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    Carla Rogers

    Executive Board Meeting

    2023-06-21 Board Meeting Minutes

     400 300 34th Democrats

    Minutes of the 34th District Democrats Board Meeting

    June 21, 2023, held virtually on Zoom.

    Attendees:

    Graham Murphy, Rachel Glass, Jordan Crawley, Chris Porter, Bunny Hatcher, Ted Barker, Julie Whitaker, Steve Butts, Carla Rogers, Gina Topp.

    7:06 pm – Call to Order by Chair Graham Murphy

    • The agenda was reviewed and approved by unanimous consent.
    • Minutes from the April board meeting were presented and approved by unanimous consent.

    July Fundraiser Update, Gina Topp

    • As of the meeting, there are 17 RSVPs; 70 would be desirable.
    • There was to be a meeting Tuesday June 27th to nail down particulars. Tacos will be part of the food offering; the location will be in the back garden area of C&P Coffee.
    • Carla Rogers will be actively promoting the event in correspondence to members.
    • Rachel Glass will be managing the volunteers.
    • Executive Board Members are expected to buy tickets and/or volunteer at the event.

    KCDCC Review, Bunny Hatcher

    • Bunny has been spending up to 20 hours a week with the KCDCC Endorsement Committee, which will be concluding its work soon. Endorsements and agenda items from the May meeting were published in the June Newsletter.

    Outreach Events, Steve Butts

    • We will do 2 parades in July: The Burien Independence Day Parade and the West Seattle Grand Parade.
    • We have a booth at the Vashon Strawberry Festival.
    • We hope to participate in the Duwamish River Festival in South Park in August.
    • White Center Jubilee Days events have not reappeared since the pandemic.
    • Except for Presidential Election years, we have not been accepted to West Seattle Summerfest since 2013.

    Endorsed Candidates Support

    Carla Rogers spoke about encouraging PCOs to walk their precincts, and that we should concentrate on the 3 Burien City Council races, both for the Primary and the General Elections.

    We will decide in August on donations for the General Election. 

    Gina Topp believes it is important to track “doors knocked”, given that PCOs can utilize MiniVAN to input their voter contact information.

    Chris Porter noted that problems with Bylaws in other district organizations hindered his ability to secure endorsements in his re-election run for the King Conservation District earlier this year. We need to ensure that that our Bylaws don’t impede our ability to elect Democrats…our main organizational objective.

    Endorsements

    Ted Barker expressed disappointment that we were unable to endorse in King County District 8 in our June meeting, as we fell a vote shy of a 60% outcome to support Teresa Mosqueda.

    Graham stated that he sees things in our Endorsement Rules that we may want to review. He also posed a question about whether the Executive Board could make donations by itself in an emergency. Others noted that it should be up to the membership to give authority on how much and to whom donations are to be given.

    Graham said we will do additional endorsements for the General Election in August:

    • Burien Council Positions 2 and 4
    • King County Council District 8
    • Highline School Board

    Bunny stated that she feels that Brittany Williams in Burien Position 2 is a strong candidate but has not been able to campaign recently due to a death in her family. Patricia Hudson in Burien 4 is impressive and can mount stiff opposition to Kevin Schilling.

    It was decided that the Executive Board will need to meet in July, however there will not be a Membership meeting that month.

    Good of the Order

    Carla Rogers informed us that the Bite of White Center is Saturday, June 24th, and that the Seattle Pride Parade is Sunday June 25.

    Chris Porter was in the process of making “24-hour cookies” in recognition of Summer Solstice which occurred the day of the meeting.

    Ted Barker had the opportunity to watch the forum held by the 43rd District Democrats, hosted by Erica C. Barnett. Ted said “it was really bad” in comparison to ours on June 10th.

    Meeting was adjourned at 7:59pm.

    Executive Board Meeting

    2023-07-19 Board Meeting Minutes

     400 300 34th Democrats

    Minutes of the 34th District Democrats Board Meeting

    July 19, 2023, held virtually on Zoom.

    Attendees:

    Graham Murphy, Rachel Glass, Ted Barker, Roxanne Thayer, Bunny Hatcher, Preston Anderson, Julie Whitaker, Steve Butts, Carla Rogers, Ann Martin, Dorothy Gesick, Gina Topp, and Hannah Cameron.

    7:05 pm – Call to Order by Chair Graham Murphy

    • The agenda was reviewed. Ann Martin moved to approve; seconded by Dorothy Gesick. Approved by unanimous consent.
    • Minutes from the June board meeting were presented. Ann Martin moved to approve; seconded by Bunny Hatcher.  Approved by unanimous consent.

    Membership and Hospitality Chair Vacancy

    • Hannah Cameron has agreed to fill the role and will be put up for confirmation at the August Membership meeting.

    State Party Update, Ted Barker and Roxanne Thayer

    • Ted said we are awaiting a White Paper on delegate selection. Ted will post it in Slack for review.
    • Ted brought up what he feels is the lack of clarity regarding the endorsement process regarding those candidates who do not identify as Democrats. Discussion followed.
    • It was noted that Burien City Councilmember Cydney Moore, who chooses not to identify as a Democrat, has been endorsed by the 33rd District Democrats and by the King County Democrats.
    • The 34th is unable to endorse non-Democrats due to our Bylaws. We had been instructed in 2021 by then State Chair Tina Podlodowski that we were not to extend any privilege to an endorsed non-Democrat that touches on VoteBuilder in any way. 
    • Carla Rogers recently received information from Drew Estep, Operations Manager at Washington State Democrats, that they will defer judgment to the chairs of the local party organization about providing resources to an endorsed non-Democrat, including VoteBuilder access, given the variant circumstances of individual races and legislative districts.
    • Roxanne told us that the State Party will be meeting at the end of July and in August.

    KCDCC Report, Bunny Hatcher

    • A report of the June 27th meeting was published in the July newsletter.

    July Fundraiser Update, Graham Murphy

    • Fundraiser ticket purchases are slightly down from last year.
    • Dow will donate $1000.
    • A VIP event will be held from 3 to 5pm.
    • Rachel Glass will coordinate volunteers; she has a full roster.
    • Rep. Emily Alvarado will give the pitch for donations.

    Outreach Events, Steve Butts

    • The next two events are the West Seattle Grand Parade on July 22nd and the Duwamish River Festival on August 5th.

    Campaign Contributions

    A list of recommended donations will be presented to the membership at the August meeting. We have a limit of $5,500 approved by the membership at our April meeting. Graham presented the following:

    • King County D8 – $500 total for all candidates endorsed
    • Seattle D1 – $300 for Rob Saka’s campaign (The voucher program limits contributions to this amount)
    • Seattle School District Director No 6 – $1,175 for Gina Topp’s campaign
    • Burien City Council Position 2 – $1,175 total for candidates endorsed
    • Burien City Council Position 4 – $1,175 total for candidates endorsed
    • Burien City Council Position 6 – $1,175 for Krystal Marx’s campaign

    Discussion about the breakdown revealed that “Moms for Liberty” have preferred candidates in 2 Highline School Board races. There is also a race for a position on the Vashon School Board. We should prioritize contributions for races which need the most help.

    Following discussion, Graham moved to approve a new donation proposal; Carla Rogers seconded. It was passed by acclamation.

    • King County D8 – $250 total for all candidates endorsed
    • Seattle D1 – $250 total for Rob Saka’s campaign
    • Seattle School District Director No 6 – $1,175 for Gina Topp’s campaign
    • Burien City Council Position 2 – $750 total for candidates endorsed
    • Burien City Council Position 4 – $750 total for candidates endorsed
    • Burien City Council Position 6 – $750 for Krystal Marx’s campaign
    • Highline School Board Position 1 – $500
    • Highline School Board Position 4 – $500

    A remaining amount of $575 is available for other donations.

    August Meeting Candidate Endorsements

    Candidates who have filled out the appropriate KC Democrats questionnaire and are therefore eligible for endorsement consideration at our August meeting are:

    • Vashon Island School District Director Position No 5
      • Juniper Rogneby
    • Highline School District Director, District No 1
      • Michael T. Lewis
      • Stephanie Tidholm
    • Highline School District Director District No 4
      • Carlos M. Ruiz
      • Joey Martinez
    • Burien City Council Position 2
      • Brittany Williams
      • Linda Akey
    • Burien City Council Position 4
      • Kevin J. Schilling
      • Patricia Hudson
      • Daniel Reed Martin
    • King County Council District 8
      • Teresa Mosqueda
      • Sofia Aragon

    Seattle Housing Levy

    • Nimco Bulale from the Renew the Seattle Housing Levy! – Yes for Homes campaign joined us and introduced Patience Malaba, Executive Director of the Housing Development Consortium, who gave a presentation on the Seattle Housing Levy as well as provided data from the previous levy that was passed in 2016.
    • Ann Martin moved to endorse the levy; Rachel Glass seconded. The motion was passed by acclamation.

    Good of the Order

    • Carla Rogers urged us to canvass for the Primary.
    • Ann Martin announced that the West Seattle Democratic Women are holding a Seattle Council D1 Forum on Thursday July 27th. 

    Meeting was adjourned at 8:34 PM

    2023-05-24 Executive Board Meeting Minutes

     150 150 34th Democrats

    Minutes of the 34th District Democrats Board Meeting

    May 24, 2023, held virtually on Zoom.

    Attendees:

    Graham Murphy, Rachel Glass, Roxanne Thayer, Chris Porter, Bunny Hatcher, Ted Barker, Preston Anderson, Julie Whitaker, Steve Butts, Ann Martin, and Dorothy Gesick.

    7:06 pm – Call to Order by Chair Graham Murphy

    • An amended agenda reviewed and approved by unanimous consent.
    • Chris Porter asked to amend the agenda to add discussion regarding meeting Zoom links. Links sent in meeting notices are not usable to all board members, and a consistent place to post links is needed. It was decided that future meeting links will be placed in Zoom in the Executive Board channel.
    • Minutes from April board meeting were presented and approved by unanimous consent.
    • A reminder of the Code of Conduct was given.

    State Party May Meeting Review, Roxanne Thayer, and Ted Barker

    • The  Party Modernization Committee is looking at ways to use technology such as Zoom for hybrid in-person/remote meeting attendance to increase meeting turnout and participation.
    • Ongoing discussion is under way concerning the allocation of delegates:
    • The initial plan put forward by the Rules Committee called for equal numbers of delegates from each LD. A complaint about this method is that it would lessen inclusion of minorities.
    • An amendment was passed rewarding LDs which meet affirmative action goals to be granted additional delegates.

    KCDCC May Meeting Review, Bunny Hatcher, and Chris Porter

    • The KCDCC will not take up Seattle Council endorsements until its June 27th meeting, giving us a chance to endorse in District 1 before. Although one precinct in D1 is in another LD, the KCDCC will respect our endorsement.
    • Teresa Mosqueda was given a sole endorsement for County Council Position 8.
    • Candidate Questionnaires are due by June 2. KCDCC may not be able to review late submissions, but LDs will be able to use them in their endorsement processes.
    • Chris Porter criticized the LD endorsement process in reorganization years based his experience as a candidate. LDs are not well-prepared to evaluate candidates and endorse in elections early in the year, such as for the King Conservation District Board.

    July 22nd Fundraiser Update, Graham Murphy

    • The space at C & P Coffee has been secured. It will be an indoor/outdoor event and C & P will have a newly constructed deck by the date of the event.
    • Carla Rogers has secured a location for a prior VIP gathering.
    • 15 tickets had been sold as of the date of the meeting.

    Candidate Forums, Seattle Council D1 and County Council District 8

    • Questions have been selected.
    • The space at Youngstown Cultural Center is confirmed.
    • Volunteers are needed. Board Members are expected to help.
    • The West Seattle Blog will be on hand to tape the event.
    • Only those candidates that fill a King County Democratic questionnaire and who identify as Democrats will be allowed to participate.
    • Table space will be provided for information on our 34th organization.
    • The last prep meeting will be on June 7th 

    June Meeting Endorsements

    • A slate of candidates will be presented to members to be considered as a block.
      • Coreen Wilson, KC Superior Court Judge, Pos. 30.
      • Joe Campagna, KC Superior Court Judge, Pos. 39.
      • John Wilson, King County Assessor.
    • Sam Cho, Port of Seattle Pos. 2, was pulled for separate consideration, should he seek our endorsement, at the request of Roxanne Thayer.
    • Ann Martin moved to present the block to members; Chris Porter seconded. The motion was passed via voice vote. 
    • Candidates in other races may be eligible for endorsements provided they identify as Democrats and have submitted a questionnaire to the King County Democrats.
    • Ann Martin announced in the Good of the Order that she will host an endorsement run-through at her home on June 3rd.

    Good of the Order

    Dorothy Gesick rose to question candidate statements in social media to their supporters that they could become members for little or for no dues fees. Ann Martin pointed out that the State Party believes no one should be hindered from participation due to inability to pay, and our Bylaws states similarly. 

    Dorothy also spoke about the general sense of anxiety many are feeling regarding the Debt Ceiling standoff between Congress and the Administration.

    Chris Porter felt that members of the 34th District Democrats should go beyond the Land Acknowledgement and begin to pay rent as individuals, and as an organization to the Duwamish Tribe for occupying their ancestral land. Rachel Glass noted that she has been offering ways that members could take action to help local tribes through donations. Ted Barker brought up the fact that there is ongoing controversy between other tribes in the region and the Duwamish due to historical disagreements.

    Chris is also collecting donations for The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ youth suicide prevention program. He is participating in its 50-mile bicycle challenge.

    Steve Butts noted that there were several outreach activities in the month of June.

    Roxanne Thayer announced a June 5th PSARA Webinar featuring Wendell Potter, an advocate for health insurance reform. She also noted that Canada has just expanded its healthcare benefits, and it is also now including dental care to those making less than $70,000.

    The meeting was adjourned at 8:18 PM.

    Monthly Meeting

    2023-05-10 Membership Meeting Minute

     400 300 34th Democrats

    2023-05-10 Membership Meeting Minutes

    34th Democrats Membership Meeting – Held via closed Zoom

    7:01 – Call to Order by Chair Graham Murphy

    Chair’s opening announcements

    • Our Candidate Forum will be Saturday, June 10 at the Youngstown Community Arts Center for King County Council District 8, and Seattle City Council District 1.
    • The Endorsement Meeting will be held on June 14. New members were to have joined by the start of the May Membership meeting; 2022 members were given until June 13 to renew to participate.
    • The Summer Social and Fundraiser will be held on July 22 at C & P Coffee. Graham handed the mic to Acting Fundraising Chair Gina Topp, who directed members to buy tickets; If they did so during the meeting, they would also get free admission to the summer picnic.

    Opening Ceremonies

    • A motion to approve the agenda was made by Ann Martin; seconded by Chris Porter. The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.
    • A motion to approve the minutes from the April meeting was made by Ann Martin; seconded by Chris Porter. The minutes were approved by unanimous consent.
    • 1st Vice Chair Rachel Glass gave the Land Acknowledgement. She also suggested members could further show appreciation to the Indigenous Peoples of the 34th District by giving a donation to the Chief Seattle Club https://www.chiefseattleclub.org/

    VIP Acknowledgements

    • Seattle Port Commissioner Fred Felleman spoke of activities and goals of the Port of Seattle.
    • King Conservation District Board member Chris Porter rose to thank the members of the 34th for their support during his tenure. His term ended in May.
    • Carla Rogers introduced newly elected King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion, who gave updates on her first few months in office.
    • Chris Porter introduced Washington State Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz, who had officially announced her candidacy for Governor earlier in the day. She spoke of her achievements in her current position and for her goals as Governor if elected.

    Legislative Debrief

    • First Vice-Chair Rachel Glass introduced our delegation to the State Legislature. Senator Joe Nguyen and Representatives Joe Fitzgibbon and Emily Alvarado were present. 
    • Rachel Glass and Second Vice-Chair Jordan Crawley presented questions that were answered by each in turn.
    •  It was noted that they would shortly return to Olympia for a Special Session to redraft expired state regulation on drug use and possession which failed to pass before adjournment.

    Candidate Spotlight 

    • Candidates for Seattle Council District 1
    • Phil Tavel lives in Arbor Heights. He has served on various boards and has been a fundraiser for local non-profit organizations. He is a graduate of Camp Wellstone and ran for the D1 position in 2019. https://tavelforseattle.com/
    • Jean Iannelli Craciun is originally from Cleveland, Ohio. She moved to Seattle with her wife after spending 30 years in Alaska, involved in entrepreneurship, starting several businesses. https://www.jeanforseattlecitycouncil.com/
    • Candidate for Port Commissioner
    • Jesse Tam, a 40-year King County resident, was born and raised in Hong Kong. He is a banker by profession and has served as the former Parks Commissioner for the City of Newcastle. https://www.electjessetam.com/

    Election for King County Committeeperson (Male or Non-Binary)

    • Chris Porter is nominated by Ted Barker; Karen Richter seconded.
    • Chris Speaks for himself.
    • Ted Barker speaks in favor of his motion.
    • Chris Porter is elected by 100% of the vote of PCOs present via ZOOM poll.

    Good of the Order

    • Chair Murphy announced Dow Constantine’s Filing Day luncheon, which features a special price for 34th members.
    • Outreach Chair Steve Butts announced an Adopt-A-Street work party on May 13th. The 34th will also have a table at both Burien and White Center Pride Festivals on June 3rd.
    • State Committeeperson Roxanne Thayer reported that representatives from Vashon Island have been meeting with Port of Seattle Commissioners to express concern over new flight plans for SeaTac Airport traffic over the island causing noise pollution.
    • Chair Murphy announced that the next Pop-Up Social would be May 19th at Locust Cider on Alki Avenue.

    Meeting was adjourned at 9:21 PM.

     

    Executive Board Meeting

    2023-04-15 Executive Board Meeting Minutes

     400 300 34th Democrats

    2023-04-15 Executive Board Meeting Minutes

    March 15, 2023, held virtually on Zoom.

    Attendees:

    Graham Murphy, Rachel Glass, Jordan Crawley, Roxanne Thayer, Chris Porter, Bunny Hatcher, Ted Barker, Preston Anderson, Julie Whitaker, Steve Butts, Carla Rogers, Ann Martin, Dorothy Gesick, Gina Topp

    7:05 pm – Call to Order by Chair Graham Murphy

    • Agenda reviewed and approved by unanimous consent.
    • Minutes from February meeting approved by unanimous consent.
    • Chair spoke briefly about the Executive Board’s upcoming team building and ideation session on March 18. Members are to bring a small work assignment to share. It will be at the Launchpad Co-Working space in the Morgan Junction.

    Discussion about King County Proposition 1 – The Crisis Care Centers Levy

    PCO Chair Dorothy Gesick expressed concern that the county wasn’t promoting the levy enough, but she learned that there will now be a mailing to voters not initially planned. She felt we should make an  effort to recruit volunteers for phone and text banking. Her inquiries about involuntary commitment procedures were not answered. 

    State Party Report – Given by Roxanne Thayer and Chris Porter, Committeepersons

    • Roxanne Thayer will be on the State Party Modernization Committee.
    • Chris Porter noted that the next meeting will be in Seattle on May 6. The Delegate Selection Plan is to be submitted to the DNC in April.

    KCDCC Report – Given by Bunny Hatcher, Committeeperson

    • The KCDCC Code of Conduct Committee has been reelected.
    • PCOs were effective in helping to pass I-135 in Seattle. However, the levy for the Enumclaw School District was soundly defeated.
    • King County Crisis Care Centers Levy was endorsed.
    • Candidate Questionnaires are completed and will be submitted to the KCDCC for approval at the next meeting. Volunteers are needed to review the candidates’ submissions as they are received.
    • Candidate interviews will begin on April 15th. The 34th can have an additional member on the KCDCC Endorsement Committee.
    • Chair Carrie Barnes stressed the importance of having a candidate to compete in every race.

    Budget for the 2023 Fiscal Year.  (May 2023-April 2024)

    The budget will be submitted to the membership at the April meeting. The goal is to have approximately $16,000 on hand at the end of the fiscal year in April 2024. Estimates of Income and major expense items, are as follows:

    • Membership revenue: $15,000
    • Fundraising revenue: $25,000
    • Elections/Campaigns: $14,500
    • In-person membership meetings
      and holiday party expense: $5,000
    • Outreach expense: $1,500

    Members may move to make changes at the meeting.

    Bunny Hatcher moved to adopt the budget; Dorothy Gesick seconded. The motion was carried by a voice vote.

    Updates to the Governing Documents

    Bylaws Chair Jordan Crawley walked through the changes he proposed including suggestion submittals from members to be made to the following documents:

    • Executive Board Standing Rules
    • Virtual Meeting Standing Rules
    • Code of Conduct
    • Bylaws

    The board will approve changes to the Executive Board and the Virtual Meeting standing rules at the April board meeting. A 30-day notice of changes to members for review and comment is required prior to adoption by the board.

    The Code of Conduct and Bylaws must be approved by two-thirds of the PCOs. These documents have been held over for more board discussion at the April meeting, then presented to the PCOs for adoption in May.

    Good of the Order

    Ann Martin gave notice that the West Seattle Democratic Women will be holding their meeting on April 23, 6pm on Zoom. Patsy Whitefoot will speak on “Beyond the Land Acknowledgement”

    Carla Rogers needs a tentative Outreach events list to send out to members to increase volunteer involvement. She would also like us to submit items of interest for weekly emails to members.

    Meeting adjoined at 8:35pm

     

    Executive Board Meeting

    23-04-19 Executive Board Meeting Minutes

     400 300 34th Democrats

    Minutes of the 34th District Democrats Board Meeting

    April 19, 2023, held virtually on Zoom.

    Attendees:

    Graham Murphy, Rachel Glass, Roxanne Thayer, Chris Porter, Bunny Hatcher, Ted Barker, Preston Anderson, Julie Whitaker, Steve Butts, Carla Rogers, Ann Martin, Dorothy Gesick, Gina Topp

    7:05 pm – Call to Order by Chair Graham Murphy

    • Agenda reviewed and approved by unanimous consent.
    • Minutes from March board meeting presented and approved by unanimous consent.
    • A reminder of the Code of Conduct was given.

    May Membership Meeting Agenda

    • May membership meeting to potentially feature a session with our state representatives.
      • To date, Senator Nguyen has indicated his availability.
      • Jordan Crawley will moderate a Q/A session; others were invited to provide questions.
    • Attorney General Bob Ferguson may be available to attend to speak and take questions.
      • Chris Porter will facilitate AG Ferguson’s visit.

    Executive Board Strategy Guidance Document

    Chair Murphy presented a distillation derived from the Executive Board Retreat that took place on March 18th based on input from the brainstorming of those present there. It will serve as a touchstone as we move forward to appraise our effectiveness regarding these strategic commitments:

    • Community Engagement.
    • Diversity, Belonging, and Social Justice.
    • Voter Care.

    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BC3ixtCIkQ6HJ9C824ogXbdZvAG0myG4J3OE0xooohg/edit?usp=sharing 

    Burien Minimum Wage Resolution

    This resolution would ask the Burien City Council to pass a minimum wage ordinance in that city to raise the current minimum wage and structure it to be comparable to neighboring jurisdictions.

    • Resolution was introduced by Katie Wilson, General Secretary of the Transit Riders Union
    • Sponsored in the 34th LD by Chris Porter, PCO
    • Ann Martin moved to submit to membership as “Do Pass”; Seconded by Chris Porter.
    • Resolution is approved via voice vote.

    Lapsed Membership Renewal Outreach and Increasing Meeting Attendance

    • Chair Murphy shared a list of 2022 members who have not renewed for this year. He was to divide it between board members to make calls encouraging people to renew their membership for 2023 and remind them they need to do so prior to the June 14th endorsement meeting.
    • We have been getting new member sign-ups recently, perhaps due to a surge of supporters of candidates looking for our endorsement.
    • Some Ideas to increase turnout at meetings were put forward included:
      • Have a continuing presence at the farmers market.
      • Extend invitations at the meetings of other groups.
      • Continue with the standalone pre-meeting programs.
      • Seek members in the new areas of the LD to make up for those we lost in Burien.
      • Programs of interest with prominent elected officials.
    • Gina Topp reported from an ad hoc committee which met to discuss ways of conducting hybrid in-person/virtual meetings at which those attending remotely had equal access to participation. 
      • A trial run for such was debated for August. 
      • Concerns were raised about our staffing ability for an ongoing hybrid meeting scenario.
      • The committee will reach out to the State Party for guidance and re-meet.

    State Committee Report

    • Roxanne Thayer gave a report from the State Modernization Committee at which the subjects of how to increase attendance and hybrid meetings were discussed.
      • The State is favorable to hybrid meetings which could increase attendance.
      • Meetings should be issue-driven, less procedural.
    • There was discussion regarding comments in the media made by Maria Gluesenkamp Perez in which she lamented the lack of appeal the Democratic Party has in rural areas among non-college educated people, who favor the GOP at a 2:1 ratio and consider the Democratic Party as elitist.  

    June Candidate Forum

    • The candidate forum will be on June 10th at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center and will proceed as follows:
    • 1:00pm to 1:45pm – County Council District 8, moderated by Chris Porter
    • 2:05pm to 4:00pm – Seattle City Council District 1, moderated by Rachel Glass.
    • Several people are needed to prepare/select questions.
    • Volunteers are needed at the beginning and at the end to set up and clean up.

    July Fundraiser

    • The event will be from 5pm to 7:30pm at C&P Coffee, pending a contract.
    • There will be a “Raise the Paddle” donation opportunity.
    • We will try to collect “experiences” for a silent auction.
    • Working title for the event (since it follows the West Seattle Parade) is “Keep on Marching.”
    • We will use dynamic ticket pricing.
    • Planning a pre-VIP reception at a nearby winery.
    • Volunteers are needed for set up/take down.

    Review of Governing Documents

    • Discussion and approval of the revised documents for submittal to members/PCOs was postponed until later in the year. 
    • We will use existing bylaws and rules for the June 14th endorsement meeting.

    Good of the Order

    • Chris Porter rose to say he feels that our organization is “too vanilla”, and if we wish to grow, we need to take more direct actions such as marches and other activities to draw activists in.
    • Carla Rogers announced that the 34th is signed up of the One Seattle Day of Service by assisting at the White Center Food Bank.
    • Roxanne Thayer said we should work with other organizations to achieve common goals.
    • Steve Butts mentioned that the 34th will have a booth at the White Center Cambodian New Year Festival on April 29th.

    Meeting Adjourned at 8:45pm

     

    Monthly Meeting

    23-04-12 Membership Meeting Minutes

     400 300 34th Democrats

    34th Democrats Membership Meeting – Held via closed Zoom

    Pre-Meeting Program – Peter Donaldson and students from Sustainability Ambassadors

    This program can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PMUHIixNks

    7:33 – Call to Order by Chair Graham Murphy

    Chair’s Opening Remarks

    • Chair Murphy contrasted events in Tennessee during which two Democratic representatives were expelled for pushing for gun restrictions, and Washington State which had just passed a ban on assault rifles.
    • We were urged to work to maintain our “Blue Wall” in Washington.
    • Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s Build our America luncheon will be on Thursday, May 4th.
    • County Executive Dow Constantine is hosting his annual Filing Week Luncheon Friday, May 19th.

    Meeting Business

    • Adoption of Meeting Agenda
    • Ann Martin moved; Julie Whitaker seconded. Agenda adopted by unanimous consent.
    • Approval of the Minutes from March Membership Meeting.
    • Rachel Glass moved; Tamsen Spengler seconded. March minutes approved by unanimous consent.

    Land Acknowledgement

    • 1st Vice Chair Rachel Glass gave a land acknowledgement and provided information for donating to organizations that benefit indigenous people locally and nationally.

    VIP Acknowledgements

    • Teresa Mosqueda announced that there was to be a public hearing regarding the November Seattle Housing Levy on April 19th, followed by a public comment opportunity. She also spoke of the national attention the recently enacted Seattle gig worker sick leave requirement has received.
    • Burien Mayor Sofia Aragon also spoke in favor of the Crisis Care levy; She was to be doorbelling on its behalf.
    • Seattle School Board Member Leslie Harris rose to announce she is not seeking another term. She will assist any of those who wish to run for SPS Director Position 6.
    • King Conservation District Board Member Chris Porter spoke in favor of the Crisis Care levy
    • Former Seattle City Councilperson Jan Drago was recognized by the Chair.

    Candidate Spotlight

    Candidate King County Council District 8

    • Sofia Aragon. Sofia expressed appreciation for the various areas of King County and stressed her life-long commitment to Democratic Party. She would advocate for housing affordability, health care, drug and homeless solutions, and for the environment.

    Candidates for Seattle City Council District 1:

    • Maren Costa. Maren is a former Amazon employee instrumental in their “Climate Pledge” initiative. She was fired for union advocacy, winning a lawsuit against the company. Her areas of concern are public safety, affordable housing, and gender pay equity.
    • Preston Anderson. Preston is a social services professional and would tackle homelessness, drug use, work for more transit options, and see an increase in front line social services workers.
    • Rob Saka. Saka was instrumental in the 2021 King County Charter amendments and the search process to select a new Seattle Police Chief. He addressed homelessness and the need for more humane sweeps, mental health treatment and police reform.

    Chair Murphy informed the group that there will be a Candidate Forum at 1- 4pm on Saturday, June 10th at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. It will feature candidates for King County Council District 8 followed by the Seattle City Council District 1 race.

    State Party Committeeperson Election (Male or Non-Binary)

    • Joe McDermott nominated Ted Barker; Gina Topp seconded.
    • Ted spoke on his own behalf. 
    • Joe spoke in favor of Ted.
    • Ted is elected via voice vote of the PCOs present.

    Update on Raising the Minimum Wage in Burien and Unincorporated King County

    • Katie Wilson, General Secretary of the Transit Riders Union gave an overview of initiatives to raise the minimum wage in various local cities. Next efforts will be in the city of Burien and in unincorporated King County. 

    Reconnect South Park

    • Reconnect South Park is a grassroots organization devoted to tackling issues in South Park related to the bisection of the neighborhood by Highway 99 as well as other areas of concern within that part of the city. 34th Democrats member Maria Ramirez spoke of their efforts to address those problems. Robin Schwartz from the Duwamish River Community Coalition also spoke. https://reconnectsouthpark.org/

    Call to Action for King County Prop. 1 – Crisis Care Centers Levy

    • PCO Chair Dorothy Gesick rose to encourage members to volunteer to get out the vote for the measure on the April 25th Special Election ballot. She also urged us to vote for the levy and to get others to support the levy.

    Budget for 2023-2024

    • Chair Graham presented a budget for fiscal year 2023-2024 starting in May. 
    • Rachel Glass moved to approve; Julie Whitaker seconded.
    • Members approved the budget via voice vote.

    Treasurer’s Report

    • Treasurer Julie Whitaker gave the March financial report. 
    • The 34th has now transferred all banking activities from Umpqua Bank to BECU.
    • As of the meeting, membership stood at 146, with 66 of those PCOs.

    Good of the Order

    • Carla Rogers announced that we will be taking part in the One Seattle Day of Service. Our participation was to be determined at meeting time.
    • Ann Martin rose to say that the West Seattle Democratic Women’s March program on indigenous women was postponed until April 27th.
    • Steve Butts announced that the 34th will have a booth at the White Center Cambodian New Year Festival on April 29.
    • Maria Ramirez offered information on housing in South Park for qualified families.

    The meeting was adjourned by the Chair at 8:43pm

    Minimum Wage Burien

    Resolution in Support of Raising the Minimum Wage in Burien 

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    Resolution adopted at the May 10, 2023 membership meeting.

    Resolution in Support of Raising the Minimum Wage in Burien 

    WHEREAS the 34th District Democratic platform supports living wage tied to the median market housing rate: and

    WHEREAS low wages contribute to housing insecurity, homelessness, and many other social problems that weaken our communities; and

    WHEREAS someone working full-time at the minimum wage in Burien has to spend well over half their income to rent a modest 1-bedroom apartment for $1,600 a month; and

    WHEREAS in 2013 and 2014 the cities of SeaTac and Seattle established local minimum wages higher than the state minimum wage; and

    WHEREAS in 2022 Tukwila voted by over 82% to raise their city’s minimum wage to approximately the level of neighboring SeaTac, with a phase-in for smaller employers and an exemption for the very smallest employers; and

    WHEREAS according to data from the Employment Security Department, in 2022 more than 2,000 Burien workers were making less than the minimum wage in effect in the neighboring city of SeaTac, mostly working in retail, accommodations, and food services; and

    WHEREAS raising Burien’s minimum wage would boost the income of many of these workers and their families, as well as encouraging other cities to do the same, raising the floor throughout King County; and

    WHEREAS a petition urging the Burien City Council to pass legislation in 2023 to raise the minimum wage is circulating in Burien,

    NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the 34th District Democrats endorse the campaign to raise Burien’s minimum wage through a law similar to the one Tukwila passed.

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the 34th District Democrats will ask members to help circulate the coalition’s petition building support among Burien residents, workers, and local businesses, and demonstrating the strength of public support to the council.

    BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED the 34th District Democrats will work with the coalition to urge the Burien councilmembers to pass legislation this year to raise Burien’s minimum wage.

    Introduced by: Katie Wilson, Transit Riders Union. 34th District Sponsor: Chris Porter, PCO.

    Monthly Meeting

    23-03-08 Membership Meeting Minutes

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    23-03-08 Membership Meeting Minutes

    34th Democrats Membership Meeting – Held via closed Zoom

    Pre-Meeting Program – Steve Daschle, Executive Director of Southwest Youth and Family Services.

    This program can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EQNxxIT7JM

    7:31 – Call to Order by Chair Graham Murphy

    Chair’s Announcements

    • Executive Board Updates
    • Chris Porter is stepping down from his position of State Committeeperson, effective March 31. He and Graham are exploring new roles for him to assume in the organization. Anyone who identifies as male or non-binary may run to be State Committeeperson; the election will be at the April Membership meeting.
    • Lauri Hennessey has accepted a new job and resigned as Fundraising and Events Committee Chair at the end of February.
    • The annual fundraiser will be Saturday, July 22, 2023.
    • Chair Murphy urged us to use our Democracy Vouchers for Seattle Council races.
    • The Executive Board Meeting for March will be March 15.
    • The March Pop Up will be Friday, March 24th, at the Elliott Bay Brewery in Burien.

    Opening Ceremonies

    • An amended Agenda and the Minutes from the February meeting both approved without objection.
    • The Land Acknowledgement was given by 1st Vice Chair Rachel Glass.

    VIP Acknowledgements

    • Burien Mayor Sofia Aragon spoke of the 30th anniversary of the founding of Burien.
    • Seattle City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda spoke about the three-month comment period starting in April for citizens to weigh in on a Seattle Housing Levy, scheduled for the November election.
    • County Councilmember Joe McDermott told us that he is working on legislation to help alleviate some of the issues for residents near the KC County Airport, such as noise, adverse health effects, and traffic problems. He is not seeking reelection.
    • King Conservation District Board Member Chris Porter thanked us for our support in his reelection bid. Although he was unsuccessful, he will still advocate for conservation efforts, especially for pollinators.
    • Former Burien Deputy Mayor Krystal Marx and Drew Estep, Party Affairs Director of the Washington State Democrats, were present and acknowledged by the Chair.

    Candidate Spotlight

    • Teresa Mosqueda is running for King County Council Position 8, currently held by Joe McDermott.
    • Krystal Marx is running for Burien City Council Position 6 being vacated by Sofia Aragon who is running for King County Council.
    • King County Judge Coreen Wilson is running to retain her seat. She was appointed by Governor Inslee in 2022.

    Updates on King County Crisis Care Centers Levy

    • Ryan Haskins from Yes on Prop 1 gave an update on the campaign and volunteer opportunities.
    • There will be opportunities for virtual phone and text banks. Contact Ryan at info@yeskcprop1.com
    • The County does not intend to mail out materials in support of the proposition.
    • Ballots for the April 25th Special Election will be sent out between April 8th and 12th.

    Resolution: In Support for a Tax on Extreme Wealth

    • A resolution in support of a Washington State tax on extreme wealth was submitted by Bunny Hatcher. It was explained by Endorsements and Resolutions Committee Chair Ann Martin. It supports legislation being put forth by Rep. Emily Alvarado and Sen. Joe Nguyen. 
    • Chris Porter moved to adopt the resolution; Julie Whitaker seconded. 
    • Bunny spoke in favor. There was no speaker against
    • The resolution was approved via a Zoom poll vote of 30 to 2. It is available here:

    https://34dems.org/proposed-resolution-in-support-of-a-washington-tax-on-extreme-wealth/

    Candidate Forums and Endorsements

    • Candidate forums will be planned by an ad hoc committee that includes Rachel Glass, Jordan Crawley, Ann Martin, and Carla Rogers, along with Chris Porter who volunteered during the meeting. 
    • We will prioritize forums and endorsing in Seattle Council District 1, which fits entirely within the 34th LD, and King County Council District 8.
    • The 34th will work to co-sponsor forums and consider endorsements for races in Burien, Seattle D2, D3, and D7.
    • We will consider endorsing in other races if approached by qualified candidates.
    • Candidates seeking our endorsement must fill out the appropriate King County Democrats candidate questionnaire.
    • Chair Murphy urged members to check their membership status, either by using a link posted in slack, or by reviewing their credit card statements to assure that they are eligible to vote for endorsements.

    In-Person Meetings

    • We will move to hold quarterly in-person meetings or gatherings, or a minimum of two per year, starting in the 2nd Quarter of 2023 provided that the costs for such gatherings are within our budget. There will be a need to collect funds to offset associated cost of meeting in person.
    • Hybrid meetings are not feasible given the technology we have available to us.
    • A survey taken in February revealed member thoughts:
    • Virtual meetings are more accessible, with less transportation issues.
    • In-person meetings are more conducive to social interaction between members, and access to elected officials
    • Shorter meetings are preferred.

    PCO Appointment

    • PCO Committee Chair Dorothy Gesick inducted a new PCO. Drew Estep, who was recognized earlier in the meeting, will be assuming duties in Sylvan Precinct in White Center.

    Treasurers Report

    • Treasurer Julie Whitaker gave the financial report.
    • Chris Porter rose to remark on how well off the 34th is in comparison to many other LDs in the state.
    • All funds will be out of Umpqua Bank by the end of the fiscal year and will be transferred into the BECU. All further financial activities will be done through that credit union.
    • Membership was at 137, including 66 PCOs, as of March 6, 2023.

    Good of the Order

    • Steve Butts announced that there would be an evening Outreach meeting on Zoom Monday, March 13.
    • Dorothy Gesick noted that there is growing public concern over public safety and that we should not ignore this sentiment.
    • Chris Porter reflected that while he enjoyed the pre-meeting program, he felt we missed an opportunity to have a special program to celebrate Women’s Day, which fell on the date of our March meeting.
    • Ann Martin came forward to say that the program for the March meeting of the West Seattle Democratic Women would be on indigenous women.

    The meeting was adjourned by the Chair at 8:43pm

     

    Monthly Meeting

    2023-02-08 Membership Meeting Minutes

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    2023-02-08 Membership Meeting Minutes

    34th District Democrats Membership Meeting – Held via closed Zoom

    6:30 PM – Pre-Meeting Program – Celebrating Black History Month

    Presented by Malakhi Kaine from Africatown International. A recording can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiIrkJlints

     

    7:35 PM Call to order by Chair Graham Murphy

     

    Approval of the Meeting Agenda and Last Month’s Minutes

    • Bunny Hatcher Moved to Adopt the Agenda, Rachel Glass seconded. Passed by Unanimous Consent.
    • Sara Smith Moved for Approval of the Minutes from January, Tamsen Spengler seconded. Passed by Unanimous Consent.
    • Chair Murphy asked for opinions on in-person vs virtual meetings and shared a link for members to provide input using an online form.

    Opening Ceremony

    • Land Acknowledgement was given by 1st Vice Rachel Glass

    VIP Acknowledgements

    • King County Executive Dow Constantine – Spoke in favor of the Crisis Center Levy to be on the April Special Election ballot.
    • King Conservation District Board Member Chris Porter – Spoke the unique February 14 KCD Board Election, the KCD bare-root native plant sale, and a KCD listening tour.
    • Seattle Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda – Spoke in support of the Crisis Center Levy and the Seattle Social Housing initiative I-135 on the February 14 Special Election.
    • Retired Rep. Eileen Cody – Chose not to speak.

    Candidate Spotlight

    • Judge Joe Campagna spoke about his candidacy for election to his appointed seat on King County Superior Court, Pos. 39.

    Endorsement of the King County Crisis Care Centers Levy 

    • Gina Topp rose to ask that we alter the agenda to vote to consider endorsement of the King County Crisis Care Centers Levy. Chris Porter rose to second. We were informed by the chair that it would take an 80% majority to allow for a vote.
    • Sara Smith moved to change the agenda to allow an endorsement vote; Eileen Cody seconded. Motion to allow vote was passed via voice vote.
    • Gina moved to endorse the levy; Chris Porter seconded.
      • Dorothy Gesick rose to question the necessity of a special election. Exec. Constantine explained that it could be up to two years before it could be placed on a ballot.
      • Gina spoke in favor.
    • Voting was conducted via Zoom Poll and the levy was endorsed by 100% of those voting.

    Membership Drive

    Chair Murphy and 1st Vice Chair Glass urged those attending to join or renew their memberships in the 34th District Democrats and shared some of the costs the organization must pay. They also acknowledged by name those who had already renewed or became members.

    Committee Chair Appointments

    Chair Murphy put forward his picks for committee chairs:

    • Jordan Crawley, Bylaws and Rules Committee Chair
    • Carla Rogers, Communications Committee Chair
    • Lauri Hennessey, Fundraising & Events Committee Chair
    • Jordan Crawley, Platform & Legislative Action Committee Chair
    • Steve Butts, Outreach Committee Chair
    • Dorothy Gesick, PCO Committee Chair
    • Rachel Glass, Program Committee Chair
    • Ann Martin, Resolutions & Endorsements Committee Chair
    • Gina Topp, Parliamentarian
      • Chris Porter moved to approve the appointments; Tamsen Spengler seconded. Chairs were approved via a voice vote.
      • The Chair asked for volunteers to take up vacant roles:
    • Membership & Hospitality Committee Chair
    • Community Partnerships Committee Chair
    • Equity & Social Justice Committee Chair
    • Elections & Caucuses Committee Chair
    • Young Democrats Liaison

    PCO Appointments

    • PCO Committee Chair Dorothy Gesick put forward 3 new PCOs for appointment:
      • Jordan Crawley, 34-1435
      • Heather Engel, 34-1546
      • Gayle Sommers, 34-3942
    • Dorothy moved to approve, and Chris Porter seconded. The new PCOs were approved via voice vote of the PCOs present at the meeting.

    Budget Development Committee

    • Chair Graham Murphy announced that he, Julie Whitaker, and Carla Rogers will make up a committee to prepare a budget, to be approved by the Executive Board in March for submittal to membership on April 1 for review prior to adoption at the April Membership Meeting. Interested members can take part in the budget process by contacting Graham at chair@34dems.org

    Financial and Membership Report

    • Chair Murphy gave the monthly financials.
    • Graham also asked for the creation of a new budget line item to facilitate the transfer of money from Umpqua Bank to BECU Credit Union, our new bank. Eileen Cody moved; Chris Porter seconded. The change was approved by members via voice vote.
    • Membership as of February 5th stood at 127, 63 of which are PCOs.

    Bylaws and Rules Modifications

    • Bylaws and Rules Committee Chair Jordan Crawley will propose modifications to the Bylaws, Standing Rules, and the Code of Conduct to the Executive Board in February for approval to be then brought forth to the membership at the March membership meeting.
    • Jordan asked that for those who have suggestions or who wish to join the committee to contact him at bylaws@34dems.org

    Good of the Order

    • Elizabeth Heath noted that there will be a meeting of the West Seattle Democratic Women on February 23. The Washington State Capital Gains Tax was to be the subject.
    • Carla Rogers spoke in favor of the Seattle I-135 Social Housing Initiative. She had signs and materials available.
    • Chair Murphy announced that the next Pop-Up Social would be on February 24 at The Beverage Place.

    Meeting was adjourned at 8:43 PM