We started this month’s meeting by honoring our members and guests who are veterans, and sharing memories of family members who were veterans from Vietnam to World War II. Hearing remarkable stories of service and sacrifice was a wonderfully meaningful way to observe Veterans Day. Thank you to everyone who shared their story!
We welcomed David Costello as a guest speaker. He is running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. David told us about his history of government service and activism, and his reasons for running for office. You can learn more on his website at www.costelloforsenate.com or read his message to Maine voters here. We wish him the best in his campaign!
Alec Maybarduk of the Maine State Employee Association/SEIU Local 1989 joined us to explain the union’s ongoing contract negotiations with the Mills administration. Alec described Maine’s below-average pay rates for state employees, and their impact on the workforce and everyone who uses state services. The union is asking Democratic committees at the municipal, county and state level to pass a resolution in support of the union’s position. Alec shared a brief history of the current negotiations and his email address (alec.maybarduk@mseaseiu.org) for anyone who’d like to contact him.
WCDC is seeking nominations for two elected committee positions. We need an alternate to the Democratic State Committee, to attend those meetings when one of our other voting DSC members cannot. DSC meetings are generally held on Zoom at 1pm on the third Sunday of odd-numbered months. We also need a new at-large member on the WCDC Executive Committee, as Joe Isgro has regretfully had to step away from his position due to other commitments. Current executive committee members would be happy to talk with anyone who’s interested in helping to lead the County Committee, so please reach out. We’ll vote to fill the positions at our December 10 meeting.
Planning for caucuses has started in earnest! In 2024 caucuses will take place on February 3 and 4. Caucuses are where we do our vital grass roots organizing every two years, and we can’t afford to miss this opportunity, with such an important election year coming up. This is our big chance to enlist volunteers, introduce candidates, and build our local party. Caucus planners will be contacting members and friends about many ways you can participate in and support the process. You can learn more about caucuses on our new Caucus Page on the website.
For our holiday charity project this year we will make a donation to the Lewiston shooting recovery efforts and sponsor a WCDC work day at the Waldo County Woodshed. More details about how you can help will be emailed in the next week. Anyone interested in supporting the Woodshed individually can contact Mike Ray at mray41693@gmail.com or 207-930-0371.
Our committees have been very busy since our last County Committee meeting! Here are some highlights:
- Laura Baker reported that the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging Committee had an extensive discussion about how to help unhoused people, who are especially vulnerable when a shelter-in-place order is issued, such as happened following the shootings in Lewiston. Their next meeting is December 3 at 6pm.
- Valerie Tate explained that the Campaign Committee is working to recruit a challenger in House District 37 to take on Rep. Reagan Paul, and several members expressed their concern about her far-right positions. The Campaign Committee is meeting next on November 15 at 5:30pm.
- Cheryl Cassidy described how the Engagement Committee is developing our volunteer corps by reaching out to re-engage with inactive members and friends. We welcomed Jan Geller back as he recovers from his car accident.
- Platform Committee members Josh Goldstein and Sue Conard updated us on their work to consider possible platform amendments. The statewide committee is forming subcommittees and is already further ahead of where it was at this point in 2021.
WCDC elected two new members, Barbara Finch of Searsport and Alan Hebert of Belfast to be members of the Waldo County Committee! Both of them have been volunteering for some months now. Barbara moved back to Maine from Vermont recently, and is organizing a regional committee in Searsport, Stockton Springs, and Prospect. Alan lived in Thorndike for many years but is now in Belfast; he volunteered at our office to help keep it open through election day. We’re very glad to have both of you as members and appreciate your volunteer work!
In an update on the Contest Every Race grant program, Sara Salley described the Inclusive Messaging Training recently offered to grantees. A recording and training slides are available, as well as supporting materials, just email us at info@waldocountydemocrats.com. The heart of the training was about reaching people in rural areas in ways that open them to Democratic candidates:
- talk about values rather than policy, centering people not “voters”;
- invite people to participate and see for themselves, to make issues and candidates more accessible;
- make working people the heroes of our messages, not government programs;
- reclaim patriotism from the right;
- recognize how important it is not to make assumptions about people;
- find opportunities to mention the historic investments in rural America happening under the Biden administration, and hold Republicans accountable for voting against those investments.
A few announcements from our members: Mike Ray of Lincolnville is officially a candidate for the Maine House for District 40, which includes his town and Appleton, Islesboro, Montville, Liberty, Morrill, Belmont, and Searsmont. Congratulations, Mike, we wish you well! Chris Marshall of Montville was elected as the new chair of the Montville-Liberty Democrats at a recent meeting in Liberty – congratulations to Chris, too. Reeves Gilmore, Northport, is selling potholders he is making from 100% New England-milled cotton, donating all proceeds to the Northport Food Pantry. Email him (satcove@gmail.com) to get yours for a suggested donation of $4, or stop by the Northport Town Hall or the Scone Goddess on Route 1 across from Aubuchon.
See you at our next meeting on zoom on December 10 at 1pm! (preregister here)