 Palm Beach County 
VOTER September, 2011 - Vol 52, Issue 4 |
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| Quick Links | lwvpbc.org
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Learn About Smart Growth and a Sustainable Future for Florida and the Effects of the Community Plan Act (CPA) signed into law June 2, 2011 | |
When: Saturday, September 24th , at 1PM
Where: Palm Beach State College, Continuing Education Building
For site map, see www.palmbeachstate.edu/documents/locations/lakeworth.pdf
The event is co-sponsored by LWVPBC and Palm Beach State College. A distinguished panel of speakers will provide great insight into this very important issue.
To learn more about the history of growth management inFlorida and Palm Beach County and the CPA, as well as the speakers for this meeting, click here.
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President's Letter
|  Dear Members, I hope you have all had an enjoyable summer. Welcome back to those who had an opportunity to travel. A quiet August in South Florida turned out not to be quiet at all. The big events of the month centered around Redistricting. First, there was Senator Sachs' workshop in preparation for the Legislature's hearing. A panel discussed background for the issue. Our own Mary Jane Range eloquently spoke about League's issues with redistricting. League members were very well represented among the large audience that filled the Hagen Ranch Road Library meeting room. At the hearing the following week, four members - Corinne Miller, Patty O'Connor, Karen Wilkerson, and I - were the official League speakers. Several other members spoke as private citizens or on behalf of other organizations to which they belong. Pam Goodman spoke as the State League Redistricting Chair. All of our points were very well received by the audience, which the newspapers said numbered about 300. Many of our members were in that audience. Although we were limited to two minutes, we were able to clearly deliver the LWV points on redistricting. In spite of the closing remarks by the Redistricting Committee Vice-Chair, Rep. Precourt, we hope that we made the committee think about the changes we suggested. The hearing is available by video on www.floridaredistricting.org. Also, look at the calendar for a Re-districting event we are organizing on October 12. The other big event, Women's Equality Day at FAU, on August 26th is still pending as I write this. If you weren't able to attend, you can read about it here next month. The committee working on the annual fund-raising luncheon that will follow our Annual Business Meeting on March 31, has gotten off to a great start, so make sure you note the date now and plan to attend. It will take place at Benvenuto's in Boynton Beach. The keynote speaker will be Frank Brogan, currently the Chancellor of the State University System of Florida, formerly the President of FAU. The luncheon will also honor the winner of the Ingrid Eckler Citizenship Award for 2012. Upcoming in September: You should plan to attend a key Hot Topic event on September 24, on the new Growth Management law and Sustainable Growth in Palm Beach County and Florida. This will be 1:00 PM at Palm Beach State College, Congress Ave and 6th Avenue South in Lake Worth. We have a full cast of expert speakers, including Commissioner Santamaria, so do mark it in your calendars. The first of the Palm Beach Legislative Delegation hearings will be held on September 7. These hearings are for input from the citizenry and you are encouraged to attend to find out what our Legislators will be working on in 2012. The hearings will be at various locations around the county, so you can find one convenient for you. Click here for more information. Our three ongoing studies: education (national study), transportation (state study) and County Charter (local study) will be coming to fruition in the next few months. We will attempt to come to consensus on all of these. Please note the dates on the Calendar and plan to attend. The New League is in full swing. In May 2011, our members voted on a one year transition period to make the organizational changes to our Palm Beach County League. In September, we will be sending you a progress report, which will include our proposed Vision and Goals for our organization over the next few years and we look forward to your comments. Finally, we have just received some information from National about a study on Privatization. This issue is very pertinent to Florida. The board would like our League to participate in this study. The timeframe is fairly short - information will be coming now through October and the winter months will be the time to study and present this information to the membership for possible consensus that needs to be returned to LWVUS in May 2012. If you would be interested in participating in this committee (yet to be formed) please notify me. In League, Joan Karp Back to top |
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September, 2011 - November, 2011 Palm Beach County LWV Calendar
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View calendar as pdf
SEPTEMBER
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Date & Time
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Event
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Place
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1 Thursday
1 PM
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National Education Study Committee Meeting
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Home of Rita Wachs. Call 561-364-1304 for information.
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19 Monday
5:30 PM
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Board Meeting. Members welcome.
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COMPASS, corner of 2nd Ave. "N" and Dixie Hwy., north of Lucerne in Lake Worth.
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23 Friday
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Tour of Homeless facility. Attendance is limited. Contact Peg Ekberg at pekberg@comcast.org.
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24 Saturday
1 PM
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Hot Topic. Growth Management - Changes to Laws..
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Palm Beach State College, Continuing Education Building. For site map, see www.palmbeachstate.edu/documents/locations/lakeworth.pdf.
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OCTOBER
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Date & Time
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Event
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Place
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1 Saturday
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Dues expire for members who paid for 6 months during transition period. Notices sent.
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12 Wednesday
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General Meeting. Status of Fair Districts with Pam Goodman and Others
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TBD
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17 Monday
5:30 PM
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Board Meeting. Members welcome.
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COMPASS, corner of 2nd Ave. "N" and Dixie Hwy., north of Lucerne in Lake Worth.
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19 Wednesday
10 AM
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County Charter Study Committee Meeting
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Delray Beach Public Library
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22 Saturday
10 AM - 2 PM
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National Education Study: Role of the Federal Government in Education. Presentation & Consensus. Members only. Brown bag lunch.
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Toscana Meeting Room. 3700 S. Ocean Blvd. Highland Beach.
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25 Tuesday
10 AM to Noon
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County Charter Consensus Meeting
(South County). Members only.
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Downstairs Room, Delray Beach City Library, 100 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach
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NOVEMBER
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Date & Time
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Event
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Place
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5 Saturday
10 AM - Noon
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County Charter Consensus Meeting
(North County). Members only.
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West Palm Beach Library, Clematis Room. 411 Clematis St., West Palm Beach.
(I-95 to Okeechobee Blvd. Exit 70 East toward Convention Center. Turn left onto S. Olive/US1N and left onto Clematis Street, just past Datura)
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11 Friday
6:30 PM - 9 PM
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Politicos in Paradise. Fundraiser for LWVF Advocacy Fund
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Home of Pam Goodman
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12 Saturday
9 AM - 3 PM
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State Board Meets. Members invited.
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TBD
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16 Wednesday
10 AM
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General Meeting: State Transportation Study.
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COMPASS, corner of 2nd Ave. "N" and Dixie Hwy., north of Lucerne in Lake Worth.
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21 Monday
5:30 PM
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Board Meeting. Members welcome.
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COMPASS, corner of 2nd Ave. "N" and Dixie Hwy., north of Lucerne in Lake Worth.
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Smart Growth and Sustainable Future for Florida
Barbara Eriv
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 Since 1985 Florida's grow management law, overseen by the Department of Community Affairs, gave the state the authority to approve or reject development and land use plans. The state could overrule counties to protect our Everglades, force developers to help pay for new roads as a result of new development (aka "concurrency") and better steer development to urban areas and away from rural and pristine land. In essence, there were checks and balances that protected important water sources and lands for recreation and wildlife, and against overcrowded schools, traffic jams, and so on, while still allowing for development.
On June 2, 2011 the Community Plan Act (CPA) was signed into law. The CPA has eliminated state oversight and the Department of Community Affairs. At the same time, the Water Management districts, the Regional Planning Councils and the Florida Everglades Restoration Project have all received severe cuts. Some of the changes in the CPA law include:
- County Commissioners will be the only safeguard against developers and now a comprehensive plan can be altered at every Commission meeting, whereas formerly it could only be amended twice a year.
- In the old law, developers had to prove their projects were financially feasible and that there was a need for the development. The new law does away with that requirement and puts the onus on the citizen to provide evidence that the proposed development is harmful.
- Previously, the developers had to pay for new roads, sewers, schools and other infrastructure and services. Now it is more likely that these costs will be borne by the taxpayer.
- The new law makes it easier to build strip shopping malls and sensitive projects like hazardous waste sites and nuclear power plants with less concern for what the surrounding local communities have to say.
On Saturday, September 24th at 1pm, the League of Women Voters is having an event on growth management, co-sponsored by Palm Beach State College. We have a distinguished panel of speakers who will provide great insight into this very important issue:
- Jess Santamaria, Palm Beach County Commissioner District 6
- Kim DeLaney, PhD., Growth Management Coordinator, Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council
- Philip Bacon, Vice President-Neighborhood & Regional Initiatives at the Collins Center
- Joanne Davis, Community Planner, 1000 Friends of Florida
If you want to know the potentially profound effects this new law will have on our local communities, plan to attend this event. There will be more information on this event over the next few weeks.
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Choosing Lobbying Priorities for 2012 Session
Joan Karp
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State League has asked us to submit by September 15 our three top priorities for our paid lobbyist to stress during the 2012 Legislative Session. If you have already submitted choices to me, no need to do this again, but those of you who haven't considered these yet, you can find them by clicking here. Select those you consider most important and email to me at joankarp@aol.com. I have a running list and will compile and submit them to the State office.
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Membership Orientation and Coffee to Feature "League 101"
Karen Wilkerson
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New members, guests and all other members, please join us for orientation and coffee featuring "LEAGUE 101."
When: Saturday October 1st, 2 to 4PM
Where: Hosted by Helene Roach
Get answers to your questions about League
- What does League do?
- What is our non-partisan policy?
- How are we visible in the community?
- How do we achieve credibility?
- What are our past achievements?
- What are our future goals?
- What are our leadership teams?
- What is consensus?
RSVP and for directions call 561-276-4898
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Role of Federal Government in Public Education: The Study and Consensus Process
Rita Wachs
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"Before any great things are accomplished, a memorable change must be made in the system of education, and knowledge must become so general as to raise the lower ranks of society nearer to the higher. The education of a nation, instead of being confined to a few schools and universities for the few, must become the national care and expense for the formation of the many."
John Adams' letters
Save the Date
On Saturday October 22, between 10 AM and 2 PM at the Toscana Meeting Room, 3700 S. Ocean Blvd, Highland Beach, LWVPBC members will meet to reach our local consensus on the "Role of the Federal Government in Education."
Why Consensus?
The League of Women Voters has historically supported "quality education," but we have never determined a common definition of "quality education" that could serve as a basis for action nationwide." We now have an opportunity to fill that void by arriving at a national consensus that will allow for action.
It is important to remember the League cannot advocate for any issue until it discovers how its members feel about that issue. The process by which the League makes this discovery is called Study and Consensus. So, if you plan to take part in our local consensus, it is imperative that you understand the League's Study and Consensus Process.
League Program Components
League program had three parts: 1) selection of an issue, 2) study of that issue, consensus and formulating a position, and 3) use of that position to influence public policy. Although these parts remain the same for all programs, the following explains how they relate to the National Education Study.
Selection of an Issue. During local program planning prior to the June, 2010 LWVUS national convention, the largest number of leagues expressed an interest in the "Role of the Federal Government in Public Education." The LWVUS Board approved this study and it was adopted by the delegates.
Study. Following the convention, the LWVUS Board appointed a study committee chair, set up the process for selecting the national committee, and approved the scope and timeline for the study. The study committee determined areas to be studied, researched and wrote background information and prepared the consensus questions and related materials. It was determined that consensus would be sought on the issues of Common Core Standards, Equity and Funding. The committee also included background information on the history of the national government's involvement in education.
Consensus. On October 22, our local Education Committee will present the data provided by the LWVUS study committee, allow time for discussion and attempt to arrive at consensus on the questions provided by the LWVUS committee.
It is important to remember that consensus is not a vote. It is a mutual agreement of League members arrived at through discussion. During discussion, members have the opportunity to express their viewpoints, and issues are examined from all sides. Members discuss the pros and cons until it becomes apparent that consensus has/has not been reached on each question. After approval by the LWVPBC board, our consensus positions will be forwarded to LWVUS.
As each local League reports its consensus (or lack thereof) the reports are consolidated by the national study committee, and based on this information, the committee formulates the position which, when approved by the LWVUS Board, can be used for action.
Related Materials
More information on this study and the consensus questions will be provided in the October VOTER. To get a head start on understanding these complex issues, click the links below:
Common Core Standards
Role Of The Federal Government In Public Education: Where Are We Now And The Impact Upon Early Childhood Education The History Of Federal Government In Public Education: Where Have We Been And How Did We Get Here? The Role Of The Federal Government In Public Education: Equity And Funding The Role Of The Federal Government In Public Education: Legislation And Funding For The Education Of Children With Special Needs
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LWVPBC County Charter Committee Consensus
Susan Litchfield
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The LWVPBC Charter Committee has completed its work educating members on the Palm Beach County Charter.
For the past few months, the Palm Beach County Commission has held public meetings regarding the history of the Charter and changes being discussed by our County Commissioners. This committee has made a list of the four top changes that may be on the ballot in 2012.
Meetings
As League members, we have an opportunity to come to consensus on these possible changes. Please be sure to attend one of two consensus meetings listed below. Consensus meetings are for members only. Mark your calendar now.
- Southern Location: Tuesday, October 25th, 10 AM to Noon, Downstairs Room, Delray Beach City Library, 100 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach 33444, Tel: 561-266-0194
Charter consensus questions for discussion:
- Currently: There is no Charter Review stated in the PBC Charter.
Consensus Question: Should there be an amendment to the Palm Beach County Charter stating that a review of the County Charter by the PBC Commission should be held every few years? - Currently: All Constitutional Officers are elected. Supervisor of Elections (Non-Partisan), Clerk and Comptroller (Partisan), Property Appraiser (Non-Partisan), Tax Collector (Partisan) and Sheriff (Non-Partisan)
Consensus Question: Should Constitutional Officers continue to be elected or appointed by the PBC Commission? For appointment, the County Administrator would interview applicants and name the top three to be considered by the County Commission for appointment. - Currently: All County Commissioners serve staggered terms of 4 years, with a limit of 8 consecutive years. Elections are held every two years and they must live in their districts.
Consensus Question: Should the County Commissioners change the terms of their service? - Currently: The makeup of the PBC Commission is seven serving in individual districts.
Consensus Question: Should the makeup of the PBC Commission change? Suggestions include five Commissioners plus two at large or seven Commissioners plus two at large?
The Charter Committee encourages you consider these consensus questions and take part in this important consensus. If you have any questions, please call: Susan Litchfield, Charter Chair at 561-276-4898
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Politicos in Paradise
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SAVE THE DATE! On November 11, at 6:30 PM, we will be hosting the LWV Florida Board and several elected officials for an evening of food, fun, music and politics in the beautiful setting on the patio and beach at Pam and Barry Goodman's home. This is a fund raiser to benefit the Advocacy Fund of LWV Florida, with a percentage coming to our League. You can be on the host committee for $100. A donation of $50 will admit non-host attendees. For more information, call Joan Karp at 561-276-4898.
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Dues Notice
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As you may recall, LWVPBC has transitioned to a dues year starting on October 1. Last March we gave members the option of paying for six months or 18 months.
Those who paid for 6 months have received an invoice for the coming year: October 1, 2011 to October 1, 2012. Individual dues are $55, Household $85, and Student $25.
Please send your check to LWVPBC, P.O. Box 6208, Delray Beach FL 33482-6208.
If you have questions, call Joan Karp, 561-276-4898.
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Great Decisions
Joan Davis | |
When: Monday, September 19, 2011 - 2:00 to 4:00 PM
Where: "505" Teen Center, 505 SE 5th Avenue, Delray Beach
Topic: Sanctions and Nonproliferation
Sanctions have been created to curb nations in violation of international law. They have been used as a means to execute foreign pressure short of war to deter policies antithetical to U.S. interests. Also, since the end of the Gulf War, sanctions have become nearly synonymous with nuclear non-proliferation. Overall though, it actually seems that sanctions have not had a measurably high success rate, especially when deterring a country's nuclear ambitions.
Ronald J. Bee, a Foreign Relations expert at San Diego State University has written on this subject in the 2011 Great Decisions briefing book. He writes of the United States' usual use of economic sanctions as a preventive measure.
Karen Wilkerson will present "Sanctions and Nonproliferation" at the September 19th meeting. This will be an extremely relevant presentation considering the many 2011 world happenings such as the Arab Spring.
Consider these thought provoking questions:
- Should the United States continue to use sanctions as the primary means of curbing states' nuclear ambitions for lack of a better alternative?
- Should the United States combine economic sanctions with direct dialogue and other diplomatic tools to ensure greater success?
- Should the United States find another response to nuclear proliferations, as sanctions usually harm citizens and not the leaders that they are intended to pressure?
- Should the United States continue its sanctions to deter nuclear ambitions of North Korea and Iran?
The Great Decisions Briefing Books may be obtained from The Foreign Policy Association. Call (212) 481-8100 or go to www.fpa.org.
Great Decisions meetings and discussion periods are open to all.
Future Meeting Dates, Topics, and Presenters for 2011:
Monday, October 17 ─ The Caucasus - Joan Davis
Monday, Nov.21 ─ Making Sense of Multilateralism -- Alice Finst and Fran Chassen
Monday, December 19 ─ TBA
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Memorial Notice - Long-time Member Nancy "Billie" Hyman
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We are saddened to report that our member Nancy "Billie" Hyman passed away in August. Billie was a lifetime member of LWV (well over 50 years). She joined our League in 1984.
Billie had a wonderful wit and sense of humor and contributed greatly to our League. She was well known as the successful chair of the FAU student elections for many years. At the time, this project was our main source of outside funds.
Our condolences to her family and friends.
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Donations
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The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County thanks the following persons for their generous donations: Benjamin & Nancy Pernick (Ed Fund) Kristine de Haseth of the FL Coalition for Preservation Inc. Back to top |
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