Bob Harnish recently succeeded in having Pittsford pass a resolution condemning racism and welcoming all persons regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, age or disability and will protect those classes to the fullest extent of the law. Read the resolution here.
Encourage your town Select Board to pass a similar resolution. This could encourage conversations that need to be happening more often. It could also be a way for your town to become more organized in electing legislators who will represent our values.
Want some help? Email us RutlandCountyDemocratsVT@gmail.com and we’ll connect you with other people in your town who are interested in working on this project.
With Rutland County Republican legislators like Rep. Art Peterson and Rutland City Alderman Tom DePoy rejecting resolutions condemning the white supremacist insurrection at the Capitol, we need to start organizing now to elect officials who will represent our values.
The Vermont Democratic Party hasn’t been able to provide much support for town committees in the past. This is changing! With party re-organization quickly approaching in September and a competitive mid-term election in 2022, the Vermont Democratic Party is committed to using its resources to empower towns across Vermont!
The Vermont Democratic Party is calling their new initiative “251 in ’21,” named after the number of the towns and cities in our state.
Whether you’ve been organizing for years or you’re just getting started, please join us for the 1st meeting of 251 in ’21.
When: Tuesday February 2nd at 6:30 pm
Where: Virtual meeting
Dear Rutland County Democrat,
Are you committed to your community? Do you want to make a difference?
Have you ever thought of serving on your town’s Board of Aldermen or Select Board?
Are you interested in serving on your local School Board?
Do you know someone else who is?
Why? The Rutland County Democrats are here to help community members run for local seats. Too many towns are stagnating under the leadership of do-nothing politicians who still believe in outdated and ineffective trickle-down economics.
Who? We need people just like you—people who are willing to invest their time and effort in their communities. Together, we can build the kind of inclusive-minded region that works for everyone and brings in new opportunities.
When? Local elections are in early March, so it’s time to get to work!
Why now? We are facing unprecedented challenges. We need local government offices to be filled with people who represent our values.
Next steps: If you are interested or you know of someone who may be interested in running for a seat in the March elections please reach out to RutlandCountyDemocratsVT@gmail.com
We need a civilian with experience working in and with law enforcement serving as High Bailiff. As the one person in Rutland County who has authority to arrest the sheriff on state warrants, the High Bailiff has an important role in safeguarding our rights! But when this position is held by an acting member of law enforcement, a rivalry between the sheriff and the High Bailiff could lead to a misuse of power that undermines our safety. The opposite is just as dangerous—when the High Bailiff is just waiting his turn to become sheriff, it could lead to cronyism, with law enforcement escaping oversight as the sheriff and High Bailiff close ranks.
The High Bailiff’s position exists so that we can avoid that problem. The people chose to reserve oversight of the sheriff so that they would never be put in the position of being at the mercy of a corrupt system. So it only makes sense that we elect a civilian.
But this civilian needs to have experience working in and with law enforcement. They need to understand the demands of the job while never losing sight of what’s best for their community. Tabitha is that person.
At the Onondaga County Probation Center, Tabitha served as both the Assistant Director of Juvenile Detention Services and as a Probation officer. In these positions, Tabitha prepared social investigations and pre-sentence reports for the court; coordinated with families to divert youth from the justice system; acted as a liaison between families, judges and county attorneys; developed emergency safety plans; and supervised training for staff. She also delivered training to law enforcement in Tompkins County, NY on serving populations that do not receive the same level of service as other populations, including immigrants, the LGBTQIA+ community, Blacks, indigenous people, and people of color.
Tabitha is currently collaborating with law enforcement through her work on the Vermont State Police Fair and Impartial Policing Committee and the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council Fair and Impartial Policing Training Committee. And she is contracting with the Department of Corrections and the Town of Essex and Essex Police Department on community relationships and policing. In the past, she has also collaborated with:
* Vermont legislators working on several legislative items to improve policing in Vermont
* Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Public Safety, Michael Schirling, on the development of his 10 point plan
*Rutland City Police on efforts to improve community outreach and service.
But Tabitha’s qualifications don’t stop there. Her training and work in psychology and therapy make her well-qualified for de-escalating crises and mediating between various parties. As President of the Rutland Area NAACP and Training Coordinator at the University of Vermont, Tabitha has the administrative and leadership experience to step in temporarily for the sheriff if they’re incapacitated (until the Governor appoints a replacement). And as a mother with strong roots in the community, Tabitha will always prioritize the safety and well-being of the people of Rutland County.
Follow Tabitha on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TabithaMooreForHighBailiff
And learn more about her qualifications and the role of the High Bailiff: https://tabitha4rutland.wordpress.com/
A shorter election season means we need to donate & volunteer for candidates now!
In the Vermont Primary, voters returned their mail-in ballots quickly!
Everyone in Vermont will automatically receive a mail-in ballot for the general election. And these mail-in ballots will be sent out in mid-September. So we need to be campaigning hard in September and October!
Share this post with 10 of your friends and/or family members in Rutland County to make sure they got it.
Are you on social media? Be sure to follow the candidates and the Rutland County Democrats:
Like and share posts. Write your own posts and tag the candidates and/or the Democrats and we’ll boost them!
Links to the candidates can be found at
https://rutland-democrats.org/candidate-resources/
Be on the lookout for details about doing a literature drop. We would be leaving literature at people’s doors, not knocking on the doors or having a conversation. We would be wearing masks and practicing social distancing. If we do this, we will be trying to hit the entire county by October 10th. So we need a lot of volunteers!
Write postcards, make phone calls, and/or put out lawn signs for your favorite Rutland County candidate. Or join a Rutland County candidate in holding signs and waving at passersby! (While wearing a mask and practicing social distancing, of course.) This is a great way to boost visibility and name recognition for your candidate.
For Rutland County candidates, see the list of Events in our calendar or contact the candidates directly through the contact information listed here:
https://rutland-democrats.org/candidate-resources/
Phonebanking with the Vermont Democratic Party has already begun! Right now, they’re focusing on initial outreach to voters about the issues that matter to them. There will be more opportunities to phonebank for state-wide candidates in the future. To find an event, go here:
https://www.vtdemocrats.org/events
Write an op ed or a letter to the editor supporting your favorite candidate. Or share your reasons for not voting for their opponent – help inform the public! (for an example, see https://www.rutlandherald.com/opinion/letters/nix-peterson/article_dc483eba-6020-5131-bb33-8c5c1a230a05.html)
Let us know if you need tips on what to write or want someone to proofread your letter. And if you’re not comfortable writing the letter yourself, but would be happy to put your name on a letter that someone else writes if the content strikes your fancy, we can help with that too!
The below tips for writing letters to the editor were derived from https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resource/write-letters-editor-really-get-attention/
WHY WRITE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
WHAT IF YOU’RE NOT COMFORTABLE WRITING?
Ask party leadership if they have letters that have already been written that you can submit under your name. Many election committees have volunteers churning these letters out. They will probably have a letter that really speaks to you and seems perfect for submission under your name.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR LETTER
GET ATTENTION
1. QUESTION A BAD CANDIDATE’S “BRAND.” Pull from the “Biography” page of the candidate’s website.
2. KNOW THEIR RECORD. Research a candidate’s record on their website, in the news or in the legislature.
3. CALL A BAD CANDIDATE OUT-OF-TOUCH WITH THE DISTRICT.
4. SHOW THEM YOU HAVE A LONG MEMORY. Talk about an issue that’s not in the headlines.
5. PUT YOUR LETTER IN LOCAL TERMS… AND PUT A CANDIDATE ON THE SPOT.
6. DEFY STEREOTYPES. Papers receive many letters from strong liberals/conservatives. Show you’re different.
WHAT IF YOUR LETTER ISN’T PRINTED?
Don’t sweat it! It’s not personal. Newspapers get hundreds of submissions. They may print your next letter.
Your letter may help boost the signal on others’ letters even if it wasn’t published. When editors see a lot of letters coming in on a particular topic, they are more likely to print at least one on the topic.
You should still post the content of your letter on social media, tagging candidates you’re boosting. And email the content to RutlandCountyDemocratsVT@gmail.com to share on the Rutland County Democrats Facebook page.
Ultimately, letters to the editor are a long game. Keep trying. Your voice makes a difference.
| Rutland County comes in 5th on completing the census! |
Have friends & family taken the census yet?
We’re lagging far behind other counties in the state. And 45 other states (including Washington DC) have a higher rate of completing the census than Vermont.This will hurt Vermont and Rutland County!Take the census & send the link to your friends & family: https://2020census.gov/en.html?emci=08e03b8e-39de-ea11-8b03-00155d0394bb&emdi=fe130e10-95e0-ea11-8b03-00155d0394bb&ceid=4077357
Why does the census matter?
Take the census & send the link to your friends & family: https://2020census.gov/en.html?emci=08e03b8e-39de-ea11-8b03-00155d0394bb&emdi=fe130e10-95e0-ea11-8b03-00155d0394bb&ceid=4077357
Taking the census will also ensure that census-takers don’t have to risk their lives in a pandemic knocking on your door!
Anyone looking for a temporary job should consider applying to be a census taker!The work lasts until at least Sept. 30th and can be full or part-time. Vermont is paying $20/hour plus bonus pay for Sunday. And Vermont is trying to hire 1,000 more people! Help Vermont get counted. Here is the link to apply:
https://recruitment.2020census.gov/ats/careersite/census.aspx?site=1&c=census&fbclid=IwAR2kNUQPg1MZ7xUG7uNI1dxK9ztcG45NzjuZWZ8DigizugcxzsJox_bU
Thank you!
MoveOn is holding a peaceful demonstration to support impeachment Tuesday December 17th at 5:30 – 6:30 pm at Main Street Park, Rutland.
By choosing to attend this event, you are committing to participate non-violently and to work to de-escalate confrontations with others. You are also acknowledging that you are solely responsible for any injury or damage to your person or property resulting from or occurring in the course of your participating in the event. If you are going to bring a pet, please limit this to service pets only.
If your town isn’t on the list, please contact the county chair for your party and they’ll help you. It’s easy! Participating in town organization is an important way to increase your political voice. It gives you a say on leadership at the town, county and state-level. It also allows you to participate in the Vermont Democratic State Party Meetings to discuss the platform and in the election of delegates to the Democratic National Convention.
Rutland County Democrats Town Organization Meetings:
Brandon on Wednesday Sept 25 at 6 pm at the Stephen A. Douglas House
Castleton on Tuesday Sept 24 at 7 pm at the Castleton Fire Department
Chittenden Town on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 6:30 PM at 182 Mountain Top Road
Clarendon on Saturday Sept 21 at 6:30 PM at 1060 Teer Rd., West Rutland
Middletown Springs on Monday Sept 23 at 7 p.m. at the Middletown Springs Library
Mount Holly on Tuesday Sept 24 at 6 pm at the Mount Holly Town Library
Mt. Tabor on Tuesday 24 Sept at 7 pm at Mt. Tabor Town Hall, 522 Brooklyn Rd
Pawlet on Saturday Sept 14 at 9 am at Pawlet Town Clerk’s Office
Pittsford on Monday Sept. 23 at 7 pm at Maclure Library
Proctor on Monday Sept 23 at 5:30 at 89 Olympus Road
Rutland City on Tuesday Sept 24 at 6 pm at Rutland Free Library
Rutland Town on Tuesday Sept 24 at 6:30 pm at 200 Viewmont Drive
Shrewsbury on Tuesday Sept 24 at 6 pm at the Shrewsbury Free Library
Tinmouth on Friday Sept 20 at 4 pm at Tinmouth Library
Wallingford on Saturday Sept 21 at 10 am at Gilbert Hart Library
Wells on Tuesday Sept 24 at 7 pm at Wells Town Clerk’s Office
West Rutland Monday Sept 23 at 5:30 at Town Hall conference room
To organize a meeting for your town: email RutlandCountyDemocratsVT@gmail.com or call 802-353-0998
Huge thanks to the Rutland Area NAACP for putting together these videos explaining town organization – a crucial way to increase your political voice!
Why town organization matters: https://www.facebook.com/naacprutland/videos/365690074108979/
Nuts and bolts of the process: https://www.facebook.com/naacprutland/videos/2480761035300900/
For more information: https://www.vtdemocrats.org/reorg
To participate in town organization, email RutlandCountyDemocratsVT@gmail.com
We hope to see you at a town organization meeting and again
at the October county organization meeting!
Lights for Liberty: A Vigil to End Human Detention Camps, will bring thousands of Americans to detention camps across the country, into the streets and into their own front yards, to protest the inhumane conditions faced by refugees. More information can be found at http://www.lightsforliberty.org.
By choosing to attend this Event, you are committing to participate non-violently and to work to de-escalate confrontations with others. You are also acknowledging that you are solely responsible for any injury or damage to your person or property resulting from or occurring in the course of your participating in the Event. If you are going to bring a pet, please limit this to service pets only.
And please check out these suggestions for ways to get involved: Tips
Huge thanks to the legislature in passing legislation to support ethnic studies, fair and impartial policing, a plastic bag ban, safeguards for Obamacare, protection for pollinators, measures for clean water, negotiation rights for employees and more. For more details on the legislature’s work, see:
We hope that
you’ll reach out to your legislators to share your thoughts on their work.
Contact information: https://rutland-democrats.org/find-your-town/