June/July 2025
Editor Jennifer Bales
jbales@me.com
| Joint Statement from LWVBC and LWVCO | Outgoing Presidents' Letter | Co-Presidents Susan Saunders and Peggy Leech | | By Peggy Leech and Susan Saunders | |
This will be the last letter from the two of us. We would like to thank the membership for your support during these last 2 years (Susan) or 1 year (Peggy). Susan is now going off-board, and she will concentrate more on life in Portland. Peggy will continue on the board in a different position (co-director of Events). We are excited to see where the newly elected board takes us, headed up by Molly Saunders and Rionda Osman as your new co-presidents!
Right: Outgoing president Peggy Leech receives a thank you gift from Susan Curtis | | |
It was fun to visit with our members at the Annual Meeting a few days ago. Please see photos from the meeting at the end of this newsletter. In-person meetings and events can be invigorating. With that in mind, we encourage everyone to attend our first Drinks and Dialogue since the pandemic. It takes place on June 16, and these events offer an opportunity for people to share opinions and ideas and ask questions. See the flyer elsewhere in the Voter. Another fun activity to attend will be the Juneteenth celebration in Longmont on June 21. Visit our booth there! Check our calendar on the lwvbc.org home page for new events and to register.
The work of the league doesn’t take a summer break, so keep your eye out for other opportunities on our calendar. The fall kickoff is tentatively planned for August, and the next Voter will come out at the beginning of August. | Join us for Drinks & Dialogue | For the first time since the pandemic, LWVBC will host a Drinks & Dialogue event.
This will be the first of several over the next year. Drinks & Dialogue provides an opportunity for people to share opinions and ideas, ask questions and become more aware of local, state and national issues. These were always popular in the past, and we are pleased to be able to offer them again.
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By Susan Curtis
Membership count: 231 | | | Welcome to these new members who joined in April: Leslie Sawyer, Jane Sheldon, Nicolette Toussaint, Linnea Chesman, and Denise Dollar. Welcome!
Our Annual Meeting, held Saturday, May 31 was held at Rule4 and attended by 41 members. Our guest speaker was Stacy Feldman, founder and publisher of the Boulder Reporting Lab. The Boulder Reporting Lab is a nonprofit local news start-up serving Boulder and Boulder County. In her remarks, Stacy reviewed the reasons for the disappearance of local news and local journalists, including late to understand technology and hedge funds buying news organizations and then gutting them. The lack of local factual news leads to a greater focus on national news and the erosion of insight to community issues and factual community reporting. Stacy believes the model created by the Boulder Reporting Lab is scalable to many communities where local journalism has disappeared. Stacy’s remarks were well received and she received a standing ovation from meeting attendees.
Peggy Leech, co-president, presided over the business meeting portion of the Annual Meeting. During the business meeting, Pat Long presented the budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year which was approved. Holly Monkman presented the program positions which were also approved. Ruth Stemler presented the slate of officers for the coming fiscal year which was approved. Mary Ann Wilner discussed the need for a greater focus on fund raising given the change in dues structures and presented several ways in which members could contribute, including estate planning, recurring donations and King Soopers/Safeway grocery store cards. Thank you to Louisa Young who served as parliamentarian, Kathie Burson who served as acting Secretary, and Pat and Frank Venturo who will serve as the reading committee for the meeting minutes.
Susan Curtis, Membership Director, presented the LWVBC Student Scholarship to Kendyl Smith. Kendyl expressed her gratitude to the League for the financial support as she pursues a law degree and for the opportunities she has received to learn through LWVBC events and activities.
Peggy Leech presented the following Merit Awards:
Community Partner Trent Hein, Rule4
Overall Member Holly Monkman
Team Leader Jeanne Clelland
Team Member Chris Salter
Emerging Leader Kathryn Coleman
On behalf of LWVBC, gratitude was expressed to Susan Saunders and Peggy Leech who served as our co-presidents this past year.
The meeting closed with a reminder of upcoming events and the encouragement to all to volunteer to help. A newer and brighter, easy to use volunteer page has been added to the LWVBC.org website making it easier to volunteer. Click Get Involved in the top menu bar.
It was so wonderful to see all who attended and to share this time together. We look forward to seeing more of our members at upcoming events.
Upcoming League Events in June:
Erie Pride, June 1. Help with our Voter Education and Outreach booth
Drinks and Dialogue, June 16, There’s Good News! How one person can make a difference
Celebrate Juneteenth in Longmont, June 21, Volunteer Opportunities available
As always consult our website, lwvbc.org, for details and opportunities to volunteer.
| The Events Team wants YOUR ideas!
| LWVBC will be hosting a series of Drinks & Dialogues, as well as Community Conversations. Remember, these events are for our community, not just our members.
We are happy to receive suggestions on topics, speakers, organizations you want to hear from. Any suggestions or requests about venues in Boulder County are always appreciated.
Please click on the survey link below with your suggestions and feedback, or to volunteer for our Events Team. You are not required to answer every question.
| Legislative Action Committee Wrap-Up
| That’s a wrap! The 2025 Colorado State Legislative session closed on May 7th and 733 bills, resolutions & memorials were introduced. The LAC followed 125 bills and out of 87 bills that had Legislative Action Committee (LAC) support, 79% were signed by/expected to be signed by the governor. Governor Polis has until June 6th to sign or veto bills, or let them become law without his signature.
I want to extend a hearty “Thank You” to all our members that were on the Legislative Action Committee this year: Rionda Osman, Peggy Leech, Shirley Jin, Deborah Vink, Jeannette Hillery, Celeste Landry, and Gaythia Weis. I hope you all take some time this summer to kick back & relax.
Check out the Legislative Action Report and Master Bill Tracker for the fate of bills that were of interest to you or to get more details on any of the bills mentioned below. The LWVCO Wrap-upwas on May 21st and Legislative Liaison Andrea Wilkins and the LWVCO Advocacy Team presented the highlights of the 2025 session.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to advocate for/against bills at the state legislature, contact me or keep an eye out for the next training opportunities with LWVCO LAC. Training typically starts in December & is held via Zoom.
Please see the rest of the Legislative Wrap-Up article here. |  | | Senator Hinrichsen, Evie Hudak, Holly Monkman and Andrea Wilkins with Gov. Polis for the signing of HB25-1225. |  | Bill sponsors & stakeholders for SB25-001 with Gov. Polis for the signing ceremony. | | |
Photos from the Annual Meeting
| Our 2025 Annual Meeting Begins | Stacy Feldman of Boulder Reporting Lab, our keynote speaker | A standing ovation for Stacy Feldman |  | Kathryn Coleman, Emerging Leader |
 | Kendyl Smith, Student Scholarship |
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 | Trent Hein, Community Partner |
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 | Holly Monkman, Member of the Year |
 | Fund Development Report |
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 | Budget Report |
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