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Meeting notices

General Membership Meeting January 11, 2022 7:00 PM

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

 

We’re ready to kick off 2022 with our first General Meeting on January 11 at 7:00 pm. Headlining the program is Congressman John Garamendi, who has announced that he is seeking re-election in the newly designed California 8th Congressional district, which now includes Benicia and Vallejo.

Following Congressman Garamendi, we’ll continue our discussion from our last meeting in November on proposed changes to club bylaws, including consideration of a new name for our club, and address filling some vacant officer and steering committee positions.

We’re still meeting via Zoom. Watch for the zoom link which will be sent closer to the meeting date.

Benicia is now part of Congressional District 8. The newly designed voting districts are based on results of the 2020 Census. Benicia is now part of the 8th Congressional district which has been represented by Congressman Garamendi since 2009. The new district stretches from Vacaville in the north to El Cerrito in the south and includes the cities of Richmond, San Pablo, Pinole, Hercules, Antioch, Pittsburg, and Martinez in Contra Costa County and Fairfield, Suisun City, Vallejo and Benicia in Solano County. On Dec. 20, 2021, Congressman Garamendi announced he is running for reelection to Congress. We look forward to hearing from our new Congressman and his plans in Congress for 2022. Have your questions ready!

During the January 11 meeting, we’re providing as much time as Congressman Garamendi needs to address the club as well as to allow for Q & A.

Club changes.

  1. During our November meeting, we discussed possibly changing the club’s name. We will continue the discussion on a possible name change to allow members who weren’t present in November to share their thoughts. Here is a summary of pro and con comments provided by members thus far. A vote on a name change can take place only after the proposed change has been presented to membership at a preceding meeting. The Jan. 11 meeting will be considered first notice for any motion(s) that arise during this meeting.
  2. We will also announce plans to fill two officer positions: the Vice-Chair position has been open for some time, and Ralph Dennis is stepping down as Chair effective February 8, 2022. Club officers serve two-year terms, and PDB’s next officer elections are January, 2023. If an office is vacated, new officers can be appointed to serve out any remaining terms of a vacated office until elections are held.

Please review the comments on a possible name change for PDB, specifically keeping or dropping the word “Progressive.”

Also, annual club dues are payable beginning in January. Annual dues are $20 per member. See our website for payment information.

We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, Jan. 11 at 7:00 pm. Please let us know if you have any questions or comments!

Climate change, Fossil fuels, Renewable energy

Take these timely actions!

Take these timely actions in just a few minutes’ time to help save affordable rooftop solar and to stop drilling oil and gas wells next to homes, schools, and hospitals.

Save Rooftop Solar in California! Sign the Petition by November 30

Our investor-owned utilities are again lobbying for a change in rules that would make rooftop solar prohibitively expensive. This time they’re trying it at the Public Utilities Commission. Sign the petition to stop them!

Setback rules for oil and gas wells

Stand up for environmental justice in California! On December 1 at 5:00 pm CalGEM is holding the first of two workshops to collect public comments. Once you register for the workshop you can speak for up to two minutes to the regulators who have written draft proposed setback rules for oil and gas wells. Provide your comments on why you think the 3200′ setback rule proposed is critical and why it must be for all drilling and not just new wells. Your public comments in support of the health and safety of frontline communities will make an impact!

Big Oil pays workers to call in and drown out our voice. Let’s show up in force! Please join the workshop, provide your brief comments, and show your support!

Learn about expected sea level rises throughout the Bay Area

Sea Level Rise and Shoreline Contamination Workshop, December 8 and 9. What will the coming rise in sea level – and ground water – do to the San Francisco Bay Area, and what can we do about it? Learn more at this community/government workshop.  Learn more about the workshop and  RSVP here!

Meeting notices

Reminder: November 10th 7:00 PM General Membership Meeting

Change is in the air!!! Urgent for Members!!!

Our final meeting for 2022 is coming up – next Wednesday, at 7:00 and we’ll be on Zoom once again. Hopefully, we’ll return to meeting in public for the New Year, but for one more time at least here’s the Zoom link and info for our Nov. 10 meeting:

Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 885 4303 4122
Passcode: 267246
One tap mobile
+16699006833,,88543034122#,,,,*267246# US (San Jose)

Change is in the air! There’s been discussion recently among members about considering some changes to PDB’s structure, focus and related matters beginning in 2022. We’ll open all that up for discussion with members on Nov. 10 to see what they think and want. First, though, we’ll discuss a couple of local issues and actions we can take. Here’s the agenda:

  • Part 1: Timothy Knox, a Benicia HS graduate, will talk about his ongoing efforts to organize a Young Democrats of Solano County club, opposition he’s faced, and how we can help. Colette Bartel, Save CA Solar, will discuss the campaign to protect rooftop solar in California and actions we can take to fight threats to it at the Public Utilities Commission.
  • Part 2: Steve Young (as PDB member) and Terry Scott, will suggest changes to PDB to consider for 2022 and discuss why they are needed. This discussion will likely continue over into our January 2022 meeting, which could include motions to vote on proposed changes to PDB. We’ll allow all the time needed for Q&A with members.

Change is in the air! It’s important for members to attend this discussion on the Club’s future, hear any proposed changes that are raised, and voice their support, concerns, and questions. No votes will be taken during this meeting, but we expect motions for changes will be made in our January 2022 meeting. Filling vacancies in the Steering Committee and Officers positions is also be in the wind.

I urge all members to attend and participate in these discussions.

See you on Nov. 10!!!