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A Voice for Citizens, a Force for Change
e-bulletin
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Message from the Steering Committee |
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A Message From This Month's Chair,
Elayne Berger
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This year, I would like to report on the current status of the Book Sale, as well as my efforts for the League with the Zero Waste Amherst committee. First, our cherished Book Sale.
Every year, the first order of business is to make a reservation for the space we plan to use. This is usually done in January, and so I want to find as much information about what the schools will be considering with the space as they might currently know. Last year the League had its usual reservation for the Fort River gym for the period of mid-June until the first week of August, and by spring, it was obvious to all of us that between the unknown situations with vaccines and the virus, that it was not reasonable to continue with the book sale in summer of 2021. As I drove by the elementary school quite often, I noticed they kept a tent in the gym parking lot for many weeks, and I realized it was also good for this reason alone that we could not have had our sale there last year. I continued to answer the queries that I received and still receive every few weeks, and it was with much disappointment that we all discussed our decision not to have the book sale last year, again. However, at present, there is no reason to think that we can’t at least plan for the summer of 2022. So that is what I intend to do, with a meeting in late March with the core group that has organized in the past.
Stay tuned for updates in the spring, and perhaps, we might all cross our fingers!
Now, the other group that I have followed for a couple of years is the Zero Waste Amherst group. This group was started years ago by a town meeting member, and has been picked up by former councilor Darcy DuMont. After returning to Amherst in 2019 from the second sabbatical adventure to Seattle, I truly wanted to see if curbside composting might be a reality in our town. Since the ZW group had identified this as a priority, I asked the SC if I might represent the League at their meetings, and everyone agreed.
At the December meeting, Darcy addressed the group and explained what is being asked. Zero Waste Amherst simply would like the Board of Health to investigate the costs and possibility of having single residences have curbside composting as a part of trash removal. It is the responsibility of the BOH to make regulations about all things relating to the town’s trash, which was something I learned as a result of attending the meetings.
The SC agreed that the League can support the ZWA’s request to the BOH, and I think this information was relayed at the December meeting. I could not find evidence of the minutes of this meeting on-line at the writing of this message to you, but if you are interested, go to the town’s website and it may be posted by the time the e-bulletin is printed. However, the November minutes note that the BOH had already appointed a working group to investigate the haulers of the compost. Currently, it appears that information will be available for public comment in September 2022.
As this year unfolds, I will try to stay positive, as is my habit, and fervently hope that we will meet again in the gymnasium this summer, to bring order and recycling to the mountain of books that will come our way!
~ Elayne Berger, Convener
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Program Planning for 2022–24
January 20, 7 p.m.
Do you have ideas about topics or projects you’d like to see the Amherst League undertake? Bring them to the Program Planning meeting on Thursday, January 20 at 7 p.m. Find out more and how to join meeting below:
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ANNUAL LUNCHEON
February 12, 12:30
Professor Carrie Baker from Smith College will speak to us on her area of expertise: reproductive rights. She teaches courses on gender, law and public policy; feminist social movements; reproductive justice; and feminist public writing. You can read more about her and read some of her prescient work here. Please register for this event using the link below. All are welcome!
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*Correction* In the December e-Bull we erroneously stated that LWVA had held a Birthday luncheon since our founding. That was incorrect. Our first annual Birthday luncheon took place February 14th, 2003 on the 83rd birthday of the LWVUS. It was our president at the time, Eva Cashdan, who initiated our annual celebration.
We regret the error and would like to thank Eva Cashdan for her most excellent idea which gives us the opportunity to connect and celebrate every year!
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RACIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE
Join us for the next Zoom Brown Bag Event
On February 10, 2022
6–7:30pm
Doreen Cunningham, Assistant Superintendent for Diversity, Equity, and Human Resources for the Amherst Regional Public Schools, will be our guest speaker.
Her topic will be: "Changes and Hopes for the future of the Amherst Schools!"
Zoom details to follow! For now, save the date!
~ Andrea Battle
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WARNING:
Legislation that authorized Vote by Mail
and other emergency voting reforms has expired
There is still time to pass the VOTES Act in the Massachusetts House. This much needed legislation will make permanent the opportunity to vote by mail and to vote early in person, both very popular reforms that were instituted ‘temporarily’ during the height of the COVID pandemic. The Senate bill also modernizes voting practices in Massachusetts by allowing voter registration anytime, including on Election Day, which is currently being done in 20 states nationwide, and will encourage voting participation by people who recently moved into a new town or changed their rental housing.
LWVMA asks us to urge our Reps to work for the House to follow the Senate's lead. State Representative Mindy Domb is a big supporter of the VOTES Act, but she needs your help to convince her colleagues that Same Day Voter Registration is necessary to engage all our residents, especially younger people and renters, in their government.
It just takes a few minutes to send Rep. Domb an email at [email protected] and tell her you support Same Day Voter Registration in the VOTES Act (H.805).
Raise your voice to make sure all of us have an opportunity to vote! The more emails she gets, the more proof she has to support the VOTES Act!
~ Bonnie Isman
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Of Interest to Our Members
Dr. MLK Jr. Day events
World of Wellesley is hosting a Zoom event on MLK day, January 17, 9–11:00 a.m. "Good Trouble: Civil Rights Are Not a Waiting Game." Info and registration here.
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League of Women Voters of Winchester, in collaboration with the Harvard Case Method Institute for Education and Democracy, and Winchester High School, presents an in-depth discussion on the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965, bringing a deeper understanding of history and its relevance to the present to high school students and the community at large. "MLK and the Struggle for Black Voting: A Case Study in Expanding Democracy.” January 26, 2022 at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Register by sending an email to: [email protected]
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SUSTAINABILITY & CLIMATE ACTION COMMITTEE |
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Climate Action Depends on State Action
And state action depends on your action at this critical time! With the fate of the federal Build Back Better Act in question, action on climate and energy at the state level is critically important. After enactment of a groundbreaking climate and energy bill last March, implementation has been painfully slow. The League-supported bills described below will help make the new law a functioning reality.
We have until February 2 to get these important bills out of joint committee and keep them “alive” for legislative consideration. The climate and energy bills we view as most important at this time are all in the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy (TUE). You will find League testimony and summaries of each bill under Environment—Climate Change and Energy.
Please contact your legislators and ask them to contact the chairs of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, Senator Michael Barrett and Representative Jeffrey Roy, to report the three listed bills favorably out of their Committee before the February 2 deadline. Don’t delay! Call and email today so your voice of support can be counted!
H.3302: An Act to promote offshore wind energy and renewables and S.2155: An Act relative to enhancing reliability of renewable resources in the Commonwealth (Same bill; different titles).
A clean energy future depends on a clean source of energy. The New England coast has a bountiful supply of wind energy. Boosting clean renewable energy sources will boost efforts to decarbonize our economy.
H.3350/S.2202: An Act relative to building energy and decarbonization
Buildings represent the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, a close second to emissions from transportation. Massachusetts is way behind in reaching its goal to decarbonize the building sector and needs to significantly ramp up its efforts around energy efficiency of new and existing buildings and electrification of the building sector.
H.3298/S.2148: An Act relative to the future of heat in the Commonwealth
This bill offers a path forward for gas utilities by allowing them to become clean energy distribution utilities as they transition off gas. Several pilots have already been approved, and major cities are asking for pilots in their jurisdictions.
~ From the January issue of Mass. League Action Newsletter
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Work continues on various affordable proposals, including the East Street / Belchertown Road site, and evaluating the possibilities of the Strong Street site.
In addition, Amherst is part of a region-wide planning process to make us an “age and dementia-friendly" community. The Amherst Affordable Housing Trust is working on a survey as part of that effort. A separate workgroup is being established, and someone on the League might want to participate. Within Amherst, the lead is currently Maureen Pollock: [email protected].
Many Franklin County towns, including Leverett and Shutesbury, are participating in that county's "Age and Dementia-Friendly" program.
There is an opening on the Amherst Affordable Housing Trust – one may apply by filling out a Community Activity Form on the Amherst town website:
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For more information on the Age and Dementia Friendly Pioneer Valley Initiative, click below: |
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IN MEMORIUM
The Steering Committee regrets to report the recent death of long-time Amherst League member Mira Menon. We send our most sincere sympathy to her family and friends. Mira was an advocate for saving resources. She was appalled at the trash generated at League functions. She purchased and graciously donated biodegradable plates that will be used when we resume our in person meetings. Recently she volunteered to place mailing labels on the membership renewals letters that were sent to you. We are grateful for her many contributions to the League and community.
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Act Now to Advance Three Healthcare Bills
Three small but consequential bills need your help immediately. Please contact the committee chairs for each bill and request that the bill be voted swiftly and favorably out of committee.
H.2341/S.1519 Out of Hospital Births: (Bill corrects a “catch- 22” so a woman is allowed to use her health insurance for an at-home birth.)
Joint Committee on Public Health Chairs:
Joint Committee on Revenue Chairs:
H.2271/S.1517 Community Immunity Bill (A process bill that changes no laws)
Joint Committee for Public Health Chairs:
Want more information on these bills? Watch the first 30 minutes of Meet the Health Care Specialists December 8 recording here.
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Massachusetts Legislation Update |
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Formal legislative session resumes January 5, 2022. Bills that have not been voted out of a joint committee favorably or given an extension by February 2, with a few exceptions, will no longer be active, so the next step in League advocacy will be for the specialists to ask the committee chairs to favorably report our bills out of the joint committees. And you can contact your legislators asking them to contact the committee chairs asking them to do the same.
To see what bills supported by the League have made progress through the Legislature, and the one which has reached the Governor’s desk and been signed into law, check Mass League Action Newsletter for January. If you don’t have access to the copy you were sent, go to https:// lwvma.org and scroll down the home page to the bottom right corner.
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Seeking Volunteers:
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion/Membership Task Force
Are you interested in working on new member recruitment to grow and diversify your own League and deepen the collective impact of the League state-wide? Do you have ideas about how we can turn our commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) into action so that our membership reflects that commitment? LWVMA is forming a new joint DEI/Membership Task Force to work on the membership goals outlined in our 3-year strategic plan. If you are interested in joining this new task force, please contact Pattye Comfort here.
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LWVMaine’s Action Under the Dome
An interesting report from the weekly newsletter for Monday, Jan 10 for your perusal:
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Maine's New Study
LWVME is launching a study to examine the use of Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) in multi-member districts to achieve proportional representation. The first meeting of the Study Committee will be held on Tuesday, January 11, at noon. Click here to learn more The study might well result in a policy LWVMA could choose to concur with. Remember, LWVME led the way in the early study of Rank Choice Voting.
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Interesting and Informative Reading: |
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Read the statement made by President Dr. Deborah Turner and CEO Virginia Kase Solomon on January 6 here: |
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From LWVUS’s blog: Read Meghan Browder‘s post “Reproductive Justice Cases You Should Know About” here: |
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FORWARD THIS MESSAGE!
This monthly message is for anyone interested in the League, not just members. If you know someone who might be interested, forward this message and invite them to subscribe themselves, using the link below.
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e-BULLETIN STAFF AND CONTRIBUTORS IN JANUARY
The Editor of the LWVAmherst e-Bulletin, Jessica Ryan can be contacted here. The Associate Editors are Trish Farrington and Susan Millinger; Assistant Editors are Janice Ratner, Phyllis Lehrer, and Kay Fite who checks the links. Contributors to this month's e-Bulletin include LWVA members, Elayne Berger, Elisa Campbell, Bonnie Isman, and Susan Millinger. Material on LWVMA and LWVUS comes from the website lwvma.org and lwvus.org, respectively, selected by Susan Millinger.
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