Central Committee
On Monday night your Central Committee met in-person for the first time in over a year. Meeting in public serves our principle of transparency, a principle shared by the County Commissioners who let us use a meeting room in the county administration building. Although the emphasis was on ensuring a safe and successful public gathering, virtual attendance was also available for those Dems who chose to not attend in-person.
Many thanks to Ruben Miranda for providing tech support, Cheri Zao for bringing the pizza and cupcakes, and to Kathy McCaughin who recorded the MLB Annual Homerun Derby so she could attend in-person. Could you share a copy with me?
Among the topics discussed, security issues were addressed. Fortunately, none arose that we were aware of.
Going forward the Central Committee will continue to hold monthly meetings in-person while we evaluate their merits. In addition, virtual access to the meetings will continue to be an available option. It was suggested that we hold in-person meetings on a quarterly basis, with the remainder being all virtual. Therefore, if you have an opinion on this proposed schedule, please let me know.
Government Study Commission
We also discussed the matter of the Kootenai County Optional Forms of Government Study Commission. The Study Commission created by the Board of County Commissioners is tasked with reviewing the current government of the county. Upon completion of the study, the study group will recommend “which, if any, optional form of county government should be proposed to the electors”.
To further support our belief in open government, we are submitting a written statement to the Commission regarding our views about the study and its potential recommendations. You can read our statement here. To summarize, we believe that the three-person commission form of county government has significant problems that deserve study and reform. Moreover, given the expanding needs of county residents, now is the time to consider viable alternatives.
SPAN Walk
Mark your calendars for the September 11th Suicide Prevention Awareness Network Walk. The KC Dems are a major sponsor for North Idaho SPAN’s (Suicide Prevention & Action Network) “Break the Silence” 5K Walk. The walk helps to raise awareness of the suicide epidemic both nationally and locally. The walk also raises funds to help those in our community who have been impacted by the loss of someone to suicide. More details to follow.
Democracy Dinner
Plans are also underway to resume the Annual Democracy Dinner in October. Regarding the selection of a keynote speaker, we have received a wide-ranging list of recommendations. The list includes local figures like State Representative Chris Mathias LD19 Seat B. In addition, national icons like US Senator Bernie Sanders, economist and former US Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Bruce Reed (Mary Lou’s son), and the conservative New York Times columnist David Brooks have been suggested. The details are being worked out now by Shari Brooks, Cindy Algeo and Lindsey Barber. Once we have more information, I will update you on the latest developments.
That is all for now. Have a fantastic week everyone, and thanks for being a Democrat.
