League of Women Voters NON-PROFIT ORG. League of Women Voters
P.O. Box 434 Oneonta, NY 13820 US Postage of the Oneonta Area ~ Bulletin
P.O. Box 434 Oneonta, NY 13820 ~ (607) 436-4050 ~ www.lwvoneonta.org
Return Service Requested PAID
April 2008
PERMIT #422
CONTENTS Mission Statement
Oneonta, NY 13820 Reserve This Date
The League of Women Voters is a Tuesday, May 27th
Email Update from LWV-Oneonta.....1 League of Women Voters Annual Dinner
Nominating Committee Report - April ‘08....1 nonpartisan political organization whose
purpose is to encourage the informed At Oneonta Country Club
LWV Annual Dinner........................................1
and active participation of citizens in Country Club Road, Oneonta
Co-President’s Message ....................1-2
government. The LWV does not support Social Hour - 6 PM
City Charter Study............................... 3
or oppose candidate or political parties, Buffet Dinner - 6:30 PM
All Members and Prosective Members..3
LWV Oneonta Budget ‘07-’08.......... 4-5 but does support or oppose issues after
study and member agreement. Guest Speakers
Annual Dinner Reservation &
Sheila M. Ross, Republican - Deputy Commissioner, Otsego
Membership Renewal..........................4
Anne F. Holtzmann Building Email update from LWV-Oneonta Cindy A. Jarvis, Democrat - Deputy Commissioner, Otsego
Rededication........................................5
Are you receiving periodic email updates Topic: What’s New In Voting Machines for Otsego County?
from LWV-Oneonta? If you’re not and
would like to, please send a message to Reservation Deadline, May 23!
lwvoneonta@gmail.com, so that you can Dinner: $22 (tax and gratuity included)
be added to our distribution list. Messages
are typically sent only once or twice per Checks payable to: LWV of Oneonta
month, and you can be removed from the **Please mail check & form to: Ruth Tarter
list at any time that you request. Please 51 Spruce St.,
note that this is a NEW email address for Oneonta, NY 13820
LWV-Oneonta, so you should add it to your
Diversity Policy LWV Officers address book if you use a spam filter. **Dinner Reservation & Membership Renewal Form
The League of Women Voters of the Co-President on separate sheet in this bulletin.
Nominating Committee Report – April ‘08
Oneonta Area, in both its values and Cathy LaFontaine....431-1125 Co-Presidents’ Message
Co-President Officers for 2008-2010
practices, is committed to diversity and
Maggie Winne........432-6206 Secretary - Alice Collins
pluralism. There shall be no barriers to Treasurer - Sandee Fleisher The sun has been shining more often, spring flowers are in
Vice-President
participation in the League. The League bloom and our League has been busy!
Karen Geasey..........432-8158 Directors 2008 – 2010
of Women Voters of the Oneonta Area Secretary Diane Slocum On Saturday, April 12, 2008 members of the local chapter of
recognizes that diverse perspectives are Alice Collins Cherilyn Lacy
important and necessary for responsible Treasurer AAUW (American Association of University Women) and
Sandee Fleisher…..432-3783 Officers continuing until 2009 the LWV of the Oneonta Area gathered, along with invited
and representative decision-making.
Co-Presidents Cathy LaFontaine and guests, for brunch at Oneonta’s Clarion Hotel. This year the
Maggie Winne LWV sponsored the event. The guest speaker was Dr. Lisa
Vice President Karen Geasey Curch, Assistant Professor, Sociology Dept., SUNY College
New Members Always Welcome - contact Maggie Winne, Local Membership Director continuing until 2009 at Oneonta. The topic of Dr. Curch’s presentation was “Aging
Director at 607.432.6206 or leave a phone message at 607.436.4050 and someone Ruth Tarter Program Coordinator in America & Everyday Life in the 21st Century”. The talk
will get back to you. addressed attitudes towards aging in the United States and
Nominating committee for 2009
Susan Hughson - Chair the implications of such notions for everyday life, as we grow
Paul Scheele older. The group enjoyed an especially tasteful array of brunch
Laurel Elder food items in the pleasant ambiance of the Clarion Hotel,
8 1
City Charter Study
Our committee has met three times and we’ve organized some “action items.” A very important part of
gathering information will be to get feedback from observers who attend various types of meetings that take
place in our City government. We would like to invite all our members to attend a meeting of the Common
Council, or one of the many Commissions, Committees or Boards. Many of our members have never watched
the process of any of the city meetings and it is a great learning experience. Since this is the Centennial
Celebration Year for Oneonta, it seems an appropriate time to see firsthand how the government operates.
Oneonta could not form as a City until it established a Charter. The committee thought that a “buddy system” of
attending a meeting might be more interesting as well. If friends or neighbors League members and non-League
members, paired up to attend a meeting together, it’s a more comfortable experience and there is someone with
whom to share your thoughts. This kind of participation can be a one-time activity or if a particular interest is
sparked, it can be on-going.
Our committee has also started to research the way other small city governments are structured in regard to the
duties and responsibilities of the mayor, council and other elected officials. We will also be asking for input
from other local Leagues throughout the state. This could include activities from the past or any current activity
a League may be involved in with their own city’s charter.
We need as many League members as possible to help us get information for this study. We ask any interested
residents who are not League members, including students at all levels, to participate in their role as citizens
to enhance their experience in our City Centennial year. There is some additional information we would like to
give people before they attend meetings as part of our study. Our committee would ask that anyone interested in
helping us out even once with this activity contact Karen Geasey, 432-8158, kgeasey@hotmail.com.
Karen Geasey
City Charter Study Committee
ALL MEMBERS AND PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS
It’s that time of the year again when our dues need to be paid. The fiscal year starts
June 1 so I’m asking that you please send in your dues with your dinner reservations.
(Please see separate dinner reservation/renewal form in this bulletin.) If you
are unable to attend the dinner this year, we still need you to send in your membership
dues for 2008-2009 by June 1st. This is a change that was decided last year.
Previously members were reminded to send in dues by July 1st.
The dues remain the same this year - $45 for an individual and $22.50 for another
member of the same household. We welcome both men and women as members. We
also would like to encourage new members to join the League of Women Voters of the
Oneonta Area. If you or someone you know has questions about membership in the
League, please call me, Maggie Winne at 432-6206.
If you wish to contribute to the League’s Education Fund, which is a tax deductible
donation, please make out the check to “LWV Education Fund” as it goes into a
separate account for the use of publishing educational materials.
Maggie Winne, Membership Chair
6 3
4 5
Co-Presidents’ Message - continued
conversation was plentiful and we are looking forward to next year’s event.
The League’s Nominating Committee has submitted its final report to the Board. The board thanks
the committee members, Annette Lindell, Laurel Elder, Ruth Tarter, Maggie Winne and Chair, Paul
Scheele, for the time and effort they have put into the task. Keep in mind it is at the League’s annual
meeting that we elect the officers to the Board and appoint directors for the new fiscal year. A copy of
the Nominating Committee’s report is included in this bulletin.
Our League had its monthly Board meeting on Monday, April 14th. One of the items on the agenda
for our April meeting was to review the budget for the 2007-2008 year and plan for the 2008-2009
budgeted items. The final budget will be presented to the membership at our annual dinner. A copy
of the budget is also included in this bulletin. This year the League’s Annual Dinner will take place
on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at the Oneonta Country Club. We look forward to seeing many of you at
this year’s dinner. It is also time for membership renewals! You will find the dinner reservation and
membership renewal form on a separate sheet included in this bulletin.
This year LWVUS will host its 48th National Convention “Reaching New Heights Together” which will
take place in Portland, Oregon, June 13-17, 2008. It is our League’s intention to send representation to
this important event. Leagues around the country were invited to submit entries for the “Stand Up and
Be Counted!” award. The LWV of the Oneonta Area has submitted an entry for the “Voter Education
Award”. This award is given for programs that enhance voter participation such as voter hotlines,
voters’ guides, and candidate forums. Stay tuned--- updates will be announced post convention time!
On the state level, there are several things we feel are worthy of bringing to your attention. All League
members should be receiving the “New York State Voter” newsletter on a regular basis. It is paid
I HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE REDEDICATION!!!!
for with your membership dues. In the Spring 2008 edition, we found interesting the article on page
3 by Marcia Merrins, Vice President Membership, LWVNY. It is entitled, “Be Passionate in Your We cordially invite you to a ceremony of rededication
Relationship---With the League”. Jumping to another topic that has been in the news for some time
now has to do with Leagues in NYS and New Yorkers for Verified Voting. The article “Victory 4:00 p.m. - Thursday, May 15, 2008
at Last? Go Ask Alice” appears on the front page of the NYS Voter. The LWV of Oneonta will be League of Women Voters
presenting additional updates on voting machines in Otsego County at this year’s Annual Meeting. 62 Grand Street
Check out the guest speakers for the meeting on the front page of this bulletin. Hope you can make it! Albany, N.Y. 12207
As we move closer to the end of the League’s fiscal year it is our hope that many of our members will We will dedicate our new building as the Anne F. Holtzmann Building and unveil
consider what lies ahead of in the new year. We are a “Grassroots Organization” and this is a time our Room of Honor in recognition of our many generous
for us to join together in support of our local grassroots events and activities. The 2008-2009 year donors and volunteers
promises to be filled with League sponsored events and activities. A national election will take place
R.S.V.P. 518-465-4162 by May 9, 2008
in November, forums and debates are expected to also take place and our League has begun the City of lwvny@lwvny.org
Oneonta Charter Study, to name a few. We will be successful as long as we share the participation and
have the support of our local League members. Thank you. The question always at hand when coming to Albany is: where do we park??? There is an OGS
(Office of General Services) Visitors Parking Lot on Grand Street, that costs $5. This parking lot is a
Cathy LaFontaine Maggie Winne hop, skip and jump from the office. When I spoke to the parking attendants this morning, they said
Co-President Co-President that there should be enough parking spaces available for us to use at that time of day. But, in case
LWV of the Oneonta Area LWV of the Oneonta Area that lot is filled, there is quite a bit of both meter and non-meter parking on Grand Street and the
2 surrounding streets. 7