May 2008 Bulletin for Website - LeagueWrite letters to the editor and League of Women Voters...

League of Women Voters of Andover/North Andover

Published Monthly (September-May) (Vol. 14 No. 133) P.O. Box 514 Andover, Massachusetts 01810 www.LWV-Andovers.org President: Stefani Traina Goldshein Membership: Cynthia Barakatt Editor: Sue Rice

Bulletin May 2008

President’s Letter By Stefani Traina Goldshein

It’s hard to believe another League year is almost over and that this is Sue Rice’s final Bulletin. Thank you, Sue, for a job well done.

I attended the state League’s Online Student Essay Contest Awards Event on April 13 at Faneuil Hall. It was inspiring to hear the students read their winning essays in that beautiful, historic setting. Andover’s Honorable Mention winner was Melanie Zakin, an 8th grader from Doherty Middle School. Many thanks to Michael Frishman, Ronna Markell and Megan Pietropaolo for serving as essay contest judges, a job that entails many hours of reading and scoring essays.

We hosted our annual Andover Town Meeting Highlights on April 17. Many thanks to Peggy Kruse, Becci Backman, Amy Janovsky, Megan Pietropaolo, Joan Duff and Diana Walsh for all of their work. We hope the many hours of researching and attending meetings helped Andover voters better under-stand some of the issues before Town Meeting. I would like to single out Peggy Kruse for her excellent budget presenta-tion. Peggy’s ability to distill the budget issues into plain Eng-lish is remarkable. Many thanks to all of the town officials and elected and appointed board members who contributed their time as we researched the stories behind the warrant articles.

We hope you’ll hang on for one more League study and join us on Thursday, May 8 for the state League Fiscal Policy Update consensus unit. The consensus questions are printed in this Bulletin. Even though we haven’t done all of the legwork, there will be a presentation by the LWVM study co-chairs before our discussion. This is an opportunity to have input into whether our state League positions enable us to support legislation that could eventually help solve some of the fiscal problems our cities and towns are facing--grassroots work at its best.

Annual Meeting is Wednesday, May 21 at Atria Marland Place. We hope you’ll join us as we celebrate another year of League accomplishments. It’s mostly a social event with a brief business meeting to follow. We’re still welcoming peo-ple to join the board, and recruiting people to be part of the proposed studies for next year. Serving on the League board or on a study committee can be both fun and rewarding, and

League of Women Voters Andover/North Andover – May 2008 1

a great way to learn how things work in town and elsewhere. Contact me at [email protected] if you’re interested. We’re also accepting membership dues renewals at Annual Meeting, so be sure to bring your checkbook.

Andover Days is scheduled for Saturday, May 31 on Main Street in Andover. The Know Your Town Fair will be part of the festivities, thanks to Heather Holman.

Finally, Andover’s Town Meeting starts Wednesday, April 30 and continues to Thursday, May 1, and May 6 and 7, if needed. North Andover’s starts on Tuesday, May 13 and continues to May 14. Many important issues will be decided. We hope you all plan to attend.

Environmental Action

The Story of Stuff By: Becci Backman, Environmental Action Committee Members of the Environmental Action Committee have viewed a short film entitled The Story of Stuff (http://www.storyofstuff.com/index.html). We think this film is so good that we ordered copies that can be shown to groups you think might be interested. Please contact me (978-475-5679 or [email protected]) to borrow a copy. Following is information I’ve paraphrased and copied directly from The Story of Stuff website. It’s fine to do this because I asked, and the authors encourage getting this information out in every possible way. As stressed in the film, each of us can promote sustainability and justice at multiple levels: as an individual, as a teacher or parent, a community member, a national citizen, and as a global citizen. That means that there are lots and lots of places to plug in, to get involved, and to make a difference. There is no single simple thing to do, because the set of problems we face isn’t simple. Everyone can make a differ-ence, and the bigger your action the bigger the difference you’ll make. Here are some ideas: 10 Little and Big Things You Can Do 1. Power down! A great deal of the resources we use and the waste we create is in the energy we consume. Look for opportunities in your life to significantly reduce energy use: drive less, fly less, turn off lights, buy local seasonal food (food takes energy to grow, package, store and transport), wear a sweater instead of turning up the heat, use a clothes-line instead of a dryer, vacation closer to home, buy used or borrow things before buying new, recycle. And, if you can switch to alternative energy by supporting a company that sells green energy to the grid or by installing solar panels on your home, bravo! 2. Waste less. Per capita waste production in the U.S. just keeps growing. There are hundreds of opportunities each day to nurture a Zero Waste culture in your home, school, workplace, church, community. This takes developing new habits which soon become second nature. Use both sides of the paper, carry your own mugs and shopping bags, get printer cartridges refilled instead of replaced, compost food scraps, avoid bottled water and other over packaged prod-ucts, upgrade computers rather than buying new ones, re-pair and mend rather than replace….the list is endless! The more we visibly engage in re-use over wasting, the more we cultivate a new cultural norm, or actually, reclaim an old one! 3. Talk to everyone about these issues. At school, with your neighbors, in line at the supermarket, on the bus…A student once asked Cesar Chavez how he organized. He said, “First, I talk to one person. Then I talk to another per-son.” “No,” said the student, “how do you organize?” Chavez answered, “First I talk to one person. Then I talk to another person.” You get the point. Talking about these issues raises awareness, builds community and can inspire others to ac-tion. 4. Make Your Voice Heard. Write letters to the editor and


submit articles to local press. In the last two years, and es-pecially with Al Gore winning the Nobel Peace Prize, the media has been forced to write about Climate Change. As individuals, we can influence the media to better represent other important issues as well. Letters to the editor are a great way to help newspaper readers make connections they might not make without your help. Local papers are often willing to print book and film reviews, interviews and articles by community members. Let’s get the issues we care about in the news. 5. DeTox your body, DeTox your home, and DeTox the Economy. Many of today’s consumer products – from chil-dren’s pajamas to lipstick – contain toxic chemical additives that simply aren’t necessary. Research online (for example, http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/) before you buy to be sure you’re not inadvertently introducing toxics into your home and body. Then tell your friends about toxics in con-sumer products. Ask businesses why they’re using toxic chemicals without any warning labels. And ask your elected officials why they are permitting this practice. The European Union has adopted strong policies that require toxics to be removed from many products. So, while our electronic gadg-ets and cosmetics have toxics in them, people in Europe can buy the same things toxics-free. Let’s demand the same thing here. Getting the toxics out of production at the source is the best way to ensure they don’t get into any home and body. 6. Unplug (the TV and internet) and Plug In (the commu-nity). The average person in the U.S. watches TV more than four hours a day. Four hours per day filled with messages about stuff we should buy. That is four hours a day that could be spent with family, friends and in our community. On-line activism is a good start, but spending time in face-to-face civic or community activities strengthens the community and studies show that a stronger community is a source of social and logistical support, greater security and happiness. A strong community is critical to having a strong, active de-mocracy. 7. Park your car and walk…and when necessary MARCH! Car-centric land use policies and life styles lead to more greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel extraction, con-version of agricultural and wild lands to roads and parking lots. Driving less and walking more is good for the climate, the planet, your health, and your wallet. But sometimes we don’t have an option to leave the car home because of in-adequate bike lanes or public transportation options. Then, we may need to march, to join with others to demand sus-tainable transportation options. Throughout U.S. history, peaceful non-violent marches have played a powerful role in raising awareness about issues, mobilizing people, and sending messages to decision makers. 8. Change your light bulbs…and then, change your paradigm. Changing light bulbs is quick and easy. Energy efficient light bulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than conventional ones. That’s a no-brainer. But changing light bulbs is just tinkering at the margins of a fun-damentally flawed system unless we also change our para-digm. A paradigm is a collection of assumptions, concepts, beliefs and values that together make up a community’s way


Environmental Action of viewing reality. Our current paradigm dictates that more stuff is better, that infinite economic growth is desirable and possible, and that pollution is the price of progress. To turn things around, we need to nurture a different paradigm based on the values of sustainability, justice, health, and community. 9. Recycle your trash…and, recycle your elected offi-cials. Recycling saves energy and reduces both waste and the pressure to harvest and mine new stuff. Recycle and participate in Zero Waste Day. Also, many products – for example, most electronics - are designed not to be recycled or contain toxics so recycling is hazardous. In these cases, we need to lobby government to prohibit toxics in consumer products and to enact Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, as is happening in Europe. EPR is a policy which holds producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products, so that electronics companies who use toxics in their products, have to take them back. That is a great incentive for them to get the toxics out! 10. Buy Green, Buy Fair, Buy Local, Buy Used, and most importantly, Buy Less. Shopping is not the solution to the environmental problems we face because the real changes we need just aren’t for sale in even the greenest shop. But, when we do shop, we should ensure our dollars support businesses that protect the environment and worker rights. Look beyond vague claims on packages like “all natu-ral” to find hard facts. Is it organic? Is it free of super-toxic PVC plastic? When you can, buy local products from local stores, which keeps more of our hard earned money in the community. Buying used items keeps them out of the trash and avoids the upstream waste created during extraction and production. But, buying less may be the best option of all. Less pollution. Less Waste. Less time working to pay for the stuff. Frequently, less really is more.

Plastics: The Good, The Bad and The Harmful By: Gail Mann Most of us would agree that plastics have made our lives easier. From the ease of marinating a chicken to packaging a sandwich for lunch, plastic bags and containers provide a convenient, simple solution to a myriad of daily activities. More importantly, plastic has proven to be more than just a convenient utility; it has emerged as a critical component in cutting-edge medical devices and surgical tools. In key health care areas such as cancer research, plastic is playing a role to deliver cancer treatments directly to the cancerous cells and spare healthy ones. Researchers are using plastic “vessels” to carry cancer-fighting nanoparticles directly into malignant tumors, in addition to creating plastic devices that will monitor cancerous growth within a tumor. From cars, appliances and computers to cosmetics, sporting equipment and clothing, it’s probably impossible to name an item that we use on a regular basis that does not have a plastic component. Not only does plastic serve valuable pur-poses, but the manufacture of plastic is, in many cases, no

more taxing on earth resources than the manufacture of wood-based products. That’s the good news on plastic. There are, unfortunately, bad and harmful aspects of our intense relationship with plastic products. First, regarding its environmental impact, manufacturing plastic is resource-intensive. Plastics come from fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas, with considerable environmental damage associated with the exploration, extraction and ex-port of fossil fuels used in plastic production. The production of plastic results in emissions that contribute to global warming and degradation of water quality. It's made from non-renewable resources, and for all intents and pur-poses, it never biodegrades (although some specialized variations have been made specifically to do so). Even after we run out of oil, we’ll still have an abundance of plastic, cre-ating mountains of solid waste. These concerns, though, seem almost superficial when com-pared to the growing research and evidence that plastic can impact our health. For the purposes of this article, we’ll re-port on the most widely used plastic bottles and containers, namely #7 and #1. Other plastic categories and products will be covered in a follow-on article. Recent Research and Concerns: #7 Plastic Bottles and Containers On April 14, 2007, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Department of Health And Human Services released a draft brief from the National Toxicology Program (NTP): NTP Brief on Bisphonel-A (BPA). BPA is a common chemical used in a wide variety of consumer products, including #7 polycarbonate bottles (e.g., baby bottles and popular sports bottles such as Nalgene bottles), liners of food cans, plastic casings on technology products and dental sealants. The brief cites various neurological, growth and hormonal prob-lems based on animal studies. According to the U.S. Working Group for Safe Markets, BPA is a developmental, neural and reproductive toxicant that mimics estrogen and can interfere with healthy growth and body function. Animal studies have demonstrated that these chemicals cause damage to reproductive, neurological and immune systems during critical stages of development in childhood and infancy. BPA, unfortunately, already resides in adults and children. The NTP brief cites that more than 90% of adults have me-tabolized BPA in their lifetimes. Adults are able to safely me-tabolize this chemical because of their “adult” stage of life. Fetuses, infants and children are most are risk due to their intense stages of development across all neurological, be-havioural, reproductive and growth stages. Some research-ers report changes in prostate and mammary glands and acceleration of puberty in female mice exposed to low levels of BPA. BPA is leached to animals and humans when heat-


Environmental Action / LWVM News

Help Wanted

Videographer

Learn to tape League forums. Will train. Must be available to tape League events.

Contact [email protected].

ing, pouring hot or acidic liquids into the plastic bottle or con-tainer and from repeated washing. Past research studies on #7 bottles and the use of BPA cited potential harmful effects as early as 1988. Based on the 2008 NTP Draft Brief, manufacturers and regulators are go-ing into high gear to eliminate BPA from food and beverage containers. Nalgene has made the announcement that they have switched to producing “safe” water bottles and compa-nies like Gerber, Avent and EvenFlo are eliminating BPA immediately in their production of baby bottles. #1 Plastic Containers and Bottles Many of us may be in the habit of using and re-using dispos-able water bottles (e.g., Evian, Aqua, Ice Mountain, Vita, etc) and keeping them in the car or at work. Recent research has revealed that reusing these bottles is putting us at risk as well. The plastic -- called polyethylene terephthalate or PET -- used in these bottles contains a potentially carcinogenic element (diethylhydroxylamine or DEHA). The bottles are safe for one-time use only; if you must keep them longer, keep the time to a few days or a week, and keep them away from heat as well. Repeated washing and rinsing can cause the plastic to break down and the carcinogens can leach into the water or liquid you are drinking. While all thermoplastics are technically recyclable, PET bot-tle recycling is more practical than many other plastic appli-cations. The primary reason is that plastic carbonated soft drink bottles and water bottles are almost exclusively PET, which makes them more easily identifiable in a recycle stream. PET has a resin identification code of #1. PET, as with many plastics, is also an excellent candidate for thermal recycling (incineration) as it is composed of carbon, hydro-gen and oxygen with only trace amounts of catalyst ele-ments (no sulphur) and has the energy content of soft coal. One of the uses for a recycled PET bottle is for the manufac-ture of polar fleece material. It can also make fiber for poly-ester products. What To Do? It would be easy to propose that the solution is to try to avoid plastic whenever possible. We know though, this is unrealis-tic. A precautionary principle is perhaps best applied and urges us to look for alternatives. Glass bottles and containers will work in low-impact situa-tions. For transporting liquids, there appears to be a re-emergence of metal canteens. Or, it’s making sure that we’re using safe plastics when our situation calls for a light, un-breakable container. Two cautionary messages regarding #7 and #1 plastic bottles: #1 bottles (PET) should never be reused. When finished

using them, recycle them. #7 bottles should not be used by children, infants or preg-

nant women. If you are a “consenting adult,” the advice is to make sure that the contents of your bottle are not hot or acidic. Do not wash and rewash these bottle with hot water.

For water bottles not made of plastic, check out http://w w w . m y s i g g . c o m , w w w . g r e e n f e e t . c o m o r www.reusablebags.com. These companies sell lightweight stainless steel water containers. In closing, consider this quote from the Raven Recycling Group in Yukon, Canada: “In spite of the advice offered to Dustin Hoffman in the movie The Graduate, recent research suggests that everyone’s future not involve plastics.”

An Invitation from Patti Muldoon, LWVM Administration of Justice With all people have to do these days, why join yet another committee? The answer lies in the potential of any group to be life-changing. People in the Administration of Justice Committee have discovered that membership in the group changes lives—their own and those of others. For example, the group has visited and talked with the sheriffs in four cor-rections facilities in the state, an experience people on the ‘outside’ rarely have; lobbied for prison and CORI reform and for better pay for public defenders; supported the League’s position on capital punishment and gun control; and held a forum on civil liberties in the aftermath of September 11th . The Administration of Justice Committee is currently consid-ering presenting a series of “Open Eyes” forums to educate the public around the following issues: why incarcerated par-ents lose their children because of poverty, how insufficient health care in prisons is killing people, how we drive sex of-fenders to re-offend, and how a juvenile CORI becomes a life sentence. We are also looking at our positions to see if we need to study or review any areas. We are a small committee, and we need new members to energize and stimulate our thinking and planning for these ambitious programs and activities. Please consider attending the next A of J Committee meet-ing to help us plan our activities and to hear a state legisla-tive and budget update. Join us on May 8th at 10:00 a.m. for our meeting at Framingham Town Hall. For more infor-mation, please contact specialist, Patti Muldoon, [email protected].


Annual Meeting

League of Women Voters of A/NA Annual Meeting

Wednesday, May 21, 2008 Atria Marland Place, Andover

Agenda

6:00pm – 7:00pm Social 7:00pm – 8:00pm Dinner 7:45pm Welcome Cole Scholarship Winner 8:00pm – 9:00pm Business Meeting

Appointment of Reading Committee Secretary Parliamentarian

President’s Report Treasurer’s Report, Budget for 2008-2009 Membership Report

Reports: Town Budgeting Process Affordable Housing Environmental Action Committee Voter Service Community Preservation Act Adoption of proposed Local Program for 2008-2009

Re-adopt Local Positions Town Meeting (Monitor)

Community Paths (Monitor) Reproductive Choice (Monitor) Planning (Monitor) Energy Policy (Monitor)

Report of the Nominating Committee

Other Business Recognition of those stepping down from the Board

Directions to the Board

LWV of Andover/North Andover Proposed Slate of Officers 2008-2009 By: Joan Duff, Marjie Dennis, Nominating Committee

2008-2009 LWV of Andover/North Andover Slate of Officers

OFFICERS President Stefani Traina Goldshein V.P., Administration OPEN V.P., Program Action Becci Backman Secretary Diana Walsh Treasurer Gail Mann

DIRECTORS Bulletin Cynde Egan Finance Diane Hender Website Admin OPEN Handbook Editor Ann Cobleigh Publicity Maureen Sundberg Legislative Action OPEN Meetings Coordinator Joan Duff Membership Catherine Hauer Chocolate Event Heather Belson Nominating Committee OPEN Voter Service/Andover Peggy Kruse Voter Service/North Andover Kathy Stevens

Read-Along Sondra Finegold and Denise Boucher Know Your Town Fair Heather Holman Unit Chair Sue Dennett

STUDY/ACTION/MONITOR

Environmental Action Denise Boucher and Lynn Eikenberry Community Paths Michael Frishman Reproductive Choice Faith Johnson Planning OPEN Energy Policy Norman Viehmann North Andover Hot Topics Sue Dennett

OBSERVER CORPS Townwide PTO OPEN School Committee Megan Pietropaolo Select Board OPEN Finance Committee OPEN

MUNICIPAL FINANCE Consensus Questions

1. What principles should govern the fiscal relationship be-tween the state and local governments?

2. The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts cur-rently has a position opposing the adoption of new, local non-property taxes by statewide mandate or local option.

Should the League of Voters of Massachusetts ELIMINATE this position opposing the adoption of new, local non-property taxes by statewide mandate or local option?

If yes, should the League of Women Voters of Massachu-setts SUPPORT the adoption of new, local non-property taxes by statewide mandate or local option?

3. Should the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts support changes in state laws to ease the financial burden on municipalities in the following areas?

a. Municipal Employee Health Insurance b. Municipal Employee Pensions


LWV of A/NA Proposed Budget


Other League News

LWVUS Immigration Position Note: The following position has been approved by the LWVUS Board. It will be ratified at the upcoming League Convention in June. The League of Women Voters believes that immigration poli-cies should promote reunification of immediate families; meet the economic, business and employment needs of the U.S.; and be responsive to those facing political persecution or humanitarian crises. Provision should also be made for qualified persons to enter the U.S. on student visas. All per-sons should receive fair treatment under the law. The League supports federal immigration law that provides an efficient, expeditious system (with minimal or no back-logs) for legal entry of immigrants into the U.S. To complement these goals the League supports federal policies to improve economies, education, job opportunities, and living conditions in nations with large emigrating popula-tions. In transition to a reformed system, the League supports pro-visions for unauthorized immigrants already in the country to earn legal status The League supports federal payments to impacted commu-nities to address the financial costs borne by states and local governments with large immigrant populations. Criteria for Legal Admission to the U.S. The League supports the following criteria for legal admis-sion of persons into the United States: • Family reunification of spouses or minor children with au-

thorized immigrants or citizens; • Flight from persecution or response to humanitarian crises

in home countries; • Economic, business and employment needs in the U.S.; • Education and training needs of the U.S.; • Educational program opportunities; and • Lack of a history of serious criminal activity. Administration and Enforcement The League supports due process for all persons, including the right to a fair hearing, right to counsel, right of appeal and right to humane treatment. The League supports: • Improved technology to facilitate employer verification of

employee status; • Verification documents, such as status cards and work

permits, with secure identifiers; • Significant fines and penalties for employers who hire un-

authorized workers; • Improved technology for sharing information among fed-

eral agencies; • More effective tracking of individuals who enter the U.S.;

and • Increased personnel at borders.

The League supports programs allowing foreign workers to enter and leave the U.S. to meet seasonal or labor needs. Unauthorized Immigrants Already in the U.S. In achieving overall policy goals, the League supports a sys-tem for unauthorized immigrants already in the country to earn legal status, including citizenship, by paying taxes, learning English, studying civics and meeting other relevant criteria. While policy reforms, including a path to legal status, remain unachieved, the League does not support deporting unauthorized immigrants who have no history of criminal activity.

2008-2009 Proposed Local Program: Studies, Action Items and Items to Monitor By: Amy Janovsky, VP Program/Action At the Program Planning discussion on April 2nd, there were several suggestions for studies next year. Please take a look and see if any of them spark your interest. We would like to find a person to lead each study, as early as possible, but certainly before the Member's Handbook goes to press. En-thusiastic participants are obviously crucial, as well. 1. Re-study Town Meeting in Andover. (This topic was stud-ied several years ago. This would be to reconsider the ef-fectiveness of the Town Meeting form of government.) 2. Study the budget process. To try and identify ways to remove impediments to an effective collaborative proc-ess. Study elements might include: the impact of conflicts of interest for board members; contractual agreements, term limits for elected and appointed positions; and the impact of retirement benefits. 3. Study Block Scheduling. Is it the right approach for Ando-ver today, or has its time passed? Do union contracts pre-vent any change? Other topics were considered, but these seemed most com-pelling. In addition, we discussed elevating the Observer Corps to a priority function, and making the team of observ-ers into our "go-to" experts when we have hot topics emerg-ing, or when we're preparing the Town Meeting Preview. This is a great way to become involved, and since many board meetings are televised, they can be taped and "observed" when convenient. In addition, the Environmental Action committee will con-tinue its excellent work, as will the Community Read Along. Please think about how you would like to be involved next year. We'll be deciding on our action agenda at Annual Din-ner/Meeting on Wednesday, May 21st.

Bring this Bulletin and Member Handbook to the Annual Meeting.


Membership

Spring into Action—Renew Your League Membership in May By: Cynthia Barakatt, Membership Chair The League of Women Voters’ membership year ends on June 30, and that means there are only eight weeks until current memberships expire. You can help us be better pre-pared for the activities and events of the 2008-2009 League season by renewing your membership this month. Your League membership supports the programs we spon-sor on important and timely local, state and national issues and the voter service activities we conduct, which are espe-cially important in this presidential election year. If you will attend Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 21, please plan to bring a check for your membership dues with you. If you won’t be at Annual Meeting, watch your mailbox in the next few weeks for your renewal letter and dues en-velope and please respond promptly. Contributions over and above basic dues are always greatly appreciated. We look forward to your participation and support of the League of Women Voters of Andover/North Andover again next year. Thank you for your membership!

LWV Andover/North Andover Membership

_____$55 Basic Member _____$60 Contributing Member _____$75 Sustaining _____$75 Household Dues (2+ persons in same household)

_____$100+ Patron _____$35 Senior Citizen (65 and over) _____$35 Student (under 24 yrs. old)

_____In addition to my membership, I’d like to make a contribution of $________.

_____Enclosed is a separate check containing my tax-deductible contribution of $________ payable to the Education Fund

Send checks payable to: LWV OF ANDOVER/NORTH ANDOVER, Membership, P.O. Box 514, Andover MA 01810 . Name _______________________________________________________________________________________

Address______________________________________________________________________________________

Phone_____________________________ email ____________________________________________________

Thank You! Cynthia Barakatt, Membership, 978.688.3749 / [email protected]

CINDY DiBENEDETTO community sales director

ATRIA MARLAND PLACE

978.475.4225 fax 978.475.5818 cell 508.265.3703 15 stevens street andover, massachusetts 01810

[email protected]

SENIOR LIVING GROUP

Connect to the Life You Desire. Experience the Living You Deserve.

Connect with interesting people. Connect to a more active, fun-filled lifestyle. That’s the reality of life at Edgewood. Edgewood is a comfortable, friendly community of vibrant indi-viduals, who love to socialize while participating in the recreational, educational and engaging activities of their choice. Tucked comfortably amidst 80 acres of beautiful North Andover countryside, Edgewood is intimate, not in-timidating, in welcome contrast to much larger retirement communities. Personal attention and comprehensive services—such as on-site healthcare, whenever needed, at a significant savings—also contribute to the community’s unique appeal.

To learn more about Edgewood, the advantages of joining our Premier Wait List or to schedule a community tour, call (978) 725-3300 or toll free (800) 649-3343, today.


Legislative Action



League’s Vote 2008 Campaign Offers Free Electronic Reminder Service

This service provides reminders to subscribers about important election dates, deadlines, debates, and other voting information. The LWVM sent out six reminders to subscribers before the MA Presidential Primary. Please help to spread the word about this wonderful service to members and the public. You can collect email addresses and sign people up or make them aware of this so they can sign themselves up. The League never sells, distributes, or trades email addresses. People who sign up will receive an email asking if they wish to confirm their subscription. If they do not receive this confirmation email, they should check their spam or junk folder.

Sign up today at www.votinginfo.info.

Please support our sponsors!


Thank You to Our Sponsors

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• Individual Psychotherapy for Depression, Anxiety and Stress

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MARK B. JOHNSON

Attorney at Law

JOHNSON & BORENSTEIN, LLC Attorneys at Law Telephone: (978) 475-4488 12 Chestnut Street Facsimile: (978) 475-6703 Andover, MA 01810 Email: [email protected]

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Thank You to Our Sponsors

Schedule of Events Time Description Address 1 Th 7:00 pm Andover Town Meeting Field House, Andover High School

5 M 7:00 pm Andover Town Meeting Collins Center, Andover High School

6 Tu 7:00 pm Andover Town Meeting Collins Center, Andover High School

7 W 9:15 am Monthly Meeting. Open to all League members. 11 Lavender Hill Lane, Andover

8 Th 7:00 - 9:00 pm LWVM Municipal Finance Study Consensus Unit North Parish Church, North Andover

13 Tu 7:00 pm North Andover Town Meeting North Andover High School

14 W 7:00 pm North Andover Town Meeting North Andover High School

14 W 11:30 am - 1:00 pm

Monthly Lunch Gathering (Members & Friends Welcome) Panera Bread, North Andover

17 Sat 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

LWVM Council Newton Marriott

31 Sat All Day 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Andover Days 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Know Your Town Fair

Main Street, Andover

4

W

7:15 pm

Monthly Meeting. Open to all League members 197 Shawsheen Rd., Andover

13—17 F—Tu

LWVUS Convention Portland, OR

13 F 11:30 am - 1:00 pm

Monthly Lunch Gathering (Members & Friends Welcome) Panera Bread, North Andover

21 W 6:00 pm Annual Meeting Atria Marland Place, Andover, MA

May

Ju

ne

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

Paid Permit No. 71 Andover, MA

01810

League of Women Voters Andover/North Andover P.O. Box 514 Andover, Massachusetts 01810 www.lwv-andovers.org Published Monthly

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