advance no)ce of upcoming ac)vi)es. May 2017

Website: www.lwvjc.org Facebook: League of Women Voters of Johnson County Twi er: LWVJCIA 1

NOTE: The Voter is issued on the last

Friday of the month to provide readers

advance no)ce of upcoming ac)vi)es. The Voter

May 2017 LeagueofWomenVotersJohnsonCounty,Iowa

In this Issue:

Annual Mee)ng 2

CCC meets 2

New Members 2

City High students register 2

League Coffee 3

Annual Agenda Topics 3

Member Profile 4

League Founda)ons 6

New Members Corner 7

Calendar 8

Board of Directors 2016-2017

President–SyndyConger,[email protected]

VicePresident-NancyLynch,[email protected]–SandyKeller,[email protected]–LindaKroon,[email protected]

CathyEisenhofer,

[email protected],

[email protected],

[email protected],

[email protected],

[email protected],

[email protected]

Nancy Porter,

[email protected]

Linda Schreiber,

[email protected]

Paula Vaughan,

[email protected]

Gaylen Wobeter,

[email protected]

Julie Wittig,

[email protected]

FromthePresident

TheLWVIAinvitesmemberstoitsFridayandSaturday,June9–10,ConventiononthecampusofGrinnellCollege.Itsthemeis“We’re

NotThereYet,”anditwillformallybeginFriday,June9,7:30p.m.,withaconversationbetweenKathieObradovich,DesMoinesRegisterPoliticalColumnist,OKayHenderson,RadioIowaNewsDirector,attheBucksbaumCenterfortheArts,152LawsonLectureHall,1108ParkSt.TheSaturdayprogramwillincludetheBusinessMeetingandspeakers,includingLWVIAPresidentMaryRaeBragg,LWVIALobbyistAmyCampbellandKeynoteSpeakerSecretaryofStatePaulPate.AsilentauctionofitemscontributedbylocalLeaguesaroundthestatewillraisemoneyfortheLWVIAandprovidememberswiththechancetogohomewithConventionmementos.

RegistrationispossibleonFriday,from4to7p.m.,andSaturday,from8to9a.m.,atJoeRosen4ieldCenter(JRC),11158thAvenue.LeaguemembersdineontheirowninGrinnellonFridayevening,thenshareacontinentalbreakfastonSaturdayandalunchonSaturday.

Costsarequitereasonable.Registrationis$50fordelegatesandmembers,$55fornon-members,and$25forstudents.DelegatesarewelcomeeithertostayFridaynightinnewdormsoncampus($25forasingleand$21foradouble)orseekhotelroomsinthecommunity.ParkingisavailableinparkinglotsnearLazierHall.ThereisalsostreetparkingonParkStreet.

IhopeyouwillconsidertakingthisopportunitytolearnmoreabouttheStateLeague’scurrentactivitiesandtonetworkwithotherLeaguersfromalloverthestate.

Ifyouareinterested,justcontactme([email protected])byMay18andletmeknow1)whetheryouwillcomeforoneday

(Saturday)ortwo(FridayandSaturday),2)whetheryouwishtostayina

dormorinamotelofyourownchoice,and3)whetheryouwouldliketo

beconsideredfordelegatestatus.

AndhereisaveryviablePlanB!Ifyouwouldliketoattendasimilarmeetingclosertohome,pleaseconsidercomingtotheLWVofJohnsonCounty’sAnnualMeetingonMay18.Youwill4indallkindsof

con�nued on page 2


Allentreesinclude:

Spinach Salad – dried cranberries with toasted

almonds and a sweet vinaigrette

Fresh Vegetable Medley

Wild Rice

Warm Rolls and Butter

Fresh brewed coffee and iced tea

ReservationsbyMay12areappreciated.

GaylenWobeter

New Member

Cara Lewis

CCC Book Club to meet May 23

The CCC Book Club will meet on

Tuesday, May 23, in the Coralville Public

Library in Meeting Room B, at 7 p.m. Katy

Hansen will lead the “PromisedLand:Thirteen

BooksthatChangedAmerica”discussionaboutthechapter,BettyFriedan,“TheFeminineMystique.” All members are welcome.

LeagueMembersvisitCityHighSchool

toregistervoters

On May 16, 2017, members of the

League's Voter Registration Committee will

have the opportunity to meet with City High

School seniors to

talk about the

importance of

voting and

registering to vote.

The high school

voter registration

program will

engage students in

a discussion about government and the impact

it has on their lives. It will also provide students

with the information they need to take a stand

on issues that matter to them. We want to

encourage students to take part in their

government and understand the power in

information about that meeting in this Voter,

including an invitation.

Hope to see you soon!

Syndy M. Conger,

President, LWVJC

What’sAheadAllLeaguemembersinvitedtoour

AnnualMeeting—May18

We are planning a very special annual

meeting on May 18 at the Clarion Highlander and

hope that you will be there. The information

concerning the meeting is as follows:

5 – 6 p.m. Social Hour: Wine, beer, and

cocktails available for reduced price

6 – 6:30 p.m. Annual Meeting

6:30 – 7:15 p.m. Dinner

7:15 – 7:45 p.m. Keynote Speaker:

Professor Meenakshi"Gigi"Durham

Entréeoptions–cost$30:

ChickenOscar-sauteedbreastofchickentoppedwithasparagusandcrabbearnaisesauce

HerbCrustedSalmon-AtlanticSalmon–seasonedwithfreshherbpotatocrust,servedwithaDijonmustardcreamsauce

SearedSalmon-AtlanticSalmon(gluten-freeoption)servedwithaDijonmustardcreamsauce

VegetarianOption-Chef’sChoice(TBD)


University of Iowa

Professor Meenakshi “Gigi”

Durham will address

“Global Women's Rights

and Transna�onal Feminist

Alliances" at the annual

mee�ng on May 18. She

holds a joint appointment in

the School of Journalism

and Gender, Women’s, and

Sexuality Studies.


• membersfor50yearsormoreshallbelifemembers

ARTICLE IV. Board of Directors. Section 1.SELECTION:

MANNEROFSELECTION:mayappointupto4ivedirectorsforaone-yearterm.(Halfoftheelecteddirectorsshallbechosenbythegeneralmembershipateachannualmeetingandshallserveforatermoftwoyearsoruntiltheirsuccessorshavebeennamed.)TermsbegineffectiveJuly1andendJune30.

ARTICLE IV. Board of Directors. Section 4.QUORUM.

(New)VACANCIES:Anyvacancyotherthantheof4iceofthepresidentorco-presidentsmaybe4illedfortheremainderofthetermofof4icebyamajorityvoteoftheremainingmembersoftheboard.

(New)ELECTRONICPARTICIPATION(Section8.Art.5LWVUS)Boardbusinessmaybeconductedbyemail,telephoneconferencecall,videoconferencingorotherelectronicmeansacceptabletotheboard.

ARTICLEV.OFFICERS.

Section2a.ThePresident.Tweakwords

Section2b.Co-Presidents.Tweakwords.

Section3.VicePresident:Thevicepresidentisresponsibleforthemaintenanceandupkeepoftheorganization’sbylaws.

Section4.Secretary.Intheabsenceofthesecretary,aboardmembershallbenamedtotakeminutes.

ARTICLEVI.FINANCIALADMINSTRATION.

Section2.DUES.d.Duesarepayableinadvanceonanannualbasis.Membershipextendsfromthedatetheduesarepaid.

ARTICLEVII.MEETINGS

votingandhavingavoiceatthepolls.Ifyouwouldliketohelpregistervotersatthisevent,pleasecontactJulie Wittig,VoterRegistrationCoordinator([email protected])formoredetails. JulieWittig

Next Coffee Hour is May 1, 2017

Save-the-Date and plan to attend

What:AfungatheringfornewandcurrentLWVJCmemberstomeet,talk,andhearthelatestLeaguenewsandenjoycoffeetogetherinacasualsetting.Where:WinansChocolatesandCoffees,470FirstAve,Coralville.When:Monday,May1.CelebrateMayDayandspringtimewithLeaguefriends.Time:10a.m.tonoon.

RSVPtoJulieWittig,[email protected]

JulieWittig

LWVJCAnnualMeetingTopics:

The League of Women Voters of Johnson

County reviewed a number of topics to be

current and in sync with the national League.

The following is a summary of the planning and

discussion that has occurred the past few

months. League members will be asked to vote

on each of the following topics at the annual

meeting.

LWVJCBylawchanges The LWVJC Board of Directors appointed

a committee (PatJensen,PattyMcCarthyand

LindaSchreiber) to review the bylaws to

bring the organization into line with the

national League and/or make recommended

changes. A summary of the committee’s

recommendation and what League members

will vote on at the annual meeting follows:

ARTICLE III. Membership. Section 2. TYPES OF

MEMBERSHIP:

• change age from 18 to 16 years con�nued on page 4

con�nued from page 2


ef4icient,effectivegovernmentforall.

Duringthediscussionofthe2018annualbudget(thatwillbepresentedtoLeaguemembersatourannualmeetingonMay18),boardmemberslearnedLWVJCannualduesdonotcoverpermemberpaymentstostateandnationalLeagues.Boardmembersvotedtoincreaseannualdues:$65forindividuals,$97.50forfamilymembershipand$32.50forstudentmemberships.Followingthemembersvotetoapprove,thenewdueswillgointoeffect.Boardmembersalsodiscussedensuringfutureeventsareself-supporting–feeschargedwillequalthecostofhostingtheevent.

Withthebylawchange(ARTICLEVI.FINANCIALADMINSTRATION)duesarepayableinadvanceonanannualbasis,andmembershipwillextendfromthedatetheduesarepaidforaone-yearperiod.

LindaSchreiber

Member Spotlight Teaching in Nancy Porter’s DNA

After a teaching career spanning 40

years, Nancy Porter retired, but she hasn’t

stopped teaching. Last month, she was a

substitute teacher at University of Iowa

Hospital Schools. As League Advocacy chair she

works to keep League members up-to-date

about rapidly-changing issues in the Iowa

Legislature.

On May 6, Nancy will be recognized by

Johnson County Democrats and inducted into

the Hall of Fame for

her continued and

ongoing work to

support democracy.

The Council

Bluffs, Iowa, native

moved across the

state to Iowa City to

support her

husband Gene, who

Section 2. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual

meeting shall be held between April 1 and

June 30, the exact date to be determined by

the board of directors.

The mission statement / tagline will be

removed from the bylaws.

League of:icers, board members In March, the nominating committee (Diana

Henry, Della McGrath and Audrey Moeller,

chair) made recommendations naming of4icers

and board members whose names will appear

for League member approval at the annual

meeting that will be held May 18. Elected board

members serve two-year terms.

In addition, the nominating committee

recommended individuals to appoint to a one-

year term, and recommended maintaining two

open board seats. League members will vote on

the following of4icers and elected board

members. Board members appointed to one-

year terms were approved by the Board at its

April meeting.

**Board of Directors Election**

Of:icers

Syndy Conger, President, 2016-2018

Polly Horton, Vice President, 2017-2019

Sandy Keller, Secretary, 2017-2019

Linda Kroon, Treasurer, 2016-2018

Board Members

Diana Henry, 2017-2019

Linda Meloy, 2017-2019

Paula Vaughan, 2017-2019

Lee Wood, 2017-2019

**Vote by League membership in

attendance**

LWVJC annual dues increase Membership in the League of Women

Voters is increasingly important as individuals

and families seek to exercise their citizenship

rights. The LWV of Johnson County is fortunate

to have a committed membership interested in

working with elected of4icials to create an con�nued on page 5



Ever the teacher, she chaired an

education study group to fully understand

issues and learn from the experience. Nancy

says the study group democratic process is

worthy of praise.

When Gene suffered a debilitating

stroke at age 52, her teacher role expanded to

caregiver. She cared for him at home until

another attack required fulltime nursing home

care. For several years, he was suf4iciently

mobile to attend family activities; later SEATS

service allowed home visits with family. Prior

to Gene’s illness, Nancy visited her parents

nearly every weekend to ensure they received

proper nutrition and healthcare as they aged in

place.

Nancy is thrilled Hancher has reopened

as she is an active Showcase volunteer and

audience member.

Both daughters and their families in live

in New York. Everyone it seems is connected to

education. Dr. Tracy Gregg and family live in

Buffalo, New York, where she is a State

University of New York professor of geology.

Tess Mcfarland-Porter and family live in

Rochester, New York, and teaches at the YMCA.

Previously she taught high school before

earning a master’s in economics and

constitutional history. Both son-in-laws are

professors – one in chemistry and one in

physics. Her 4ive active grandchildren, two girls

and three boys, keep her busy too. David, Ross

McFarland-Porter and Rob Gregg are in college;

Elizabeth McFarland-Porter is a high school

senior who plans to become a music teacher;

and Edie Gregg is a junior in high school.

In her spare time, Nancy loves travel.

She just returned from a visit to the Panama

Canal in December. Prior to her sister’s death in

2015, they traveled to the Scandinavian

countries of their father’s homeland of Sweden


was a University of Iowa student and US West

employee. When Gene’s work became a

priority, the couple reversed roles. Nancy

became a student, majoring in education; she

received a bachelors and master’s degree from

the UI College of Education. She served her

entire career with the Iowa City Community

School District, the last 14 years as a Reading

Recovery and Title I teacher.

Nancy continues to serve education as a

student teacher mentor and instructor at

Viterbo University, an appointment via the

Iowa State Education Association. She also

maintains contact with her former student

teachers as they graduate.

In 2016, she was named to Thomas

Jefferson High School Hall of Fame. She has

received numerous honors and awards for

teaching, including ICCSD Teacher of the Year

and the ISEA C. F. Martin Award for activism

and professional involvement. For more than

30 years, Nancy was elected by peers to the

National Education Association Representative

Assembly.

Her service continues with the ISEA PAC

Central Committee, the Iowa United Nations

Association Executive Board, Altrusa

International Board and NEA Peace and Justice

Caucus Board of Directors.

Nancy became active with League of

Women Voters activities at Gene’s urging in

order to meet people and learn about the

democratic process. The League captivated her

attention and her volunteer service began.

(JeanLloyd-Jonespresidedoverthat4irstmeeting.)NancyisalongtimeLeagueBoardmemberandAdvocacyCommitteechair,andisservingher4irsttermontheLWVofIowaBoard.

Nancysays,“AsanonpartisanpoliticalentitytheLeagueworkstirelesslytopromotevotingrights,education,women’shealth,gunsafetyandenvironmentalissues.TheseissuesaresoimportantforAmerica’sfutureandourglobaleconomy.”

con�nued from page 4 CongratulationstoLeaguememberSally

Stutsmanwhoalsowillberecognizedby

theJohnsonCountyDemocratsinMay.


andvisitedtheirmother’sDenmarkhome;theGifeonFountaininCopenhagen,Denmark;andviewedartworkbytheirGreatUncleAndersBungaard,whoisaDanishsculptor.Nancy’strekshavetakenherto4ivecontinentsandthissummersheplanstoaddanotherwithasafaritoAfrica.

LindaSchreiber

Preparing for 2020: Foundations

of the League of Women Voters TheLeagueofWomenVoterswill

celebrateits100thbirthdayin2020.Thisisthe

fourthinaseriesofarticlesabouttheAmerican

suffragemovement,theamazingsuffragistswho

madethevoteforwomenhappen,andthe

organizationwhichfollowed,theLeagueof

WomenVoters.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

In 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, with

Lucretia Mott and Mott’s sister, Martha Cof4in

Wright, organized the 4irst women’s rights

convention in Seneca Falls, New York. A

Declaration of Sentiments was written by Cady

Stanton and signed by 100 of the 300 attendees.

Using the familiar words from the Declaration

of Independence such as “When in the course of

human events …” and “We hold these truths to

be self-evident: that all men and women are

created equal …”, she wrote, “The history of

mankind is a history of repeated injuries and

usurpation on the part of man toward woman,

having in direct object the establishment of an

absolute tyranny over her. To prove this, let

facts be submitted to a candid world.” Among

the “sentiments” were:

• Hehascompelledhertosubmittolaws,inthe

formationofwhichshehadnovoice…

• Hehasnoteverpermittedher…the

inalienablerighttotheelectivefranchise.

• Hehasmadeher,ifmarried,intheeyeofthe

law,civillydead…

• Hehastakenfromherallrightinproperty,

eventhewagessheearns.

• Hehasdeniedherthefacilitiesforobtaining

athorougheducation—allcollegesbeing

closedagainsther.

Federick Douglass, social reformer,

abolitionist, and orator, who attended the

convention, called it a “grand movement for

attaining the civil, social, political, and religious

rights of women.” However, the Declaration

overall caused controversy. One newspaper

called it “the most shocking unnatural event

ever recorded in the history of womanity.” It

was said that the Declaration was written at the

expense of women’s more proper duties, while

some women’s rights activists were working on

issues (temperance, for example) and they felt

the Declaration would hamper their efforts.

Differences in goals and tactics to

achieve woman’s suffrage between women’s

rights groups continued for many years before

the right to vote became reality.

Nevertheless, the suffrage movement

moved forward. Elizabeth Cady Stanton had

shown herself to be a leader and continued as

such for decades. She was a writer, orator, and

organizer.

Interestingly, Cady Stanton and almost

all of the suffrage leaders over the many

decades had good educations. Most came from

families able to provide them with educations

when most women in America did not have that

opportunity. Elizabeth attended Johnstown


con�nued from page 5 In an�cipa�on of the

100th anniversary of

the League of Women

Voters, the League of

Women Voters of Iowa

and Johnson County,

LWVJC commissioned

Benson & Hepker

Design to create a logo.


Academyfor16years,studyingLatin,Greek,mathematics,religion,science,Frenchandwritingwhereshewonacademichonorsandawards.ShealsowasmadeawareofsexualdiscriminationwhenshewasnotallowedtogoontoUnionCollegewhereherolderbrother,Eleazar,hadgoneandwhereboysshehadsurpassedacademicallyatJohnstownhadenrolled.Instead,ElizabethwenttotheTroy(NewYork)FemaleSeminarywhichwasfoundedandrunbyEmmaWillard.

(Leaguememberswhohavebegun

planningforcelebrating“ACenturyofImpact:TheLeagueStory”areSyndyConger,JeanLloydJones,PollyHorton,LindaKroon,LindaMeloy,

GaylenWobeter,andPatJensen.)

PatJensen

New Members’ Corner WhatdoLeaguemembersdointhe

summer?

The short answer is that their pace slows

down. The rest of the answer is that many take

the opportunity to study issues important to

them and to meet informally with other League

members to plan fall events or advocacy efforts.

If it is issue study that motivates you, this year

offers you a long list of potential subjects!

Just consider the recently completed

legislative session. One of the gifts given to

citizens this year has been thorough news

coverage of the session (and in some case,

executive orders) that saw major shifts in the

rights of gun owners, state employees, voters,

women, and workers, and signi4icant defunding

ofgovernment-fundedagencieslongsupported

bytheLWVIA— thedomesticviolenceshelters,

justicesystem,state-fundedhealthcareforIowa’s

mostvulnerablecitizens,schoolsatalllevels,

mentalhealthservices,waterquality and in

particular the Leopold Center for Sustainable

Agriculture in Ames.

Now that the session is ended, the

Monday, April 24, 2017, Gazette offered a

forecast of what the next

session would consider,

including tax reform, school

choice, and once again,

legislation changing the laws on

abortion, traf4ic enforcement

cameras, guns, and the perennial unresolved

funding for water quality may also come up

again next year. TheLeaguewillalwaysfocus

energiesonexpandingandimprovingvoting

rightsandhealthcareforwomenandvulnerable

citizens,butnextyear’sbillsjustlikethisyear’s

billswillintersectwithlong-heldlegislative

positionsoftheLeagueofWomenVoterofIowa

(gotoLWVIA.orgtoreview),inthiscaseon

progressivestateincometax,taxpayersupport

forpubliceducation,women’shealthcare,home

ruleforcitiesandcounties,gunsafety,and

naturalresourcemanagement.

League resources on these subjects are

as close as your computer (LWVIA.org and

LWV.org) and local LWVJC resource people

include the list of committee chairs appended

below.Community resources abound in Iowa

City and Johnson County at various service

agencies and schools. Follow your issue by

doing it locally with site visits or interviews.

Finally, stay tuned for more information

about our best local get together of the year,

the LWVJC Fall Reception for members and

guests!

LWVJCCommitteeChairs:

Advocacy,NancyPorter([email protected])Membershipservices,KatyHansen([email protected])SundaySpeaker’sSeries,LindaSchreiber([email protected])Voterservices,VOTE411,CathyEisenhofer([email protected])Voterservices,LegislativeForums,PaulaVaughan([email protected])VoterRegistration,JulieWittig([email protected])

SyndyConger



CalendarofEvents

Date Time Location Program

Monday,May1

10a.m.–2p.m. WinansChocolatesandCof-

fees,4701stAve,Coralville

MeetNewMembersCoffee

Tuesday,May2

PlanningSession

2:30–4p.m. Winans HighSchoolVoterRegistration

Project

Thursday,May4 Noon Jensenhome

13LakeviewDr.NE,Iowa

City

LunchwithDorisKelley,LWVIA

Coordinator:2020

Saturday,May6 8a.m.–4:15p.m. Gotohttp://

www.lwvumrr.org

UMRR-ILOAnnualMeeting

Saturday,May13 10a,n,-2p.m. WikiupCenter,Toddville,IA LWVIA

BoardMeeting

Monday,May15 12–1:30p.m. IowaCityPublicLibrary LWVJC

BoardMeeting

Tuesday,May16 1:45–2:12p.m. CityHighSchool HighSchoolVoter

Registration

Project

Thursday,May18 6–8p.m. ClarionHighlander

2525N.Dodge,IowaCity

LWVJCAnnualMeeting

Tuesday,May23

CCCBookClub

7–8:30p.m. CoralvillePublicLibrary BettyFriedan,TheFeminineMystique

Monday–Friday

May22–May26

5businessdays IowaNewLeadershipConference

Friday&Saturday,

June9-10

Fri.4–9p.m.

Sat.8a.m.–3p.m.

GrinnellCollegeCampus LWVIAConvention

(every2years)

Monday,June19

10a.m.–2p.m. IowaCityPublicLibrary

MeetingRoomB

LWVJCStrategic

PlanningSession

Monday,July17 12–1:30p.m. IowaCityPublicLibrary

MeetingRoomB

LWVJC

BoardMeeting

Saturday,Aug.12 10a.m.–2p.m. IowaCityPublicLibrary LWVIA

BoardMeeting

Monday,Aug.21 12–1:30p.m. IowaCityPublicLibrary

MeetingRoomB

LWVJC

BoardMeeting

Saturday,Aug.26 EveningTBA TBA LWVJC

FallReception

Saturday,Sept.9 TimeTBA LWVIA

LeadershipTraining

MarshalltownCommunityCollege

Monday,Sept.18 12–1:30p.m. IowaCityPublicLibrary

MeetingRoomB

LWVJC

BoardMeeting

Saturday,Oct.14 10am–2pm IssuesBrie4ing Marshalltown Community College,

Marshalltown,IA

Saturday,Nov.4 10a.m.–2p.m. WikiupCenter,Toddville,IA LWVIA

BoardMeeting

advance no)ce of upcoming ac)vi)es. May 2017

Documents

Transcript of advance no)ce of upcoming ac)vi)es. May 2017