(s) November VOTER

Palm Beach County LWV color logo

VOTER
November, 2010 - Vol 50, Issue 6

In This Issue

Calendar

President's Letter

From the Editor

National LWVUS Visits

LWVPBC License Plate holder

Speaker Joseph C. Parks

Quick Links

lwvpbc.org

November HOT Topic

Sea Level Rise
and
Water Management Implementation
in
South Florida

November 17, 2010

10:30-Noon
Compass
201 N. Dixie Highway, Lake Worth

Dr. Joseph C. Park, Principal Engineer, Systems of Architecture Section, Model Implementation Division, of Everglades Restoration and Capital Projects, South Florida Water Management District, will speak to members and guests on servicing the water demands of the growing South Florida population, an estimated 15 million by 2050. Salt water incursion threatens our precious fresh water resource!

Come and learn more!

For more information on Dr, Parks click here

Calendar

Click here to see our November-January Calendar.

President's Letter - Kathe Thompson

Dear Friends,

As I write this note to you, it's difficult to imagine that November 2 may be over when some of you read this VOTER. Right now, we are up to our eyeballs in preparation for the WXEL Voter Education Hotline; spending evenings and lunch hours at campaign forums and libraries passing out English and Spanish editions of the Special Edition Voter's Guides; and speaking on the Pros and Cons of the Ballot Amendments at every turn. Specific thanks to the Temple Torah Candidates' Forum crew who put on a terrific event; and, to Justine Postal for visiting municipal libraries delivering our Elections Made Easy, our Special Edition Voter's Guides and information on our WXEL Hotline. The number of people involved in all these efforts and others is heartening and bodes well as the PBC League makes itself visible in our county and in our communities. Thank you to each of you who has taken on, "what the League does best," and done it so well!

The November Hot Topic is chaired by Joan Davis, our resident expert on water issues. Join her at COMPASS on Wednesday, November 17 at 10:30 AM to hear Dr. Joseph Park, from the South Florida Water Management District speak on Sea Level Rise and Water Management Implications in South Florida. You do not have to wear rubber boots to attend this meeting!

Please respond to the request for legislative interview questions on the three priorities selected by LWVF from suggestions submitted by local Leagues across the state: Government in Florida, especially finance and taxation; Education, particularly adequate funding; and, Natural Resources mentioning a permanent ban on off-shore drilling and the preservation of fresh-water resources. Your questions may go beyond the specific suggestions within each priority. Send your questions to me (president@lwvpbc.org) for delivery to LWVF by November 12.

In League, and with thanks for your participation,

Kathe

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From the Editor - Give Thanks for our Freedom - Rita Wachs

It's November and Thanksgiving is near. As I thought about what to write this month, I began to think about that for which what we as Leaguers should be thankful. We should be thankful for the freedom we have to fulfill our mission: encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in their government, working to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influencing public policy through education and advocacy." In many other countries, we would be denied these freedoms.

This led me back to another time and another editorial I wrote. The time was 1954. The place was Cleveland Heights, Ohio and the paper was the Black and Gold, my high school paper. The issue was freedom. And then I realized that although it was over 50 years ago not much has changed. The enemies of freedom may change, but we can never take our freedoms for granted.

In 1954, I wrote a Freedoms Foundation Contest-winning editorial "The House That Freedom Built." With a little tweaking, much of what I wrote then holds true today. I wrote that the foundation of Freedom's house was laid in 1776 and its walls were built by free expression. I wrote that truth, spoken without fear, is the only enclosure which can block the strong winds of totalitarianism (substitute terrorism). Freedom's house had a roof and that was education. By bringing knowledge to the uneducated (or uninformed), we can help them choose a free way of life, rather than a life always darkened by fears. I wrote that we must work together to keep the house that Freedom built always standing. We do this not with brick and mortar, but with brotherhood, education and the constant thought in the back of our minds that a free world is created by the people for the people.

So, how does this relate to the League of Women Voters? We work to keep Freedom's house standing, and for our ability to do this in a free society, we should be very thankful. At the time of this writing, I do not know how the November elections turned out, but I do know that I am thankful that in a free society, we were able to do our part to educate the public. If we were successful and the voters supported the issues we supported, all to the good. But regardless of the results, we are free to try again, to change our minds if need be, and to always be able to work for a well informed electorate. And for that, WE SHOULD ALL BE THANKFUL.

So, Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy the food and family!

LWV National President Visits Palm Beach Supervisor of Elecions

From L to R: Pam Goodman, Karen Wilkerson, Rita Wachs, Susan Bucher, Elisabeth MacNamara, Bea Perkins, Kathe Thompson, Deirdre Macnab

As part of her whirlwind tour of Florida, National League President Elisabeth MacNamara took time out Tuesday, October 19^th , to visit Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections (and LWVPBC member) Susan Bucher to learn about the election process in our county. Elisabeth was accompanied by Deirdre Macnab, LWVFlorida President. LWVPBC members in attendance at this meeting included President Kathe Thompson, past LWVPBC President and State Board member Pam Goodman, Karen Wilkerson, Bea Perkins and Rita Wachs.

Susan informed us of the changes she has made since being elected in 2008. Of particular interest was Susan's updating of poll worker training and testing to insure competency. Susan thanked our League for its suggestions for improving poll worker training, many of which she has implemented. Other accomplishments included the consolidation of warehouse facilities under one roof, with security protocols to protect the inviolability of our ballots. Also of interest to League members was the work that the SOE's office, in the person of Rachel West (also a League member), is doing educating high school students on the importance of voting and registering them to vote. In addition, the SOE's office is encouraging high school students to become poll workers and has approximately 96 students signed up.

Susan spoke highly of the League and complimented us on the work we have done to promote sound elections processes.

Voter Services - Visible and Vital - League in Action - Patricia O'Connor

Traditional and Hi-Tech Voter Registration at Lynn University

In coordination with Robert P. Watson, Ph.D., Professor of American Studies and Coordinator of the American Studies Program at Lynn University, the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County conducted voter registration drives at Lynn University in Boca Raton on Constitution Day, September 17th and on September 27th and 28th. In addition to the traditional registration process conducted with dedicated, local volunteers, students who live out of state were assisted by Robert Nobrega, an American Studies/Politics major, with registration online using computers set up by the Student Involvement Office. Students who were not registered voters in Florida were able to request absentee ballots from their voting jurisdictions. Student registration and absentee ballot requests were completed for Palm Beach County, Broward County, Martin County and States throughout the country, including: Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Colorado.

Boca Raton Resort Town Hall Voter Services Events

On September 30th, the LWVPBC participated in several Town Hall events for voter registration and services for personnel at the Boca Raton Resort. At the Town Hall Meeting, the Corporate Team of the Resort thanked the League and its membership for their exemplary nonpartisan voter services, encouraged voter turnout, spoke about the importance of the proposed Amendments and provided many incentives to their personnel for participating in voter services activities at events held throughout the day. Thank you to Elayne Goodman and our tireless volunteers Noni Adashek, Gloria Greenberg, Elaine Kleinberg, Sue Litchfield, Pat Pearcy, Carol Posner, Natalie Schnier, Carol Tresser and also the Resort Corporate Team and Human Resource Division for a very successful Town Hall and voter registration.

Palm Beach State College Inaugural Election Forum / Voter Registration

On September 30th, the Student Government Association of Palm Beach State College, in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Palm County, held its inaugural Election Forum and Voter Registration at the Duncan Theatre on the Lake Worth Campus. LWVPBC President Kathe Thomson moderated the Forum along with William Berger, a member of the Board of Trustees of PBSC, and Marc Simms, Legislative Liaison for the Student Government Association. Attendees heard from candidates for Florida Senate and House of Representatives, as well as local nonpartisan offices. They also heard a presentation of the proposed Amendments to the Florida Constitution. Congratulations and thank you to the coordinating/planning committee, PBSC administration, and volunteers from the League and the Student Government Association on this inaugural event.

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Stay Informed with New Technology - Patricia O'Connor

Along with many Leagues throughout the state, LWVPBC is looking for ways to improve communication with its members. Over the past few weeks, you should have received email notices for events and meetings, as well as the October VOTER, all using Constant Contact, an email targeting service.

If you're reading this on line, you are using Constant Contact communication. We need your help to ensure that you continue to receive these League communications. Please check your SPAM box to be sure these new LWVPBC communications are not being blocked by your email carrier. If so, please follow the necessary procedures to mark these emails as "NOT SPAM" and add the sender to your address book as an authorized sender. Another thing you can do is add the email used to send Constant Contact communications, lwvpbc@yahoo.com , to your address book.

Please, talk to other members and ask if they have received these Constant Contact emails. If they have not, let them know about these procedures so that everyone is up and running. Or, have them contact us at: info@lwvpbc.org

Look for other innovations and updates over the coming months.

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Reaching The 21^st Century in LWVPBC Communications

Kathe Thompson

The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County is slowly emerging into the 21st Century in methods of communication. I am beginning to identify the people who could help make this pursuit a reality, and you may be one of them!

In September, we signed up for Constant Contact, an email targeting service that offers templates for all communication both inside and outside the membership as well as newsletter (voter) capabilities. Patty O'Connor is sorting through all the possibilities of this new service and it appears to be a fabulous asset.

We are also on the verge of changing our web site to a site suggested by LWVUS and supported by the state League in California. It is called League Easy Web (LEW). To look at this site please go to LWVnet.org. We have not gone "live" with this and are still in the preview stage.

LWVPBC has put a toe into the waters of social networking with the creation of a Facebook page. Jayme Bosio set up the site, has great ideas about using it, but is waiting patiently for some direction!

I expect the direction to come from a new approach in organizational structure. We are in the process of reorganizing into a "team" where all facets of communication will meet to determine "best practices" for branding, uniformly expressing our message and communicating with each other, with you and with the public.

For 90 years the League of Women Voters has fought to improve our system of government by providing information to those who would listen. Now is no time to relinquish that effort. We need to adapt to the times, take advantage of all modes of communication, and continue the effort begun so long ago.

So...if you see a place you can hang your hat, please know that you would be making a tremendous contribution to this organization and be in on the launching of a 21st Century League here in Palm Beach County!

Thanks for considering a place on the "team." Please contact me, preident@lwvpbc.org for additional information.

Great Decisions - Joan Davis

MONDAY, November 15, 2010, 2:00-4:00 PM

"505" Teen Center, 505 SE 5^th Avenue, Delray Beach

Topic: ENHANCING SECURITY THROUGH PEACEBUILDING

This meeting's topic deals with aspects of Foreign Policy as well as varous aspects of ever important National Security. The means to facilitate and sustain peace become increasingly important and difficult. The author of this unit is Matthew Levinger, a senior program officer of the United States Institute of Peace and former director of The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. This article carries a note that the opinions expressed are the author's alone. Interesting, no?

U.S. campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan have shown that military force alone cannot ensure peace in all conflicts. Successful conflict management efforts are often facilitated by effective coordination among diverse third party actors, sometimes non-governmental.

Issues to consider:

· How can the United States successfully integrate the tools of peace building into its statecraft?

· At what point do poverty, disease, and climate change threaten national security?

· What role can non-governmental actors play in supporting Government led efforts?

· Is "Foreign Aid" merely altruistic or is it an "investment?"

Gerda and Ted Shay will be the presenters of this interesting and complicated topic.

Guests are welcome. A $2.00 donation from non-members is also welcome to help defray the rental cost of our meeting room.

Next meeting: December 20, 2010. TBA --- SUGGESTIONS WELCOME!!!

Building Bridges - Karen Wilkerson

Building Bridges is a new LWVPBC committee that has two purposes:

reaching out into the Palm Beach communities, establishing contacts. and building coalitions with leaders and organizations, and
ensuring that our League's membership and activities represent a diverse population area.

In its two meetings this year, committee members made lists of groups and individuals who were contact priorities. At this time, many contacts have already been made and are being encouraged to join the committee to help us with our charge.

In discussing the barriers that can exist to understanding and recruiting a diverse membership, it was concluded that often we do not understand the history and culture of diverse groups. Therefore, at the January 29, 2011 meeting, when the Building Bridges committee will host all LWVPBC members and their guests, we are planning to concentrate on the culture, history, and politics of the Caribbean islands.

Save January 29th because it will be a great meeting: information, entertainment, ethnic food, and fun. Watch for details.

The next meeting of Building Bridges is November 30. For time and location, please contact either of the co-chairs: Karen Wilkerson or Nancy Gau.

We had a party and the People came, Temple Torah Candidates Forum - Charlotte Nash

L to R: Stan Smilan, Joe Budd (standing), Ted Deutch

The Candidates Forum co-sponsored by the Men's Club of Temple Torah in Boynton Beach and the League on October 6th drew an audience of an estimated 250 people. There were eighteen participants including all of the candidates for US Congress in Districts 19 and 22.

Our moderator, Mary Jane Range, rose to the occasion handling the crowd and candidates with professional aplomb. Special recognition should be given to Sally Robinson for maintaining the flow of candidates and to Joan Karp who worked with representatives of Temple Torah to screen and clarify the questions from the audience. Rita Wachs was our timer (not an easy job.) Patty O'Connor was indispensable as she distributed literature and answered questions about voting procedures. Barbara Eriv represented the Speakers Bureau with a presentation of the complex ballot amendments. We appreciate the invitation of Temple Torah to help organize this event which has been a biennial tradition for about ten years.

Editor's Note: A very special thanks to Charlotte for organizing the "PARTY." It couldn't have happened without her!

New LWVPBC License Plate Frames Now Aavailable

NO VOTE? NO VOICE! What a powerful message.

Are you going to deliver that powerful message to the citizens of Palm Beach County when you're out and about - driving the Interstate or locally? You are, and you can, by obtaining one (or more if you have multiple vehicles in your household) of the new- hot off the press - League license plate frames.

As League members, we know the importance of being active and informed participants in democracy. Share this powerful message and increase League visibility everywhere you drive and wherever you are parked.

Drive (no pun intended) traffic to our website, too, because the new license plate frame contains the League logo, name and website.

Help keep the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County VISIBLE AND VITAL!
Donation is only $5.00

Be a League Iron Jawed Angel and donate $10.00 for your license frame.

Send a note to Patty O'Connor info@lwvpbc.org for information on how to donate and receive a NO VOTE? NO VOICE! power message for your vehicles.

HOT Topics Speaker: Joseph C. Park, PhD.

Dr. Park has a broad spectrum of applied and research experience in government and private industry. At the University of Hawaii he directed an under-water multi-sensory observatory. Locally, he has been a member of the FAU Department of Ocean Engineering.

With the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC), Dr. Park was an electrical engineer focusing on the analysis, development, and maintenance of underwater acoustic and terrestrial electromagnetic communications and tracking systems. As an ocean and mechanical engineer, he inspected and tested Navy Dive System components.

Dr. Park is a certified Scientific Diver who has significant at-sea experience on naval research and support vessels, as well as University research and support vessels.

Dr. Park holds membership in six professional associations including Tau Beta Pi, the Engineering Honor Society. He will have valuable information for LWVPBC members and guests at our November 17^th meeting which, of course, deals with WATER, that ever important resource we cannot live without.

News From National (LWVUS) - Bea Perkins

In October, local Leagues of Miami-Dade, Houston, Wichita, Duluth, McLean County (IL), Montgomery County (MD) and Washington, DC hosted 13 Legislative Fellows from Colombia and Brazil. After landing and spending one day in Miami, they spent three weeks as interns with local elected officials and civil society organizations to gain a better understanding of the U.S. legislative process. They ended their visit with three days in Washington, D.C., participating in round table discussions with100 Legislative Fellows from all over the world.

The LWV of South Carolina successfully launched its year-long "Quest for a More Diverse Judiciary" with an education and advocacy campaign. LWVUS President Elisabeth MacNamara, Brennan Center Counsel Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, Justice at Stake President Bert Brandenburg, and state legislators and judges spoke to well over 200 attendees.

Recently, LWVUS Executive Director Nancy Tate was among key national leaders who attended the Aspen Institute for a symposium, "Toward Healthy Informed Communities: The Knight Commission Report One Year Later." Previously this Commission had 15 recommendations for improving the health of communities and our democracy. The second report will soon be available online.

Nancy Tate also attended a recent National Women's History Museum (NWHM) event celebrating "Our Nation's Daughters." The LWVUS is a coalition partner working for passage of legislation to construct a museum on the National Mall. For more information, contact Bea Perkins at 561-966-4073

ALERT FOR NATIONAL MEMBERS: As announced earlier, the National Member program is ending on December 31, 2010. We urge those of you who originally joined LWVUS to email , Joan Karp info@lwvpbc.org for further information about LWVPBC and how you can join our local League. National will not be accepting dues any longer, so we hope you will continue your League membership as a member of League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County.

News From State (LWVF) - Bea Perkins

ST. AUGUSTINE SAFARI
November 13-14, 2010

League of Women Voters of Florida is offering you the opportunity to attend an exclusive St. Augustine Expedition Weekend Trip in November. This two-day excursion will provide a wonderful chance to meet League members from all around the state, as well as spend time exploring the nation's oldest city.

Itinerary

Saturday, November 13

Noon-2 PM: Lunch at the world-famous Columbia Restaurant
2-3:30 PM: Trolley tour of historic St. Augustine
3:30-5:30 PM: Visit to Castillo de San Marcos and/or shopping
5:30-8 PM: Sunset dinner cruise on the Victory III

Sunday, November 14

9 AM-Noon: Eco-Tour of area, including guided hike and kayaking with dolphins
Noon-1 PM: Organic Picnic Lunch

Prices

League Members, w/ Columbia lunch: $165.00
League Members, w/o Columbia lunch: $150.00

Non-League Members, w/ Columbia Lunch: $215.00
Non-League Members, w/o Columbia Lunch: $200.00

Note: The prices above do not include hotel costs. Guests are responsible for making their own hotel reservations. League members are free to make their own hotel arrangements. Please call or visit the website below for more information.

Hampton Inn & Suites Oceanside Resort
95 Vilano Road
St. Augustine, FL 32084
http://www.hamptoninnandsuitesstaugustine.com/
Tel: (904) 827-9797

Questions: Please contact our State Office at (850) 224-2545 or email our Executive Director, Jessica Lowe-Minor, at LWVFexecutivedirector@gmail.com. for more information.

LWVF LEGISLATIVE SEMINAR AND STATE CONVENTION
March 23-26, 2011
Tallahassee, Florida

What: Two League events in one - Legislative Seminar (March 23-24) &
Convention (March 25-26)

When: Wednesday, March 23, 2011, at 5 PM through Saturday, March 26,
2011, at 5 PM

Where: Tallahassee, Florida

Rates: $175 special price for both Seminar AND Convention!
If purchased a la carte, $99 for Seminar and $99 for Convention. The state office is currently accepting reservations via mail. Please stay tuned for an online reservation option.

Social Issues - November Wellness Forum - Peg Ekberg

On November 16, from 4:30 to 6:00 PM, Paulette Burdick, former Palm Beach County School Board member, will speak to the LWVPBC's Social Issues Committee on "Wellness in the County" and her work in seeing that nurses were stationed at our public schools.

This forum, as well as all Social Issue's forums, is open to all League members and the general public. Come and educate yourself and others on the social problems facing our community and the efforts being made to solve them.

At the time of this printing, a site for this forum had not been determined. Please contact Peg Ekberg for this information.

Social Issues - Homeless Forum - Peg Ekberg

The Social Issues Committee held a Homeless Forum on October 19 at Adopt-a-Family Office. Matt Constantine of Adopt-a-Family gave an overview of how his agency is working to find housing and services for the homeless through their many-faceted programs.

Funded by private, governmental and civic organizations, Adopt-a-Family helps prevent homelessness with emergency payments, relieves emergency shelters with housing options and leads clients to permanent homeownership. Knowing that high-rise housing may be more economical, but less successful socially, Adopt-a-Family provides social support to scattered housing, a concept that is better for both the individual the community.

Also at this forum, Nancy Flinn provided an update on Palm Beach County's Ten year Plan to End Homelessness. The December VOTER will provide a detailed review of the update and LWVPBC's activities in conjunction with the Plan. For immediate access to the activities of Director Claudia Tuck's team, go to pbcgov.com/communityservises/homelessadvisory or thehomelessplan.org.