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LGBTQI+ Community, Meeting notices

Our Next Meeting – Tuesday, June 11

MEMBER MEETING
TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 2024, 7:00 PM

ZOOM MEETING

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Dear members and supporters—

June is Pride Month!  Special Guest: Tom Bilbo

Our guest will be Tom Bilbo (pictured right speaking at Vallejo’s Pride Flag-Raising Ceremony last week), who is a Vallejo Gay Network coordinator and chair of the Stonewall Democratic Club of Solano County.  Tom will be presenting “WHY, a discussion of Pride and Community” for us in lieu of our planned speaker, Will McGarvey, who unfortunately had a scheduling conflict.  (You can read about what prompted the conflict here.)

Membership Vote: Join the Solano Together Coalition?

We will also be voting on whether or not to support Solano Together and oppose the East Solano Plan (formerly California Forever).  We will have minimal debate on this since we already did a program on it.

If you missed the Progressive Democrats of Benicia’s meeting with California Forever and Solano Together, or want to watch it again, we are pleased to share that the recording is still available via our website.  You can click the link here or image below to be redirected to the page on our website with instructions for viewing.

The meeting was great with an interchange of ideas between both sides.  Our speakers were Gabriel Metcalf, Head of Planning for California Forever; Chris Rico, Solano County Economic Development President/CEO; Sadie Wilson, Solano Together/Director of Planning and Research for Greenbelt Alliance; and Bob Berman, Solano Together/Chair of Solano County Orderly Growth Committee.

The participants presented the problems that California Together may address and may create.  Christopher Cabaldon, who is running for State Senate in this district and was an audience member that night, also provided information about the problems of having an initiative also be a development agreement and how in his opinion that is not possible.

Terry Mollica will also provide a brief update about the status of the Benicia Industrial Safety Ordinance.

Renew Your Membership, Vote in Upcoming Endorsements

I want to remind everyone that it is not too late to renew your membership.  This is an election year and we hope to have a robust program around the election.  Only people who have been members for 60 days prior to the endorsement in question are allowed to vote.  We could do our first endorsements in August.  The mayor, city council and school board will all have open seats so it is important you join up in time to vote for your preferred candidates.  Visit our membership page on our website for more information.

Zoom Details

The link and sign-in information for most PDB membership meetings in 2024 is below. For the most part you can use this link, meeting ID, and passcode through 2024.  

Topic: PDB General Meeting
Time: June 11, 2024 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86273821941?pwd=WktDazJLaTJHVTBPNWd3dzlXaGd2Zz09

Meeting ID: 862 7382 1941
Passcode: 528756

One tap mobile
+16699006833,,86273821941#,,,,*528756# US (San Jose)
+16694449171,,86273821941#,,,,*528756# US

We look forward to seeing you Tuesday, April 9 at 7:00 pm via Zoom!

Assemblywoman Lori Wilson, Christopher Cabaldon, Events

May 18 Champagne Fundraiser featuring Assm. Lori Wilson and Christopher Cabaldon

Join us on Saturday, May 18 from 12 to 2pm for a Champagne Celebration…

in a beautiful garden setting as we celebrate our Primary Election wins and fundraise to support our General Election goals.

Enjoy an afternoon of insightful discussion, light bites, and sparkling wine with special guests Assemblywoman Lori Wilson and State Senate candidate Christopher Cabaldon.

Kamala & Doug Sponsors will receive 2 tickets and acknowledgment in event communications to supporters (if desired)

Joe & Jill Sponsors will receive 4 tickets, acknowledgment in event communications, and acknowledgment at the event itself (if desired).

Please RSVP by May 12. Don’t miss this opportunity to mingle with fellow supporters – together, we can shape a progressive future.

This event supports the Progressive Democrats of Benicia’s mission to champion progressive causes and candidates locally as well as farther afield. If you can’t attend, please consider making a contribution instead.

PURCHASE TICKETS

 

Air quality, Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), Meeting reflections

Meeting Notes – April 9, 2024

MEETING NOTES
APRIL 9, 2024

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Our April general membership meeting was held on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at 7pm, via Zoom.

AIR DISTRICT PANEL

Our panel included BAAQMD‘s Executive Officer/Air Pollution Control Officer, Dr. Philip Fine, formerly a presidential appointment to the EPA and the South Coast Air Management Quality District; BAAQMD Board of Directors member and Benicia Mayor Steve Young; and BAAQMD’s Community Advisory Council Co-Chair Ken Szutu, who also founded the  Citizen Air Monitoring Network in Vallejo before serving as its director.  Other staff members of the Air District joined us as well.

Mayor and Board Member Steve Young described the role of the  BAAQMD Board and its membership; he also gave examples of some of the broader policy issues the Board is involved with.

Executive Director Dr. Fine described his role as director and explained what the Air District does and how it is structured.

Ken Szuto described the role and activities of the Community Advisory Council.

All panel members answered questions from the Steering Committee and from the audience.

Meeting Recording Link

Here is a link to the video recording of the panel discussion from this important meeting.