February 4, 2020 minutes
Cheatham County Democratic Party
Regular Monthly Meeting
February 4, 2020, 6 PM
Pinnacle Bank, Ashland City, TN (2nd Floor)
MINUTES
Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance: Chair L. Newcomb called the meeting to order at 6:25 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Attendance: A quorum was present.
Present: Lynn Newcomb (P), John Patrick (VP), Jane Crisp (VP), Martha Wettemann (S), Roger Marriott (T), Karen Stell, Aric Storck, Randy Fiedler, Michael Lottman, Elena Roser.
Absent and excused: Rebecca Brooks, Jim Brooks, Nicole DeBaun-Phillips, Kathryn Mitchem, Gerald Dooley, Rick Johnson.
Absent: Chrissy Scott, Tony Gross.
Guests: Matthew Binkley, Rick Jobe (Wondering Cowboys),Tina Kambitsch, Eli Motycka, Akeim George, Justin Jones, Linda McGee.
- Wettemann made the motion/seconded by J. Patrick to excuse those who called Chair Newcomb and were absent. Motion carried.
Committee Sign-ups (committees are not limited to the Executive Committee):
Advocacy Committee: Mike Lottman, Karen Stell, Nicole DeBaun-Phillips, Martha Wettemann
Elections Committee: Kathryn Mitchem, Elena Roser, Martha Wettemann
Events Committee (including Forums): Randy Fiedler, Roger Marriott, Mike Lottmann
Social/Print Media: Karen Stell, Mike Lottman, James Brookes
Approval of Minutes and Agenda for the Meeting: Motion made by J. Patrick/R. Fiedler to accept the minutes. Motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report: R. Marriott reported the current balance is $2073.52.
Chair’s Report: L. Newcomb reported that she went to the swearing in of the Ashland City Council. She also participated in the certification of the new voting machines. Loading the results into the machines should be faster than previously. She also provided information on early voting locations and times. All three polls- Pleasant View, Ashland City, and Pegram- will be open for all of early voting.
She and E. Roser investigated prices for yard signs advertising that we are having a Democratic primary election. We can get 50 signs for $6.25 per sign for distribution in Cheatham and Dickson counties. The wording and format were discussed. After discussion, M. Wettemann/R. Fiedler moved that we purchase these signs. M. Wettemann/A. Storck moved to call the question. Motion carried. The original motion was then passed.
Committee Reports
Advocacy: M. Wettemann provided information from the Economic Policy Institute. K. Stell asked for it to be forwarded to her for the website.
Elections: The Cheatham County elections on August 6 will include Pleasant View and Kingston Springs council elections, three school board positions, property assessor, in addition to U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Tennessee Senate (even-numbered districts), and Tennessee House of Representatives. M. Lottman requested people sign up as poll workers (you must be signed up 2 days in advance) for the Presidential early voting and election day March 3.
John Patrick had two opponents in the appointment for the school board (Debbie Keenan and Derrick Williams). John was elected by a combination of Democratic and Republican votes.
Forum Etc.: R. Fiedler and R. Marriott reported a climate change forum is being planned for April. M. Wettemann provided information on the Sierra Club who may want to come speak. R. Fiedler reported the Pet Food Drive has been completed. In the future we may need to specify the brand of food to be donated to comply with what Animal Control (792-DOGS) is feeding.
Old Business: Chair Newcomb reported that the press release for the March 7 convention is ready to go. Sign-ups for food will be done via email. She said that she will get the computer disk with the voter turnout. The Convention will be at the Senior Citizen center on Ruth Drive. M. Wettemann will bring her computer. E. Roser will head up the credentials committee, assisted by Wettemann. Each candidate with 15 % or more of the vote in the Congressional District will choose Selectors. For the 5th Congressional District each caucus will elect 9 selectors, (with maximums of 4 males and 5 females). For the 6th Congressional District each caucus will elect 3 selectors, (with maximums of 1 males and 2 females).
Rick Jobe volunteered that he and the Wonderin’ Cowboys will play from 11:30 to noon. The board thanked him for that.
New Business: Justin Jones is running in the Democratic Primary against Rep. Jim Cooper. A total of 5 people are running in the primary. Mr. Jones is a graduate of Fisk University and is currently attending Vanderbilt Divinity School. He stated there is a federal lawsuit against the state voter ID law (2012) which allows faculty and staff at state-funded educational institutions to use their state-issued IDs as voter IDs but that students are not allowed to use theirs. Jones outlined several other issues of his campaign.
Next Meeting: The next CCDP executive committee meeting will be at 7 p.m. March 3 (primary election night) at Pinnacle with the main order of business planning the convention on Saturday, March 7.
Motion by R. Marriott to adjourn. The motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 8 p.m.
Submitted by Martha Wettemann, Secretary
Email: [email protected]
Cheathamcountydemocrats.org