November 2016

by UU FA Office

Monthly Liaison Conference Call Minutes

November 2, 2016, 7:30 PM

In Attendance:

Gene Whitney (Princeton)

Al Stawsky (Palisades)

Ira Mendelsberg (Ridgewood)

Sally Gellert (Paramus)

Toby Tyler (Morristown)

Diane Finn (Montclair)

Laurice Grae-Hauck, Outreach/Administrator

Rev. Rob Gregson, Exec. Dir.

 

AGENDA:

Congregations Check-in: 

  • Gena (Princeton): Voter registration drive with 15 UUs at events in the area. Gena and Elaine went to the “Making A Killing” screening. Hoping to do a screening at UUCP. Had 19 members from Princeton at IssuesCon16.
  • Ira Mendelsberg (Ridgewood): Black Lives Matter group is working on programs for the congregation. Action Alerts forwarded to interested members. Congregation polled to gauge interest in issues.
  • Sally Gellert (Paramus): “When Guns are Outlawed…” book discussion. Had a screening of “Making A Killing” but did not feel it was a good film for ideas and motivation.
  • Al Stawsky (Palisades): YMCA initiative for police/community development is sending a letter to country officials asking for luncheon meeting with coalition members. Al will be there representing the congregation and the MLK Birthday committee. Thursday Nov 17, post-election discussion: how, why, what? Two first time IssuesCon attendees.
  • Toby Tyler (Morristown): Chris Crass preached after the IssuesCon which was well received. Followed by a panel including Sen. Lesniak and young man who has experienced solitary. Low Attendance for the panel. MUUF doing a youth group environmental effort measuring tire pressure (which increases fuel efficiency).
  • Diane Finn (Montclair): URC had an event, march and rally with an original theatre piece about racial profiling. Putting a notice in the order of service to join the Salsa list.

 

News:

  • Issues Conference We had a record 101 people in attendance, including a handful of youth. Good attendance across all task forces.
  • Supreme Court case is set to be argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court on either Monday, November 7, or Wednesday, November 9. The case emerges out of the shooting death of Kashad Ashford by police in Lyndhurst in 2014. More info at https://www.aclu-nj.org/news/2016/03/01/police-shooting-records-cannot-be-secret-aclu-nj-argues
  • Nonpartisan conversations with gubernatorial candidates With 467 days left until Chris Christie leaves office many are looking to prime gubernatorial candidates to step into office and be prepared to take immediate action on progressive legislation. If you have connections, please let us know.
  • Rob at YouthCon last Saturday with about a dozen interested youth. We’d love to get more of our Youth on board.
  • Liaison Training in Montclair on December 3: “How to Lobby” workshop and other useful tips.

 

Task Force:

  • Environment:
  • Economic Justice:
  • Criminal Justice: Solitary confinement has moved to the governor’s desk. Special prosecutor passed the senate, is in the Assembly Appropriations committee (A1115). Racial Impact Statement bill in the Law & Public Safety committee, faith based group working to push this through.
  • Reproductive Justice: New time for monthly call to be announced soon.
  • Gun Violence Prevention : revitalized and having monthly calls again. A4126 (domestic violence firearm bill) moved to the floor last week.
  • Legal Advocacy Project: Learn more.

 Reminders

  • Email Signup page is available on the website. Bookmark this and your new supporters go right into our system. If you have taken information on paper and did not capture mailing addresses, type NA in required fields. As we do major fundraising the information on the new user signup page is all important. Thank you in advance. http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/51510/c/301/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=9501
  • ACTION ALERTS! If you are printing UULMNJ drafted letters to representatives and mailing them from your congregation it is important that we have the sender information. As we expand our organization we need to have the full breadth of supporter info and engagement for fundraising purposes and efficacy analysis. Please send names and addresses for any of these mailings.
  • The next meeting will be Thursday, December 1 at 7:30.

Adjourned at 8:34

Minutes submitted by Laurice Grae-Hauck, UULMNJ Outreach/Administrator