THE
BALDWIN VOTER
Published
by the League of Women Voters of Baldwin
County
P.O.
Box 937
Fairhope, AL 36533 February 14, 2006
LWVBC
Board of Directors 2005 – 2006
President:
Jeanne Lacey
(251) 626-413 |
Treasurer:
Libby Byars
990-6047 |
1st
VP Pat
Laraway |
Director
I: Margaret
Solberger |
2nd
VP
Jeannine Stutsman |
Director
II: Jeanine Normand |
Secretary: Virginia
Nelson |
App.
Dir:
Patricia
Riddick |
KEEPING ON KEEPING ON: I was moved to tears as I stood in the
rotunda of the Capitol reading the memorial to Governor Lurleen Burns
Wallace, remembering the troubled years Alabama has seen just in my
lifetime. She would be 79 if she had lived, a strong woman of
courage and spirit. Her message from the inaugural address in
1967 reads: “- To
Alabamians everywhere – be proud to be called an Alabamian, for
you have nurtured the flame of liberty when it needed your
courage...”
Lenora Pate, co-chair, speaking for the Alabama Citizens for
Constitutional Reform, called for the nurture of that flame as she
presented your petitions to the Legislature asking for the right to
vote for a Citizens’ Constitutional Convention to write a new
constitution for our state. The House will vote on their bill
Wednesday, the 15th. How will your representatives vote?
Testimonials on Senate Bill 52 will be heard this date. I have
sent a brief testimony to the Senate Constitution, Campaign Finance,
Ethics and Elections Committee, stating
“Baldwin
County cannot quickly address issues of local concern to its
citizens. We need to ask the help of the Legislature to
resolve problems. Our local officials are hampered by
lack of authority to deal with local issues. What we refer
to as local applies throughout all the counties as they cope with
their particular problems.
We
need a new constitution responsive to the needs of all of our
citizens. We need the immediate, local ability to make
decisions on the use of our resources and the care and well- being of
our residents.
We
need you to provide the opportunity for Alabama citizens to produce the
framework for a constitution based on representative democracy, written
by and for all of our citizens. This enabling legislation is
the first step in that direction.”
*Keep the contact information on the
last page. Use it to contact your legislators in your own
words. The House Bill 109 is up for vote by your
Representatives on Valentine’s Day! Call in a message early
this morning! They need to know how you think or they will have
to guess.
February 14, 1920 is the birthday
of the League of Women Voters. We are 86 years old today!
Men have been members since 1973, so they are younger! “The
League is where leaders volunteer to make democracy work,”
(Kay Maxwell, President, LWVUS)
IMPORTANT INFO: Those of you who were cut off by LWVUS
automatically on January 31st because of forgotten dues - Libby
Byars can immediately reinstate you so you will not miss any of the
publications. Mail your check to her at 134 Paddock Drive,
Fairhope, AL 36532. I wrote each of you personally to let
you know this happened. Jeanne
*********
The Baldwin Voter, 2-14-06, p. 2.
BEST LAID PLANS: Please
be patient with me and our Board. ALL my scheduling has gone awry
– Mardi Gras Madness. The Forum planned for the upper
eastern shore is awaiting our two star speakers to set a date when both
can be present. Since the Legislature is in session, Senator
Byrne and Congressman Jack Edwards have a place to be for every date so
far that I have suggested. I have asked them to set two dates and
I will set up the meeting for one or the other! SOON, I
hope. We need their voices to speak clearly and often on what a
new constitution will mean for our State.
ENVIRONMENT: Barbara
Caddell, (Mobile League and Natural Resources/CZM Chair, LWVAL),
Margaret Solberger and I met with Casi Callaway to begin the LWVAL
sanctioned update of our Natural Resources and Coastal Zone Management
positions, post hurricanes! There will be a presentation at
Council on May 6th at Auburn as a result of the work we are
doing. Caddell and I presented the outline and the
statement of shared concerns at LWVAL Board on 1/21/06. Cathy
Barnette, Alabama Coastal Foundation – CEO is on board. We
must move on this right away, we can’t act without the
updates! We are building a statewide think tank of experts to
join our local coalition. The new post-hurricanes data is coming
in. Next step is getting each area of concern prioritized, set
the goals, and prepare for action. WHO WILL WORK WITH US ON THIS?
OPEN MEETING – Environmental Impact/Sustainability Issues – COMING
Last week in March – location and time forthcoming. (Officials, anyone concerned.)
ACCR: Local Leagues have been asked to send me plans for their ongoing grassroots efforts.
Efforts to take the educational program throughout the State are
underway. We are preparing new materials for the
Volunteers. Sign on this week. We have a mind-set to
change. Only your confidence will allay the residents’
fears and myths arising from years of being told that all is well in
the present state of our State.
You would have been so proud of our Baldwin Volunteers. We were
joined on the Bus by citizens from Baldwin and Mobile. They fit
right into our group, along with eight students that YOU paid for their seats to represent you on this trip.
Bright, eager, well-mannered and aware of their mission, they
represented you donors with flying colors. I have pictures to
show you at the Annual Meeting.
PUBLIC TRANSIT COALITION, INC. President
Stan Virden was with us to Montgomery. Remember the big Transit
Summit last April? LWVAL supports a system of public
transportation throughout the State. We will be supporting
Stan’s efforts locally. Read all about it: www.bc-transit-coalition.org
. Membership $12 right now for individuals – send check to
Baldwin County Public Transit Coalition P.O. Box 1338
Robertsdale, AL 36567. We need to help support Senator Roger
Smitherman’s SB182 and Rep. Laura Hill’s HB353 to allow
public transit to receive some of the gasoline tax money that is
collected in the state.
March 23, 2006 Thursday – 7:30 A.M. to Noon: Public
Transit Workshop at Baldwin County Central Annex, 22251 Palmer
Street, Robertsdale, AL. Off Hwy 59 at Hwy 104 West 2 blocks,
turn right onto Palmer. Annex is on
left.
$10 in advance (limit 150 people) to
Linda Grant, Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 2187 Mobile, AL 36652-2187 or
251-431-8621 or LGrant@Mobilechamber.com – check or credit card to Mobile Chamber of Commerce for Transit Workshop.
*********
The Baldwin Voter, 2-14-06, p. 3
Pre-register - MEMBERS ONLY – Call Libby 990-6047 or Phyllis 990-9508
February 22, 2006. Part III. STUDY OF LEGISLATURE: Members Only.
Daphne Library Community Room, Wednesday, 10:00 A.M.
Phyllis Springen and Libby Byars will take us into the unique
experience of completing a Study of the Alabama Legislature. Part
III. With a brief summary of the previous studies, based on the
background of knowledge, we answer the consensus questions indicating
our extent of agreement on all the areas studied by the group.
Our State League Advocacy Team is active at all times, studying issues,
and addressing those that lie within the parameters of our consensus on
a given subject. Last year – they testified on Open Meeting
Laws; the year before and continuing – Dune set-back lines on the
beaches at the Gulf and ADEM enforcement problems.
March 22, 2006. Part IV. STUDY OF LEGISLATURE. Members Only. (Final.)
Daphne Library Community Room, Wednesday, 10:00 A.M.
Libby and Phyllis will lead the group
through the process of trying to reach consensus on each of the
questions. All points will be deliberated, extent of agreement or
disagreement determined, and a final summary report completed to send
to the great team at LWVAL immediately. Celebration is in order!
We owe a special debt of gratitude to our Springen-Byars team for the
countless hours of preparation necessary to guide us through this
process. It is unique to the League, we are famous for it, and it
is the basis for National and State Leagues to consider advocacy on the
positions as we approve them as a result of this process. (Those
of you who take this study seriously will be in an excellent position
to help update our local Natural Resources and Coastal Zone Management
positions, and give depth and integrity to our State positions.)
The LWVAL Study Team will pore over and analyze the results of the
local Leagues’ findings. The completed report will become a
gift to the public and the Legislature called Facts and Issues.
We will have copies of the final results and it will appear in our
State Program as a series of working statements drawn as conclusions
from all of the input.
A special page 5 has been included for members only, for your
edification on many of the concerns in today’s world. There
is information of interest to everyone – you must explore –
LWVAL and LWVUS and more connections. This issue of The Baldwin Voter
is from me to you, my chance to talk to you about League. It is a
rare privilege. The next issue will be all about preparations for
Annual Meeting, April 22nd and hopefully the two other meeting dates.
April 22, 2006. ANNUAL MEETING AND LUNCHEON, Saturday, at Westminster Village, Spanish Fort, AL. Business Meeting 11 A.M. sharp. Luncheon 12 Noon sharp.
Plan your guests ahead of time, right
now. Get your reservations in early to me or Libby. Cost,
menu, all details will be in the March 15th Baldwin Voter.
Committees may be calling on you.
CONFIRM: February 22ND, March 22nd, March 23rd, and ANNUAL April 22nd. Now/
*********
The Baldwin Voter, 2-14-06, Special for Members Only, p. 4.
Let’s take a moment to review your MEMBER privileges at LWVUS and
LWVAL. It seems everything is going electronic. Those of us
computerized now receive the LWVAL VOTER by email. To read your
LWVAL eVoter: http://www.lwval.org/leagdemoc/Voter/
Or, go to http://www.lwval.org enter and click on the title of an Article in the eVoter, enter the username and password when prompted.
To get to the LWVAL “members only” area type in: http://www.lwval.org/leagdemoc/ then use the same username and password.
To get to the LWVAL Legislative Study materials: http://www.lwval.org/legstudy/members/ then use the same username and password.
*Please do not share username and password with non-members. If you need the username and password or have other questions or problems: jjohnson@brooknet.com
Jean Johnson is our past co-president and our communications expert, also our lobbyist!
Keep this information separate with other League basic materials where you can find it quickly.
Coming soon:
Thanks to Jean Johnson who so ably manages our web site, you and the
public will soon be able to follow League priorities during the
legislative session. To get to the site, go to the home page
– www.lwval.org – and click on the LWVAL Legislative Report.
Advocacy Priorities: Tier One: Constitutional Reform, Election Law, Campaign Finance.
Tier Two: Natural Resources, health-Care Funding, Tax Reform, Use of Motor Vehicle Revenue for Public Transportation.
Council, Auburn, May 6th:
Panels: Natural Resources Issues; Election Administration Issues;
and Civil Liberties Issues. Speaker to address Selection of Judges in Alabama. Sign up next month.
NEED TO KNOW: Addressing Issues & Legislators
Explore ALISON:
Find out all about your State Constitution, Legislature, and the
actions of the Legislature when in session by using the Alabama Legislative Information Service Online::
http://alisdb.legislature.state.al.us/acas/alisonstart.asp (Need Adobe Acrobat-download.)
Official Alabama Legislature site. http://www.legislature.state.al.us
To find any Legislator: http://www.legislature.stte.al.us/misc/zipsearch.html
ACCESS TO LWVUS WEB SITE:
www.lwv.org Just sign in by the directions – you will
be sent an immediate email reply with the Member Password on it. Put it
in that same safe
place.
Arise: Citizens’ Policy Project: http://www.alarise.org (Poverty Project – Wayne Flynt)
Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform: http://www.constitutionalreform.org
Email: accr@constitutionalreform.org
Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA): http://parka.samford.edu
*********
The Baldwin Voter, 2-14-06. Special: MEMBERS ONLY, p. 5.
2005 – 2006 LEGISLATORS - REPRESENTATIVES Baldwin County
Rep. Randy
Davis
PO Box
1083
State House, Room 538-B
House District
96
Daphne, AL 36526 Montgomery
36130
**rmdavis14@aol.com 251-990-4615 334-242-7724
Rep. Joe
Faust
1100 Fairhope Ave. State House, Room 524-C
House District
94
Fairhope, AL 36532 Montgomery 36130
Does not use
email
**251-990-4615
334-242-7699
Rep. Steve
McMillan
PO Box
337
State House, Room 532
House District
95
Bay Minette 36507 Montgomery 36130
Does not use
email
**251-937-6048
334-242-7723 - lives in Orange Beach
Rep. Skippy
White
1416 Elizabeth Ave. State House, Room 524-B
House District
66
Pollard, AL 36441 Montgomery 36130
?
**251-296-4641
334-242-7705 - strip across north end of county
SENATOR
Sen. Bradley
Byrne
22489 Sea Cliff Dr. State House, Room 738
Senate District
32
Fairhope, AL 36532 Montgomery 36130
**byrnebr@arlaw.com 251-433-3234 334-242-7897
GOVERNOR
Governor Bob
Riley
State
Capitol
334-242-7100
600 Dexter
Ave.
334-353-0004 (fax)
Montgomery 36130
To email, go to: http://www.governor.state.al.us/contact.htm
The best letters are handwritten, personally worded and directly on point.
No email? Try this House email system: firstname.lastname@alhouse.org Put the name of the House member in the SUBJECT line of the email.
** The bold phone numbers will be answered and you may leave a short message for your legislator.
You will not receive a reply, but the message
will be delivered. Those without email – it is
impossible to determine if the messages are picked up.
GET TO KNOW YOUR LEGISLATORS PERSONALLY. ASK DIRECT QUESTIONS.