By Karen Kirk:
FCDC’s Chair Bryan Graham noticed a virtual hand up when asking if there were any questions on the proposed 2020-2021 budget. When he called on one member, she answered “No I don’t. The cat walked on the computer.”
And so it went Tuesday night during the first virtual FCDC General Meeting in our age of Covid-19. But despite a few glitches, a lot was accomplished, and many votes were nearly unanimously positive.
The budget passed after discussion on the need for more funds for absentee voting initiatives, since voting by mail will likely be necessary and nobody knows how long Covid-19 restrictions will last. Bryan assured members that the Steering Committee has the ability to allocate more funds for absentee voting.
Janice Yohai, Vice Chair of Voter Registration & Education, said more needs to be done to contact voters online about absentee voting by mail, including collecting email addresses to send out election alerts.
Bryan said that FCDC has been instructed by the Democratic Party of Virginia to have only virtual meetings for the time being and that the FCDC office is closed to the public but is maintaining regular operations.
Not being able to meet in person has put a damper on fundraisers and more fundraising will be done online, including asking members to consider joining the FCDC Sustainers Society program. The lowest contribution level is $10 a month.
Among the fundraisers that have been postponed is the Jefferson Obama Dinner which has been moved from May to September 13.
Holly Hazard, Chair of the Women’s Rights Standing Committee, said a new Neighbor to Neighbor Covid Connections Project has been a great success. Members have called more than 70 elderly neighbors offering errand runs. The elderly neighbors have been extremely grateful. Holly suggested more FCDC districts and committees adopt the project.
Among the other actions taken at the meeting:
- New members were approved.
- Members voted to make endorsements in the Town of Herndon election.
- A resolution was passed to urge Gov. Northam to continue the suspension of tenant evictions related to Covid-19 beyond the April 6 deadline.
- Democratic Committee Caucuses scheduled for April 18 will be conducted virtually.
Karen Kirk is the Deputy Editor/Photo Editor of The Blue View and a retired journalist who worked for the Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service, which later became the McClatchy/Tribune News Service.
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