Minutes from March 13, 2010

Call to Order: Meeting called to order by Kathleen Gehr, President at 10:02 AM

Present: Jill Bontrager, Kathleen Gehr, Louise Hamm, Kitty Hegemann, Helen McQueen

Old Business: Recap of the December meeting. Belinda Gelman, Judy Walsh, Karin Bell, and Evelyn Cook resigned their positions, and Kathleen Gehr was elevated from Vice President to President. The January and February meetings had been cancelled.

New Business: Should we change our focus and format? The group discussed this issue and looked closely at the pros and cons of the present organization. They then made proposals for change. Our DWJC will function as a discussion forum on issues facing the country. We will research issues, debate possible solutions, and serve as a resource to the community to inform citizens as to why the Democratic solutions will provide positive outcomes.

Kathleen Gehr will continue as President with her function being facilitator and discussion leader.

Kitty Hegemann was nominated as Secretary and elected by a unanimous aye vote.

The monthly meetings will consist of a discussion of topics of interest and importance to our community and nation. All members will act as resources and researchers for each topic. All members are responsible to bring information, questions, and solutions to the meetings.

Kathleen Gehr will get a volunteer or make an assignment for the topic scheduled for the next meeting. That person will write a summary to be published in our local newspapers. Topics may be carried over to the next meeting as needed.

Meetings will be open to any interested parties.

Kitty Hegemann will compile a call list. Those who will call members are Kitty, Jill, Helen, and Louise.

The secretary will be sure that an email will be sent to all members and that an announcement is sent to the local newspapers for publication. Also an announcement will be sent to the local radio station.

The secretary will contact Cook’s Cafeteria to see if they still have a meeting room available for the DWJC to use.

Next meeting will be at FUMC with Kitty making coffee and providing a sweet snack.

Topics that will be discussed are health care reform, financial reform, taxation, Social Security and Medicare, immigration, the deficit, defense spending, use of the military.

For April, we will discuss health care reform with Kathleen facilitating:

1. Overview-Kathleen Gehr
2. The law and mandates-Kitty Hegemann
3. Exchanges and purchasing-Jill Bontrager
4. Flaws in law and proposals-Louise Hamm
5. Benefits and consequences of doing nothing-Helen McQueen

Motion for a summary for the next meeting agenda to be included in the meeting announcement for April. Carried.

Motion for all members to RSVP the email announcement. Carried.

Kitty will review the By-Laws and determine how we should proceed with the new goals, focus, and format of our organization.

Kathleen Gehr moved to adjourn the meeting. Carried.

Next meeting will be April 10, 2010 at 10:00 AM in the FUMC parlor.

Respectfully submitted: Kitty Hegemann, Secretary, March 13, 2010