1:54 Discuss Proposed New Member Introduction Materials – Parwez Wahid
Parwez: There is a PowerPoint for new members and a zoom meeting will be announced at a later date.
1:55-2:21 Reports from City Council, School Committee
Tracey: Monday Rules Subcommittee will have a discussion on charter review. The Public Health, Safety, and Transportation subcommittee will meet on Monday the 29th at 6pm. There will be a celebration for the unionization of MW Medical Center.
Lesley: look for board openings and please consider applying. Please listen in and participate in meetings.
Brandon: Capital Projects sub-Committee met for the 1st time this week. Regarding questions about cuts to the capital budget-The Finance subcommittee is in charge, and there will be no input into this years budget.
MK: There’s a Capital Improvement committee (SIFOC)
Audrey: offered report that has Land-owned, building-owned data from town meeting.
Cathy: 4/27/24 Saturday at 10am-2pm Drug Takeback drive-thru between police station & City Hall
Jeanne: Police have a dropbox as well, don’t include your labels to protect privacy.
Adam: The City Council is working on stopping non-residents from air their antisemitic rants, but it has happened again. This time they were blocked by asking for name/address. There’s been FOIA for name/address, so we may yet see more attempts.
Adam: The 3 items recommended by the Environmental subcommittee (solar for the new roof on the Farley building, vehicle EV planning, and climate resiliency study were all cut by the Mayor. The City Council has no ability to add items once the budget is submitted, only the ability to cut. The Farley project has a 4.5 yr payback and then adds cost savings to the bottom line and seems like both a financial and environmental win.
William Labarge: Working on two school budgets (short $1M, getting $1M) folks-please set a better example.
2:21 Reports from our Legislative Delegation
None.
2:21 Reports from State Dem Committee: Norma Shulman, Parwez Wahid, Kathie McCarthy
Parwez & Kathy were re-elected for national convention. Chris didn’t make it.
Norma: 4/27/2024 Saturday at 12:00pm District Caucus for national convention at Winchester HS. She is supporting a slate of 8 and offered to carpool. There is still a need for signature collection, please volunteer.
2:29-3:15 Sub – Committee Reports
Civics Education – Acting Ch. R. Hooper-Hamersley
Rozzy: The constitutions have been delivered. The committee needs a new chair…please volunteer.
Legislative Subcommittee – Audrey Hall
Audrey: At the 3/18 meeting, Katie Murphy discussed pending legislation on workplace safety and discussed the impact of unionization at MW Medical Center, and Larry discussed environmental legislation. There is a need for a new process to act quickly when we want to advocate for a bill. Expanding our focus from state legislation to local matters (the sewer issue).
Cesar: Providing a draft letter with the request to publish our support would expedite the process as it’s been challenging to put written material out.
Adam Steiner: The local water sewer discount rate issue has garnered a lot of attention, but few answers have been forthcoming. Dating back close to 20 years, some multifamily units have been getting a rate cut, effectively shifting the cost to others. It is not clear who made the manual changes or whether they have been corrected. It is also not clear, as information has not been forthcoming, who has and who has not benefited from these manual adjustments. Please see the Power Point Presentation.
Environmental – Larry Stoodt
Larry: We held a Comprehensive meeting on 4/4. Earth day will be celebrated on 4/23, and Isabella is the director.
Adam: All three of environmental expenditures were cut as Capital budget was reduced from $75M to $25M. Farley’s solar has a 4.5 year payback, and cutting the $75K for the EV study will mean no plan in 2026 and no change until 2027.
Larry: Please Sign petition to the Mayor to add back environmental priorities. Link to signable petition: https://form.jotform.com/240865661787168
Motion to send a letter (drafted by exec committee) to the mayor and city council to support adding back the 3 environmental items to the capital budget by Mel, Lori 2nd, passed with 2 abstentions.
Pat Dunne: see mayor Tuesday at senior center.
Rozzy will send a reminder for petition.
Larry: Better and more cost efficient if we purchase solar panels ourselves.
Communications – Jim Hansen
Norma: When responding to emails to individual posters in the FDC, please send replies back to the person/not the list.
Programming – Rozzy Hooper-Hamersley
Rozzy: Nothing due to new election of new FDC. We need to plan for more action.
ByLaws – Mel Warshaw
An FDC Public Communications Policy was instituted.
Motion to include this policy in the bylaw, Mel, Phil 2nd, passed unanimously.
Membership – Call for nominations for Associate Members
Audrey nominated Kim Comatas, Kathy 2nd.
Audrey: Kim Comatas is a Former associate member coming back, 25 years as a homeowner in Framingham, Substitute teacher for McAuliffe Charter school and sex ed teacher, Townwide PTO President for 5 years, Tech support for Harvard business school, on the Board of AFTV, worked on Crisis Text line to bring it into the schools and with Jack Lewis to bring it to the state level Member, co-founder Coalition for Bodily Autonomy, Former Town Meeting member of Ways and Means committee with strong democratic values.
Phil nominated MK Feeney, Larry 2nd.
Phil: MK publishes the Hammer which is one of the only source of news left.
Mel nominated Dave Magnani, Larry 2nd.
3:15 – 3:30 Announcements – from members, future events
Larry: 4/10/24 Tuesday at 7pm Sustainability Committee Meeting on opt-in special building code
Kurt: 5/10-12/24 various times FHS presents Sponge Bob Musical, featuring Jack Patrick Lewis, Kurt and faculty members
Parwez: We have a contested state rep race. We should discuss holding a forum.
3:30 Adjourn
Motion to Adjourn William, Kathy 2nd, passed unanimously.
Special Note: If you or a loved one are experiencing any issues that we can help with please contact the Co-Chairs or any Officer and we will do all we can to get services or meet any needs that we can for that person. Our members might be able to help you find the help you need, and nobody should be facing challenges alone!
Future Events
4/8/24 Monday at 6pm City Council Rules, Ordinances and Ethics Subcommittee– discussion on charter review
4/9/24 Tuesday at 2pm (register by 4/8) Meet the Mayor at Callahan Senior Center (opportunity to discuss cuts to capital budget, effecting the environment)
4/10/24 Tuesday at 7pm Sustainability Committee Meeting on opt-in special building code
4/20/24 Saturday at 11-3pm Earth Day Event at Framingham Center Common
4/27/24 Saturday at 10am-2pm Drug Takeback drive-thru between police station & City Hall
4/27/2024 Saturday at 12:00pm District Caucus for national convention at Winchester HS
5/10-12/24 various times FHS presents Sponge Bob Musical, featuring Jack Patrick Lewis, Kurt and faculty members