INDEX

President's Message


The traditional League year is drawing to a close. Mary Lynn Bates and I will host two meetings on the state study of the Legislature. We will hold a coffee meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 27th at the Highland Coffee Company for members who prefer a daytime gathering. For the night owls, the same material will be presented at a casual dinner meeting on Thursday, April 28th at 6:00 p.m. at 3357 Cherokee Road in Mountain Brook. Call 967-2829 for directions. These meetings are preparation for the consensus that will be reached next fall. Mark your calendar now and plan to attend one of these important sessions.

The Annual Business Meeting will be Saturday, May 14th at 10:00 a.m. at St. Vincent’s Conference Center. We will adopt programs for the next year, vote on the proposed budget, elect a slate of officers and discuss one bylaws change. Details on the items for consideration are included elsewhere in this Voter. Lunch will follow the annual meeting and Dr. William Foster, Director of the Birmingham Zoo, will tell us what the elephants, donkeys and their friends are up to these days. The cost of the luncheon is $ 11.50. Send checks to Yvonne Brakefield at 3451 Cliff Road, B’ham, 35205. The deadline for reservations for lunch is Wednesday, May 11th. I look forward to seeing many of you at this meeting.

Directions to the St Vincent’s Conference Center:
From University Blvd turn into St. Vincent’s Drive and right again into the Women’s and Children’s Center parking deck. Enter the deck at the B-level. Follow our signs to the meeting room.!

Sarah McDonald

Annual Meeting Business

Proposed Bylaws Changes

Article IV, Section 7. Quorum (next to last sentence)

Current Wording: ... The poll must be conducted in such a way as to have recorded responses by mail, e-mail, or FAX for the record. ...

Proposed Wording: ... The poll must be conducted in such a way as to have recorded responses from at least 75% of the board by mail, email or FAX for the record. ...

Nominating Committee Report

We nominate the following slate of officers and directors for consideration for election by the membership at the 2005 Business Meeting of the LWVGB:

Board of Directors
President 1st VP Secretary Treasurer Director Director Director Director	Yvonne Brakefield (2 years) Nancy Ekberg (2 years) Colette Scott (1 year) Leonette Slay (1 year to fulfill Yvonne Brakefield’s term Cary Page ( 2 years) Betty Warnock (2 years) Winnifred Jackson (1 year to fulfill Amy Allon’s term) Kaydee Breman (1 year to full Rebecca Stafford's term)
Nominating Committee
Jean Johnson Sarah McDonald	Chair Member

All have agreed to serve in these respective positions if elected by the membership.

The following will continue to serve in their current positions on the board:

• 2nd V.P - Virginia Randolph
• Director - Beverly Nelson
• Director - Dot Baker

Respectfully submitted,

Jean Johnson, Nominating Committee Chair
Cary Page
Kathryn Kerchof

Proposed 2005-60 Budget

Faces of the LWVGB

Join us in welcoming these new members to our group:

Dorothy Mullican is a Birmingham native who belonged to the LWV in Tuscaloosa 15 years ago. After her son’s recent departure for college, she saw an opportunity to get involved again and looked up the number for the Greater Birmingham League in the phone book. Her specific interests include women and children’s issues, the environment and healthcare.

Cissy Bennett is a Huntsville native who teaches biology at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. Her courses are tailored for students working on specialties in math and the sciences. With her last child finishing college soon, Cissy is thinking of “doing something different.” She plans to retire from teaching and spend more time working as a citizen. She has been involved with environmental issues for years and more recently with ACCR.

Observer Corps
Jefferson County Commission

Jefferson County’s new $52 million pump station at Valley Creek cracked during heavy rains, filled up with 18 feet of water and had to be shut down. No one will hazard a guess as to the cause until the water is drained from the 90-foot deep structure, which will take at least six weeks. The station was built as part of a $400 million project to expand capacity and modernize treatment processes. Luckily, the original plant is still operating.

Jefferson County citizens were encouraged by public hearings and a scheduled committee vote on a transit funding bill. But the bill stalled in committee with a 7-7 vote with two abstentions. Bill sponsor Rep. George Purdue needs one changed vote to move the bill to the full House of Representatives. Rep John Rogers, who chairs the committee, had not scheduled another meeting as of April 11. This legislative session is scheduled to end May 16.

Approximately $17.5 million has been spent on the traffic control and emergency response system for interstates and major roads in the greater Birmingham area. The Alabama Department of Transportation admits that the system, consisting of cameras and message boards, still does not operate properly. When emergency personnel respond to a call on an interstate, they often do not know which side of the interstate is affected. The State DOT did not collaborate with local officials when planning the system. This is blamed for many of the system’s failures. Don Vaughn, deputy director of the transportation department, recently promised local officials to involve them in traffic system planning.

March Unit Meeting

At the March LWVGB Unit meeting, Star Bloom and Kathryn Merritt conducted a training session on leading focus group sessions to foster community involvement. Star and Kathryn are members of the Tuscaloosa LWV and are active with community focus groups there.

| Top | LWVGB Home |