Board Meeting, Minutes - March 25th, 2012

Chippewa Valley Civil Liberties Union

Board Meeting Minutes for March 25, 2012

David Rice’s office at 116 West Grand Ave., Eau Claire

Present: Zoe Bowman, Myron Buchholz, Ann Heywood, Mildred Larson, Joe Luginbill, Nicholas Passell, David Rice, Stephanie Turner (presiding)

Absent:Shu Cheng, Collin Hawkins, Beverly Wickstrom.

Guest: Sara Adams

1. Stephanie called the meeting to order at 6:37 p.m.

2. Minutes of the February 2, 2012 meeting were approved as emailed.

3. David distributed the treasurer’s report. There have been no changes since the December and February reports: $1021.49 in checking and $5.01 in savings. Report accepted.

4. Ann reported that there have been no state board meetings since we last met. The next state meeting is March 31. Ann and Mildred attended the annual Bill of Rights Celebration in Milwaukee with speaker Laughlin MacDonald presenting on Voting Rights. Ann also reported that she had received a call from a man in Chippewa Falls who had voted for many years but could not get his Michigan birth certificate and feared he would not be able to vote in upcoming elections. Ann was able to notify ACLU-WI attorney Larry Dupuis who contacted national ACLU staff attorney Jon Sherman who immediately contacted the original caller to give advice on how to proceed. Thus the value of a local chapter which can sometimes quickly connect people with ACLU staff.

5. Stephanie reported that UW-EC will make no change in their policy to charge $2 for student voter IDs. Stephanie appreciated the help of Stacy Harbaugh in writing her letter to the chancellor about the matter. UW-EC attorney Teresa O’Halloran asserted that the policy is legal. The Student Senate approved of the policy. The board agreed that the publicity our letter provoked was useful nonetheless.

6. Guest Sara Adams reported on developments of the drone issue since our last meeting. She has met with the chief of police who has no current plans to buy drones and who generally supports civil liberties. Sara has worked on wording for a local drone ordinance which councilman Andrew Werthman will submit to the city attorney for review of language details. Sara read main points of the draft ordinance and we discussed several details. Sara asked that this board speak to the City Council when it is presented and to show up if there is a press conference. Stephanie suggested contacting Molly Collins (ACLU-WI Associate Director) or studying the ACLU website for talking points. Zoe moved (seconded by Mildred) that the CVCLU support a local ordinance regulating the city’s use of drones and that we attend a City Council meeting and speak in support. Motion carried.

Joe reported about possible speakers for a public presentation on the topic. Joe has contacted and received responses from the following:

– Steven Aftergood, Dir., Project on Government Secrecy at the Federation of America Scientists (saftergood@fas.org, 202 454 4691).

– Amie Stepanovich, National Security Council for the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC); (stepanovich@eepic.org, 202 483 1140 ext. 120).

– Jennifer Lynch, staff attorney representing the Electronic Frontier Foundation (jlynch@eff.org, 415 436 9333 ext, 136)

– James Bamford, investigative reporter who has covered the National Security Agency for three decades (bodyofsecrets@yahoo.com)

Other possible contacts are

– John Thiem, manager, Milwaukee Branch of the Federal Aviation Administration (414 486 2920)

– Jay Stanley, Public Education Director of the Technology and Liberty Program, ACLU (212 549 2500)

– Catherine Crump, staff attorney, ACLU (212 549 2500)

The first four speakers could present via Skype. Joe, as ECASD board member, can arrange the presentation. The board proposed time and date: May 15 or 22 in Memorial’s Little Theater.

7. The Free Speech Food Festival will be April 18, 11a.m. – 2 p.m. Stephanie will contact Stacy Harbaugh for tabling materials and will also check on getting a poster to raffle. Mildred, Ann, and Stephanie volunteered to be at the table; Shu may be there too. Stephanie will discuss further details about the activities of the event.

8. Fighting Bobfest North will be May 19. David has reserved our table. Myron volunteered to provide two “Disappearing Rights” cups to raffle as we did last year.

9. Zoe reported that the Voting Rights Coalition is in “pause” currently while the legal injunctions stopping the photo ID requirement are in place. It is still important to encourage early voter registration as lines on voting day may be long.

10. We will hold a special meeting on April 15, 6 p.m. at the Acoustic Café for the purpose of planning the panel discussion.

11. The meeting adjourned about 8:10 p.m.

To do:

Stephanie: order materials for tabling and get poster for Free Speech Food Fest

Myron: order Disappearing Rights mugs for Bobfest North.

Stephanie, Mildred, Ann: table for Free Speech Food Fest; others welcome.

All: attend and possibly speak for drone control ordinance