April is Earth Month
Here are ways we all can help the planet!
• Support Pollinators - Bees, butterflies and birds by planting gardens to help them survive
• Clean Up Plastic - Remove plastic litter from your neighborhood or local park
• Assess Household Products - Remove harmful chemicals from the environment
• Plant a Tree - Arbor Day is April 28th. Trees capture carbon and keep us cool with shade
• Use Native Plants - These plants thrive in our environment with less water
• Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - Be mindful of packaging and consumption
• Conserve Water - Turn off your sprinklers during rainy season. Don’t waste water, it’s precious.
| | Dear League Members,
Thank you so much for participating in our work to “Defend Democracy.” Please know that many of our members are actively involved in committee work, attending hot topic luncheons, zoom meetings and other planned events.
What can you do to support the continued success of our League? Whether you are a new member or you have been a member of the League for some time, I encourage you to check out our website, our Facebook page, Instagram or your email to see what we are doing on a weekly and monthly basis.
Or better yet, why not ask a fellow League member what they are doing to support the League of Women Voters of Seminole County? Your support is vital to the success of our organization.
April is "Earth Month" and our Florida League supports "The Right to Clean Water" initiative. See the report from the Natural Resources Committee below with information on the proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution and consider signing to support the amendment.
Lastly, the Florida League sends updates on proposed bills being voted on in our Legislature. Each bill is reviewed using our democratic values to determine if it should be either supported or opposed by our League. I encourage you to review this information, and then contact your state senator or representative to voice your opinion.
Every voice counts!
Geri Wright, Ed.D.
President, LWV Seminole
|  | | | |
Our League Supports "The Right to Clean Water"
The League of Women Voters Florida supports the petition drive for an amendment to the Florida Constitution. “The Right to Clean Water”, is aimed at agencies in the state who have approved permits that harm or threaten to harm waters.
What does the amendment do? “It creates a fundamental right to clean and healthy waters, clarifies prohibited actions and inactions that harm (or threaten to harm) waters, and defines important terms. It also allows Floridians to enforce this right through the ability to sue state executive agencies that violate this right, empowering courts to look at the science and truth (and not politics) of what’s going on before awarding equitable relief to the situation.”
According to WUSF, Florida ranked first in a recent report as having the highest number of acres of lakes too polluted to swim in or for healthy aquatic life. Manatees are dying as polluted waters have killed seagrass, a vital part of their survival. These, among other reasons, are why the League of Women Voters Florida supports the petition drive for an amendment to the Florida Constitution.
If you have not already done so, please consider signing a petition to allow Floridians to make a choice about our imperiled waters. The petition can be downloaded at the website, floridarighttocleanwater.org. |  | | | Upcoming April Events
Check our Calendar for Registration | Upcoming May Events
Suicide Awareness Symposium
Thursday, May 11 6:30 -8:30 pm
Holy Cross Church 780 N Sun Drive Lake Mary
The LWVSC Gun Violence Prevention Action Team and Mental Health Team are proud to present this important discussion designed to raise awareness of this issue, provide facts and identify resources. Topics to be covered include facts about suicide, what happens when you call 911, how to use the new 988 system, resources for survivors and families and utilizing risk protection orders to protect an at-risk loved one. Free gun locks will be available from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
Panelists will include representatives from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Equality Florida, SCSO Behavioral Unit, Advent Health, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Heart of Florida United Way.
| SAVE THE DATE
If Your Pipes Could Talk...Women and Water
What: AAUW-FL Funded Project Grant: Orlando/Winter Park and Daytona Beach Branches and the League of Women Voters Seminole County in-person EVENT
- Learn about and receive information on friendly activities in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry, garage – Dr. Pat Wilson, AAUW and Seminole County Soil and Water Conservation Commissioner
- FREE products: for safe cleaning, disposal of fats and pharmaceuticals
- New Animated Film “Sewage: If Your Pipes Could Talk”
- Presentations by Experts on the good, the bad and stinky of waste water treatment; environmental sciences and water and training the next generation in innovative programs
- …..and much more – snacks, brainstorming session, chance to sign the Florida Right to Clean Water amendment
When: Saturday, May 6, 2023, 1:00-4:00 pm
Where:University of Florida/ Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) County Extension Building, 250 County Road, Sanford, FL 32773
Free Registration:
Call: Leslie Sue Lieberman at 321-231-2007 -or- email lslieberman@gmail.com
Volunteers Needed: How would you like to help?
*Set-up *Take down *Moderate a Q & A Discussion
*Facilitate a Round Table Discussion | SafeHouse Seminole
March Hot Topic Information | |
The March Hot Topic presentation featured Jessica Telchi, SafeHouse of Seminole Outreach Coordinator. Ms. Telchi discussed domestic violence in Seminole County and shared information on resource.
SafeHouse Seminole has been a partner, advocate, and resource center for survivors and families affected by domestic violence since 1995. It acts as a catalyst for change working towards a safe future for all, providing counseling programs, personal advocacy services, and emergency shelter for people and families in need.
One service provided for survivors is coaching in re-entering the job market, and donations of professional apparel are needed. You can learn more about the services and volunteer opportunities at Safehouse of Seminole
24-Hour Crisis Hotline – 407-330-3933
| | | MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Deb Carswell
|  | | Deb Carswell
When asked why she joined the League, Deb responded “I joined League because I believe in good government operating in the "sunshine."
What I like is how the League deals in a non-partisan way with all aspects of one’s life: education, natural resources, health, government, transportation, voting rights. women rights, diversity, immigration, taxes, solar power, farm workers, domestic abuse, and the court system. As an organization, we govern by grassroots consensuses after studying an issue, not succumbing to media blitz.
In the past I have served the League of Women Voters of Seminole County: as President for two (2) terms, as a Board Member, as Legislative Chair, as Chair of the Pass 911 Committee, and as Chair of the 100th Anniversary Committee. I have lobbied in Tallahassee as well as attended several State conventions and the National convention when it was held in San Diego.
At the state level, I served on the League of Women Voters of Florida Board as Education Chair, chaired the LWVF study on vouchers and wrote the League voucher position in 1994. Also, I chaired the state convention with the theme "The M & Ms of League - Money and Membership.”
On a personal note, I love spending time each month with my two (2) grand babies, volunteering at church, at the Longwood Historical Society, at the Ritz Theatre in Sanford, and at the Seminole County Friends of Library Book store. I enjoy traveling and reading. This year I started birding in January, and I am trying an attempt at gardening!
In conclusion, “I love the League because as an organization, we are educated, strong and respected.”
| | |  | SEMINOLE FOREVER
Proposal
From mynews13.com: “Seminole County commissioners are working on an ordinance to acquire land critical to conservation efforts, like protecting water, because most drinking water comes from aquifers underground that naturally filter and hold groundwater.
"Every time I talk to a citizen, they say, 'Yes, we understand growth is going to be here, but please protect our natural resources,'" said Seminole County Commissioner Lee Constantine. Even though residents may agree on the goal, there are different ideas on how to achieve it.
Save Rural Seminole president, David Bear, proposed putting a measure on the November ballot to let residents vote on a tax to buy natural lands and protect them. "The most common way that counties preserve natural lands is the way Seminole County did it in 1990 and 2000, which is they put a referendum to the citizens who say, 'Yes, this is a value we hold and we choose to add an additional property tax or sales tax on ourselves to allow the county to purchase and preserve natural lands,'" he said.
That proposal, though, was rejected by county commissioners in favor of a plan presented by Constantine called "Seminole Forever" — which is modeled after the state’s Florida Forever conservation program. "I think that it’s so important as a core value of local government, and the state for that matter, that we should embed it right in our budget," Constantine said.
His plan is to put $5 million a year into the natural land acquisition program and create a board that would make recommendations on which properties the county should buy for long-term protection of water preserves."As we continue to grow as all counties in Florida, if we don’t look to protect those lands that are available today, we may not have the chance in the future," Constantine said.
Bear is optimistic the board will fund Seminole Forever.
"We just want to make sure the county has funding to acquire natural lands, we don’t really care how you do it," he said. "But if you’re going to do it this way, instead of allowing citizens to vote on it, then we are going to take that as a promise." Constantine said changes to the plan would require a super majority, meaning four of out of the five board members would have to agree on them. | SEMINOLE COUNTY CHARTER REVIEW | Seminole County is one of 20 counties in Florida that has a home rule charter. This means the county adopted a local constitution or charter that describes the structure, role, and function of our county government and gives the residents of the county the opportunity to design the government that best meets the needs of our community.
The charter was originally adopted in 1988 and took effect in 1989. There is a requirement in the charter that a citizen’s committee (CRC) be appointed every six years to review the charter and make recommendations for any changes it deems necessary. The only way a charter can be changed is for a majority of the registered voters in the county to approve it.
The Seminole Charter is due for review this year with any recommended changes on the ballot in November of 2024. A 15-member citizen’s committee will be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners in August and will begin meeting in September.
In anticipation of this, the League Board has approved the establishment of an ad hoc Charter Review Committee to do our own review of the charter. We will then monitor the work of the CRC, advocating for the changes we would like to see made to the charter. Marilyn Crotty is chairing the committee and will provide periodic updates and educational programs to the membership as the work of the committee progresses. If you have any suggestions about changes you would like to see in the charter or for more information, please contact Marilyn at marilyncrotty07@gmail.com. |  | Vote-by-Mail Reset Toolkit
Due to Florida's Senate Bill 90 (2021), all registered Florida voters who want to vote by mail in 2023-2024 must submit a NEW vote-by-mail ballot request to their county Supervisor of Elections!
Municipal Elections are fast approaching in many parts of the state, and the deadline to request a ballot be mailed to you is 10 days before a local municipal election date.
LWVFL has created a toolkit with League branded assets to help spread the word about this. Please utilize this kit within your own networks and on any League channels you see fit.
| LWVSC Name Badges
Would you like to have a name badge for when you attend LWV events? Or would you like to have one with the new LWV logo on it? If you are a board member, you can request the badge with your position on it, such as Voter Registration Chair or Secretary. Otherwise, it will have your name along with the current LWV logo on it.
The cost for a badge is $10.00. If you are interested, please let Lynn Fenster know by emailing her at lfenster.lwv@gmail.com or telling her at an upcoming Hot Topic.
| |