Notes from the Chair, February, 2011

Thank you so much for your support! I’m ready for the next two years, and as always, we need your help.

I am making the following appointments to our committees:

Program Committee: Gerry Pollet
Legislative Action Committee: Sarajane Siegfriedt
Membership Committee: Antonia Gonzalez
Finance Committee: Sabrina Hill
Cole Committee: Jan Ames
Platform/Resolutions: Dean Fournier
Outreach Committee: J Peter Shapiro
Elections Committee: Gabe Meyer

I’m writing this immediately following a meeting of our Finance Committee, where Kathryn Lewis and Stan Moffett shared all of the fantastic work that they have done with Sabrina Hill and Marcia Bennison. Just like two years ago, the transition is happening slowly but safely. We take our responsibility seriously, and we will have a proposed budget ready for review at our Executive Board meeting and at our General Meeting.

The Cole Committee met after the General Meeting to start going through the ideas gathered from all of the political leaders that we have met with over the past year. I have put a link to the Cole Fund on our home page, and we’re still looking for new ideas.

The Bylaws Review is underway, headed by Dean Fournier. If you have questions or concerns about how our organization operates, please contact him with questions and to present new ideas. We want our bylaws to reflect how we do business, while holding the Eboard accountable to our goals as an organization. We will present our proposed changes at the March meetings.

“If you want to get something done, ask a busy person.”

I heard this refrain several times on Saturday, January 29th at the Reorganization meeting of the Washington State Democrats. They were looking at me.

On Saturday I was elected as “Chair of Chairs”, meaning the Washington State Democratic Chairs Organization (WSDCO). This is a state-level coordinating body of chairs and vice-chairs from the counties, LD’s, and thanks to an amendment to the bylaws that we passed on the same day, the caucuses as well. It will help us coordinate efforts in outreach, organizational development and training all around the state in support of our Democratic Platform and candidates.

Our February meeting will be a Legislative Session update, and all three of our elected officials from Olympia will be there to hear our views on what the state is facing and to give us their take on the best solutions. See you there!

Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats

Read our February Demogram here: http://46dems.com/demogram/demogram201102.pdf