MCCGJA NewsPageFebruary 2010R. Sterling Harwell, Editor |
| If your computer screen requires you to scroll horizontally to see all
the columns, click here to open the NewsPage in a new window. |
President's Report
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 ReportsCommittee Reports remain posted until replaced by an update Bylaws & Policies and Procedures Committee
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 CommitteeChair Sterling Harwell reports: This is the second issue of the NewsPage prepared using our new approach in which: Board Liaison is Frank Keenan. The other members of the committee are Dennis Brown, Gene Dyer (Webmaster), and Irwin Taranto
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 CommitteeBoard 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
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.
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:
published February 19, 2010 Orientation & Training CommitteeBoard 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 CommitteeBoard 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
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 NewsMember News articles remain posted for six weeks 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 BerkowitzMyra reports: If anyone wants a vicarious journey in published February 15, 2010 Karin Hern and RoyAnne FlorenceKarin Hern reports: RoyAnne Florence (2008-09) and I are in a children's theater production
"Cinderella" put on by the Marin Masque unit to benefit public school children's exposure to live theater. ![]() There
are four public performances on Saturday and Sunday, March 6 and 7
at 1 and 3 pm, at the Civic Center Showcase Theater (RoyAnne is performing only on Sunday). Tickets are
$8 through Marin Civic Center Box Office, 415 499-6800. Woody Weingarten
|