League of Women Voters of Melrose
Annual Meeting was held on July 9, 2024 as a virtual meeting via Zoom.

Call to Order
Review and Adopt Nonpartisan policy (annual requirement)
Read and approved the Nonpartisan policy.  Unanimously adopted.

Review and Adopt updated DEI language required by LWVUS
After reading and discussion, approved unanimously.

Report of the Year’s Activities (Steering Committee)
See Report of the Steering Committee June 2024 posted separately.

Report of the Treasurer and Proposed Budget
After discussion, the report and proposed budget for 2025 were approved unanimously.

Possible Reorganization or Dissolution of the League of Women Voters of Melrose
Discussion about declining community involvement and declining membership.

Members participated in a broad discussion of the future of the League, and some consensus was reached for at least the next year.  Discussion included the possibility of disbanding, of creating a regional League with some surrounding cities and towns, and of changing how we interact with the public.

A potential new member, Gregory Werbin, spoke of his desire to be involved and the ways he has found that the community, especially young people, receives its news and seeks information.  It was agreed that traditional information sharing through newspapers and in-person forums has changed and most people use the internet and social media to share information, including voting information.  Suggestions for the League to continue to be an information source for voting issues included using the Melrose Community Facebook page, posters with QR codes in coffee shops and other gathering spaces, and using interactive applications to generate interest at events like the Victorian Fair

After lengthy discussion, it was decided that the League of Women Voters of Melrose will continue while trying several changes:

• Limit Meetings to four or five meetings a year.
• Find ways to stress that LWV is open to all.
• Work on doing two or three activities a year. Try to change our approach with each activity to reflect changing communication modes.
• Activites to continue should be: Candidates’ night in local election years, Victorian Fair annually, Melrose school voter registration programs, and our annual Meeting with the Mayor.

Short term decisions for this year.
Eileen Hamblin agreed to work on the Victorian Fair booth staffing (September 8), and Gail Infurna will check on the cost and reservation for our booth and report to Heather for payment.

Gail Infurna and Mary Landergan will look into Civics programs at High School.

Rides to polls for November elections if needed.  Mary Beth McAteer-Margolis, Anne DeSouza Ward, and  Gail Infurna will coordinate.

Our next meeting is August 13, 2024 at 7:30 pm. payment.

Meeting Adjourned.