We had our first indoor, in-person event at the Scarsdale Public Library–a visit with Dorothy Wickenden, author of The Agitatators: Three Women Who Fought for Abolition and Women’s Rights. Thank you to all of the community members who joined us for this fabulous event. Wickenden prepared a fascinating and inspiring presentation and generously answered audience questions and signed copies of her book.

In addition, we issued our Village Budget Consensus Statement at the Village Board’s public budget hearing.  

The LWVS Voter Service chairs are busy disseminating voter information on the School Board and Budget Vote on May 17. You may view the Proposed School Budget 2022-23 and read the League’s School Budget Consensus Statement. 

Soon we will be hosting our Annual Meeting and Spring Luncheon at Scarsdale Golf Club, where we will have another incredible program featuring Jerika Richardson, Senior Vice President for Equitable Justice & Strategic Initiatives at the National Urban League on the topic of “The Future of Voting Rights: Current Battles and Where We Go From Here.” At the meeting, we will vote on our Proposed Annual Budget for 2022-23, our Proposed Local Program for 2022-23, and our Proposed Slate of Officers, Board Members and off-Board Nominating Committee Members for 2022-23. Please note that you have to be a current year member in order to vote. We look forward to seeing you at our Meeting and Luncheon!

At this time, I fill various committee chairships for the 2022-23 League year. Please contact me if you would like to learn about volunteer opportunities and ways to become more involved in the LWVS.

Our Membership Drive for 2022-23 will take place in early September. We welcome our entire community to join the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale. You may email me with any questions about League membership.

SCHOOL BUDGET VOTE and SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION 

For additional information, please visit the Scarsdale Schools Voter Information Page.

The courts may delay certain primary races because of the redistricting litigation described below. In the meantime, we do advise you to check your voter registration status at the New York State Portal. June 3 is the last day to register to vote in person or to postmark your voter registration form (registration form must be received by June 8) in order to vote in the Primary Election.

Questions regarding voting in the Primary should be directed to Lauren Fields, Beatrice Sevcik, or Jessica Zellner, the LWVS Voter Service Chairs.

After New York State’s newly-created Independent Redistricting Commission failed to propose one set of US Congressional, NY Senate and NY Assembly maps to the NY State Legislature, the Legislature, within days, passed bills proposing its own maps, without any public hearing or opportunity for public comment or questions. Governor Hochul signed the bills into law on Feb 3. The Scarsdale League shared in the disappointment of the New York State League with this process and, in particular, with the Legislature’s failure to allow for public input. A lawsuit was subsequently filed in the New York courts, challenging the new maps. A New York State Supreme Court judge's decision on March 31 invalidated the new maps, stating that the Legislature had failed to follow the NYS Constitutional process approved by voters and that the Congressional lines also violated the new anti-gerrymandering provisions of the NYS Constitution. The Court ordered the Legislature to submit new maps, with bipartisan support, by April 11, stating that it would otherwise retain a neutral expert to prepare new maps. It did so on April 18, appointing Jonathan Cervas of the Institute for Politics and Strategy at Carnegie Mellon University to draw the new lines. This appointment may be moot, however, because the decision has been appealed.

IV. Budget Presentation: 2022-2023

V. 2022-2023 Local Program Presentation

VI. Report of the Nominating Committee

Ms. Richardson will discuss the National Urban League’s work in ensuring equitable access to the ballot box (especially for women, communities of color, and other marginalized groups) and in encouraging all forms of civic engagement--essential components of furthering social justice and strengthening our democracy. 

On April 3rd, League and non-League members gathered at the Scarsdale Public Library to hear Dorothy Wickenden discuss her book, The Agitators: Three Friends Who Fought for Abolition and Women's Rights. Her book examines the lives of three women – Frances Seward, Harriet Tubman, and Martha Coffin Wright – whose paths converged in the town of Auburn, New York, where they became collaborators in the fight for abolition and women’s suffrage as well as devoted friends.

Wickenden spoke of her personal connection to Auburn, the town where her grandmother, the subject of her previous work, Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Girls in the West, was raised. It was at Wickenden’s visit to the Seward House Museum that she learned of Frances Seward’s letters, discovered among other Seward family papers and deemed “worthless” by historians and curators. Instead, Wickenden found that these letters revealed a story that had largely been silent: the connection of these women and their truly revolutionary exploits in fighting to achieve equal rights.  

Links:

The Scarsdale Village Board of Trustees is currently evaluating whether to repair or renovate the Scarsdale Pool Complex. Lothrop Associates LLP Architects (LAA), a full-service architectural firm and its aquatics consulting division, Aquatectonic (AQT), recently issued an Existing Conditions Report which assesses the current state of the pool complex and sets forth the costs of repairing the facility and ensuring it complies with relevant codes.   

If you have any interest or just have questions, please contact Alissa Baum at [email protected].

The 2022 LWVW Annual meeting is Thursday, June 9, from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Scarsdale Woman’s Club. Come meet other local League members, hear about the past year’s accomplishments, learn about the 2022-23 Advocacy Program, and meet the new leadership team. George Latimer, Westchester County Executive, will be the keynote speaker. A buffet supper will be served. Register at the LWVW website.

On April 21, the LWVW and the AAUW hosted their unique one-day program for Westchester County female high school juniors and seniors in Running & Winning at Manhattanville College. The program goal is to support our young participants’ aspirations to serve in public office and develop their leadership potential, and at the same time, to help our government institutions increase gender parity. 

Thanks to Tracy Tang for all her work on the Village Budget consensus statement. Thanks to Elissa Ruback for her wise counsel and supportive work.  

Thanks to Lauren Fields, Beatrice Sevcik, and Jessica Zellner for their work on Voter Service. Thanks to Lauren Tetenbaum Dorman and Cindy Yau for organizing Students Inside Albany.  

Thanks to Dana Matsushita for her careful, thoughtful and detailed work on the LWVS Bulletin and our email communications to membership. Thanks to Joan Bowen for keeping the community apprised of our events and important voting information on social media. Thanks to Diane Baylor for taking such careful minutes at our meetings and for her excellent editing skills.  

Thanks to Erika Rublin for managing the League’s finances and Jenny Tabak for her work as statistician. Thanks to Diane Baylor, Dana Matsushita, and Jenny Tabak for helping with the logistics of our author event. 

Thanks to Anne Lyons for her work in planning and the LWVS Annual Meeting–no small feat in these still uncertain times. Thanks to Heedan Chung, Beatrice Sevcik, and Jessica Zellner for framing the discussion with our guest speaker. Thanks to Jyoti Ruta, Sara Pinto, and Kitt Rosenthal for their important Board work.

Thanks to Nancy Michaels and the LWVS budget committee - Erika Rublin, Diane Baylor, Leah Dembitzer, Anne Lyons, and Debbie Miller - for their work on the 2022-23 LWVS proposed budget. Thanks to Janice Starr and the LWVS Nominating Committee, Kerry Hayes, Dalya Khan, Heedan Chung, and Elissa Ruback, for their work on the 2022-23 Board slate. 

Thanks to Dorothy Wickenden, our guest author, for a fascinating and inspiring talk. Thanks also to Mark Fowler and Jessica Kaplan, owners of Bronx River Books, for providing additional copies of the book on the day of the event, as well as Librarian Claudette Gassler and Head Custodian Charlie Muscat for their hard work in ensuring that the event was a success.

Bulletins will be sent via eblast and posted on our website, Facebook page, and Twitter feed.

Contact us at [email protected] with any questions about your membership status or to change/update your contact information.

The TRY brochure, the directory of elected and appointed government officials published by the LWVS, is available on our website.