The next Democratic Town Committee meeting is
Sunday, November 17, at 7:00 PM at the Union House.
NOTE: If you are willing to send a letter to the MetroWest Daily News (supporting a candidate) for one of their Political Views pages, but are not sure what to write, we can help. Please contact Norma ([email protected] or 508-877-5377) right away. We can give you some “talking points” to help you put together a short letter (under 150 words).
Minutes – Democratic Town Committee – October 20, 2002
MEMBERS ATTENDING: Steve Blesovsky, Bill Haberman, Jerry Desilets, Esther Hopkins, Donna Howland, Barbara Magovsky, Rob Meltzer, Stephanie Mercandetti, Chris Ross, Marilyn Safian, Norma Shulman, Alan Silver, John Stefanini.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS ATTENDING: Mathew Helman, Caroline Ray, Karen Spilka, Nancy Coville Wallace, Shahid Khan
MINUTES (Norma Shulman): Accepted minutes of 9/22/02.
TREASURER’S REPORT (Bill Haberman): fill in new info
Cash on hand 9/22 $1,542.47
Deposits (dues) $290.00
Interest $6.99
Subtotal $1839.46
Expenses-CoordComm $300.00
Cash on hand 10/20 $1539.46
7 still owe dues for last year.
Report accepted.
Old Business:
Framingham Town Committee website report – Mat Helman – We have actually gotten inquiries from people who saw the website and may want to join. Mat suggested we consider offering a page to other Town Committees for a small fee. Will bring this information to the Alliance meeting. https://framinghamdems.org.
Coordinated campaign
Discussion about giving more money to the Coordinated Campaign for the election. A mailing perhaps? Suggested a locally targeted mailing – for example, endorsements, or issues important to Framingham such as education funding. Maybe have the mailing be a unity piece, emphasizing the other candidates now support O’Brien. Discussed whether it should be persuasion piece or get out the vote.
Bill Haberman moved that we appropriate $1000 toward a mailing to get Democrats to vote for O’Brien. To expend this money, a committee consisting of Stefanini, Spilka, Blumer, Desilets, to decide on the mailing. The motion passed.
For this mailing, we are looking for names to be listed as endorsers! Please reply to Norma ([email protected] or 508-877-5377) ASAP if you are willing to be listed on the mailing as a supporter of the Democratic ticket.
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3 weekly visibilities for the campaign – Saturday at Edgell/Rt 9 at 10-noon; Thursday at 5-6:30 pm at 126/Rt 30; and Thursday at 7-8:30 am at 135/126. Call Coordinated Campaign 508-872-4376 to sign up. Also visibility at the polls on election day. Phone bank help is especially needed, including all day for 3 days before the election.
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Karen Spilka is hosting a fundraiser for O’Brien/Gabrieli on 10/26. Directions to Karen’s home are available. Bring people along who are undecided so they can hear the candidates speak. The invitation is posted on our website.
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Jerry Desilets announced a fundraiser at the Sheraton noon-2 on Monday, 10/28 – all the Democratic members of the House of Representatives are participating. O’Brien and other candidates will be in attendance. Suggested donation is $100.
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Dues are due. ($15 for members; $10 for associate members.)
(2002 meetings – Nov. 17, Dec., no meeting 1/12, Feb – caucus, 3/9, 4/6, 5/18, no meeting in June.
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New Business:
Report from the MW Alliance – Lyn Safian – the emphasis from the Alliance was on raising funds for the Coordinated Campaign. Lyn was at the headquarters by herself today. Where were the rest of us? Please call to sign up for a shift on the phones.
Laurel Tanenholtz spoke on behalf of the Working Group to Reduce Military Spending.
They want to sponsor Congressman Markey coming to speak in Framingham. Have been in contact with his scheduling aide. Proposed Dec 6 or Jan 10 or 17. Framingham Town Hall public hearing room may be booked for one of these dates. Wants him to talk on military policy and war in Iraq. Would like DTC to co-sponsor. The LWV is interested in co-sponsoring. He is only available on Friday evenings – we raised a question of concern for those who cannot attend due to religious observance. It was suggested that they ask him for other dates. We will consider this at our next meeting.
Stephanie introduced the speaker:
Eugene Brune, Middlesex Register of Deeds
Eugene Brune has been register of deeds since 1989. Was Mayor of Somerville for 10 years before this position. Middlesex County is the largest in state and 8th largest in country. In 1989, he was shown the process of imaging, and he looked into leasing the imaging equipment. He then got calls for interviews and speaking because this was the first use of imaging in a registry of deeds. That year, they gave 130 tours, including numerous other countries wanted to see the system back then. They track registered and unregistered land documents. They sold land information online (All Aboard LandTrack) to fund the equipment, and now return money to the state from this service. In 1995 they had a $3 million plus budget; now their budget is $19,000 less. But they process 200,000 more documents with fewer employees. His current computer system is a 17-year-old Wang system. A bond has been passed for technology in MA to update the 5 oldest registry systems. Middlesex is 4th in line for an update. They hope to get started at the end of this year. The registers of deeds hope that someday the legislature will allow them to rely on the imaging instead of books, and that they can have small fees for documents to offset some costs. A comment was made from the audience that we need a southwest recording office for Middlesex county. He responded that he will continue to work toward opening a satellite office.