May 4, 2021 minutes

Cheatham County Democratic Party
Regular Monthly Meeting
May 4, 2021 online
Attendance
Present: Lynn Newcomb (P), John Patrick (VP), Elena Roser (VP), Martha Wettemann (S), Roger Marriott (T), Kathryn Mitchem, Randy Fiedler, Michael Lottman.
Absent and excused: Aric Storck, Nicole Debaun-Phillips, Jessica Arthur.
Absent: Karen Stell, Rick Johnson, Tony Gross, Gerald Dooley, Jane Crisp.
Vacancies: District 2, woman; District 3, man; District 4, man; District 6, woman.
Guests: cGee, Galen Gray.
Call to order: Chair L. Newcomb called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Attendance: A quorum was present.
Approval of Minutes and Agenda for the Meeting: K. Mitchem/J. Patrick moved to accept the minutes as distributed. The motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report: R. Marriott reported the current balance of $3,611.64. Donations are accepted by check (CCDP, Box 414, Ashland City 37015) and Act Blue(https://secure.actblue.com/donate/cheatham).
Chair’s Report: Chair Newcomb reported the following:
• The state Democratic Party has set the reorganization meeting window for county parties from August 14 to 29. At our county party reorganization, we will elect officers and the executive committee and can change our bylaws. We may want to add an executive committee representative from the Young Democrats. She asked everyone to consider what office they would like to hold in the party and in local elections. Needed: location, ads/promotions, postcards, food (optional: entertainment/speaker) and committees to organize and run the event. We may add a hybrid option.
Motion by J. Patrick/M. Wettemann to have the convention on August 14 and move to the 21st if place not available. Discussion concerned the time on the weekend to hold the event, including possibly Sunday afternoon. With the consent of the J. Patrick/M. Wettemann the motion was changed to read:
We will meet on the first weekend August 14-15 or the second weekend August 20-21 depending on the availability of venue. Motion carried.
Nominating Committee: No report.
Events Committee: R. Fiedler discussed needs for Summerfest in Ashland City (June 8-12, 6-10 p.m.) He will email a list for people to volunteer to staff the booth. There are 10 volunteer slots; 2 people are needed for each time period. He will be there the first 2 hours to set up and the last 2 hours to break down the booth. The booth will have electricity. Discussion of materials for booth: county chairs brochures, U.S. constitutions, flags (made in America?), material on ACA access, child care, food stamps (M. Lottman can get this information), positive information on recent benefits provided by Democrats (that Republicans voted against), info from TNDP, DNC, for voter registration. E. Roser volunteered to help assemble/produce materials.
Other potential event: Participation the Pegram Parade on July 3. K. Stell may let us use her truck; R. Fiedler also suggested finding a Democrat that has a trailer and tractor.
J. Patrick moved that we have the July 6 meeting, Blueberry Jubilee, at his house. There was general consensus on this idea.
Advocacy Committee: Committee chair M. Wettemann said J. Patrick would make the report. The Cheatham County School Board is receiving 6.2 million in ESSER funds and needs to decide how to spend the funds by or before August 1 when the budget has to be submitted. Dr. Beck (Director of Schools) is thinking about an arts focus in the Pegram/Harpeth cluster, Cheatham Central High with an upgraded vocational department (auto repair, welding, etc) and potentially solar at Sycamore High, potentially just 13.2 kw.
Advocacy for solar is needed by CCDP board members to the School Board, before their planned work session on May 20. J. Patrick will set up a Zoom meeting on May 12 at 7pm for Shine On Cheatham to discuss strategy. M. Wettemann has created 4 virtual phone banks; chair Newcomb created a petition and Facebook page. The petition will be sent to Elena.
New Business: Discussion was held about doing meetings on Zoom; it may be that only higher priced Zoom allows for phone calls.
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned by L. Newcomb at 7:30 p.m.
Submitted by: Martha Wettemann, Secretary.