WNDTC Meeting Recap • March 2, 2022

Fourteen members of the West Newbury Democratic Town Committee met via Zoom at 7 pm on Wednesday, March 5, 2022. Also in attendance were five guests: David Seaton, 16, of West Newbury, Elliot Kime, surrogate for Bero (?), Matthew Murphy, State Committee; Ken Thompson, State Committee, and Katilyn Solares, surrogate for Sonia Chang-Diaz. 

Chair Jim Sperelakis called the meeting to order at 7:04 pm, with a moment of silence in honor of member Joe Heyman who passed away in February.

Jim explained that the purpose of the meeting and the ensuing caucus was to elect delegates to the annual Democratic State Convention on June 3rd and 4th at the DCU Center in Worcester. The current plan is for the convention to be hybrid, part remote and part in person. Delegates this year get to vote on candidates. Candidates need a minimum of 15% of delegate votes to be on the primary ballot in September. This year West Newbury gets three delegates and three alternates, and the Chair also attends. David Belsky played the three-minute State Committee video caucus introduction.

Jim explained that he and David Belsky had received at least 25 calls from candidates/surrogates wishing to speak this evening prior to the caucus. Since this was an overwhelming, unmanageable number, they decided to have no speakers this evening, but rather to schedule those candidates/surrogates during our April and May meetings prior to the convention. David will collect the names/offices of all candidates and post that information on the WNDTC website.
 
CAUCUS
The caucus was called to order at 7:15 pm. Rebecca O’Brien was the only nominee for female delegate. She accepted the nomination and therefore was voted in by acclamation. David Belsky and David Seaton were the only nominees for the non-binary/male candidate spots, and therefore the procedure was the same for them as for Becc O’Brien. No one was nominated for alternates; Patricia Skibbee volunteered to be an alternate, with the other two alternate spots remaining unfilled. The caucus was closed at 7:37.

The meeting resumed after the caucus. Topics discussed were the probability of the there being a 3Tand2C breakfast this year; if there is one, it will be in the fall. 

The necessary forms/checks for delegates will be signed and checks collected in the next five or so days. Jessica Azenaro reported that so far there are no applicants for the Kathy Pasquina Civic Engagement Scholarship, but that she is hopeful there will be. The deadline is April 15, but it can be extended. David Belsky moved, and it was seconded and vote unanimously that the WNTDTC pay the Convention attendance free for David Seaton, our youth delegate.