Florence Area Democratic Club

January 7th, 2017

  • Chair Karin Radtke called the meeting to order at 12:15 pm with 40 people in attendance in the Library’s Bromley Room.
  • A Town Hall had been held by Senator Arnie Roblan and Rep. Caddy McKeown at 10:00 am, also in the Bromley Room with over 60 people in attendance.
  • Trevor Rust, son of Jerry Rust introduced himself.

Announcements:

  • New Year’s Resolution Rally in Coos Bay on the Boardwalk was held from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm on 1-8-17. They are planning more rallies.
  • In Portland on 1-15-17 will be an event in support of the Affordable Care Act. This is the first in a series.
  • Update:At the Senior Center in Florence on 1/15/17 from 1 to 3 there will be a Rally to Save Health Care.
  • The day after the Inauguration on 1-21-17 events are planned in Portland, Eugene and Florence. The event in Florence will begin at 10:30 pm at the Class Act Theater at 509 Kingwood St. and include speakers and a march.

Old Business:

  • Minutes from December’s Meeting were approved.
  • Beth Hatcher gave the Treasurer’s report.
  • Optional 50/50 Drawing now provides a slip of paper for your name instead of writing initials on the dollar bill.

Committee updates:

  • The Budget Committee’s meeting was postponed due to the snow. Karin Radtke will be suggesting that $200 be added to help with Siuslaw School District Bond Measure. Please send suggestions to .
  • Membership Committee targeted the new contacts, primarily from the Election Office, by sending out 77 letters, and 174 emails, resulting in adding 26 new members. Their goal is to make more contacts with younger people.
  • Political Action Committee stressed the need to be aware, and communicate with each other. Our options include:
  1. Using our Facebook page to communicate with members.
  2. Registering our group with “Indivisible” guide which can be found on line. This will be discussed and voted on at the February meeting.
  3. Being aware of pending State and Federal Legislation. By going to you can view the Democratic Party of Oregon’s state platform and the shorter list of legislative priorities. Oregon bills can be followed at and federal bills at
  4. To be effective, we need to find out the interests and expertise of our members. Sue Jones volunteered to help anyone create a Facebook account.
  • For the Community Involvement Group one possibility is helping the local school district with their “wish list”. The group created a “how to get involved” statement that will be put on the web site. Forms were provided for individuals to express what being a Democrat means to them. Comments can also be emailed to .
  • Program Committee so far is focusing on the national level, by having someone from Senator Merkley’s office speak at our next meeting. In March, anyone interested can be involved with Lane County Democrats Lobby Day in Salem. More details will follow.

New Business

  • Possibility of forming discussion groups somewhere in town on Tuesdays or Wednesdays at 4:00 pm. An email will be sent out.
  • Nancy Rickard commented that we are all welcome to go to School Board meetings, Siuslaw Port and Florence City Council meetings. You can learn a lot, meet the people what you might later need to talk to, see what they are doing and give them some help.

50/50 Drawing was won by Ann Lathrop.

Next meeting will be February 4th at the Driftwood Shores Conference Room at 11:00 am.

Meeting was adjourned.

Sue Jones, Secretary