| Your Opportunity To Make a Difference In the Quality of Life in Marin Join the Marin County Civil Grand Jury for 2010-2011 The Civil Grand Jury is Marin County’s independent watchdog of government services. Composed of 19 citizen volunteers, it investigates and monitors the performance of county, city, and local governing entities and recommends ways to increase their efficiency and effectiveness. The deadline for submitting an application for next term's Grand Jury (July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2011) is March 17. Read more and obtain an application form at the Marin County Civil Grand Jury's Web site, http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/GJ/main/index.cfm |
President's Report
I am sad to say that our dear friend, fellow juror (2005-06), and Chapter member Peggy Donovan Jeffry
passed away after a long illness. She was the chair of the
Environment/Transportation Committee, which investigated and reported
on the Ross Valley Sanitary District. Peggy was an amazing woman with a
positive spirit, and we were all enriched by having known her. [see
Member News column - ed.]
At our January meeting, we had an interesting tour of the Community Media Center of Marin (Channels 26 and 27) and the Marin Youth Center. A big thanks to Trish Hibben for arranging this for us.
Plan to attend the Chapter meeting on Thursday, February 18, at 9:50 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors' chambers at the Civic Center to hear our featured speaker Lee Domanico, the CEO of the Marin Healthcare District. He is said to be "the man controlling Marin General Hospital's future." Find out about the transition that is underway, led by CEO Domanico.
I've been invited by the San Luis Obispo Chapter of CGJA to speak at their chapter meeting about our Chapter's pre-orientation program of prospective jurors. They are interested, as we are, in assisting the Court in informing jury applicants about grand jury service.
Next month, we will have a program on Get Ready Marin (for seniors). More info. to follow.
Save the Date: our Annual Reunion Luncheon will be held on Friday, May 21, from 11:30 to 2 p.m. at The Club at McInnis Park. The featured speaker is Assemblyman Jared Huffman.
Catherine McKown, PresidentMC-CGJA
contact: cdmac1@aol.com
published February 15, 2010
Committee Reports
Bylaws & Policies and Procedures Committee
Chair Sterling Harwell reports:
The Chapter Bylaws are now ready for Board review and approval which we anticipate at the March Board meeting. The revised Bylaws will then be distribured to the Members for their review and submitted for approval at the April Membership meeting,
In the meantime, the updated Members' Handbook of Policies and Procedures, a supplement to the Bylaws, will be submitted to the Board for consideration at their April meeting and, hopefully, to the Membership for approval at their June meeting.
The other members of the committee are Stu Brown, Owen Haxton, and Betty Mattea.published February 15, 2010
Communications Technology Committee
Chair Sterling Harwell reports:
- Board and committee reports will be published and updated as received, with no publication deadlines.
- Member news articles will be published as received and retained for six weeks.
- The NewsPage will be archieved (see the News Archive in the Members Area section of our Web site) at the end of each month.
We are still working on an interactive forum Web site where members and the public will be able to post comments on the Jury and its reports. We have a new Web platform which is being tested by the Board members for "user friendliness."
We would welcome the participation of other Chapter Members who would like to learn techniques for Web page preparation and publishing or who would like to help sitting jurors andother Chapter Members learn word processing and other digital skills.
We remind all Chapter Members that we are available to coach you in digital skills.
(E-mail Administrator).
published February 15, 2010
Continuity Committee
Committee member Sterling Harwell reports:
The Continuity Committee met on February 5. Due to the loss of two members and that the current jury's Continuity Committee is tracking and following up on Responses to recent jury reports, it was decided that our committee would focus on determining and documenting Achievements resulting from Marin County Civil Grand Jury reports.
This will contribute to the Public Outreach Committee's efforts to recruit new jurors and CGJA's program to document the value of the grand jury system in California.
Our committee then divided up responsibility for following up on the 2008-2009 reports with the foreperson and report authors.
The committee members are Board Liaison and Chair Karin Hern, Myra Berkowitz, Dennis Brown, Gene Dyer, and Sterling Harwell.published January 17, 2010
Excellence in Reporting Committee
Board Liaison and Chair Karin Hern reports:
The EIR Committee intends to meet sometime soon this quarter.
The other members are Bernie Bolger, Sterling Harwell, and Catherine McKown.published February 15, 2010
Financial Review Committee
Bernie Bolger and Ann Marie Melanephy report:
On
After review of pertinent documentation, the
committee believes the financial statement accurately reflects MCCGJA's
financial position as of
published February 15, 2010
Membership Committee
[This space reserved for Membership Committee reports.]
Board Liaison is Trish Hibben. Chair tbd. The other members are Ted Freeman, and Betty Mattea.
Nominations & Election Committee
Chair Owen Haxton reports:
The nominating and election cycle of Officers and Directors to serve the Marin Chapter of the California Grand Jurors’ Association from July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011 is underway.
The following table presents the composition of the present Board of Directors and nominees for 2010-2011.
| Office | Currently Serving | Nominated for 2010-2011 |
| President | Catherine McKown | |
| Vice President | Bernie Bolger | |
| Secretary | Ted Freeman | |
| Treasurer | Frank Keenan | |
| Director | Karin Hern | Karin Hern |
| Director | Trish Hibben | |
| Director | [resigned-vacant] |
To be nominated, to be elected and to serve, a person must be a member in good standing of the Marin Chapter.
A candidate may be self nominated or nominated by a fellow member in good standing of the Chapter. Before nominating a fellow member please insure that he/she is willing to be nominated and, if elected, is willing to serve for at least the one year term.
Nominations will be closed during the membership portion of the reunion luncheon in May 2010.
The situation as of Valentines Day: Only Karin Hern has agreed to serve the Chapter in an elective position for next term. It appears that there exists an almost total leadership vacuum for the next year.
Several new programs were started this past two years, but for those programs to continue there must be veteran Grand Jurors who support those programs to step forward as officers or directors to continue the evolution of current programs and to initiate new programs in support of the Chapter's goals and objectives.
To obtain additional information or to nominate yourself or a fellow member for a specific office please contact:- Owen Haxton at hornet5@pacbell.net or by phone [415 883 3275]
- Betty J. Mattea at bjmattea@sonic.net or by phone [415 492 8857]
published February 19, 2010
Orientation & Training Committee
Board Liaison and Chair Catherine McKown reports:
Plans for the pre-orientation of jury applicants are underway. Betty Mattea, Owen Haxton, and I are continuing to refine the process and are looking forward to interviews with prospective jurors in April.
The Orientation Committee has gathered input from many sources to put together a list of speakers for the orientation of jurors and alternates. The following dates have been established for the 6 days of orientation: July 6, 7, 8; and 13, 14, and 15. The committee will meet in March to firm up plans re. the schedule.
CatherineOther are Kay Antongiovanni, Bernie Bolger, Nicholas Clark,
Stephen Cook, Ted Freeman, Sterling Harwell, Karin Hern, Ken Howard, Betty
Mattea, Marty Miller, Roberta Robinson, and Irwin Taranto.
published February 15, 2010
Public Issues Committee
Board Liaison Bernie Bolger reports:
The Public Issues Committee met with Larry Meredith, Director of Marin’s Health and Human Services, and two staff members to discuss last year’s excellent Grand Jury report on homelessness. The new Homeless Coordinator was one of the staff members present. Committee members present were Woody, Steve, Al, Liz, Anya, Dennis, Gary, and myself.
We discussed the need for an emergency shelter, the makeup of the homeless population, the use of stimulus funds to address the problem, and miscellaneous other matters. The fact that the Armory is not ADA compliant makes it unsuitable for a temporary emergency shelter. County Counsel is addressing the issues. Also, noteworthy is that around 75% of Marin’s homeless grew up and lived in Marin for good deal of their lives.
One of the biggest needs identified by Larry and his staff was for more affordable housing in Marin for very low-income people.
Chair tbd. The other members are Dennis Brown, Stephen Cook, Sterling Harwell, Trish Hibben, Liz Leaf, Albert Lozano, Gary Price, Anya Schandler, and Woody Weingarten.published January 17, 2010
Public Outreach Committee
Board Liaison Frank Keenan reports:
We have hit the start of the key period in recruitment for the 2010-11 Grand Jury. With the deadline for applications in late March, now is the time to get the word out. The Outreach Committee is busy making contacts, providing written information to various groups and organizations, and setting up some speaking engagements. In addition, an informational video is being professionally produced.
The key scribes preparing and delivering the written word are Carol Fitzgerald and Kay Antongiovanni. They put together everything from articles for newsletters to bulletin board postings to blurbs for organizations’ websites.
Our executive producer for the video production is Trish Hibben. Trish is working with the Community Media Center of Marin in San Rafael. Some of our members visited their great new facility up close and personal at our January members meeting. Trish also serves on the Board of Directors for this fine Marin organization.
We are still looking for opportunities for speaking engagements throughout Marin. Rick White has already spoken at some group meetings.
If you know any group that would like information about the Grand Jury for their bulletin board, website, or newsletter, let us know. If you know of a group that is looking for a luncheon speaker, let us know. Also, if you are member of any local service organizations (Lions, Rotary, etc.), could you help us get in touch with them? Even a brief announcement at an upcoming meeting that you have brochures and applications available would be a help. You can contact me at marinfiduciary@pacbell.net. Brochures and application forms are also available from Patti Baseheart at (415) 499-6132.
If you want to help in any way, why not join us at our next meeting? We will be getting together at the Civic Center cafeteria at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, February 23rd.
Outreach Committee members include Bob Abeling, Kay Antongiovanni, Russ Brubaker, Carol Fitzgerald, Trish Hibben, Frank Keenan, and Rick White.published February 15, 2010
Social Committee
[This space reserved for Social Committee reports.]
Board Liaison is Trish Hibben. Mary Arthur and Ann Marie Melanephy are Co-chairs. The other members are Bob Abling, Myra Berkowitz, Ed Schultz, and Lowell Smith.
Member News
In Memorium - Peggy Jeffry
(2005-2006 Grand Jury)
Catherine McKown reports:
I am sad to report that Peggy Jeffry has passed away. When I think of Peggy, the words "indomitable spirit" come to mind. She was an exuberant woman who never complained, although she had serious health issues over the past several decades. I know we will all miss her.
On Saturday, January 30, at
Myra Berkowitz writes:
Hats off to Peggy to stay in positive control of her life and demise when she knew her health was failing. She was an inspiration of grace, sophistication, knowledge, tenacity, intelligence, beauty and leadership to me.
What a loss she is to us all.published February 15, 2010
Myra Berkowitz
Myra reports:
If anyone wants a vicarious journey in
published February 15, 2010
Karin Hern and RoyAnne Florence
Karin Hern reports:
Woody Weingarten
Breast-cancer support is topic of radio show.
Woody Weingarten, who served on the 2008-09 Grand Jury, has been interviewed for the KUSF program "Love Letter Live." The half-hour show, which covers Woody's leadership of a support group for men whose partners have had breast cancer, will be aired at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday March 9 at 90.3 FM. Those who can't get the station can tune in via the Internet at www.kusf.org by clicking on Listen Now. Shortly after the program airs, it will also appear on the LoveLetterSquad.com Web site.
During the show, Woody also talks about his book manuscript, "Rollercoaster," which details the emotional ups and downs, and aftermath, of the surgery, chemotherapy and radiation his wife Nancy Fox underwent.
Nancy was also interviewed for KUSF. Her program (about playing piano at senior facilities in Marin and her father's jazz legacy) will be aired one week earlier, at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 2. It, too, will be available at the other outlets cited above.published February 22, 2010