Click here to download:
agenda_july_8_2023.doc
Pledge to the Flag
Indigenous Land Acknowledgement: May I get a County Chair to read today?
“The State of Michigan occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinabek – Three Fires Confederacy, the Odawa (Ottawa), Ojibwe (Chippewa), and Bodewadmi (Potawatomi). The Michigan Democratic Party recognizes historic Indigenous communities in Michigan and those forcibly removed from their homelands. We further recognize the ongoing relationship of dependence upon, and respect for, all living beings of earth, sky, and water. In offering this land acknowledgment, we affirm Indigenous sovereignty, history, and experiences.”
Speakers:
1). Michael Lynch - 2nd CD Congressman Candidate
2). Brenda Reeber - Starfish Gun Buyback Program (slides on desktop folder)
Roll call of officers:
Chair: Mary Minnick
Vice-Chair: John Helge
Treasurer: Dallas Dean
Secretary: Peggy Raddatz
Roll Call of District Committee Members:
Mary Minnick, Robin Aslakson, Karen Turnbull, Amanda Siggins, Christie Freestone, Christina Bush, Peggy Raddatz, Julie Alexander, Cathy Willermet, Dallas Dean, Michael Lynch, John Pakledinaz, John Helge, Edward Miller, Michael Fields, Jerry Hilliard, Shawn Davis, Jeffrey Beegle, Mark Everhart, Jennifer Koch Donovan, Landon Myers, Lynn Mason, Kim Gates, Jennifer Austin, Justin Johnson, Jason Colella, Mary Temple, Tim Smith, Sally Wagner, Mark Thomson, Chadwick Walenga, Ken Mahoney and K.P. Mahoney.
Roll call of Counties:
Barry County, Clare County, Eaton County (3/16), Gladwin County, Gratiot County, Ionia County, Isabella County, Kent County (13/24), Lake County, Manistee County, Mason County, Mecosta County, Midland County (5/16), Montcalm County, Muskegon County (11/18), Newaygo County, Oceana County, Osceola, Ottawa County (1/17), Wexford County.
Determination of quorum:
According to our by-laws (Section #5.1.C.), a quorum will exist when 50% of the officers and four additional members of the District Committee are present. *It appears we have a quorum. We can start our meeting.
Approval of agenda - Has everyone had a chance to read the agenda? May I get a motion to approve the agenda? Let's vote.
Approval of minutes- Has everyone had a chance to read the minutes? Are there any changes or additions that anyone has to the minutes at this time? May I get a motion to approve the minutes with additions (if any)? Let's Vote.
Officer’s reports:
Chairperson Mary Minnick- Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
Vice Chairperson John Helge - Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
Treasurer Dallas Dean -Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
Secretary Peggy Raddatz - Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
Committee Reports:
** Responsibilities for each committee can be found on the website under the "Committees" tab.
**Just an FYI...All of the following committees chairs will bring all final decisions to the 2nd CD Chair for her final approval before anything is mailed out to our members or written up in a newspaper or email.
● Rules and Bylaws Committee:
1). Dallas Dean (Chair) Newaygo CDP.-Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
2). Mark Everhart - Lake County D.P.
3). John Helge - Manistee County D.P.
4). Mary Minnick - Lake County D.P.
● Finance and Fundraising Committee:
1). Dallas Dean (Chair) Newaygo CDP.-Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
2). Ken Mahoney - Muskegon C.D.P.
3). K.P. Mahoney - Muskegon C.D.P.
● Candidate Recruitment and Support (for candidate) Committee:
1). Ed Miller (Chair)-Mason CDP.-Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
2). Christina Bush - Barry County D.P.
3). Christie Freestone - Gratiot County D.P.
4). Julie Alexander - Mecosta County D.P.
● Political and 2nd CD Party Organizing Committee:
Note: Would both of you be able to send a "Picnic with Democrats" to the party members in Osceola so we can find out who is interested in building an Osceola County Democratic Party? We also need a date and location from your committee for this event. You can design the invitation and put the verbiage in the invite. If you are able to do this, please send your final draft to Peggy Raddatz so she can send it through our MailChimp email. When she has gotten the final draft from you, she will send me a test email so that I can approve it. I will supply your committee with all the email addresses of the Democrats that live in Osceola County. Ok, Cathy Willermet, please read your report at this time.
1).Cathy Willermet (Chair)-Isabella CDP-Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
2). Karen Turnbull - Mecosta County D.P.
● Communications Committee:
1). Mary Minnick (Chair) – Lake CDP -Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
On August 12th, we will have one of our quarterly in-person (and on zoom) general monthly meetings (All 540 members will be invited) at the Wheatland Township Hall 201 S. Sheridan Ave. Remus, MI. from 10am-12:00pm. I was able to contact State Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Welch and she has agreed to be our guest speaker and will speak after the 2nd CD Congressman Candidate Michael Lynch.
** NOTE: We will not have a live auction at this event per the request of Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth. Instead, we will have an “After-Hours Live Auction Fundraiser” at the “Remus Tavern” located at 118 West Remus Ave, Remus, MI. following our meeting at 12:00pm. Please bring a few dollars to participate, this should be a fun event for all!
**In-addition, I have also secured U.S. Senate Candidate Pamala Pugh to speak at our November 11th in-person meeting at Wheatland Township Hall in Remus, MI.
2). Amanda Siggins - Wexford C.D.P.
3). Sally Wagoner - Newaygo C.D.P.
4). Chadwick Walenga – Newaygo C.D.P. - Artwork/Design only.
● Policy and Resolution Committee: (Support for Gotion Resolution was submitted to Governor Whitmer's office where we were personally thanked by her staff, Nate Engle, who said he was personally going to show the Governor himself. We also submitted it to the State Central Committee on June 24th which will now go to the Michigan Democratic Party's Resolution Committee to be added to their approved Resolutions. The Michigan Democratic Party's Chair Lavora Barnes was very impressed with the Resolutions from the 2nd CD, Mecosta County Democratic Party and the Lake County Democratic Party in support for Gotion EV Battery Plant. Mary Minnick made a special announcement at S.C.C. thanking the Mecosta C.D.P. for writing the Resolution and allowing all the party's to use and edit their name in place of theirs. The Resolutions got applause from everyone who was at the meeting).
1). John Helge (Chair) - Manistee CDP. Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
2). Michael Lynch - Gratiot C.D.P.
● Audit Committee:
**Robin (Chair) and Committee members have the role of working with the Treasurer to audit and review the district bookkeeping and bank records. They are not scheduled to begin a review until the year 2025.
1). Robin Aslakson(Chair)-Mason CDP-Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
2). Mark Everhart - Lake C.D.P.
Unfinished Business:
1). I need the emails and names for the newspapers from our “Political & 2nd CD party organizing committee" in your assigned districts as soon as you can get them to me. You can find the county’s your assigned on the 2nd CD Website under the "Committees” tab.
2). After our 2nd CD Secretary Peggy Raddatz sent out the MailChimp to our District Committee members asking for a vote on the Resolution supporting Gotion EV battery plant in Mecosta County, I sent the final Resolution to Christine Jensen at the MDP, and to Governor Whitmer, on June 19th.
The Resolution Committee re-wrote what the Mecosta County Democratic Party's Resolution said. We used the copy that Karen Turnbull provided to us. Thank you Karen Turnbull for ALL your hard work in bringing this important issue to the forefront. Lake County Democrats also submitted this resolution in their name to Christine Jensen at the MDP. I hand delivered and introducsed all three Resolutions to the State Central Committee on June 24th, per the request of Christine Jensen at the MDP.
New Business:
1). From Dallas Dean: I received the agenda and realize I need to ad one item under new business. I have filled out the application and got approval from the Mecosta
County Sherriff. Next is passing a resolution at a meeting of the membership or board of directors. I have attached a copy for your information.
After we pass the resolution I will need to meet with both of you together or separately before a notary and have you sign the application.
If we plan to auction wine we need names of all who will donate it. As we have no one who we currently know are planning on donating wine I am going to ask that no wine is auctioned. CK'S Place requires we get a bond and I have that secured. So all I need is a resolution passed as is explained in the attachment. From Dallas (copy of liquor license on desk top).
2). Is there anyone else who would like to bring up any new business at this time?
County Reports:
**Due to the number of counties in the 2nd CD, County Reports will be included with the meeting minutes from today. If you haven’t already submitted them, please do so as soon as possible. I add them to our website under the "County Parties" tab.
Good and Welfare:
**Does anyone else have any other "Good and Welfare" they would like to share today?
1). Who would like to volunteer to read the Land Acknowledgement at our next months meeting?
2). For those of you who do not know, one of our 2nd CD party's chairs "Chris Bush" from the Barry County Democratic Party has been diagnosed with Leukemia and is in and out of the hospital while taking chemo and medication. Her cancer is known as a "T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia" to be exact. I will have a card at our next months in-person meeting for everyone to sign and I will send to her. If you would like to visit her, she is at Butterworth Hospital, 100 Michigan St. NE, 5 South - 5275, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. If you send her a card on your own, please attention it to "Chris Bush". There are several rules for visiting her so PLEASE call/text her at 517-614-5546 before you go to visit, she can not have "drop-in" visitors, they must be scheduled. For more information, please contact her directly, I know she would love to hear from all of us. Sincerely, Mary Minnick. (Chris approved of me sharing this information through email).
Agenda is complete, meeting is adjourned
agenda_july_8_2023.doc
Pledge to the Flag
Indigenous Land Acknowledgement: May I get a County Chair to read today?
“The State of Michigan occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinabek – Three Fires Confederacy, the Odawa (Ottawa), Ojibwe (Chippewa), and Bodewadmi (Potawatomi). The Michigan Democratic Party recognizes historic Indigenous communities in Michigan and those forcibly removed from their homelands. We further recognize the ongoing relationship of dependence upon, and respect for, all living beings of earth, sky, and water. In offering this land acknowledgment, we affirm Indigenous sovereignty, history, and experiences.”
Speakers:
1). Michael Lynch - 2nd CD Congressman Candidate
2). Brenda Reeber - Starfish Gun Buyback Program (slides on desktop folder)
Roll call of officers:
Chair: Mary Minnick
Vice-Chair: John Helge
Treasurer: Dallas Dean
Secretary: Peggy Raddatz
Roll Call of District Committee Members:
Mary Minnick, Robin Aslakson, Karen Turnbull, Amanda Siggins, Christie Freestone, Christina Bush, Peggy Raddatz, Julie Alexander, Cathy Willermet, Dallas Dean, Michael Lynch, John Pakledinaz, John Helge, Edward Miller, Michael Fields, Jerry Hilliard, Shawn Davis, Jeffrey Beegle, Mark Everhart, Jennifer Koch Donovan, Landon Myers, Lynn Mason, Kim Gates, Jennifer Austin, Justin Johnson, Jason Colella, Mary Temple, Tim Smith, Sally Wagner, Mark Thomson, Chadwick Walenga, Ken Mahoney and K.P. Mahoney.
Roll call of Counties:
Barry County, Clare County, Eaton County (3/16), Gladwin County, Gratiot County, Ionia County, Isabella County, Kent County (13/24), Lake County, Manistee County, Mason County, Mecosta County, Midland County (5/16), Montcalm County, Muskegon County (11/18), Newaygo County, Oceana County, Osceola, Ottawa County (1/17), Wexford County.
Determination of quorum:
According to our by-laws (Section #5.1.C.), a quorum will exist when 50% of the officers and four additional members of the District Committee are present. *It appears we have a quorum. We can start our meeting.
Approval of agenda - Has everyone had a chance to read the agenda? May I get a motion to approve the agenda? Let's vote.
Approval of minutes- Has everyone had a chance to read the minutes? Are there any changes or additions that anyone has to the minutes at this time? May I get a motion to approve the minutes with additions (if any)? Let's Vote.
Officer’s reports:
Chairperson Mary Minnick- Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
Vice Chairperson John Helge - Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
Treasurer Dallas Dean -Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
Secretary Peggy Raddatz - Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
Committee Reports:
** Responsibilities for each committee can be found on the website under the "Committees" tab.
**Just an FYI...All of the following committees chairs will bring all final decisions to the 2nd CD Chair for her final approval before anything is mailed out to our members or written up in a newspaper or email.
● Rules and Bylaws Committee:
1). Dallas Dean (Chair) Newaygo CDP.-Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
2). Mark Everhart - Lake County D.P.
3). John Helge - Manistee County D.P.
4). Mary Minnick - Lake County D.P.
● Finance and Fundraising Committee:
1). Dallas Dean (Chair) Newaygo CDP.-Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
2). Ken Mahoney - Muskegon C.D.P.
3). K.P. Mahoney - Muskegon C.D.P.
● Candidate Recruitment and Support (for candidate) Committee:
1). Ed Miller (Chair)-Mason CDP.-Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
2). Christina Bush - Barry County D.P.
3). Christie Freestone - Gratiot County D.P.
4). Julie Alexander - Mecosta County D.P.
● Political and 2nd CD Party Organizing Committee:
Note: Would both of you be able to send a "Picnic with Democrats" to the party members in Osceola so we can find out who is interested in building an Osceola County Democratic Party? We also need a date and location from your committee for this event. You can design the invitation and put the verbiage in the invite. If you are able to do this, please send your final draft to Peggy Raddatz so she can send it through our MailChimp email. When she has gotten the final draft from you, she will send me a test email so that I can approve it. I will supply your committee with all the email addresses of the Democrats that live in Osceola County. Ok, Cathy Willermet, please read your report at this time.
1).Cathy Willermet (Chair)-Isabella CDP-Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
2). Karen Turnbull - Mecosta County D.P.
● Communications Committee:
1). Mary Minnick (Chair) – Lake CDP -Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
On August 12th, we will have one of our quarterly in-person (and on zoom) general monthly meetings (All 540 members will be invited) at the Wheatland Township Hall 201 S. Sheridan Ave. Remus, MI. from 10am-12:00pm. I was able to contact State Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Welch and she has agreed to be our guest speaker and will speak after the 2nd CD Congressman Candidate Michael Lynch.
** NOTE: We will not have a live auction at this event per the request of Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth. Instead, we will have an “After-Hours Live Auction Fundraiser” at the “Remus Tavern” located at 118 West Remus Ave, Remus, MI. following our meeting at 12:00pm. Please bring a few dollars to participate, this should be a fun event for all!
**In-addition, I have also secured U.S. Senate Candidate Pamala Pugh to speak at our November 11th in-person meeting at Wheatland Township Hall in Remus, MI.
2). Amanda Siggins - Wexford C.D.P.
3). Sally Wagoner - Newaygo C.D.P.
4). Chadwick Walenga – Newaygo C.D.P. - Artwork/Design only.
● Policy and Resolution Committee: (Support for Gotion Resolution was submitted to Governor Whitmer's office where we were personally thanked by her staff, Nate Engle, who said he was personally going to show the Governor himself. We also submitted it to the State Central Committee on June 24th which will now go to the Michigan Democratic Party's Resolution Committee to be added to their approved Resolutions. The Michigan Democratic Party's Chair Lavora Barnes was very impressed with the Resolutions from the 2nd CD, Mecosta County Democratic Party and the Lake County Democratic Party in support for Gotion EV Battery Plant. Mary Minnick made a special announcement at S.C.C. thanking the Mecosta C.D.P. for writing the Resolution and allowing all the party's to use and edit their name in place of theirs. The Resolutions got applause from everyone who was at the meeting).
1). John Helge (Chair) - Manistee CDP. Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
2). Michael Lynch - Gratiot C.D.P.
● Audit Committee:
**Robin (Chair) and Committee members have the role of working with the Treasurer to audit and review the district bookkeeping and bank records. They are not scheduled to begin a review until the year 2025.
1). Robin Aslakson(Chair)-Mason CDP-Please read your report if any is needed at this time.
2). Mark Everhart - Lake C.D.P.
Unfinished Business:
1). I need the emails and names for the newspapers from our “Political & 2nd CD party organizing committee" in your assigned districts as soon as you can get them to me. You can find the county’s your assigned on the 2nd CD Website under the "Committees” tab.
2). After our 2nd CD Secretary Peggy Raddatz sent out the MailChimp to our District Committee members asking for a vote on the Resolution supporting Gotion EV battery plant in Mecosta County, I sent the final Resolution to Christine Jensen at the MDP, and to Governor Whitmer, on June 19th.
The Resolution Committee re-wrote what the Mecosta County Democratic Party's Resolution said. We used the copy that Karen Turnbull provided to us. Thank you Karen Turnbull for ALL your hard work in bringing this important issue to the forefront. Lake County Democrats also submitted this resolution in their name to Christine Jensen at the MDP. I hand delivered and introducsed all three Resolutions to the State Central Committee on June 24th, per the request of Christine Jensen at the MDP.
New Business:
1). From Dallas Dean: I received the agenda and realize I need to ad one item under new business. I have filled out the application and got approval from the Mecosta
County Sherriff. Next is passing a resolution at a meeting of the membership or board of directors. I have attached a copy for your information.
After we pass the resolution I will need to meet with both of you together or separately before a notary and have you sign the application.
If we plan to auction wine we need names of all who will donate it. As we have no one who we currently know are planning on donating wine I am going to ask that no wine is auctioned. CK'S Place requires we get a bond and I have that secured. So all I need is a resolution passed as is explained in the attachment. From Dallas (copy of liquor license on desk top).
2). Is there anyone else who would like to bring up any new business at this time?
County Reports:
**Due to the number of counties in the 2nd CD, County Reports will be included with the meeting minutes from today. If you haven’t already submitted them, please do so as soon as possible. I add them to our website under the "County Parties" tab.
Good and Welfare:
**Does anyone else have any other "Good and Welfare" they would like to share today?
1). Who would like to volunteer to read the Land Acknowledgement at our next months meeting?
2). For those of you who do not know, one of our 2nd CD party's chairs "Chris Bush" from the Barry County Democratic Party has been diagnosed with Leukemia and is in and out of the hospital while taking chemo and medication. Her cancer is known as a "T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia" to be exact. I will have a card at our next months in-person meeting for everyone to sign and I will send to her. If you would like to visit her, she is at Butterworth Hospital, 100 Michigan St. NE, 5 South - 5275, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. If you send her a card on your own, please attention it to "Chris Bush". There are several rules for visiting her so PLEASE call/text her at 517-614-5546 before you go to visit, she can not have "drop-in" visitors, they must be scheduled. For more information, please contact her directly, I know she would love to hear from all of us. Sincerely, Mary Minnick. (Chris approved of me sharing this information through email).
Agenda is complete, meeting is adjourned