Meeting
30 May 2000
Minutes
Present: Janet Bates-Wilkins, Jean Kuttruff, Natasha Price, Lorri Prince, Kathy Rapelje, Don Scarl, Chuck Kuttruff, Carol Sucharski, Ronnie Lavine, Grayce Schor, Bruce Schor, Judith Scarl, Mary Ingoglia, Don Ranieri, Natheley McElrath, Fern Lindenbaum
Don Scarl read an email from Janet Bates-Wilkins asking whether the Coalition is a political action committee, a support-the-schools fundraising committee, or a League of Women Voters type nonpolitical information committee. The consensus is that we advocate for the Glen Cove schools, bring information about the schools to the community, analyze the school budget, and support effective school board candidates. We will not attempt to interfere in the running of the schools nor will we take positions on controversial issues such as busing, paired schools, and bonding certs.
Don Scarl read an email from Rob Grabowski, who has been active in Glen Cove political campaigns and worked hard last year to generate a list of parents who are not registered to vote. Rob has offered to help this year in any way he can. He advises us that there is not enough time to register unregistered parents before 20 June and that we should concentrate on getting registered elementary school parents to come out and vote. He suggests that, in addition to phone calls, we use students, if necessary, to deliver our Vote Yes literature to the homes of registered parents.
Carol Sucharski gave Don Scarl a copy of the Membership Directory of the Glen Cove Interagency Council. The consensus was that we will ask the leaders of each listed organization to join the Coalition and list their names, but not their affiliation, on our letterhead.
Natasha is working with the Retired Teachers Association to encourage its members to vote for the budget. She will get a membership list from Mrs. Swanchuk.
Natasha called the City to ask that the City Bus stop at the polling places on 20 June. They said that they could not deviate from their regular route but would try to stop at places on their route that are near the polling places. Natasha will call them the day before the vote to remind them to do this.
The week before the vote we will send Zefy Christopoulos a press release about the formation of the Coalition.
Lorri Prince, Ronnie Lavine, and Mary Ingoglia are trying to find students who would be willing to get the names of students who have graduated in the past two years and call them to ask them to vote. Don Scarl will call Phil Tucker.
Ronnie and Jean will talk to Elliot Garfinkel and ask him to encourage the building principals to encourage their teachers to talk with their students and to send home material about the 20 June vote.
Sue Goldberg said that the presidents of the Landing and Deasy PTAs have refused to have their members call parents of students in their schools the night before the vote. This is a little hard to understand. The PTA will not release the lists of parent names to people who are not in the PTA. Sue even has a hard time getting PTA members from the other schools to make the pre-vote calls. If members of the Coalition want to help with the pre-vote night calls, we can join the PTA for $5.
There has been some discussion about whether it is legal for the schools to release lists of parent names to the Coalition. Don Scarl will ask Elliot Garfinkel about this.
Rosemary Dilgard will speak with Jimmy Suozzi to try to enlist his support for the budget.
Carol Sucharski volunteered to drive people to polling places on 20 June. We can publicize her phone number (671-9191) and people who need a ride can call her on the day of the vote. Janet volunteered to drive that day and others who are able to drive that day can call Carol to volunteer.
Registration, for the budget vote only, is on Tuesday, 13 June, at Thayer House. High School teachers will send their 18 year old seniors to Thayer house to register that day.
Several people reported that the distribution of absentee ballots was erratic for the May vote. Don Scarl will ask Pat Rant what happened and how the distribution can be improved.
Don Scarl will get registration forms and absentee ballot request forms from Pat Rant and bring them to the next meeting.
Ronnie Lavine has agreed to become secretary of the Coalition. The officers are: Don Scarl, president; Janet Bates-Wilkins, vice-president; Ronnie Lavine, secretary; Lorri Prince, treasurer.
Lorri will look into starting a checking account for the Coalition.
Lorri will arrange with City Hall for us to use the conference room again for our next meeting.
The next meeting will be at City Hall in Room 201 at 7:00PM on Thursday, 8 June.