• Melissa Breach, member of the LWVUS Board, and Co-Chair of the LWVUS League Structure Task Force, was a guest presenter at the meeting. She spoke broadly about the direction of the League and how most of the changes going forward will need to happen at the State level. One of the big pushes will be to modernize the mechanics of membership, which will make it easier for people to join. People wishing to view the Bylaws of LWVUS will find them at LWV.org/structure.
• Several people who were elected to the 2022-2024 LWV Bay Area Board at the Convention on June 4 were invited to attend this concluding meeting of the 2020-2022 term, and they introduced themselves and told of what had brought them to the League. Newly electeds attending included Dan Zalles, Karen McLennan, Jean Perry, and Raeena Lari.
• The Board is continuing to plan for the Community Conversation on “The Youth Vote”, intended to be offered in September. Suggestions for presenters are welcome, and a major goal is to have representation from around the Bay Area. The 2022-2024 Bay Area League Board will schedule periodic Community Conversations, and topic ideas can be sent to lwvbayarea@gmail.com
• The Bay Area Monitor will be seeking to have a support group interested in assisting the newsletter with financial development going forward. Interested people may contact new President Roma Dawson at lwvbayarea@gmail.com
• Bylaws revisions of a “clean-up” nature were approved by the Board, following the more substantive changes that were approved by the Delegates to the June 4 Convention. The new Board will determine where to post the up-to-date Bylaws on the Website.
• Bay Area League Biennial Convention took place on June 4, and a highlight was the keynote presentation by Congressmember Jackie Speier. The recording will be uploaded to YouTube. Seventeen of the 20 Leagues of the Bay Area were represented.
• Board member Kathleen Cha posts this important notice for your consideration:

Sign up now: Join the Regional Government
and Planning Study Task Force

As approved at our 2022 LWVBA biennial convention: “Recognizing the outstanding League work that went into previous studies of regional government and planning, a restudy is considered necessary in light of changes in scope and structure of regional agencies, new regional planning legislation, and regional impact on the Bay Area’s equity and economy.” The goal is to provide a roadmap regional position to help guide us in our local, county and regionwide League advocacy and equity decision-making.
This is your call to action for you as League representatives to join the monthly working task force study group, and be part of a roundtable invitation that will be issued to major regional agencies and nonprofit leaders to discuss regional governance and planning and their roles in meeting the goals of equity and an inclusive economy. From these meetings, the study group will re-define the Bay Area Regional Government position to be approved at the LWVBA 2024 Biennial Convention.
Next steps: we will convene our first zoom meeting the last week of September (9-26 to 9-30) and together set our logistics and two-year agenda which would include but not be limited to: background review of past Bay Area regional studies, interviews of regional agencies/structures, point-by-point review of current position (Santa Clara County leagues have done some outstanding work but of course there is always more). Be prepared for some insightful, challenging, empowering discussions.
Confirm your participation by emailing Kathleen Cha, LWVBA Regional Study Group Chair/Facilitator at kaauw16@gmail.com or cell/text 510-463-7394 to discuss further before committing.

The next meeting of the Bay Area League Board will be determined by the new 2022-24 Board and posted on the Website: my.lwv.org/California/bay-area

Yours in League,
Sherry Smith
(outgoing) President, Bay Area League of Women Voters