The agenda for the March 28 Meeting for the MCDP Central Committee indicated a short meeting — it amounted to twelve minutes of announcements and reports. The you-tube video of the meeting shows that after this agenda ended, I addressed the group starting at 12:42.

My name is Mike Bock. I represent the Democrats in Kettering 4-J. I first became a member of the Central Committee in 2006, was reelected in 2010. Did not seek election in 2014 and was elected in 2018.

I am very concerned about the party and I think we all should be. How do we create a strong party that has unity? This is the question we need to think about. How do we make these meetings of the Central Committee the kind of meetings that members want to attend?

I checked the sign-in sheet and counted about 60 members in attendance this evening. That’s out of a total membership of about 240. Thanks to Alison and Tim Benford about 110 new members have been appointed to the Central Committee since the Reorganization Meeting last June. This big increase is great, but it’s not going to matter unless as an organization we do better. We should be alarmed that in 75% of our Central Committee members are absent tonight. This is a tiny turn-out. We are not doing anything in these meeting that gives any member a good reason to attend.

I’d like for everyone to have a copy of an email I sent to Mark Owens. In this letter I am saying that the Central Committee must become a deliberative body and we must begin talkinga bout important things. We need to do the hard work of researching and dialoging about questions of real importance. In the letter I suggest six issues for deliberation. In this meeting, nothing of consequence has happened — there only has been announcements and club reports — nothing that would interest the 75% of the members who chose not to attend.

The Central Committee needs to discuss and deliberate important questions. We need to come to grips with what a twenty-first century Democratic Party should look like. Last May at the Democratic Primary, Democrats elected a new Central Committee. At the June Reorganization Meeting there were three big changes to the MCDP Constitution — pointing to a new direction of the party. The new Preamble says: “We the Representatives of the Democrats living in Montgomery County — in order to form a strong party organization that empowers representative democracy within our party and throughout the county — withing our party, and within the whole county — do establish the Montgomery County Democratic Party Constitution.”

I think we will become a strong party when we become a champion of democracy — when we become known as champions of democracy. I like the idea in the movie “American Creed,” that Alison referred to, that citizens need to work together to find common ground. What really unites Americans is our love for America. We love America. We all want our system of government to succeed but it is falling apart right now. We have no unity, we are pulling against each other.

Ralph Nader famously said that the Republican Party and the Democratic Party are like Coke and Pepsi. They are both trying to sell you something. People are cynical and sick of politics as it is now. We shouldn’t make it our goal to become better politicians. We need to stand for something. We need to stand for something as a party that transcends politics. We need to let people know that we are champions of democracy. We need to do the hard work of deliberation. We need to show our devotion to democracy by what we are doing in this room, by what we talk about in this room, by how we empower ourselves in this room.

There’s only 60 people here this evening. What does that poor attendance say? It says most members saw no value in coming to this meeting. We didn’t have an agenda for this meeting. We are not operating in a professional way. These remarks might sound negative, like I have some animus in my heart. I love you all. I want the party to be successful. How to make the party successful is the question.

Here’s is what we need to do. In most organizations, the real work is done in committees. Deliberation works best in small groups. Right now, this organization has no active committees, except, maybe, finance. (I turned to Kurt Hatcher and he verified.)

Where is the committee to do what our constitution challenges us to do? Where is the committee — “To connect Montgomery County Democrats within an extended MCDP community where every member has a voice…” That’s a big deal. Montgomery County has 60,000 registered Democrats. Why are we not brainstorming and making a plan for engaging our base?

Where is the committee that is studying the 2018 election in Montgomery County? There has been no report. Montgomery County voted for Trump and for DeWine. Why did we allow that to happen? Why won’t Democrats come out and vote? We have precincts that voted 90% – 95% for Cordray. It’s amazing. But these strong precinct only had a turn-out of 40%. What can we do to make 2020 different? Why aren’t we talking about this? What is our plan?

So, I’d like to make a motion …

At this point, although I had the floor, the chair recognized a young woman who had been waving her hand for some time. She identified herself as Kyle Tromley. (Later, I discovered that Kyle is 24 years old and works as an Administrative Assistant for Karl Keith, the county auditor.) Had Miss Tromley had an urgent insight that she just couldn’t wait to share, that would have been one thing. But, as it turned out, her motivation was pure harassment. She said: “I’ve been coming to every one of these meetings for the last two years. I’ve been active in campaigns. I’ve been working my tail off along with a lot of other people in this room. Every meeting we have to listen to hear you go off on this ramble, time and time again. But, I’m just interested in hearing what YOU are going to do to make some of these things happen…” There was some back and forth and I wish I had focused on Roberts’ Rules, and insisted that the chair control the meeting, but I did not.

So, anyway, I’d like to make a motion. I’d like to make a motion that …

At this point, the chair recognized Karl Keith. I hadn’t noticed that he had raised his hand. Karl said, “Madam Speaker, I move to adjourn.” (See 19:02 on video. The meeting had lasted 19 minutes.) Immediately there were three members crying “I second that motion.” Diane Walsh, the Vice-Chairperson of the MCDP who was chairing the meeting, quickly said: “A proper motion has been placed on the floor…” I said that Karl’s motion to adjourn should be discussed. I asked Karl: “Why to you want to adjourn?” He responded that “A motion to adjourn is always in order and it is non-debatable.”

After a voice vote seemed about even, there was a standing vote that defeated the motion something like 48 to 12. Standing with Karl to demand immediate adjournment were at least two of his employees in the Auditor’s office: Kyle Tromley, his 24 year old Administrative Assistant and also Mike Brill, his 25 year old Executive Assistant. Also standing with Karl calling for immediate adjournment was Russ Joseph, County Treasurer, and Jamie Rippey, Dayton School Board candidate.

After some back and forth, I started again.

Thank you for voting to continue the meeting a little longer …

Then I noticed that Heath MacAlpine had his hand raised. Again, I didn’t insist on completing my motion. Heath basically wanted to say that he agreed with one point that I was trying to make — the notion that the MCDP needs to be organized into active committees. After Heath, and after a young woman rose to speak something about working on campaigns and signing up, again, I was just about to make my motion when Kurt Hatcher, the Executive Director, asked to say a few words before I made the motion. I should have held my ground and insisted on making the motion and asking for a second. But, I gave the mic to Kurt. As it turned out, Kurt wanted everyone to know that he is doing his job and trying real hard. Karl Keith asked to be recognized and he said that since Mark Owens, the MCDP Chairman, could not attend this meeting that it would be good to have a one-on-one discussion with Mark, saying, “If there is to be any committees appointed, the chairman will be appointing those committees.” (Karl’s concern that Mark had not been included in my email was not founded. Kurt confirmed that when my email bounced that he forwarded the email to Mark.) Then Beverly King, the MCDP secretary also sitting at the front table, moved to table the discussion until the next meeting. The motion to table quickly got a second and I should have asked for the motion to be discussed, but I did not. The motion passed unanimously by voice vote — almost. I said “No” and I think I heard one other voice say “No.”

The you-tube video shows that entire meeting lasted only 30 minutes.

Here is the link to the youtube video of the March 28 MCDP meeting. (For some reason I’m unable to embed it.)

I appreciate David Esrati’s efforts to make transparent the Central Committee meetings of the Montgomery County Democratic Party. David was unable to attend and video this March 28 meeting but, thankfully, he found a substitute to attend the meeting and do the recording.

Prior to the start of the March 28 meeting, I spoke with Diane Walsh, the Vice-Chairperson of the MCDP. She was to chair the meeting because Mark Owens was unable to attend. I’ve never been to a meeting that Mark didn’t chair. Diane was sitting at the front table with Kurt Hatcher, the Executive Director for the MCDP. I told Diane that I was surprised that there was no provision on the agenda for “New Business” or “Remarks from Committee Members,” as I had expected. I told her that I wanted to alert her that at the end of the regular agenda, I would stand and ask to be recognized so that I could address the group. She, and Kurt, seemed noncommittal. I later discovered that after I indicated to Diane that I wanted to address the group, Diane spoke with Karl Keith and he advised her to recognize me and let me speak.

What transpired in the meeting was sort of a free-for-all. It would be an interesting example for discussion in a Roberts Rules class. I thought I had the floor, and the right to speak, but, as it turned out, I didn’t have the floor after all. There was a member waving her hand wanting to interrupt me and the chair allowed it.

The video is a revealing. For one thing, it reveals that my T-shirt was out of my pants as I approached the front of the room — grrr — and it reveals that the person who started harassing me is the Administrative Assistant for Karl Keith, our County Auditor. I thought I had the floor, but Kyle Tromley was allowed to interrupt.(17:54) Kyle wanted everyone to know that she’s worked her tail off for the party. She wanted to ask me what I’ve been doing for the party. Kyle, by the response of the group, is generously appreciated. In this freestyle meeting, I guess Kyle’s standing in the party made her feel entitled to interrupt my efforts to make a motion.

After Kyle warmed up the crowd, shortly afterwards — just as I finally as I was saying “I’d like to make a motion” — her boss, Karl Keith, stood and moved that we immediately adjourn. (18:58) When I asked Karl if he would please explain why he thought such an abrupt motion was appropropriate, Karl said that adjournment is a privileged motion and that there can be no debate. I guess we were following Roberts’ Rules after all.

As it turned out, when it came time for the vote, the whole Auditor office delegation voted that discussion in the Central Committee should be ended. The video shows that standing with Karl to seek an immediate adjournment was not only Kyle Tromley, his Administrative Assistant, but also Mike Brill, his Executive Assistant at the Auditors’ Office. Mike is also leader of the Young Democrats. The tape shows that Mike was the last to stand.

Another public servant voting for immediate adjournment was Russ Joseph, County Treasurer. Jamie Rippey, Dayton School Board candidate also voted with Karl. But wonder of wonder, miracles of miracles, the group voted down Karl’s motion to immediately adjourn — by a large margin. I appreciated the fact that most members wanted to give me a chance to speak, and only after another 9 minutes was there a motion to table the discussion until the next meeting. That’s encouraging.

A video can provide a good learning opportunity — Oh to see ourselves as others see us. Kurt Hatcher went on Facebook and said I had been “combative, rude and insulting.” I’d say “vague and meandering” would be more accurate. I should have done much better. Why hasn’t anyone ever warned me that I tend to ramble? Note to self: I should have made my motion immediately and after receiving a second, then the motion could have been debated. Instead, I sought to first address the group about the general idea of the importance of deliberation. Anyway, the discussion was tabled until the next meeting.

I will ask Mark Owens to print the language of motions concerning deliberation in the April agenda — will there be an April meeting? — and to email all members an agenda in advance of the meeting. Below is the front and back of the document that I provided to the Central Committee on March 28. (I’ve temporarily lost my capacity to store and share original PDF)

To: Mark Owens, Chairman of the MCDP
Re: Topics for Central Committee Deliberation

As voting members of the MCDP’s “controlling committee,” individuals on the Central Committee should engage in meaningful discussions and deliberations concerning the work of the MCDP and concerning the future of the MCDP. The goal of these efforts should be the
development of consensus decisions and well-planned actions.

Deliberation requires a lot of preparation and effort, and, I believe that, given the opportunity tostudy important issues, a lot of members would volunteer to participate in teams to preparethoughtful reports and recommendations for Central Committee consideration.

Here is my list of topics / issues I hope the Central Committee will deliberate:

1. Plans for accomplishing the 2018 MCDP Constitution’s Statement of Purpose: “To connect Montgomery County Democrats within an extended MCD community where every member has a voice…”
2. The MCDP finances and budgets over the last five years and the financial goals and
   plans for the next several years.
3. The 2018 Democratic campaign in Montgomery County. What was the ODP role? Why was turn-out in strong Democratic precincts so low and how can this turn-out be improved? What are the conclusions? What are the recommendations for improvement in 2020?
4. Plans for generating the strongest possible candidates for the open seat in OHD-39
   in 2020 in a way that honors the goal stated in the preamble to the MCDP
   Constitution to “empower representative democracy within our party.”
5. Plans for finding and encouraging Democrats to seek election to local city councils
   and school boards.

I am distributing this email to other members of the Central Committee and I’m requesting that you will address its contents at the March 28 meeting. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Mike Bock, KETTERING 4-J

 

The central battle in politics seems not so much about issues and logic as it does about identity. Voters are loyal to the political parties that they identify with. The huge opportunity for the Democratic Party is to become identified as pro-democracy party, the community building party, the unifying party. These three key changes to the MCDP Constitution provide the foundation for the organization to establish a pro-democracy identity that will attract unaffiliated voters.

Constitution: The Montgomery County Democratic Party

The expired MCDP Constitution can be read here.
The 2018 MCDP Constitution can be read here.

NAME:

Expired Name: “Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee.”New Name: “The Montgomery Democratic Party.”

PREAMBLE

Expired Preamble: (There was no preamble in the expired constitution, only a statement of beliefs.)

New Preamble:
We the Representatives of the Democrats living in Montgomery County — in order to form a strong party organization that empowers representative democracy within our party and throughout the county — do establish the Montgomery County Democratic Party Constitution.

PURPOSE

Expired Statement:
In accordance with the provisions of Section 3517 of the Ohio Revised Code,this organization shall be the “Controlling Committee” of the Democratic Party of Montgomery County.

New Statement:
In accordance with the provisions of Section 3517 of the Ohio Revised Code, this organization shall be the “Controlling Committee” of the Democratic Party of Montgomery County. The purpose of the Montgomery County Democratic Party is to represent and to serve Montgomery County Democrats. The MCDP advances this purpose by connecting Montgomery County Democrats with an extended MCDP community where every member has a voice, by advancing candidates of the people who are dedicated to public service, and align with the principles of the Democratic Party.

 

 

Interesting exchange last evening with Kurt Hatcher, Executive Director of the MCDP, following the March meeting of the MCDP Central Committee. I told Kurt that I’d like to be sent a list of members in attendance. Kurt replied that he would not honor my request because the Central Committee had voted in the January meeting to omit any record of attendance in the minutes of the Central Committee meetings.

I have no memory of a vote to make Central Committee attendance a secret. We checked the January minutes and agreed that there is no record in the January minutes of such a vote. Kurt said that since he feels certain that the minutes are in error, he will not include Central Committee attendance as part of the March minutes, nor will he honor my request that he forward the attendance information to me.

A decision by the Central Committee to make the record of attendance of its meetings a secret would be perfectly absurd, but Kurt’s memory about the January meeting might be correct. After all, in that same January meeting, the group voted that the email addresses of Central Committee members should be kept secret — even from fellow Central Committee members. Yes, read that again.

Ohio’s Revised Code sets out rules for elected bodies. I wonder if laws establishing transparency for elected bodies apply to Central Committees — elected bodies established by Ohio law? I am going to do some research.

In the May 2018 Democratic Primary, there were about 130 members elected to the MCDP Central Committee. Of those, only about 100 showed up to the Reorganization Meeting. Now — thanks to the yeoman work of Tim and Alison Benford — about 110 new members have been appointed to the Central Committee. (Unlike elected members, appointed members are not required to live in the precinct that they represent.)

This evening, of the 240 individuals who are members of the Central Committee, only 60 showed up — 75% of the Central Committee was absent.

I’ve got to think that wanting attendance to be secret is about absence, not attendance. Remember, every four years these absent members must put their name on the ballot and stand for reelection. Incumbents are rarely challenged. Members of the Central Committee supposedly are accountable to Democratic voters — that’s why we have elections — but, accountability requires transparency and in Montgomery County the Democratic Party keeps secret the record of attendance at Central Committee meetings.

The MCDP needs to make Central Committee meetings more meaningful.  Why show up to a meeting where nothing of consequence happens? Here is the agenda for last evening’s evening: The Pledge of Allegiance, the introduction of one newly appointed Central committee member, a report from each of the leaders of the four Democratic Clubs, an appeal to purchase Frolic For Funds tickets, a moment of Silence for John Chatman, and a pitch to attend the ODP Legacy Dinner ($200). That’s it.

After this short agenda was concluded, I asked to address the group. I pointed out that nothing much of consequence had happened in the meeting and that this failure to have a meaningful meeting is maddening — because Democrats are looking to the party for leadership. The Democratic Party has huge challenges we are failing to address. There is much to be deliberating about, but deliberation requires planning and effort. I pointed out that in any legislative group, or club, the real work is done in committees and then the committee’s research and recommendations are presented to the whole group for deliberation. Kurt verified that the MCDP has no active committees. There was more discussion and push-back. A motion was made to table the discussion and the group enthusiastically agreed.