7/27 OVDC Acting President Message for OVDC MEETING

Good Afternoon and welcome to the first meeting of the Ojai Valley Democratic Club in 2025. In accordance with our bylaws, accepted by the Ventura County Democratic Central Committee: The Ojai Valley Democratic Club is the official voice of the Democratic Party in the Ojai Valley. Today I need your help and input on four important topics: Rechartering, Officer Elections, amending our bylaws, and deciding what important issues our club should work on next. 

Rechartering

Last Tuesday, Secretary Roth and I attended the VCDCC meeting where our charter was renewed and the charter for another regional Democratic Club operating in the "Ojai area" was established. As part of our charter renewal, we were given a Chartering Plan to complete before charters are renewed next year. The full text of the chartering renewal is available on request. In summary, VCDCC ask us to: Amend our bylaws in several locations (the proposed new bylaws are noticed on our website); hold three more meetings in 2025 which are advertised to the public; send someone to attend VCDCC meetings; Complete FPPC filings for various years; submit monthly and quarterly reports; invite a VCDCC representative to oversee our elections and endorsements; and renew our commitment to the values of collaboration, accountability, and respectful and inclusive engagement. I ask you all for an advisory vote to affirm the Club's commitment to the Chartering Plan. There is of course always an option to form a Club independent of the VCDCC. While I do not favor this option, I welcome members to vote their conscience. 

Officer Elections

We invite President Marco Cuevas from the Ventura Democratic Club to help oversee our elections. Voting members will be issued voter cards to use in voting. Generally, I recommend you elect our current executive board for a term lasting until the January 2026 Annual Meeting. Continuity will aid our club in completing the Chartering Plan. Our acting Treasurer Vicky Clarke needs to step down August 1st for family reasons. We are in desperate need of a treasurer and anyone with interest should alert me. We expect minimal financial transactions in 2025, and the role of Treasurer will be much less complicated than it has been in the past. 

Bylaws 

Our website includes notice of proposed bylaws changes. Per our bylaws these can not be adopted today and will be presented at the next regular meeting. 

Future Agenda Items

I hope we have ample time to talk about where we are going as a club, what policies we advocate, and what issues we want to learn more about. Through speakers, debates, and forums we have the opportunity to build bridges in our community and make the Ojai Valley an even better place. Our Club believes that everyone in this Valley deserves to live in dignity. This means that people who work here should be able to afford to live here. It means building more homes needs to be part of our community's vision. It means we need to protect each other from fire, ICE raids, and dangerous roads. This work we must do together, and I hope this club is the impetus for the changes we need. 

We will do this work collaboratively, being inclusive even to those who disagree with us. We will do it respectfully, with humility, and mindful of the fierce urgency of now. We will hold our government accountable to transparency, and hold ourselves accountable to action for the common good. 

Juntos Podemos. 

Dr. Starchild Weivoda, DO

Acting President Ojai Valley Democratic Club