State Senator Ginny Lyons joined Chairman Mike Yantachka on the Chittenden County Democrats Show last week to discuss the effects that the tight budget will have on Vermnters and the alternatives that can be considered. The program will be rebroadcast on CCTV Channel 17 on Monday February 9, 3:00 PM and on Friday February 13, 2:00 PM.
Viewers served by LCATV can watch it on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays on Channel 16. Check the schedule here: http://www.lcatv.org/Channel%2016/page1.html.
Viewers served by VCAM can look for program times here: http://www.vermontcam.org/vcam%20schedule.htm.
You may also watch the program on-line by clicking here: http://www.cctv.org/node/70024.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Petition & Demonstrate Against Budget Cuts
The State of Vermont has a budget shortfall and Governor Douglas says it should be done without raising new revenue but through program cuts that will primarily affect children, the elderly, and low income Vermonters. Join the Vermont Workers' Center (VWC) and other organizations across the state opposing proposed state budget cuts which will be devastating to thousands of Vermont families.
- The Burlington Livable City Coalition will hold a Candlelight Vigil to Stop State Budget Cuts on Monday, February 2nd, 5 PM, at 108 Cherry St (near Church St), Burlington. Similar vigils will be held throughout the state. For a listing see http://www.workerscenter.org/calendar/.
- On Tuesday, February 3rd, 7 PM, there will be a Community Forum w/Chicago Republic Sit-in Strikers at the Billings North Lounge, 48 University Place, UVM, Burlington. In December, 260 workers at Chicago's Republic Windows occupied their plant for six days, a sit-in strike launched in response to the closing of their plant with only 3 days notice. The Vermont Workers' Center and other Jobs with Justice coalitions along with other community, faith and labor activists from across the country mobilized in support of these workers, helping them win a settlement from Bank of America and Republic owners including severance pay and compensation for unpaid earnings.
- Liz Schlegel, Waterbury Town Chair, has started a news site with a petition to mobilize support for using taxes as one mechanism to address our budget problems. It will be great if we can generate a lot of signatures for this. Here's the link to the web site: http://countmeinvt.wordpress.com/.
New Vice-Chair for Chittenden County Democratic Committee
Congratulations to Bob Hooper of Burlington on his election as Vice-Chair of the County Committee. I look forward to working with him to keep the County Committee relevant and effective in promoting Democratic values and goals. Bob has a long record of labor activism and serves as Vice-President of the Vermont State Employees Association (VSEA).
The minutes of Monday's meeting at the Albert "Sonny" Audette office building in South Burlington are being written up by our Secretary, Sherry Mahady, and will be posted on this website when ready.
-- Mike Yantachka
Chittenden County Democratic Committee Chairman
The minutes of Monday's meeting at the Albert "Sonny" Audette office building in South Burlington are being written up by our Secretary, Sherry Mahady, and will be posted on this website when ready.
-- Mike Yantachka
Chittenden County Democratic Committee Chairman
Thursday, January 15, 2009
County Democrats Meeting on 1/26/09 + other info
Chittenden County Democrats,
Here's an update to January happenings.
- The County Committee meeting will be held on Monday, January 26th, 7:00 PM, at the Sonny Audette Office Bldg, 102 Landfill Rd, South Burlington. This meeting is open to everyone, not just County Committee members. The agenda will include:
- Election of a Vice-Chair -- Our Vice-Chair, Robert Ready, resigned back in August, and with the County Fair, the primary and general elections and personal commitments, I was not able to properly schedule an election to replace him. Nominations will be open from the floor. The Vice-Chair will assist me with keeping the website current and help with organizing meetings and other events, including fund-raising. Anyone planning to run for this position is welcome to contact me at any time via email or phone (233-5238). Only County Committee members can cast a vote in this election. (Click here to see a list of County Committe members. If you see an error, please let me know.)
- Report from the legislature -- I hope one or more legislators will attend the meeting to fill us in on how the session is proceeding with regard to the important issues.
- Inauguration experiences -- Anyone who attended the inauguration is welcome to tell us about their experiences so that we stay-at-homes can enjoy them vicariously.
- Inauguration Watch Party - Watch the Inauguration of Barack Obama and Joe Biden on January 20th with friends at Nectar's in Burlington. This event is sponsored by local DFA chapters. Click here to get details and RSVP.
- Local elections -- There is still time to submit your petition to run for local office. The upcoming Town Meetings are an opportunity for Democrats to run for positions on School Boards, Select Boards, City Councils, etc. It is not only a way to further the Democratic Vision of serving our communities in a progressive way, but also to build a leadership base that can provide future candidates for state-level offices. The deadline for submitting a petition to the Town or City Clerk to get on the ballot for a municipal election is Monday, January 26th, 5:00 PM.
- The Chittenden County Democrats Show recorded on Monday, January 5th, featured Sen. Hinda Miller and Rep. Mark Larson talking about the current budget crisis Vermont is experiencing. LCATV and VCAM as well as CCTV will rebroadcast the program at various times throughout the month. Check their schedules for broadcast times. Previous shows can also be viewed online at the CCTV website: http://www.cctv.org/watch-tv/live-at-5. The CCTV Channel 17 rebroadcast schedule is
Sunday January 18, 9:50 PM
Monday January 19, 2:50 AM
Monday January 19, 8:50 AM
Monday January 19, 3:00 PM .
I hope to see you at the meeting on January 26th.
--
Regards,
Mike Yantachka
Chittenden County Democratic Committee Chairman
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Happy 2009!
I hope you have all had a wonderful holiday season enjoying time with friends and family and that 2009 will prove to be a healthy and prosperous new year for you.
Now that the elections and recounts are over, the real work is beginning. We are looking forward to the new Obama administration in Washington while we wonder what will be done in Montpelier to weather these difficult economic times.
Here's what's on the burner for the month of January.
- The Chittenden County Democrats Show will be broadcast Live at 5:25 once again this Monday, January 5th, from the CCTV Channel 17 studio in Burlington. Appearing with me will be Sen. Hinda Miller and Rep. Mark Larson, and we will be talking about the current budget crisis Vermont is experiencing. Residents of Burlington, So. Burlington, Winooski and Essex Junction can view the program live. LCATV and VCAM as well as CCTV will rebroadcast the program at various times throughout the month for other Chittenden County residents. Check their schedules for broadcast times. Previous shows can also be viewed online at the CCTV website: http://www.cctv.org/watch-tv/live-at-5.
- A County Committee meeting will be held during the week after the inauguration of Barak Obama. The time and date is not yet certain, so I will send out a follow-up notice. The agenda will include:
- Election of a Vice-Chair -- Our Vice-Chair, Robert Ready, resigned back in August, and with the County Fair, the primary and general elections, and personal commitments, I was not able to properly schedule an election to replace him. Nominations will be open from the floor. The Vice-Chair will assist me with keeping the website current and help with organizing meetings and other events, including fund-raising. Anyone planning to run for this position is welcome to contact me at any time via email or phone (233-5238).
- Report from the legislature -- I hope one or more legislators will attend the meeting to fill us in on how the session is proceeding with regard to the important issues.
- Inauguration experiences -- Anyone who attended the inauguration is welcome to tell us about their experiences so that we stay-at-homes can enjoy them vicariously.
- Local elections -- The upcoming Town Meetings are an opportunity for Democrats to run for elective office. We need Democrats on School Boards, Select Boards, City Councils, etc. It is not only a way to further the Democratic Vision of serving our communities in a progressive way, but also to provide a leadership base that can provide future candidates for state-level offices. The deadline for submitting a petition to the Town or City Clerk to get on the ballot for a municipal election is Monday, January 26th, 5:00 PM.
I look forward to seeing you at future meetings and events, and I encourage you all to stay active in your local Democratic committees. If you can't find any events or activities in your town, email your Town Chair (you can find them listed at the website below in the righthand sidebar) and ask them what's happening, or light a fire under them. Let's use 2009 to build a strong organization at all levels so that our success in 2010 will be even greater than our success in 2008. I welcome any feedback and suggestions you may have.
Regards,
Mike Yantachka
Chittenden County Democratic Committee Chairman
Friday, December 12, 2008
Recount Volunteers Shine!
Now that the recounts are over, I want to thank the 80+ volunteers that contacted me and helped with the recounts for their outstanding civic spirit and generous donation of their time. Every candidate is entitled to be certain that every vote has been counted, and every citizen is entitled to know that their vote has been counted. They did a great job over many days, and their work is appreciated not only by me and the candidates, but also by the Chittenden County Clerk and her staff.
I want to share with you a commentary from Katherine Hikel, one of the volunteers, about her experience at the recount which exemplifies the civic spirit of all the participants.
Demanding A Recount
by Katherine Hikel
The Chittenden County Superior Court House, on Main Street in Burlington, is a grand historic building, and a fine place to spend a December day, if you are not the defendant. I went there to help with the State Senate ballot recount. Senate candidate Denise Begins Barnard is challenging her loss by 400 votes to Tim Ashe. Superior Court Clerk Diane Lavallee, who oversees the recount, said an estimated 80,000 ballots were cast in Chittenden County during the November election. Those eighty-odd thousand ballots must be all be recounted, by hand – not once, but twice.
The word goes out, through party chairs and organizers; my invitation came by email. Diane and her staff arrange for about 40 counters to come in each day. Everyone stands, and is sworn in as the Recount Committee. Then the group breaks up into tables of four – a Republican, a Democrat, a Progressive, and an independent; and the work begins. The ballots come piled in large bags from each ward. Everyone helps sort them into bundles of fifty. Then we count: one person reads the names of candidates voted for; one checks the reader; and two others mark the votes on tally sheets. Then everyone switches roles and recounts; all the tallies must match.
The work is serious, painstaking – and fun. Seeing everyone at their tables, from different parties, cooperating intently to carry out the task, and enjoying the company, is part of it. At my table were a Republican from Milton, a Progressive from South Burlington, an independent from Essex, and me. The man from Essex has lived in Vermont for 25 years. He’s a new citizen, born in Wales. Upon receiving a bundle of ballots to count, he held them in his hands, and said, "These are the real ballots?" It was a moment of awe. He explained, "I became naturalized in October – this is my first election."
In the State Senate election, there were 14 candidates for six seats. Some voters chose the straight party ticket. One or two picked the six candidates from the top, or from the bottom. A few voted for men, or women, only, across party lines. A few others voted for a single candidate. Many, however, split their vote among men, women, Republicans, Democrats, and Progressives, in what seemed to be a very Vermont spirit of independent thinking. There was a sense, in touching ballots that every voter had filled out, that you held something of value, springing from our common belief in democracy, in the process; and in the personal importance of each ballot. Other than one frivolous write-in vote for Bill The Cat for High Bailiff, there was no monkeying around.
The recount was held in a big corner room with tall windows – it was chilly, and many of us were glad we’d worn layers. There was the smell of coffee, brewed fresh all day. Dishes of mints and packets of cookies were available; but everyone was so busy counting, tallying, adding, reading, and watching that there wasn’t much snacking or sipping going on. My table counted three batches of fifty; then we were given an hour’s break for lunch. I walked down Church Street, enjoying the art, the vendors, and the people; I had a cup of tea and a bun, and strolled back to do another hundred ballots in the afternoon. With ten tables, we’d probably counted three thousand ballots. At this rate, Diane said the recount would take several more weeks.
Recount Committee members must be Vermonters, and 18 years old, but do not have to be residents of Chittenden county. Diane said, "You should be a voter, so you know how to read a ballot." "We need people," she said. "We particularly need Republicans for this recount."
The Court pays $30 per person per day, plus parking. I left shortly after dark, and walked across the courthouse plaza. There was a stone sculpture, with three small children perched on it. Their mother was aiming her camera at them. The letters on the sculpture spelled DEMOCRACY.
I want to share with you a commentary from Katherine Hikel, one of the volunteers, about her experience at the recount which exemplifies the civic spirit of all the participants.
Demanding A Recount
by Katherine Hikel
The Chittenden County Superior Court House, on Main Street in Burlington, is a grand historic building, and a fine place to spend a December day, if you are not the defendant. I went there to help with the State Senate ballot recount. Senate candidate Denise Begins Barnard is challenging her loss by 400 votes to Tim Ashe. Superior Court Clerk Diane Lavallee, who oversees the recount, said an estimated 80,000 ballots were cast in Chittenden County during the November election. Those eighty-odd thousand ballots must be all be recounted, by hand – not once, but twice.
The word goes out, through party chairs and organizers; my invitation came by email. Diane and her staff arrange for about 40 counters to come in each day. Everyone stands, and is sworn in as the Recount Committee. Then the group breaks up into tables of four – a Republican, a Democrat, a Progressive, and an independent; and the work begins. The ballots come piled in large bags from each ward. Everyone helps sort them into bundles of fifty. Then we count: one person reads the names of candidates voted for; one checks the reader; and two others mark the votes on tally sheets. Then everyone switches roles and recounts; all the tallies must match.
The work is serious, painstaking – and fun. Seeing everyone at their tables, from different parties, cooperating intently to carry out the task, and enjoying the company, is part of it. At my table were a Republican from Milton, a Progressive from South Burlington, an independent from Essex, and me. The man from Essex has lived in Vermont for 25 years. He’s a new citizen, born in Wales. Upon receiving a bundle of ballots to count, he held them in his hands, and said, "These are the real ballots?" It was a moment of awe. He explained, "I became naturalized in October – this is my first election."
In the State Senate election, there were 14 candidates for six seats. Some voters chose the straight party ticket. One or two picked the six candidates from the top, or from the bottom. A few voted for men, or women, only, across party lines. A few others voted for a single candidate. Many, however, split their vote among men, women, Republicans, Democrats, and Progressives, in what seemed to be a very Vermont spirit of independent thinking. There was a sense, in touching ballots that every voter had filled out, that you held something of value, springing from our common belief in democracy, in the process; and in the personal importance of each ballot. Other than one frivolous write-in vote for Bill The Cat for High Bailiff, there was no monkeying around.
The recount was held in a big corner room with tall windows – it was chilly, and many of us were glad we’d worn layers. There was the smell of coffee, brewed fresh all day. Dishes of mints and packets of cookies were available; but everyone was so busy counting, tallying, adding, reading, and watching that there wasn’t much snacking or sipping going on. My table counted three batches of fifty; then we were given an hour’s break for lunch. I walked down Church Street, enjoying the art, the vendors, and the people; I had a cup of tea and a bun, and strolled back to do another hundred ballots in the afternoon. With ten tables, we’d probably counted three thousand ballots. At this rate, Diane said the recount would take several more weeks.
Recount Committee members must be Vermonters, and 18 years old, but do not have to be residents of Chittenden county. Diane said, "You should be a voter, so you know how to read a ballot." "We need people," she said. "We particularly need Republicans for this recount."
The Court pays $30 per person per day, plus parking. I left shortly after dark, and walked across the courthouse plaza. There was a stone sculpture, with three small children perched on it. Their mother was aiming her camera at them. The letters on the sculpture spelled DEMOCRACY.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Calling All Democrats! Please Help!
Recount Volunteers Needed!
As County Chair, I thought my work was done for a while after the election. A couple of close races have generated two recounts in Chittenden County for which I am responsible for recruiting a lot of volunteers. These recounts will be held at the Chittenden County Superior Courthouse at the corner of Main and Church Streets, Burlington, beginning at 8:30 AM.
One recount is for the Milton House district (Reg Godin-D vs. Ronald Hubert-R) and should take no more than a day to complete. It is scheduled for Monday, 11/24/08.
The Chittenden County State Senate recount will start on 12/3/08 and will continue until all of Chittenden County ballots have been counted. The County Clerk expects it to take from 7 to 10 days, excluding weekends. I hope we'll be finished by 12/16.
Counters will receive $30/day stipend + mileage + parking fee. Half days (morning or afternoon) are acceptable; the stipend for a half day is $15.
If you can help on any of those days, please send me your name, address and phone number and the days you can be there. The more people we get, the faster we'll get done. This is a big job, but integral to our democratic system, so please help if you can.
--
Mike Yantachka (miyantach@hotmail.com)
Chittenden County Democratic Committee Chairman
As County Chair, I thought my work was done for a while after the election. A couple of close races have generated two recounts in Chittenden County for which I am responsible for recruiting a lot of volunteers. These recounts will be held at the Chittenden County Superior Courthouse at the corner of Main and Church Streets, Burlington, beginning at 8:30 AM.
One recount is for the Milton House district (Reg Godin-D vs. Ronald Hubert-R) and should take no more than a day to complete. It is scheduled for Monday, 11/24/08.
The Chittenden County State Senate recount will start on 12/3/08 and will continue until all of Chittenden County ballots have been counted. The County Clerk expects it to take from 7 to 10 days, excluding weekends. I hope we'll be finished by 12/16.
Counters will receive $30/day stipend + mileage + parking fee. Half days (morning or afternoon) are acceptable; the stipend for a half day is $15.
If you can help on any of those days, please send me your name, address and phone number and the days you can be there. The more people we get, the faster we'll get done. This is a big job, but integral to our democratic system, so please help if you can.
--
Mike Yantachka (miyantach@hotmail.com)
Chittenden County Democratic Committee Chairman
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