League Bulletin

President's Letter

2011-04-30T12:37:00.000-07:00

Dear League Members,

We are ending the year with a flurry of exciting events. For the past few months, we have focused on getting to know each other better through some League-only meetings, but now it’s time to turn open the doors to some public discussion! We will host a forum with Board of Education members in May, and in June, Senator Blumenthal will be our Annual Meeting speaker.

The Members’ Roundtable was a great way for us to engage in discussion in a personal setting, and there are a number of public policy issues that people are eager to explore. One of the great benefits of coming to League events is to interact with a diverse group of women, and get to know people that we might not otherwise in our normal patterns of life.

The League makes no demands on its members beyond its dues requirements, and some members do choose to simply support us in that way. But, for anyone looking for an involvement with interesting people and interesting issues, whether it’s on an occasional or a sustained basis, then League activities are something you should consider.

Thank you to the Board members who have so diligently given of their time to make our work function so smoothly. I am privileged to have served with such thoughtful, dynamic women. As we look to the year ahead, if anyone is interested in working on a committee, then please let us know.

Jane Himmel

Know Your Reps

2011-04-22T05:39:00.001-07:00

Anne Ward, board chair for our 2011 Edition of New Canaan's Know Your Representatives brochure, reminds League members that if they have not received their copy in the mail they may obtain a copy at the library, the First Selectman's office and the Town Clerk's office. The League would like to thank Susan Smith for her wonderful job of typing and formatting this ever changing document. Additional thanks go to Kate Hurlock this year who solicited aid from her brother in law to create a sharper look for the KYR design.

Public Forum with BOE Members

2011-04-22T05:37:00.000-07:00

We’re hosting a public forum entitled “Defining Success in our School System: An Interactive Discussion with Board of Education Members” on Tuesday, May 17th, 7:30 p.m. in the Wagner Room at the high school.

Audience members will have an opportunity to submit questions. At the BOE’s own meetings, members of the community have an opportunity for public comment, but not for Board members to answer these questions during the meeting, due to governing regulations.

This forum will allow the public to learn about current priorities, issues and challenges, and to gain an understanding of how our elected officials view their position and their responsibilities as the stewards of education in New Canaan. The League is proud to sponsor this opportunity for community conversation.

Hospitality Chair, Sara Hunt, has asked that if anyone can bring some refreshments to the May 17 meeting, such as fruit platter, cheese and crackers, appetizers, or cookies or brownies, it would be appreciated. Refreshments can be delivered to the Wagner Room after 6:30 p.m. If anyone would like to volunteer to help put out the refreshments and clean up, that would be welcome, too. Please call or email Sara at 966-3313, or skhminky@optonline.net to sign up.

Senator Richard Blumenthal to Speak at Our Annual Meeting

2011-04-21T17:21:00.000-07:00

Our newest U.S. Senator will be the speaker at our Annual Meeting, to be held on Wednesday, June 1st. Guests are welcome and encouraged! The event will take place at the Country Club of New Canaan. The meeting will precede the luncheon. Please look for specific times in the meeting call that will be mailed in May.

Members’ Roundtable: a Recap

2011-04-21T17:10:00.000-07:00

About 20 members gathered at Kathryn Tohir’s house for quiche and conversation. Everyone presented ideas for exploring through study groups or programming.

Our Board members will get to work on defining ways for us to look at least a few of the issues below, and they welcome volunteers to serve on committees.

If you did not respond to the email survey sent earlier, there's still time to respond. Please pick the top four issues that are most important to you from this list:

State budget
Term limits
Education
Groundwater quality
Home energy conservation and sources
Town energy supply
Abortion rights
Open space management
Stress

There was one proposed study: How effective is New Canaan's recycling? What do other towns do? Are there improvements that should be made in the way our town and our residents reduce, reuse and recycle solid waste?

Are you interested in having the League study this? Are you interested in learning more about joining such a study group?

We also identified some existing positions that can be acted upon. Sue Stone will be doing some education in the community about the importance of sleep, for example, and would welcome people to work with her if anyone finds this of interest.

Email me with your ideas: jhims@earthlink.net

We’re on Facebook!

2011-04-21T17:05:00.000-07:00

Search for League of Women Voters of New Canaan to find us, and help us spread the word about our events.

Membership Update

2011-04-21T16:38:00.000-07:00

Attention! Attention!

Please welcome these new members to our League and encourage them to come join all activities!
Emily Kelting 256 Mill Road 972-3391, ekelting@great_scapes.com
Karen Ferguson, 12 Weeburn Drive, 966-7041, ferguson_karen@yahoo.com
Eileen Boyd, 37 Strawberry Hill Road, 971-2128, eiboyd@optonline.net
Ann Brickley, 676 Laurel Road 972-0021, ann@ahblawoffice.com
Kathy Schulte, 38 Danvers Lane, 972-8590, c: 203 979-9986
Valerie Rosenberg, 301 Old Norwalk Road, 203 972-0754, valerie.maria@yahoo.com
Kathy DeMarco, 203 Putnam Road, 203 594-7956, kdemarco5@optonline.net

May is Membership Renewal Time! Get involved! Come Join the Fun!

Your membership and participation is important to the League. Please go to our website, print out the renewal form http://www.lwvnewcanaan.org/id35.html and send it with your check to:
LWVNC
P.O. Box 383
New Canaan, CT 06840

Thank you in advance for your support!

Ruth Laird and Joanne Windas, Membership Co-Chairs

President's Letter

2010-10-17T14:47:00.000-07:00

Fall is here and with it, elections! With state legislature seats being contested this year, our Candidates’ Night Forum should be quite interesting. Whether it’s tax policy, public utility issues, transportation, education – the candidates will be there to answer your questions during the debate and for a half hour of mingling before and after the forum.

The League’s 2010-2011 season started off with something a bit different – a lunch and interactive discussion. Feedback on this event was good, as it gave us all an opportunity to engage more directly with each other and with the topic. Rest assured, we will continue to host our traditional public forums, but do look for more variety in our program format in the months ahead.

There is much going on in our town, and we encourage our members to stay informed and engaged. Thank you to those members who sat in on the Town Center Planning Group meetings this summer, and to Helen Campbell, who has agreed to serve as the leader of an Observer Corps, a formal way of designating League attention to the process.

We welcome your ideas and involvement in the League’s activities. Some members simply want to support us by paying dues and staying tuned to the information we provide, and we appreciate and value that interest. For those who are looking for a deeper level of engagement, please let us know, so that we can help you get more involved.

Regards,

Jane Himmel

We're Celebrating our 90th Anniversary

2010-10-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

Board of Directors National League of Women Voters Chicago Convention, February 1920 Top row: left to right: Miss Katherine Ludington, Hartford, Conn. Director 1st region; Mrs. Richard Edwards, Peru, Indiana,treasurer; Miss Della Dorth, Nashville, Tenn., director 3rd region; Mrs. George Gellhorn, St. Louis, MO. Vice chairman and director 6th region; Mrs. James Paige, Minneapolis, Minn., director 5th region; Mrs. Solon Jacobs, Birmingham, Ala., secretary.Lower row: left to right: Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Boston, President 1920-24; Mrs. Grace Wilbur Trout, Chicago,chairman hostess committee; Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, New York, honorary chairman.

First LWVUS President, Maude Wood Park, on right ,at the first convention.

Need a Ride to the Polls?

2010-10-16T08:49:00.001-07:00

Don’t miss out on voting because you can’t drive yourself to the polls! If you’d like to have a League member take you, please call Jane Himmel at 203-972-7450. You can also contact your political party’s local organization or the Getabout for a ride.

Upcoming Public Hearings and Forums

2010-10-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

The Senior Health Care and Housing Policy Development Team will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, October 19th, 8:00 p.m. at the Lapham Community Center. Phase One report is available at newcanaan.info. The Team will present its Phase Two report in mid-November.

The LWVNC's Candidate's Night Forum is Thursday, October 21st at Town Hall. Refreshments at 6:30 p.m., debate at 7:15 p.m. The candidates have been asked to stay for 1/2 hour after program ends.

October 24th from 4:00 - 5:30 PM. Clune Auditorium, Wilton High School, Rte. 7. LWVCT debate with candidates, Jim Himes (D) and Dan Debicella (R) for the 4th Congressional District.

The Town Center Planning Group is being reorganized. At a meeting of the Selectmen on October 12th, the name of the group was changed to the Long Range Planning Committee and Arnold Karp's appointment was announced. These changes occurred after the resignation of Michael Hobbs and Jim Beall. A request for $25,000 was approved for the group to enter into a contract with Perkins Eastman for consulting services. Steve Kleppin has also arranged for a traffic study of the downtown area. The library is also planning to expand its size but a decision needs to be made as to whether to use the current location or to relocate to a possible town center. Nothing is definite at this time but members of the LWVNC will continue to attend the meetings and see what develops. The Committee meets on Mondays at 1:00 at the Lapham Center.

Open Space Update

2010-10-16T08:44:00.000-07:00

At our September meeting, Conservation Commission Chair John Rice provided a look at the status of Open Space in New Canaan. Mr. Rice said that New Canaan’s Open Space is at 10% of its acreage (including water company land; 7% without), a total comparable to that of Darien, Westport, Greenwich and Wilton. The two and four acre zoning in New Canaan creates more “openness” than in Darien and Westport.

Mr. Rice said that it was important for New Canaan to take a proactive management of existing open space and to have conversations about issues related to potential land acquisitions. Opportunities and funding for large acquisitions are limited; small parcels contiguous to existing open space may hold the most promise. He noted five areas in which he felt that discussion should occur: master plan for all parks covering use and conservation; mechanisms for setting aside of Open Space; policies for philanthropy; establishment of Open Space fund; greenways; and natural resources inventory.

The Open Space map of New Canaan is available at newcanaan.info on the Conservation Commission’s page.

Report on the LWV of New Canaan Study Group on Community Development: Decision-Making and Communications Process

2010-10-16T08:38:00.000-07:00

From spring 2009 to spring 2010 up to 27 members studied the decision-making and communications process by New Canaan’s boards, councils, commissions and municipal departments with respect to the issue of Community Development.

We sought to understand the broader issues and implications of planning and prioritizing and the process for addressing current and future community needs.

We accomplished 3 important goals:

1. Creating a reference table and literature review of past studies done by/for the Town of New Canaan in the area of land use and community development. This reference table will be available from our website, and reports on individual studies will on file at the Library.

2. Interviewing over a dozen relevant Town officers, staff, commissioners, and advocacy group leaders to identify steps that have been taken, what needs to be done and how needs have changed. Minutes of these meetings will be on file at the Library

3. Assisting community decision-making by educating the public on the process and the issues of land use. We held two public meetings: The Future of Waveny Park: Understanding the Decision-Making Process and The Greening of New Canaan, a panel presentation on green building.

Our work will serve as background education to allow us to evaluate, and possibly take action, in accordance with our LWVNC Support Positions. The Study Group recommended review of four of our positions. Two, Recreation and Public Awareness, were rewritten and approved by the membership.

We determined that two other positions, those on Conservation and Open Space, required further research and study.

Political vs. Nonpartisan

2010-10-16T08:33:00.000-07:00

Some League members have asked for a better understanding of what it means for the League to be nonpartisan, when it has advocated for and asked its members to take action on specific legislative initiatives.

The answer is that the League is nonpartisan in that it does not “support or oppose any political party or candidate.” However, the League is political. That means, the League does take positions on policy issues and advocates for them.

The New Canaan League focuses primarily on issues related to our own town’s welfare and our programs are an example of the grassroots nature of League work.

At the state and national levels of the organization, lobbying and advocacy on behalf of specific policy initiatives are undertaken.

All LWV policy positions are always based on extensive research followed by the “consensus or concurrence” of membership, on the local, state or federal level. League positions can be found in our handbook; for state and national positions, these are summaries and further information can be obtained on lwvct.org and lwvus.org.

All members are placed automatically on the state and national lists, and that is why you may receive updates and action alerts from the LWVCT and LWVUS. There are some who enjoy getting these emails, but for those who do not, please note that there is an unsubscribe option at the bottom.

President's Letter

2010-04-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Members,

The year comes to a close with a bang, as we host noted author, professor and humorist Regina Barreca as our guest speaker at our annual meeting. Come see for yourself why the Ridgefield and Westport Leagues have brought her back several times to standing room-only audiences.

We’re busy thinking about ways to engage more of our members in the life of the League. Please come to the business portion of the annual meeting and give us your thoughts!

We hope to see you in April as well, at our program on “The Greening of New Canaan,” where we will hear from top experts about energy-saving features in new buildings and ideas for sustainability initiatives our town might consider undertaking.

As we close out the year, let me say “many thanks” to the phenomenal women who make up our Board and who have worked so hard to put on our programs and activities. A particularly large shout-out to Sally Halstead, who is moving out of New Canaan. How dare she!
Seriously, we will miss Sally’s energy, enthusiasm and friendliness immensely and wish her all the best in her new life.

Regards,

Jane Himmel

"THE GREENING OF NEW CANAAN" (AND BEYOND)"

2010-04-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

The New Canaan League of Women Voters invites the public to a forum on Wednesday, April 28, at 1:30 p.m., at the Stevens Building at the New Canaan Country School. The forum will address the substance and implications of efforts in the state to encourage the implementation of every possible energy-saving feature in new buildings.
Featured speakers are Bruce Bockstael, Chief Architect for the Connecticut Department of Public Works and Jim Rogers, of James G. Rogers Architects in Norwalk. Mr. Rogers, a New Canaan native and graduate of Country School, designed the Stevens Building, which opened in 2008 and was recognized at the time as the greenest school building in Connecticut. Indeed, it was awarded the highly-coveted Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) status.

LEED is an ecology-oriented building certification program run under the auspices of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED concentrates its efforts on improving performance across five key areas of environmental and human health: energy efficiency; indoor environmental quality; materials selection; sustainable site development; and water conservation. Further information is available at their website: www.usgbc.org

Mr. Bockstael, who is responsible for the design and construction of major state capitol building projects, is one of the founders of the Connecticut Green Building Council as well as the Connecticut chapter of the USBGC, and is a member of the Wethersfield Energy Committee. He will present an overview of the state's sustainable status with particular reference to current activities in several towns around the state and what sustainable projects New Canaan could consider undertaking. Growing awareness in the state legislature of the need for, and benefits of, green construction has led to support for several state-funded green building projects. Further, new regulations require all new state buildings costing more than $5 million to comply with LEED Silver regulations.

Mr. Rogers, will discuss the transformation of the original Stevens Building into the LEED Silver building it is today. Some parts of the existing building had to be demolished, and those materials were separated and recycled. A variety of efforts to re-use and conserve enabled an almost seamless transition from the "old" building to the one in which forum attenders will be meeting.

Tours of the Stevens Building will be offered both before and after the forum. The pre-forum tour will begin at 1:00 p.m. For further information about this event, call Karin Naill, New Canaan League of Women Voters Program Chair, at 203.966.4370 or karinnaill@aol.com.

High School Voter Registration

2010-04-19T15:10:00.000-07:00

High School voter registration will take place at NCHS on Monday, May 24. Staffing for two shifts is needed: 10:00 - 11:30 or 11:30 - 1:00. Anyone wishing to help, please call Kate Hurlock at 972-3558 or Janet Davis at 972-5709. Thank you.

LWVNC Annual Meeting

2010-04-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

Join fellow league members at our Annual Meeting on Tuesday, May 25, at the Country Club of New Canaan. The business meeting begins at 10:00 a.m. Luncheon will be served at 12 noon. Our program begins at 1:00 p.m. Regina Barreca will be our speaker this year. Look for your Call to Annual Meeting with RSVP details to arrive in your mailbox next week.

With wit and insight, Regina Barreca will entertain and provoke thought as our Annual Meeting guest speaker. Her topic, “Causing Trouble and Laughing Out Loud: The Need for Women in Politics,” reflects her background as an author, humorist and professor whose work is “dedicated to women, laughter and the comic muse."

Other area Leagues have hosted her numerous times because her appearances are so engaging; we’re thrilled it’s finally our turn to hear her!

The author of 14 books, which have been translated into eight languages, Dr. Barreca will sign copies of her latest book It’s not that I’m Bitter… or How I learned to Stop Worrying about Visible Panty Lines and Conquered the World “In essays that mull everything from the horror of chin hairs to why the "glass ceiling" is better described as a thick layer of men, Barreca tells women to stop believing the lies and conquer the world---and she does it with a sharp wit, good shoes and remarkably little eye cream,” the author’s website says.

A UConn professor, Dr. Barreca contributes to the Chronicle of Higher Education, writes a weekly blog for Psychology Today and is a columnist for the Hartford Courant.

President's Letter

2010-01-24T11:27:00.001-08:00

        I’m sure we’ve all made resolutions for the New Year. Here’s one I’d like to add to your list: consider giving a bit of your time to the League of Women Voters in New Canaan. We’ve got a small, but dedicated corps who get all the work done for us, and we’d love to find a way to integrate more members into our efforts. Whether you’d like to make a token contribution of your time, or prefer a more sustained involvement, please know that we want to hear from you. Our annual fundraising appeal will also be appearing in your mailbox soon, so that is another way to add your support.
        The past year was one of continued engagement for the League with the issues that concern us, most particularly in New Canaan. High on the agenda has been the issue of land use and community development. Our public forums received widespread acclaim for helping to educate residents. Our study group continues to explore the communications and decision-making process.
        What’s most interesting for the League members who get involved in planning and attending our events is the chance to be engaged on an intellectual level with a group of diverse and interesting people. Because the League bases all its actions on research that first explores issues with an open mind and on an in-depth basis, we are able to create a community of people who may not be like-minded on all issues, but who can come together to create an informed consensus.
        Consider adding your voice and your opinions to this process. Our lines are open! --- Jane

Upcoming LWVNC Programs

2010-01-24T11:22:00.000-08:00

Monday, February 1: LWV Program Planning Meeting. All League members are invited to review, discuss and propose local and/or state issues for incorporating into our programs for the coming year. Lamb Room, New Canaan Library, noon - 1:30 p.m. Bring a brown bag lunch, we'll provide coffee and desert.
Wednesday, March 17: New Canaan Public Schools' Board of Education: A New Plan for Our Schools. B of Ed Chair Nick Williams, member Jim Kucharczyk, and School Superintendent Dr. David Abbey, will discuss plans for governance and oversight of our schools, near and long term priorities, fiscal challenges, and setting objectives and measuring results, in a panel discussion at the Lapham Center from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Lunch available at noon for $4. Call 203-594-3620 by Tuesday to make a reservation.

Community Development: Decision-making and Communication Process Study Group

2010-01-24T11:19:00.000-08:00

The Study Group has held meetings with a dozen representatives of town government, commissions and community organizations. These meetings have informed us about current issues and challenges in land use; this background will support our program planning, as the League plays its traditional role in educating the public and fostering discourse.

Among the things we've learned is that the town, through its Conservation Commission, is undertaking an inventory of all its public lands. As explained by John Rice, Chair, the Commission was spun out of the Environmental Commission late last year as an advisory (not regulatory) group with several ‘shall-do’ powers and duties under the enabling state legislation, and several ‘may-do’ powers and duties. ‘Shall-do’ items include keeping an index of all open areas, public and privately owned, for the purpose of obtaining information on the proper and potential use, and conducting research on current and potential utilization of land in New Canaan. Since inception, the Commission has focused on three projects: the inventory and map of open space in New Canaan, delineated according to ownership and degree of preservation/protection; a natural resources inventory, including community resources; and initiatives in the area of recycling. The open space inventory and map are expected to be completed early in 2010. This will allow the Conservation Commission to advise in the protection, management and development of Town lands and the acquisition of open space.

We are grateful to the following people for coming to meet with our group:

Dr. David Reed - Medical Director, Assistant Director of Health
Tucker Murphy- Director, Chamber of Commerce
Steve Kleppin- Town Planner
Rob Mallozzi - Selectman and Chair, Downtown Study Committee
Paul Giusti - Member, Board of Finance and Chair, Master Plan Task Force
Jeb Walker - First Selectman
John Rice - Chair, Conservation Commission
Ted O'Hanlon - former Chair, Waveny Care Network
Scott Gress - Chair, Parks and Recreation Commission
Skip Hobbs – Keep Waveny a Park
Tom O'Dea - New Canaan Ice Rink
Lazlo Papp (planned) – Chair, Planning and Zoning Commission

Volunteer Opportunites with Your League

2010-01-24T11:16:00.000-08:00

Would you like to be called on an occasional as-needed basis? Or are you looking for something to really sink your teeth into? Either way, the LWVNC welcomes you as a volunteer. Please contact us at info@lwvnewcanaan.org if any of these areas strike your interest:

Civics education
Issues study
Report / article writing
Day of event help
Event planning
Membership outreach
Poster distribution

PCSW Women's Day at the Capitol

2010-01-24T11:10:00.000-08:00

Got equality? ...Not if you're 51% of the population. Join the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women for Women's Day at the Capitol Informational Hearing Including Public Testimony Tuesday, February 9, 2010,
10 a.m.---12:00 p.m. Legislative Office Building-- Room 1E Hartford. Snow date: Thursday, February 11, 2010. Come hear experts from across the state discuss many of the leading issues facing women today including: health care, economic security, environmental health, housing, discrimination, business development and education. Lend Your Voice! PCSW invites Connecticut residents to provide testimony on the issues that affect them. Testimony will be included in a Public Hearing Report and will be distributed to Connecticut legislators. If you have any questions please contact Michelle Noehren at Michelle.Noehren@cga.ct.gov or (860) 240-0016. View the flyer here>>

LWV Connecticut Tour of the State Capitol

2010-01-24T10:57:00.000-08:00

The members of the LWVCT 90th Anniversary Committee are thrilled to announce the opportunity for League members and friends to take a special tour of our 90th Anniversary Exhibit at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. We also are offering this tour to Historical Society leaders from across the state so that they can assess whether it would be appropriate to display all or part of the exhibition at their respective locations. This could be a new "partnership" opportunity for Local Leagues to work with the local historical society. LWV Exhibit Committee Chair, Elisa McCarthy, will lead the approximately forty-five minute tour on the following dates: Tuesday, January 26, at 10:00 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. and Thursday, January 28, at 10:00 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.

President's Letter -September 2009

2009-09-21T21:27:00.000-07:00

Dear League Members,

Happy Birthday to Us! The LWV of New Canaan turns seventy this year, and what a proud history it’s been.

Through research and advocacy, we’ve given our town an information base to make a wide variety of important decisions. Open space, high school construction, school start times, the structure of town government, for these and other issues, the League has been a catalyst for debate and for community action.

We’ve helped educate voters through our signature programs – the candidates’ debate, the Voters’ Guide and the “Know Your Reps” pamphlet – and encouraged a new generation by helping to register students at the high school and by providing a generous scholarship to a deserving high school senior.

As we begin a new season, we remain focused on gaining a greater understanding of the public policy questions that shape our lives. For our September program, we’ve assembled a panel of experts who can bring the health care reform debate down to a personal level of understanding. For our Study Group and several upcoming programs, we’re focusing on “Community Development: Decision-Making and Communication Process,” a mouthful of a title to be sure, but a subject that encompasses issues of concern and interest to us all.

We’d love to hear from you if you’d like to get more involved with our work or have ideas for our activities. I only joined the League a few years ago myself as a member of the Sleep Study Group, and I can say that I am honored to be associated with such a dynamic group of women and will work hard to help carry forward the outstanding legacy with which we have been endowed.

Jane

Welcome New Members

2009-09-21T21:24:00.000-07:00

We welcome the newest members to the LWV and look forward to meeting them.
Louise Besson –lfbesson@hotmail.com
Melanie Blandon – maximoblandon@optonline.net
Allison Caesar – acaesar34@optonline.net
Mimi Findlay – Findlayantique@mindspring.com
Joyce Hawes – joyhawescs@optonline.net
Sally Hines – sthines@aol.com
Elyse Pitts – epitts@optonline.net
Wendy Pratt – wnpratt@optonline.net
Margo Sisson – primasister@aol.com
Michelle Sriubas – msriubas@hotmail.com
Laja Thompson – 17 Strawberry Hill Road (moved to Park City, Utah)
Jennifer Wellenius – fitz2004@gmail.com
Francis Wilson – teaforsix@mac.com
Joanne Windas – j_windas@yahoo.com

Calendar of Upcoming Events

2009-09-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

Karin Naill, our Program Chairman, has been hard at work coming up with some great and interesting programs for us. Here are the ones coming up in 2009:

SEPTEMBER 23 - 1:00 PM: LOCAL IMPACT OF HEALTH CARE REFORM
Our speakers: Frances Padialla from Sustinet will discuss efforts to provide health care for all Connecticut residents. Jennifer Millea, AARP Associate State Director for Communications in CT, will cover the impact of National Health Care Reform on Medicare. The moderator is Michael Turpin, Executive VP for USI Insurance Services. Mr. Turpin is committed to the challenge of reforming our health care system so all Americans have access to high quality, cost effective care. The meeting will be held in the Lamb Room in the Library.

OCTOBER 22 - 7:30 PM: Our annual CANDIDATES MEETING, for those running for state and local office, will be held in the Lamb Room at the Library. Co-hosted by the New Canaan Advertiser.

NOVEMBER 12 - 7:30 PM: THE FUTURE OF WAVENY -UNDERSTANDING THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS
Speakers include Steve Karl, Chairman of the Park and Recreation Sub-committee of the Town Council; Scott Gress, Chairman of the Park and Rec Commission; and John Rice, Chairman of the newly formed Conservation Commission. In the Lamb Room of the New Canaan Library.

DECEMBER 7 - HOLIDAY REVUE REHEARSAL - OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS

DECEMBER 14 – HOLIDAY LUNCHEON and MUSICAL REVUE - At the home of Penny Young - 52 Indian Rock Road. 10:00 AM - Rehearsal at Penny's. 12:00 NOON - Luncheon and Holiday Revue for Members and Guests.

The News in Revue

2009-09-21T20:58:00.000-07:00

The producer of The News in Revue, Nancy Holson, is offering an opportunity for a League fundraiser on Friday, October 16, at the Fairfield Theatre. The News in Revue is a satirical topical show somewhat like Capitol Steps. For every $40 ticket purchased by League members and their guests, $13 will be donated back to the local league. Mark your calendar today. Details will follow.

President’s Letter - April 2009

2009-03-31T16:50:00.000-07:00

Dear League Members,

I hope this spring edition of the Bulletin finds you well and enjoying the sunny weather! We’ve had a busy couple of months this past winter with our well-attended programs focusing on New Canaan real estate – both residential and the downtown area, with an in-depth look at new proposed zoning districts in our downtown area. We’ll continue in that vein with our next program, to be held Wednesday, April 22nd at Lapham, at which we’ll learn about the successful revitalization efforts of our neighboring town, Darien. We also enjoyed an informative talk by Dr. David Abbey, Superintendent of New Canaan Public Schools, who gave us a more in-depth look at the requirements, successes and failures of the No Child Left Behind legislation.

Our Voter Services group has been busy publishing the Know Your Reps brochure, which was distributed to every household in New Canaan. If you didn’t receive one, please contact Anne Ward at 966-7885. Next on their agenda is helping the town registrars register New Canaan High School juniors and seniors to vote. If you are interested in helping out with this effort in late May, please contact Janet Davis at 972-5709.

Our Annual Meeting will be held at the Country Club of New Canaan on May 26th. Information about our speaker will be e-mailed to you, and will be included in the Call to Annual Meeting, which you should receive in the mail in late April. Please save the date on your calendar!

Kathryn Tohir
President
LWVNC

LWVNC General Meeting: "Revitalization of Downtown Darien"

2009-03-31T16:45:00.000-07:00

April 22 at the Lapham Center. Program begins at 12:45 p.m. Lunch served at noon for $5.00 -$4.00 for seniors over age 60. Call 594-3620 by April 17 to make a reservation.

Guest speakers Evonne Klein, Darien's First Selectman; Debbie Parnon, Darien Revitalization Inc.'s Executive Director; and Kimberly Whitaker, Associate Director of the Connecticut Main Street, a public/private partnership that helps communities build economically vibrant, traditional “downtown” areas, will address the revitalization of Darien's downtown area.

Recent LWVNC Study inquiries indicated that Darien's solutions to downtown growth have been widely accepted and approved by the Town of Darien. Empty stores have been eliminated and new stores established. Our three speakers are responsible for undertaking and carrying out the Darien Six-Year Initiative. Their areas of responsibility include: 1) promoting the downtown revitalization organization; 2) educating stakeholders on the four-point approach to downtown revitalization; and, 3) setting up volunteer and partnership development committees to increase the economic, social, and civic value of the downtown area. Please join us at what should be a very interesting program, which might offer many ideas for revitalizing downtown New Canaan.

SWRPA (Southwest Regional Planning Agency) Housing Summit

2009-03-31T15:41:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, April 14 at the Darien Town Hall
Registration and breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Program begins at 9:15.

This summit will focus on the efforts being made by Connecticut's small and medium-sized towns to develop affordable and workforce housing. During this half-day conference keynote speaker Jim Himes, Connecticut’s 4th District representative, will discuss his continuing commitment to addressing the region's housing issues.

Evonne Klein, Darien’s First Selectman, and Gordon Joseloff, Westport’s First Selectman, will speak about both the shared and unique issues facing their towns and what they are doing to support the creation of affordable and workforce housing. This program will also include presentations by Stuart Adelberg, Greenwich United Way, Tim Hollister, Shipman & Goodwin, and Seila Mosquera, NeighborWorks-New Horizons. Chris Bruhl of The Business Council of Fairfield County will moderate the discussion. A Question, Answer and Comments session will end the day.

Advance registration fee for the Housing Summit is $10. Same-day or at-the-door registration is $20. Visit the SWRPA website to register online or for information on registering by mail. The Darien Town Hall located on Renshaw Road off Route 1, south of I-95 exit 11.

President's Letter - January 2009

2009-01-11T17:46:00.000-08:00

Dear LWVNC Members,

Happy New Year to one and all! After a restful holiday season, highlighted by our own Divas serenading us at our annual holiday luncheon hosted by Penny Young, the Board is back at work!
On the heels of our program informing us about the state of residential real estate in New Canaan, we're following up with a look at real estate downtown. Our next program, to be held on Wednesday, January 21st at 1:00 PM in the Lamb Room at the New Canaan Library, will feature Lazlo Papp, Chairman of the town's Planning and Zoning Commission, who will lead a discussion entitled "Re-Inventing Downtown New Canaan.” Mark your calendars to attend what is sure to be an interesting and lively discussion!

In other news, Board members Anne Ward and Susan Smith are already hard at work preparing the 2009 "Know Your Reps" brochure, which will be mailed to the entire town later this winter. The Nominating Committee has also started its search to put together next year's Board. If you are interested in serving on the Board, please contact Nominating Committee Chair Tucker Murphy (966-2503, e-mail tuckermurphy@yahoo.com) or Anne Ward, a member of the Committee (966-7885, e-mail rsward@optonline.net).
The Board is looking forward to a terrific year for the League in 2009, and hopes to see you at our monthly general meetings!

Kathryn Tohir

Calendar of Events

2009-01-11T17:45:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, January 21: LWV Open Meeting - Reinventing Downtown New Canaan at 1 p.m. in the Lamb Room, New Canaan Library. Join us to hear Lazlo Papp, Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission, and Steve Kleppin, Town Planner discuss zoning questions and the future of downtown New Canaan.

Monday, February 2: LWV Program Planning Meeting led by Cheryl Dunson, VP of Public Issues for the LWVCT, who will review and discuss the state league’s positions on a number of legislative fronts. Everyone welcome, but only members may vote on league program. 10 a.m. in the Plaut Room at the New Canaan Library.

Wednesday, March 18: Open Meeting – Dr. David Abbey, Superintendent of New Canaan Public Schools, will discuss standards used in evaluating “No Child Left Behind” at 12:45 at the Lapham Center. To make a reservation for lunch at noon, call 594-3620 by Monday, March 16. Lunch is $5, $4 for those 50 years of age and older.

Nominating Committee News

2009-01-11T17:44:00.000-08:00

It is that time of the year when we start forming and shaping the LWV Board of Directors for 2009-2010. If you are interested in working with this dynamic group of women please contact Tucker Murphy (tuckerbmurphy@yahoo.com) or Anne Ward (rsward@optonline.net). If you currently hold a Board position we would love to hear from you if you are intested in continuing or considering another position. We also welcome any thoughts or ideas of people we might contact for a position. Thanks in advance!

Membership Update

2009-01-11T17:43:00.000-08:00

We would like to welcome our newest members to the LWV:

Laura Costigan, 54 Marshall Ridge Road. Phone: 972-3655, FAX: 966-9538, e-mail zzzcampl@aol.com and
Mary Kelly Feiberg, 273 Ponus Ridge Road. Phone: 966-6148, e-mail: mkfreiberg@optonline.net

Also, please make the following changes and corrections to your Handbook:
Elizabeth Erb's phone - 966-1512
Gail Lavielle - new address - 109 Hickory Hill Road, Wilton, CT 06897- Phone:762-7373
Frances Salant - e-Mail - fran101@optonline.net
Karen Sneirson - work phone # 966-2633
Cynthia Stix - e-Mail - M64742@aol.com
Anne-Marie Sutton - e-Mail - amarsutton@optonline.net
Carlyn Tiefenthaler - carltief@sbcglobal.net (The letter "l" in "carl" was omitted in the published e-mail address.)
Anne Walsh – 879 Valley Road. Phone: 966-3262, E-mail: a/w456@aol.com

LWVCT Legislative Priorities for 2009

2009-01-11T17:41:00.000-08:00

At our last state convention, League members re-adopted transportation and election laws as LWVCT legislative priorities for the 2008 and 2009 legislative sessions. Below, for your information, is the link to our statements which outline what we specifically will be advocating for within these public policy areas. As the session unfolds, we hope that you will add your voice to our efforts. If you have not yet joined the ranks of our ten-minute activists, please consider doing so now via the link on the same page as our statements.

Regards,
Cheryl Dunson
VP Public Issues

http://www.lwvct.org/action.htm

Rethinking the Drinking Age: Is 21 Working? Is 18 the Answer?

2009-01-11T17:34:00.000-08:00

Thursday January 29, 2009, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. in Brubeck Room at Wilton Library

The Wilton League of Women Voters and the Wilton Library present a community forum--a panel discussion--about the Amethyst Initiative, a proposal by more than 100 colleges and universities to open a dialogue about lowering the drinking age in the U. S. to 18. Speakers on both sides of this issue will discuss the rationale behind the recent initiative and their viewpoints on prevention of adolescent alcohol abuse. Speakers include Dr. Linda Degutis, Associate Professor, Yale University Medical School, and immediate past president of the American Public Health Association; Dr. Lee Peters, VP, Student Affairs, University of Hartford; Mr. Barrett Seaman, author of Binge: Campus Life in an Age of Disconnection and Excess and board member of Choose Responsibility, an organization that proposes a new approach toward the drinking problem among young people; and Mr. John Hamilton, CEO, Regional Networks of Programs, Inc., a nonprofit social service agency specializing in the prevention and treatment of substance abuse.

Audience Q and A will be included. The program is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be available at 7 p.m., followed by panel discussion at 7:30 p.m. Registration suggested.
To register, please call 203-762-3950 or visit www.wiltonlibrary.org/events.
Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton, 06897.

A Call to Action

2009-01-11T17:27:00.000-08:00

The Connecticut Association of Community Transportation (CACT) submitted a list of 22 “shovel-ready” transit projects worth $18 million to Governor Rell and legislative committee members for consideration in the State of Connecticut’s request for President-Elect Obama’s federal economic stimulus funding. These projects will help provide safe, affordable and green bus transit service to state residents.
Public bus transit:
-helps businesses by getting employees to and from work;
-allows senior citizens and disabled individuals the flexibility to live at home;
-improves air quality by getting pollution emitting passenger cars off our roads;
-saves the state money by decreasing costs for nursing home care, pollution control, road maintenance and safety related costs.
Please act now! Contact Governor Rell, and state legislative leaders and urge them to include these projects in their request.
Governor Rell: Governor.Rell@po.state.ct.us
DOT Commissioner Joseph Marie: Joseph.Marie@po.state.ct.us
OPM Secretary Robert Genuario: Robert.Genuario@po.state.ct.us
Senator Donald Williams: Williams@senatedems.ct.gov
Rep. Chris Donovan: Christopher.Donovan@cga.ct.gov
Senator John McKinney: John.McKinney@cga.ct.gov
Rep. Larry Cafero: Lawrence.Cafero@housegop.ct.gov
Senator Donald DeFronzo: DeFronzo@senatedems.ct.gov
Rep. David McCluskey: David.McCluskey@cga.ct.gov

Submitted by
Karen Burnaska, Coordinator
Transit for Connecticut
(203) 261-9243

President's Letter - November 2008

2008-11-03T08:14:00.000-08:00

Dear LWVNC Members,

What a busy and productive fall we’ve had so far! Those who went on the modern house tour would agree with me that the day couldn’t have been nicer. The talk by Professor Hilary Sample of Yale University provided valuable insight into the houses we would be seeing, the houses themselves were varied and interesting and the weather was perfect! Many thanks to Peggy Dannemann and all who volunteered for putting together such a successful tour!

On the heels of the house tour, Janet Davis, Ruth Laird and their committee spent hours contacting candidates, developing questions and arranging the program and site for our Candidates’ Forum, which was subsequently aired on Channel 79. The forum was very informative as the candidates expressed their opinions on a variety of issues ranging from the economy to the environment. Immediately following our forum, the Fourth Congressional District candidates, Christopher Shays and Jim Himes participated in a debate in Wilton, which our League was proud to co-sponsor. We also prepared the Voters’ Guide for the New Canaan Advertiser, which was published in the October 30th edition of the paper. There’s nothing as hectic as election season for the League of Women Voters!

Speaking of election season, take a moment to consider supporting the League with a donation to our Education Fund. You all should have received a copy of our appeal in the mail a few weeks ago. In an increasingly partisan climate, please consider making a donation to our nonpartisan fund to support our efforts to encourage the informed and active participation in government, to increase understanding of major public policy issues and to influence public policy thought education and advocacy.

Our next program, The State of Real Estate in New Canaan, to be held November 19th at 12:45 p.m. in the Lamb Room of the New Canaan Library, promises to be of widespread interest. Make sure to mark your calendars for this timely and important event. See you there!

Kathryn Tohir
President

Upcoming Programs

2008-11-03T06:04:00.000-08:00

November 19 Open Meeting - The State of Real Estate in New Canaan
The LWVNC has invited the Real Estate Agents serving New Canaan to join us at our meeting. The location and time have been changed to the New Canaan Library at 12:45 PM in the Lamb Room.

Susan Engel, President of the Board of Realtors, Sebastian Caldarella, our Town Assessor, who is currently involved in home inspections for Tax assessments, and Vincent Chase, Assistant to Chris Shays, our Representative in the US Congress, will be the featured speakers. The meeting will be moderated by Kathleen Corbet, our Treasurer, a member of the New Canaan Board of Finance and former CEO of Standard and Poor's. Mr. Ryan of John F. Ryan Company will also speak. He was engaged by the Town to assist Mr. Caldarella.

Topics covered will include the "ABC's of Assessment," the mortgage crisis, and how the foreclosure of houses in the US is affecting New Canaan, and what help is available in Connecticut

December 15 - Annual Holiday Luncheon

January 21, 2009- Re-Inventing Downtown New Canaan

1 PM at the New Canaan Library. Note change of location and time.

LWV Holiday Luncheon - December 15

2008-11-02T18:04:00.000-08:00

THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF NEW CANAAN
JOYFULLY INVITES YOU TO OUR
ANNUAL HOLIDAY LUNCHEON
AND MUSICAL REVIEW
Honoring the Women Who Volunteer
In Our Local Government
MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2008 AT 12:00 NOON
AT THE HOME OF PENNY YOUNG
52 INDIAN ROCK ROAD
NEW CANAAN
Members and Guests: $15
R.S.V.P By December 10
Telephone: Cindy Charas 966-7387
MaiL: LWV, P.O. Box 383, New Canaan, CT 06840

President's Letter

2008-09-16T13:45:00.001-07:00

Dear League Members,

What a wonderful summer I had with my family, and I hope all of you had an opportunity to enjoy these last few months as well. I return from vacation refreshed and eager to turn to league business, as do my fellow board members. We have a busy year ahead of us starting right away with our major fundraiser, the modern house tour, on Sunday, September 21. Peggy Dannemann has been working diligently throughout the summer to organize this event. After that, in this historic election year, we'll turn our attentions to our continuing efforts to inform the electorate by co-sponsoring a debate in Wilton between the candidates for the Fourth Congressional District, as well as a candidates' night in New Canaan in mid-October, featuring the candidates
for the state senate and assembly. Once the elections are behind us, our monthly programs will resume, starting with a timely panel discussion of the state of real estate in New Canaan on November 19. We'll end the calendar year with our holiday revue and luncheon - sure to be a hit once again! I want to thank all the board members who have been working throughout the summer to set all the above mentioned events in motion. As always, please feel free to contactme with any questions you may have, as well as suggestions for programs, study groups or other league activities. Your input is very much appreciated!

Sincerely,
Kathryn Tohir

NEW MEMBER COFFEE

Friday, September 19

9:30 a.m. at Kathryn Tohir's

EVERYONE WELCOME

RSVP to Kathryn at 972-5898

"Are New Canaan Houses Worth Less?"

2008-09-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

Join us for a Panel Discussion with Vincent Chase, Assistant to Representative Chris Shays; Sebastian Caldarella, New Canaan Assessor; and Susan Engel, President, New Canaan Board of Realtors, for this important discussion. Currently there is a State mandated re-evaluation going on for houses sold in New Canaan since October 2007, which could possibly increase the Town's Grand List by as much as a billion dollars, enabling the Board of Finance to set a lower mill rate in May 2009. Mr. Caldarella be gathering information about these houses during October, so he should have updated information by the time of this meeting. New Canaan Library - 12 noon - Brown Bag Lunch, 1:00 p.m.

Voter Services

2008-09-16T13:32:00.000-07:00

The League is pleased to co-sponsor, along with The New Canaan Advertiser, a Candidates' Night to be held in mid-October at the New Canaan Library. The tentative date is Sunday, October 19, from 3 -5 p.m. The event will feature the candidates running for state senate and assembly. This is your chance to meet the candidates informally, as well as hear what they have to say about the issues that are important to you. The league is also co-sponsoring, with other local leagues, a debate in Wilton between the candidates for the Fourth Congressional District of the U.S. House of Representatives. Details about these events will be posted on our website as soon as they are available.

Beyond the Glass House: A Tour of Four Modern New Canaan Homes

2008-09-04T12:41:00.000-07:00

The New Canaan League of Women Voters will offer a tour of four significant Modern homes in New Canaan on Sunday, September 21 from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. These homes, designed by the “Harvard Five” and their followers, are glorious examples of Modern style of architecture opened only rarely, if ever, to the public.

Prior to the tour at the Carriage Barn in Waveny Park, Professor Hilary Sample of the Yale School of Architecture will give a lecture on the significance of the four houses in the overall Modern movement which put New Canaan on the world map, architecturally speaking. The arrival of Marcel Breuer, Landis Gores, John Johansen, Philip Johnson and Eliot Noyes, who built homes here for themselves and their clients, turned New Canaan into a mid-20th century salon for discussion and exploration of themes of design and urbanism that have shaped our cities and way of living since the 1950’s through today.

The cost of the tour is $125.00 per person, which includes the lecture, guided access to the homes and transportation. The event will begin promptly at 1:00 and end at the Carriage Barn in Waveny Park. Since ticket sales will be limited in number, please send your check made out to “New Canaan League of Women Voters” to Peggy Dannemann, 71 Brushy Ridge Road, New Canaan, to reserve your space. Please include the name(s) of anyone who will be taking the tour with you so that we may put you on the same tour route.

If you have any questions, please call Peggy Dannemann, Tour Chair, at 966-7575 or e-mail her at pdannema@optonline.net.

April President's Letter

2008-04-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

Dear League Members,

We’ve had a busy couple of months as we approach the end of an interesting year. First and foremost, the LWVUS has adopted its position on immigration. Please take a moment to review the immigration position on the website, lwv.org. Thanks again to all members of our league who participated in the process of coming to consensus by attending and voicing their opinion at our immigration consensus meeting.

Once again, we are assisting the town registrars in registering high school students to vote. Registration day at New Canaan High School is May 20th. If you’d like to volunteer to help register the students, please contact Janet Davis.

A committee of the board has been busy reviewing our bylaws. In the next few days, you should receive a copy of the LWVNC’s bylaws, either by email or by regular mail. The revised bylaws have been approved by the board and will be presented at our annual meeting for your approval. Changes to the bylaws have been highlighted for your convenience.

Finally, our annual meeting is just around the corner. The meeting, which will be held May 13th at the Country Club of New Canaan, will feature speaker Gina McCarthy, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. It promises to be a very interesting program! You will receive the Call to the Annual Meeting in the mail shortly. Save the date on your calendar, send in your RSVP, and I look forward to seeing you there!

Kathryn Tohir
President
New Canaan League of Women Voters

Time to Renew Your Membership

2008-04-13T10:09:00.000-07:00

Good News! Our membership numbers just keep on growing. We have seven new or returning members: Peg Bull, Aviva Kesselman, Jean Suidan, Charles Gallo, Cynthia Stix, Gail Lavielle, and Suzan Wirth. Contact information is listed below. Please look for and welcome our newest members at our next program meeting and at the LWVNC Annual Meeting in May.

Our Leagues membership year runs from July 1 till June 30. Next month is the beginning of our League’s membership renewal drive. All League members will get a renewal form in the mail. When it comes please fill out the contact information on the form (click here to view the form) and a check for your dues, and mail both to the LWVNC at our P.O. Box 383. We have two categories: Regular dues at $60 and Supporting dues at $75. If you would like to give an extra contribution to the League for a tax deduction, you need to make out a separate check to the LWVNC Education Fund. It is important to note that our Local League keeps only $16.70 of the membership dues. All Leagues are required to contribute $26.80 per member to the LWVUS and $16.50 to the LWVCT every year. Your financial support is important to our efforts in New Canaan. It provides the means for our local League programs, Candidate Night Forums, the annual town-wide mailing of the Know Your Reps brochure, and civic programs in our schools. Watch for our mailing and respond promptly!!

Thank you.
Ruth Laird, Membership co-chair

Calendar and Programs

2008-04-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

April 23 - "Promise to Policy - the Next 100 Days" - Come and hear our three new selectmen discuss the issues that are coming up: e.g. an Ice Rink at Waveny, Conservation Commission, etc. and bring your questions. The meeting will be held at Lapham Center at noon. To make lunch reservations, call Lapham Center, 594-3620, before noon on Friday, April 18th, or you can "Brown Bag" it. The program will begin at 12:45 PM.

May 13 - LWVNC ANNUAL MEETING AND LUNCHEON to be held at the Country Club of New Canaan. The business meeting will begin at 10:00 AM, Wine/Cash Bar 11:30 AM, Luncheon at noon and our Program with Speaker Gina Mc Carthy, Chairman of the CT Department of Environmental Protection, will begin at 12:45 PM. The cost is $35. Guests are welcome to come for lunch or they can come after lunch to hear the speaker. Please call Karin Naill, 966-4370, if you're coming for the Program only.

Mrs. McCarthy's topic will be "Meeting the Environmental Challenges of the 21st Century". Her department is the state agency with primary responsibility for protecting CT's environment, natural resources and wildlife and for maintaining CT's State Parks and forests. More details are in the blue booklet "The Call to Annual Meeting," which you should have received in the mail.

Please mail your check and luncheon menu choice to LWVNC, P.O. Box 383, by May 8th.

May 20 - Student Voter Registration at the High School. There are 2 shifts - 10 to 11:30 AM and 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. Call Janet Davis, 972-5709, and volunteer if you would like to help with this enjoyable activity.

September 21 - Mark your calendars now for our wonderful Modern House Tour, our fund-raiser for the year. Tickets are $100 each. Reserve your place early by sending your check to LWV, P.O. Box 383. Volunteers are needed. Please call Peggy Dannemann, 966-7575, if you can help with this special and popular event!

Membership Update

2008-04-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

Welcome New Members!

Peg Bull
118 Adams Lane
966-7737
PegRBull@aol.com

Gail Laviell
5134 Avalon Drive East
H: 966-4736 O: 832-3806
gaillaviell@aol.com

Charles Gallo
59 Hawthorne Road
966-0894

Cynthia Stix
600 Oenoke Ridge Road
966-6950

Jean Suidan
291 South Bald Hill Road
966-1282
jean@suidan.com

Aviva Kesselman
213 Hickok Road
966- 5652

Suzan Wirth
11 Sleepy Hollw Road
972-9411
operazan@aol.com

Correction: Please change “Jane Walsh” to “Anne Walsh”
966-3262, alw456@aol.com

See Broadway/Off-Broadway Shows and Support LWV

2008-04-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

The LWV Connecticut is pleased to announce a partnership with Jujamcyn Theaters that provides members and friends the opportunity to both give and get: they can give to LWVCT Education Fund as they get special discounts on theater tickets. Click here for details.

President's Letter

2008-01-12T10:41:00.000-08:00

Greetings to all and Happy New Year! It's time to get down to business with our upcoming Consensus Meeting on Immigration. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss and respond to a number of questions on immigration posed by the LWVUS in order to help the LWVUS understand its members' philosophy on immigration so that it may lobby accordingly when the time comes.

I sent all of you a Consensus Preparation Kit, provided by Helen Campbell and Karin Naill, Co-Chairmen of the New Canaan LWV Immigration Study Group. It contains a great deal of information about immigration, which will prepare you to participate at the meeting It also includes the questions set forth by the LWVUS. Please read the material carefully before attending the meeting as there will be no presentation at the meeting itself.

The meeting will take place Wednesday, January 23rd at 12:45 p.m. At the Lapham Community Center. There is an optional lunch preceding the meeting at noon, for which you must make reservations. Reservations may be made by calling 594-3620 before noon on Friday, January 18th. We ask that you refrain from bringing guests to this meeting, as only League members may participate in the Consensus process. I look forward to seeing you at the meeting!

Kathryn Tohir

FERC's Position on the Broadwater Facility

2008-01-12T09:21:00.000-08:00

LWVCT President Cheryl Dunston reports that The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a press release January 11, which states the Broadwater Liquid Natural Gas Facility proposed for Long Island Sound would have minimal impact. Click here to read the full release.

The League's testimony on FERC's draft environmental impact statement offers arguments against building the natural gas storage gas facility in the Sound. Ms. Dunston affirms that the League, working in partnership with the Sound Alliance, will continue to oppose the Broadwater proposal.

January Eco-Tip

2008-01-12T08:18:00.000-08:00

Don't throw out those old catalogs yet. There’s a nifty website called Catalog Choice that enables you to opt out of receiving catalogues you don’t want. Here’s how: gather up all of your unwanted catalogs. Go to www.catalogchoice.org/signup. After a simple registration, search the list for the catalog name, enter your customer number found near your address (that’s why you need the catalog itself) and select “decline.” In about 10 weeks, you’ll notice a lighter load in your mailbox. After you register at Catalog Choice, you can return to the website when you receive other unwanted, unsolicited catalogs.

Here’s another idea: Some companies such as LL Bean and Land’s End send many catalogs that don’t differ much. You can call the 800 customer service number and ask to receive only the four seasonal catalogs. If you have an eco tip to share, send it to Helen Campbell helencampbell@optonline.net.

Calendar and Programs

2008-01-12T07:39:00.000-08:00

Sunday, January 13: The LWV Divas were invited to perform selections from the Holiday Party Musical "New Canaan: It's Almost Perfect" for the Opening Celebration of Staying Put in New Canaan (SPNC) at 2:00 p.m. at St. Mark's Church.

Wednesday, January 23: Consensus Meeting on Immigration at the Lapham Community Center. Background information about this national-level study is available at http://www.lwv.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=LWVUSImmigrationStudy. Only members of the LWVNC can participate in this consensus meeting. Lunch at noon, program begins at 12:45. You can bring a brown bag lunch or buy lunch for $3. Call 594-3620 by Friday, January 18 to make a reservation.

Monday, February 4: LWV Board and Program Planning Meeting. Board meeting begins at 9 a.m. Program Planning for our local league and a discussion of LWVUS issues begins at 10 a.m. in the Plaut Room of the New Canaan Library.

Wednesday, March 19: General Meeting: Innovation in Education in New Canaan Public Schools. Dr. Abbey goes beyond the budget message to talk about new initiatives and innovative programs in our schools. Lunch at noon, program begins at 12:45. You can bring a brown bag lunch or buy lunch for $3. Call 594-3620 by Friday, March 14 to make a reservation.

Wednesday, April 23: General Meeting: Selectmen's First 100 Days. Jeb Walker, Rob Mallozzi and Sally Hines join us to talk about their work as Selectmen. Lunch at noon, program begins at 12:45. You can bring a brown bag lunch or buy lunch for $3. Call 594-3620 by Friday, April 18 to make a reservation.

Tuesday, May 13: LWV Annual Meeting at the Country Club of New Canaan. Save the date!

LWV Committee Reports

2008-01-12T07:19:00.000-08:00

Sleep Study Committee - Sue Stone reports that Jane Himmel is writing a column in the Advertiser each month. Four articles have already been published to educate readers about the important issue of adolescent sleep. We hope that school start times will be addressed again in the future by the school administration.

Nominating Committee - Calling all potential board members! The League needs you to step up and be part of the action. Anyone interested in becoming a member of New Canaan LWV board should contact Nominating Chair, Anne Ward at 966-7885 or rsward@optonline.net.

Finance Committee - For the first time in a long time our league is planning an appeal mailing to raise funds for some of our activities. If you can help with this important task, especially with developing a mailing list, please contact .....

Modern House Tour Committee - Karin Naill is putting a committee together to plan our next Modern House Tour fundraiser that we want to have this fall. If you would like to help, call Karin at 966-4370.

Membership Update

2008-01-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

Please welcome the newest members to our League:

Patricia Stoddard (Pat)
120 Bayberry Road
966-2301 (No E-Mail)

Kira Brandman
226 Sleepy Hollow Road
966-0830
ksbrandman@yahoo.com

Carolyn Downey
54 Rosebrook Road
594-1404
carolyngreenwich@gmail.com

Carol French
85 Locust Avenue
801-9939
Cell - 857-272-4430
(No E-Mail)

Also please change the E-Mail address for
Eloise Killeffer – ehpk1@att.net
Carlyn Tiefenthaler - cartief@sbcglobal.net
And Ruth Laird - rylaird@yahoo.com

Open Meeting on Immigration

2007-11-06T13:51:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, November 14 at Lapham Community Center at noon. Join us with a brown bag lunch with beverage to hear our speaker, Paul Pimentel, on the topic of "U.S. Immigration - The Search for Solutions" at 1:00.

Mr. Pimentel has been an aide to Congressman Christopher Shays since 1997, and currently serves as his District Director and Deputy Chief of Staff. In addition to overseeing the Bridgeport and Stamford constituent offices, he is Senior Advisor to the Congressman on local and state issues, including energy and the environment, transportation, urban development and the economy. Prior to returning to Connnecticut in 2002, Paul was Senior Legislative Assistant in Congressman Shays' Washington D.C. office, handling a variety of policy issues including campaign finance reform, environment, immigration, transportation and trade. A Stamford native, Paul majored in International Relations at the University of Pennsylvania.

Some Connecticut towns and cities are issuing identity cards and welcoming illegal immigrants, as is the case in New Haven. Yale law students are doing pro-bono work defending some immigrants against deportation. Danbury, on the other hand, is arresting and deporting illegal immigrants with the help of the Federal government. Learn what can be done at this important and informative meeting.

LWVNC Holiday Luncheon

2007-11-06T13:47:00.000-08:00

Monday, December 10th at noon. Join us for this annual event where we honor women serving in Town Government. The songsters are busy working on this year's entertainment under Kit Devereaux's clever guidance. Look for your invitation in the mail.

Membership Update

2007-11-06T13:42:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to welcome Sandy Arnold to the LWVNC. Please add her name to your handbook. Her address is P.O. Box # 1207, New Canaan. Phone: 966-5485
E-Mail - sandy@lawrence-arnold.com
Also please change Regina Todd's address to # 29 Green Avenue, New Canaan. Phone: 594-1691 (E mail address and cell phone stay the same).

Sleep Study Report

2007-11-06T13:29:00.000-08:00

The importance of sleep is in the news and on our community’s agenda.

The media was filled with major stories about sleep in October, from Reader’s Digest cover story, “The Magic Power of Sleep,” to The New York Times devoting its entire science section to the subject. New York magazine captured national attention with its “Snooze or Lose” story on the impact of sleep deprivation on adolescents, while NBC Nightly News and NPR also posted in-depth reports.

In our town, the Board of Education has agreed to keep sleep in mind. At press time, the motion before it would not change school start times, but would engage in community awareness efforts about sleep and incorporate sleep education in the curriculum.

The public forum held on October 1st was well-attended, and was a good start to what we hope will be an ongoing community dialogue about the obstacles preventing our adolescents from getting sufficient sleep and finding ways to help them stay healthy in a challenging world.

We hope you’ve seen the League’s own columns in The Advertiser about this topic. Our series on “sleep and adolescent health” began in September and will run the first week each month.

Going forward, the need to combat this serious public health issue will become increasingly evident, as scientists continue to make new connections between how much sleep we get and how well our bodies and minds perform. As Harvard Medical School’s Dr. Lawrence Epstein has said, “the link between sleep and health, and bad sleep and disease, is becoming clearer and clearer.”

Although we are disappointed that a change in school start times may not occur at present, the League will advocate for a continued look at the logistical options in the future. In schools that have moved to a later bell, the students are getting more sleep.

Consensus Meeting on Immigration

2007-11-06T13:24:00.000-08:00

Mark your calendars! On January 23rd our League will hold a Consensus Meeting, led by Susan LaPerla, to discuss the Consensus Questions developed by the National LWV. Our answers will be submitted to the National League to be tabulated with the answers from Leagues all over the United States. The questions cover the following subjects: 1. What criteria federal laws should consider; 2. How illegal immigrants should be treated; 3. What federal immigration law should cover; and 4. How federal immigration law should be enforced.

Report on Candidates' Night

2007-11-06T13:22:00.000-08:00

The Candidates' Debate sponsored by the LWV and the New Canaan Advertiser was held on October 25th at the Lapham Community Center. It was highly successful with an SRO crowd of some 130 people including high school students, seniors and everyone in between. John Kovach, Editor of the New Canaan Advertiser, was thrilled with the turnout and believed it to be the largest and liveliest crowd to date for this event. Paul Sedlak videotaped the event which will air on Channel 79 starting Tuesday, October 30th for one week. Special thanks to Susan LaPerla, our excellent moderator who kept the program running on schedule, and to our expert screeners, timers and all those who helped with the great refreshments and the crowd. Janet Davis and Anne Grieves - Co-Chairmen

Welcome to Our Online Bulletin

2007-09-12T18:45:00.000-07:00

September 2007: Beginning this month we are publishing our Bulletin as a webpage. Doing so will save us time in the writing and mailing of it, as well as the costs associated with printing and mailing. This webpage is a blog, which means you can comment on the articles. These comments are moderated. The editors will see them before they are published to the webpage. So if you want to make a comment "off the record," or if it's something only the editors needs to know, indicate that in your comment. Helen and I hope you find this new format useful--feel free to comment on that as well! - Susan

A Message From Our President

2007-09-12T18:42:00.000-07:00

Our newly elected LWVNC President, Kathryn Tohir, wanted league members to know that she is on medical leave and cannot take on the responsibilities of her new job at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with her for a complete and speedy recovery and we hope that she will be able to rejoin our group as she plans to in January. Get well soon, Kathryn. We are all cheering for you.

League Calendar - Upcoming Events

2007-09-12T18:33:00.000-07:00

Monday, September 17: BOE Workshop on School Start Times, 7:30 p.m at the High School.
Wednesday, September 19: Update on P & Z Open Meeting at the Lapham Center. Lunch at noon with a reservation (594-3620), program at 1 p.m.
Saturday, September 29: Demonstration of new voting machines at the Library from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Call Janet Davis, 972-5709, if you can help.
Monday, October 1: LWVNC Board Meeting, 9:30 in the Plaut Room, New Canaan Library.
BOE Public Forum on School Start Times, 7:30 p.m. at the High School.
Thursday, October 18: Meet the Candidates Night, 7 p.m. at the New Canaan Library.
Monday, November 5: LWVNC Board Meeting, 9:30 in the Plaut Room, New Canaan Library.
Tuesday, November 6: Election Day - VOTE!
Wednesday, November 14: Open Meeting on Immigration at 1 p.m. No lunch that day.

Welcome New Members

2007-09-12T18:27:00.000-07:00

The League would like to welcome our newest members:
Betty Croke, Alicia Eppler, Gwynne Pfeifer, Penny Rashin, Maria Rutan, and Anne Walsh. To our newest members-we look forward to seeing you at meetings and hope you will get involved in one or more of our committees. All members-look for the new directory scheduled for mailing later this month.

School Start Times

2007-09-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

Now is the time! After four years of hard work on the part of our School Start Time Study Group the Board of Education is holding a workshop on changing school start times on Monday, September 17. The results of their data collection and deliberations will be presented at this public meeting. Then on Monday, October 1, the BOE will hold a public forum on school start times. Both of these meetings begin at 7:30 at New Canaan High School. Please come to one or both of these meetings to show your support for our dedicated League members, who worked so long to see this dialogue take place.

P & Z Program

2007-09-12T17:56:00.000-07:00

An update on planning and zoning will be the subject of a panel discussion with Laslo Papp, P & Z Chairman; Steve Kleppin, Town Planner; and Chuck Berman, Chairman of the NC Housing Authority. The meeting is scheduled for September 19 at 1 p.m. at the Lapham Center, following lunch at noon (594-3620 to make a luncheon reservation.) Mr. Papp will discuss recent changes in zoning regulations; Mr. Kleppin, what he sees "going on in New Canaan" and the Downtown Study implications; and Mr. Berman, the proposed changes to the affordable housing units on Millport Avenue. A Q & A period will follow the speakers' presentations.

Meet the Candidates Night

2007-09-12T17:52:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, October 18, the League will host Meet the Candidates Night at 7 p.m. in the Lamb Room at the New Canaan Library. Candidates running in contested races for First Selectman, Selectman, and Town Council will be present to answer your questions. Plan to attend this important event. Look for our Voter's Guide in the New Canaan Advertiser the week before Election Day, November 6.

On Saturday, September 29, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Library Republican Registrar of Voters, Robert Schafter and Democratic Registrar, George Cody, will be demonstrating the new electronic voting machines. Please call Janet Davis 972-5709 if you can volunteer to help sometime during the day.

Update on Immigration

2007-09-11T15:43:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, November 14, our League will hold an open meeting for the public on the topic of immigration featuring Congressman Christopher Shays and Paul Pimentel, 4th Congressional District Director at 1 p.m. at the Lapham Center.

Our League's Immigration Study Group has been meeting since June to investigate the immigration issue, which is hotly contested at the local, state, and national levels.

Guest speakers at these meetings have included Carola Bracco, Executive Director of Links in Mt. Kisco, an organization that works to educate, empower and employ recent immigrants; Bob Kucinda, a student advisor for Youth Leadership at Brien McMahon High School, seeking to understand the challenges immigrants face; and Ruth McGill, and ESL teacher for NCPS, who spoke about her experience with non-English speaking students and families in New Canaan. League members from neighboring communities also attended these meetings.

As a result of the work of this 18-member study group, our League proposes to write a series of articles over the next three months exploring such topics as the values and principles underlying current immigration policy and the impact of immigration on American society.

Leagues all over the US are undertaking a 2-year LWVUS Immigration Study aimed at helping communities understand the complexities of the issue in order to make informed policy decisions. National study materials can be viewed at lwvus.org.