2015

Talbott Tower Suite 1208 131 N. Ludlow Street Dayton, OH 45402-1703 937-228-4041 league@lwvdayton.org

www.lwvdayton.org Facebook: Lwv Dayton OH

May LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE GREATER DAYTON AREA

VOLUME 92, ISSUE 5

Environmental Issues & Awards Our April 16th program was a noteworthy contribution to the League of Women Voters' long-

standing position on preserving the environment. Mike Ekberg (Water Resources Manager at

the Miami Conservancy District) and Michelle Simmons (City of Dayton Manager of

Environmental Management) joined Ellis Jacobs (a local attorney and a member of the City of

Dayton’s Environmental Advisory Board) to discuss proposed changes to the City of Dayton’s

wellfield protection policies. Mr. Adam Rissien (Director of Agricultural & Water Policy at the Ohio Environmental Council) explained the causes of the growth of toxic blue-green algae in

Grand Lake St. Marys and current regulations governing the prevention of farm run-off into

waterways. Mr. Lane Oswald (a Montgomery County farmer and a spokesman for the Ohio

Farm Bureau) shared farmers’ perspectives on current and proposed state laws.

At the end of the program, the very first Jo Columbro Environmental Awards were presented

in honor of our past president and benefactor Johanna Columbro. This annual award will be

given to an individual or organization in recognition of outstanding contributions to

environmental preservation in three possible categories: public education, community action/

advocacy and philanthropy. Two awards were given this year: to Jo Columbro (posthumously)

for her enduring contributions to Environmental Advocacy and Community Education, and to

The Beaver Creek Wetlands Association, for its work in preserving and re-restoring critical area wetlands and for its public environmental education and nature activities. The award was

accepted by BCWA President Rob Evans.

Dona C. Fletcher, President

L-R: Ellis Jacobs, attorney and member of the

Dayton Environ. Advisory Bd.; Michele

Simmons, Dayton's Mgr. of Environ. Mgmt.; Mike Eckberg, Water Resources Mgr. at the

Miami Conservancy District discussing proposed changes to the City of Dayton

Source Water Protection Program.

Rob Evans, president of the

Beaver Creek Wetlands

Association accepting the Jo Columbro Environmental

Award.

L-R: Lane Osswold, Mont. Co. farmer and

spokesman for the Ohio Farm Bureau; Adam

Rissien, Dir. of Agriculture and Water Policy at the Ohio Environmental Council discussing

toxic algae growth in Grand Lake St. Marys.

Page 2 Funding & Development The Voter

*In-kind contribution **In-kind + monetary contribution

The League of Women Voters recognizes that

diverse perspectives are important and

necessary for responsible and representative

decision making. The LWV affirms its

commitment to reflecting the diversity of

America in its membership, leadership and programs.

Follow us on Facebook!

General Fund

Major Leadership Circle Members

Vice President ($5,000+) Jo Columbro Talbott Tower Management*

Cabinet ($2,500 - $4,999) Bob and Mary Winfree*

Governor ($1,000 - $2,499) Chuck Fisher* Roger B. Himmell, CPA* Premier Health Miami Valley Hospital Good Samaritan Hospital Atrium Medical Center Upper Valley Medical Center Time Warner Cable

Senate ($500 - $999) Anonymous Dayton Metro Library Dr. and Ms. Ronald L. Fletcher Kendall Printing* University of Dayton President’s Office Fitz Center for Leadership in the Community

House ($250 - $499) Crossman & Maciorowski Sharon Harmer* Vivienne and Roger Himmell Herbert Lee Ellen T. McCloskey Judge Frances E. McGee McGohan Brabender, Inc. Michael and Margot Merz David and Sharen Neuhardt Phil Plummer, Montgomery County Sheriff Jenell Ross Patty and Ralph Skilken** Fred Strahorn, State Rep, 39th Dist. Martha Taylor Judy and Tom Thompson

We thank these Major Leadership Circle members. We invite everyone to contribute to the LWV, including all elected officials, political entities and candidates. The LWV is nonpartisan; the LWV does not endorse anyone on this Leadership Circle list.

Education Fund

Current Major Contributors

Charles D. Berry Jo Columbro DATV* Dayton Bar Association Foundation Dayton Power & Light Foundation Dan Gallivan Kendall Printing* Earl McDaniel Marian Simmons Estate Bequest McGohan Brabender Montgomery County Board of Elections MVCC* Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur LLP Rieck Services Tom and Judy Thompson The Virginia W. Kettering Foundation Bob and Mary Winfree

All donations as of date of publication.

Recent Contributions Appreciated

Thank you to the following who have made a

contribution to the League since our last

Voter.

General Fund [a 501(c)(4) entity] P. Clark; P. Ewers; V. Himmell in memory of M. Gogle, F. Erskine and J. Elam; S. Neargarder; K. Turner; C. Winslow

Page 3

May 2015 95 Years of Volunteers

Recently I gave a speech on the suffragist movement to students at Edison College. Every

time I give that speech I am surprised how overwhelmed I feel by the story of the women

who came before us–-women who, with no constitutional rights, challenged and changed the

Constitution of the United States.

For decades women passed the torch and the passion from generation to generation to secure

changes that would eventually provide them with equality under the law, educational

opportunities and the right to vote. With the approval of the 19th Amendment, suffragist

Carrie Chapman Catt carried the torch one step farther with the idea of an organization of

women who would challenge the new voters to become engaged in their government. Carrie

opened the doors of the League of Women Voters and presented that torch to the women who founded our local League. We have proudly passed it on to every generation since 1920.

Ninety-five years later, the League’s mission remains vitally important for women, children

and minorities, and for the health of our planet and the enduring strength of our democracy.

The League of Women Voters was a good idea in 1920 and today it has grown into a nationally-respected and highly-regarded proponent of non-partisan information and a

champion for voters’ rights - every voter’s rights.

Our members are part of a proud tradition of voter service that grows with every voter

registration, every educational program, candidate forum, cable interview, Voters Guide, and Facebook post. We carry on through thousands of volunteer hours, bright ideas, and

boisterous discussions, on a shoe-string budget of which I am personally proud. Every

volunteer minute, donor dollar, bit of quick wit, patience, perseverance and spirit is needed

and appreciated.

From satin pumps and gloved hands to running shoes and yoga pants, volunteers have kept

the passion and the mission of the League alive and serving the Greater Dayton Area for nine-

and-a-half decades. I could not be more proud of our organization and the work we do

together. Thank you for being part of it for 95 years and counting!

Susan Hesselgesser Executive Director

The annual updates to the Directory of Public Officials have been completed, and the 2015

edition is now available. Co-editors Michael Lewis and Lucy Anne McKosky spearheaded the

process, and Pat Clark and Pat Stidham helped with updating information and proofreading.

Susan Hesselgesser, Vivienne Himmell, Sandie Mants, Patsy Thurin and Lucy Anne McKosky

delivered over 400 copies of the directories to our bulk customers.

If you don't already have your copy of the new Directory of Public Officials, you can get one

by calling or emailing the League office at 228-4041 or league@lwvdayton.org. League

members get a special price of $3.00 for the first copy, including postage, with additional

copies available at the non-member price of $6.00 per copy. Please make checks payable to

the Dayton Area League of Women Voters Education Fund and send to the League office, 131 N. Ludlow St., Suite 1208, Dayton, OH 45402-1703.

Besides helping League members keep in touch with government representatives, the

directory is a valuable resource for local officials. Each year, many of our biggest orders come

from government entities. The directory provides an important public service and, as an added bonus, it brings in revenue for the League Education Fund.

Lucy Anne McKosky, Co-Editor of DPO

Thanks to DPO Volunteers

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization, which encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in

government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. The Voter is published monthly by the League of Women Voters of the Greater Dayton Area (LWVGDA); Talbott Tower, Suite 1208, 131 N. Ludlow

Street, Dayton, OH 45402; Office hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Phone (937) 228-4041 and FAX (937) 228-4104

Email: league@lwvdayton.org Web address: www.lwvdayton.org President: Dona Fletcher

Editorial Board: Vivienne Himmell, Sharon Harmer, Penny Wolff Co-Editors: Kathleen Farmer, Sue Shay

Page 4

Factory Man Book Forum The Voter

One of the issues of concern that was chosen for discussion at our Program Planning Meeting

last year was globalization and its impact on our economy both nationally and locally. The

challenge was to find a presenter who could discuss globalization in an informative way that

could be easily understood. The solution came in the form of a book whose author is a native

Ohioan from Urbana, though she now resides in Roanoke, VA.

Several League members had attended a book

signing of the best seller Factory Man, written by

Beth Macy. We were so intrigued by the story of

one man's struggle to save

his family's furniture business that we asked

Beth if she would do a

presentation for the

League. She offered to

Skype with us during a

discussion of the book.

Thus our first Book Forum w a s o r g a n i z e d i n

collaboration with the Washington-Centerville Public Library as part of

their monthly Book Ends meeting.

On March 19th, 30 participants discussed the effects of out-sourcing

manufacturing through the experience of John D. Bassett III whose

story, as told by Ms. Macy, personifies the demise of an industry and

its impact on the lives of its employees and the company town. Many

similarities with our own community's experiences of loss were noted.

The last 45 minutes of the forum were spent conversing live with

Beth Macy via Skype (a video conference), as she told how she found

J. B. and his business and used them to make the effects of globalization come to life. It was

easy to see how Beth was able to build rapport with the "locals" and to put them at ease to

tell of the pain, frustration, fear and disappointment they felt as they watched their world

change.

The forum was well received and we hope it will become another League tradition as we

explore issues of government, social justice and international relations (all of which were

dealt with in Macy’s book).

Barbara Buddendeck

Debe Dockins of Centerville

Library moderated the Skype

forum.

Author Beth Macy, appearing on a projected screen,

shared insights and great anecdotes about her book

Factory Man.

Page 5 May 2015 Dayton LWV on the Road

We are saddened to announce the passing of former League member

Gloria Wolff who died March 20 at the age of 88. Gloria served as president of

LWV of Greene County before that League merged with LWV of Greater Dayton in

1993. She also worked with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), FISH food pantry,

Greene County Family and Children First, P.E.O. International, Miami Valley Women’s

Center, Meals on Wheels and Xenia Board of Education, as well as numerous other organizations. We wish to extend our sincere condolences to her family at this difficult time. LWVGDA also will deeply miss League supporter and friend Dan Gallivan who passed away

on March 16 at the age of 69. Dan volunteered as a financial advisor for the LWV Education

Fund and was a huge fan and supporter of the Voters Guide. His wisdom, enthusiasm and encouragement will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and condolences are with his wife Julia

and their family.

In Memoriam

LWVGDA was asked to provide a speaker for a Women’s History Month celebration at Edison

Community College in Piqua. The program was sponsored by the diversity committee and was

attended by both students and faculty. Sue Hesselgesser, our Executive Director, was

delighted to have an opportunity to keep the legacy of Suffragists in the public consciousness.

Few can narrate that history better than Sue.

We took this opportunity to introduce a project which is still in its planning stages: Searching

for answers as to why eligible voters do not vote. Alarms have been triggered by low

voter turnout, particularly in local and off-year elections. We need to ask eligible voters who

do not vote why they are making the personal choice not to participate in the democratic

process. While we were at Edison Community College, we did present the question to the audience and one brave student gave her opinion. She said a lack of knowledge about ballot

issues led her to choose not to vote. She didn’t want to make bad choices. When we asked if

she was familiar with the Voters Guide, she said she had never seen it.

In the near future, we plan to reach out to diverse populations to explore their voting habits. With this data we will attempt to form a panel of experts to discuss the pattern of

decline in voter participation and formulate possible solutions. Community forums with the

panel will be held covering both Greene & Montgomery counties. Media outlets will be utilized

to engage as many people as possible with our investigation of this very important public

issue. Stay tuned to hear more about this project.

Valerie Lee, Action Chair

Upcoming Event Dine & Dish with Amanda Wright

Tuesday May 19 11:30 AM

Engineer’s Club, 110 E. Monument Ave., Dayton

Open to the Public, Tickets $35

Join us for a fascinating time with Amanda Wright, great niece of hometown favorites Orville

and Wilber Wright, who will soon be the subject of the new David McCullough book and a Tom

Hanks movie. Reserve via Paypal at lwvdayton.org or send your check to the LWV office, 131

N. Ludlow, #1208 Dayton, OH 45402. Call the office with any questions at 228-4041.

Page 6 The Voter Early Voting Lawsuit is Settled!

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Associated Press, Fox News & LWVOhio) -- Civil-rights groups settled their

legal dispute with Ohio's elections chief on Friday, April 17, over actions that trimmed early

voting opportunities in the political battleground state of Ohio.

The agreement, between Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, the Ohio Chapter of the NAACP,

the League of Women Voters of Ohio, Bethel AME Church and the ACLU of Ohio, maintains

elimination of the so-called "golden week" in which individuals could both register AND vote

(emphasis added), but adds voting opportunities on multiple Sundays and during evenings.

The lawsuit had challenged two early-voting provisions. One was a directive by Husted that established uniform early-voting times and restricted weekend and evening hours. Another

was a GOP-backed law that eliminated golden week.

Plaintiffs argued voting-law changes hurt low-income, black voters disproportionately. The

state argued the organizations couldn't prove an illegal undue burden was placed on black voters. The settlement retains a uniform statewide voting schedule, as Husted wanted, but

expanded the hours and days he had laid out. Husted, a Republican, called the agreement a

victory for Ohio voters. "One of my primary goals is to ensure uniformity in Ohio elections so

that every voter in this state is treated equally and fairly," he said in a statement. "Today we

are preserving that uniformity for all Ohio voters while maintaining ample opportunity to cast

a ballot and participate in the democratic process."

Freda Levenson, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, agreed the

settlement will benefit Ohio voters. "Thousands rely on early voting opportunities to cast a

ballot in an election," she said in a statement. "This settlement restores Sunday and evening

hours in all 88 counties, meaning more voters will have a better chance to actually vote."

Specifically, the settlement allows the following early voting opportunities:

For the 2016 presidential general election, provides an additional Sunday during the third

week of voting, with election boards open 1 to 5 p.m.;

For the 2016 presidential primary election and general elections, expands weekday evening hours to 7 p.m. during the fourth week of voting;

For regular municipal elections, primary elections and special elections, expands hours

during the fourth week of voting for weekdays, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on the Saturday

before the election, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The settlement dismisses a federal lawsuit in which the U.S. Justice Department had sided

with the plaintiffs, saying in a court filing that the voting measures unfairly affect minority

voters. Its provisions will go into effect after the May primary.

Image: ACLU.org

Page 7 May 2015

Annual Meeting Scheduled

………………………………………………………... ………………………………………………………...

June 6, 9A--Noon, Bergamo Center, 4400 Shakertown Road, Beavercreek, OH

Cost: $25.00 Includes breakfast and meeting costs

Name:___________________________________

Phone:______________________

Check enclosed: $__________ (payable to the LWVGDA) ($10 if not eating breakfast)

Mail To: LWVGDA, 131 N. Ludlow St., Suite 1208, Dayton, OH 45402 or use PayPal at

www.lwvdayton.org.

Registration for Annual Meeting

………………………………………………………... ………………………………………………………...

ANNUAL MEETING

Saturday, June 6, 9A—Noon

Bergamo Center

4400 Shakertown Road, Beavercreek, OH 45430

Just a reminder that our annual meeting will take place in June this year. Please plan to

participate in this important opportunity to set the framework and direction of the LWVGDA

for fiscal year 2015 – 2016. We will be electing officers, directors and nominating committee

members for next year, approving the budget for the General Fund, recommending the budget for the education fund and approving the topics and the calendar for the educational

programs recommended by the members who participated in the program planning meeting

this past January. See the insert in this issue for details on all of the above.

Our guest speaker will be Judy Hennessey, former superintendent with Oakwood City Schools and current superintendent of Dayton Early College Academy (DECA) who will make a

presentation on Charter Schools. This is a timely topic, as revisions to the legal parameters of

charter schools operating in Ohio are currently being debated in Columbus. DECA is

considered one of the area’s highest-ranking charter schools with 100% of its 2014 graduates

either in college or in the military.

A full breakfast will be served from 8:30—9:15 and the meeting will begin promptly at 9:30.

The cost for the meeting and the meal is $25 but those who do not wish to eat may attend for

$10 to cover facility costs. Please complete the registration form below and return it to the

League office as soon as possible.

Dianne Herman, VP Program

Our last quarterly dinner on April 13th at the Spaghetti Warehouse was enjoyed by the brave

guests who ignored the monsoon rain that evening and came to eat pasta and talk about LWV

issues and events. Vivienne Himmell explained the LWVO Statehouse Day and Dona Fletcher

told us about local upcoming LWV events. Before the evening ended, every single person

present spoke up and contributed to the conversation! Watch for info about our next dinner so

you don’t miss out on the fun. Patty Skilken, President Elect

And a Good Time Was Had By All

Advocating Voter Education and Action on Issues

We are on the Web. www.lwvdayton.org

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE GREATER DAYTON AREA Talbott Tower, Suite 1208 131 N. Ludlow Street Dayton, OHIO 45402-1703

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE

PAID DAYTON, OHIO

PERMIT NO. 105

Current Resident or:

Soon (very soon!) we will begin preparing the 2015-2016 Membership Directory. PLEASE

check your listing in the current directory, make sure your contact information is

accurate and provide us with additional information if necessary. We strongly encourage you

to provide not only your name, but also your full address, email address, and phone numbers

(you may include your home number, work number, and cell number or any combination of

these). Professional information related to your business may also be included to provide members with possible networking opportunities. The more information we have, the easier it

is for us to keep you informed of issues and events!

If for any reason you do not want any of this information to be in our Membership Directory

or in any issue of our newsletter, please let us know and your wishes will be respected with no questions asked.

Call (228-4041) or email the office (league@lwvdayton) with any changes, updates and

additions ASAP. Put "Membership Directory" in the subject line of your email. Thank you very

much! Patty Skilken, President-Elect

Important Notice!