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LWVCO Board Briefing April 2021

LWVCO

LWV Joint Statement on Derek Chauvin Trial Verdict

WASHINGTON & MINNEAPOLIS – Today the League of Women Voters of the United States issued the following joint statement with the League of Women Voters of Minnesota and the League of Women Voters of Minneapolis in response to the conviction of George Floyd’s murderer:

“Today, the police officer responsible for the murder of George Floyd was held accountable for his crime.

“While the decision to convict George Floyd’s murderer was just, it does not remedy the undeniable fact that policing in America is fundamentally broken.

“The United States’ system of law enforcement, which was built on the legacy of slavery and racism, has stolen the lives of Black and brown Americans for centuries, almost completely unchecked.

“Making one man answer for his crimes does not equal justice. This conviction was an outlier in a system built on white supremacy. Accountability and the eradication of racially-motivated violence should be the norm, not an exception. Police officers must be held to the same level of accountability as everyone else.

“We must radically reimagine public safety in this country and prioritize investments in economic opportunities, education, healthcare, and other community-led solutions, instead of perpetuating police violence.

“Our thoughts are with the family of George Floyd. We hope that this decision provides a modicum of peace amid this tragedy.

“Today’s decision must represent a turning point as we work towards true reform of policing in this country.”

Notes from the 4/1/2021 LWVCO Board Meeting

The LWVCO Board of Directors met virtually on April 1^st, 2021. Most meeting time was dedicated to discussing revised Policies and Procedures, LWVCO Board portfolios, and announcements about LWVCO’s 2021 Convention. Five policies and a Community Shares Fund Sharing Proposal were approved in the consent agenda. Notably, this proposal specifies LWVCO will share 50% of the funds generated through LWVCO’s membership in the workplace giving organization, Community Shares, with Colorado chapters. Funds will be divided based on membership numbers as reported to LWVUS each year and shall be used at each Colorado League’s discretion; no reporting is to be required. LWVCO expects this revenue will be significant for Local Leagues.

Policies Discussion & Votes

Five policies passed through the consent agenda, and three were removed and discussed in detail.

To start, the Board amended language in Policy 109.00 – Membership & Dues to specify free student membership to LWVCO is dependent on being in a degree-seeking program. The Board and staff recognized this isn’t a regular challenge, and LWVCO has historically had few student Members-At-Large. LWVCO encourages members to join at the local level.
Second, the Board discussed using “Annual Meeting” in place of “Convention” in Policy 110.00 - Annual Meeting. They agreed all references to “Council” and “Convention” in Policies and Procedures will be changed to “Annual Meeting” following the membership’s vote on the amended Bylaws at Convention.