MUD SLINGING AND A REALITY CHECK!!!!!

The House members voted on the Omnibus Health and Human Services Finance bill. This legislation covers healthcare policy and finance.

THE "NO-SPIN" RESULTS:

THE VOTES ARE RIGHT DOWN PARTY LINES-so much for getting along!

What does the Bill do?
FUNDING

1. Makes a $8.18 billion investment in healthcare to make it more affordable for all. This is an INCREASE in funding from the present budget.

2. Provides a 2.26 percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for long-term care providers (nursing home workers, etc?)

3. Provides 5 percent rate increase for home health care services

4. Reduces fees for parents of children with disabilities who receive assistance

5. Removes retroactive life estate liens.
In 2003, you couldn't hide your assets in a life estate to get out of paying for your long-term care and forcing the cost on other taxpayers. The Dems made this a winning issue in the 2004 campaign. The language in the bill fixes the problem by removing the retroactivity of the provision but saying if you created a life estate after Aug. 1, 2003, you must use the life estate to pay for long-term care rather than forcing ot her taxpayers to pay for you.

The DFL voted against reforms:

REFORM

1. Closes loophole that permitted state-funded sex change operations

2. Removes adults without children from eligibility for the state-funded insurance MinnesotaCare. This brings the program back to its original mission focusing on the the kids.

3. College students with access to private insurance through parents or their college can no longer receive the state-funded insurance MinnesotaCare

4. Slows down the growth of healthcare costs from 19 percent to 14.5 percent
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Following in lock-step the DFL failed again at fiscal policy and played the special interests card again....

Democrats voted against a 15 percent increase in health care spending that will make health care more affordable for all Minnesotans.

Democrats voted against a long overdue COLA increase for our health care workers.

Democrats voted against fixing life estate liens.

Democrats voted against abuse of publicly funded welfare health care.

Democrats voted against restricting taxpayer funded abortions.

Democrats voted for taxpayer funded sex change operations.


The list of Democrats who voted against the bill includes: Lillie 55A, Slawik 55B, Greiling and Scalze....

Anderson, I., Atkins, Bernardy, Carlson, Clark, Davnie, Dill, Dittrich, Dorn, Eken, Ellison, Entenza, Goodwin, Greiling, Hansen, Hausman, Hilstrom, Hilty, Hornstein, Hortman, Jaros, Johnson, R., Johnson, S., Juhnke, Kahn, Kelliher, Larson, Latz, Lesch, Liebling, Lieder, LEON LILLIE 55A, Loeffler, Mahoney, Mariani, Moe, Mullery, Nelson, M. Opatz, Paymar, Peterson, A., Peterson, S. Poppe, Rukavina, Ruud, Sailer, Scalze, Sertich, Sieben, Simon, NORA SLAWIK 55B, Solberg, Thao, Thissen, Wagenius, Walker, Welti


AMENDMENTS

Fritz A50

Fritz offered amendment prohibiting nursing homes from using the 2.26 percent COLA increase for anything but nursing staff salaries. The COLA increase could not be used for the clerical staff or janitors who help keep the place running. This amendment was opposed by the nursing home groups made up of nursing staff and administrators.

Democrats who voted for this amendment include: Lillie 55A, Slawik 55B, Greiling and Scalze....

Anderson, I., Atkins, Bernardy, Carlson, Clark, Davnie, Dill, Dittrich, Dorn, Eken, Ellison, Entenza, Fritz, Goodwin, Greiling, Hansen, Hausman, Hilstrom, Hilty, Hornstein, Hortman, Hosch, Huntley, Jaros, Johnson, R., Johnson, S., Juhnke, Kahn, Kelliher, Koenen, Larson, Latz, Lenczewski, Lesch, Liebling, Lieder, Lillie, Loeffler, Mahoney, Mariani, Marquart, Moe, Mullery, Murphy, Nelson, M. Opatz, Otremba, Paymar, Pelowski, Peterson, A., Peterson, S. Poppe, Rukavina, Ruud, Sailer, Scalze, Sertich, Sieben, Simon, Slawik, Solberg, Thao, Thissen, Wagenius, Walker, Welti


Kelliher A41

Kelliher offered an amendment requiring medical facilities to provide information on the morning after abortion pill to sexual assault victims.

Here are the Democrats who supported the promotion of abortion: Lillie 55A, Slawik 55B, Greiling and Scalze....

Anderson, I., Atkins, Bernardy, Carlson, Clark, Davnie, Dill, Dittrich, Dorn, Ellison, Entenza, Goodwin, Greiling, Hansen, Hausman, Hilstrom, Hilty, Hornstein, Hortman, Huntley, Jaros, Johnson, R., Johnson, S., Kahn, Kelliher, Larson, Latz, Lesch, Liebling, Lieder, Lillie, Loeffler, Mahoney, Mariani, Moe, Mullery, Nelson, M. Paymar, S.Peterson, Poppe, Rukavina, Ruud, Sailer, Scalze, Sertich, Sieben, Simon, Slawik, Solberg, Thao, Thissen, Wagenius, Walker, Welti Abesent: Murphy


Wagenius A53

Wagenius offered an amendment that would have put in statute language claiming farmers cause spontaneous abortions with the pesticides and nitrates (atrazine) they use.

The Democrats who believe farmers cause abortions include:

Atkins, Bernardy, Carlson, Clark, Davnie, Dittrich, Dorn, Ellison, Entenza, Goodwin, Greiling, Hausman, Hilstrom, Hilty, Hornstein, Hortman, Huntley, Jaros, Johnson, R., Johnson, S., Kahn, Kelliher, Larson, Latz, Lesch, Liebling, Lieder, Loeffler, Mahoney, Mariani, Mullery, Murphy, Nelson, M., Paymar, Peterson, A., Peterson, S., Poppe, Ruud, Scalze, Sieben, Simon, Slawik, Solberg, Thao, Thissen, Wagenius, Walker


THIS IS REALLY AN OUTRAGEOUS AMENDMENT: Otremba A71

Otremba offered an amendment forcing the average taxpayer to pay for the long-term care of the rich. Her amendment said if you put your money in an irrevocable trust for your children, the state can't use the money to pay for your long-term care. As a result, YOU get stuck with the bill.

Democrats who voted for this amendment include: Lillie 55A, Slawik 55B, Greiling and Scalze....

Anderson, I., Atkins, Bernardy, Carlson, Clark, Davnie, Dill, Dittrich, Dorn, Eken, Ellison, Entenza, Fritz, Goodwin, Greiling, Hansen, Hausman, Hilstrom, Hilty, Hornstein, Hortman, Hosch, Huntley, Jaros, Johnson, R., Johnson, S., Juhnke, Kahn, Kelliher, Koenen, Larson, Latz, Lenczewski, Lesch, Liebling, Lieder, LEON LILLIE 55A, Loeffler, Mariani, Marquart, Moe, Mullery, Murphy, Nelson, M. Opatz, Otremba, Paymar, Pelowski, Peterson, A., Peterson, S. Poppe, Rukavina, Ruud, Sailer, Scalze, Sertich, Sieben, Simon, Slawik, Solberg, Thao, Thissen, Wagenius, Walker, Welti Absent: Mahoney

To view the bill, go to?
http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=House&f=HF1422&ssn=0&y=2005


AND NOW THE "SPIN"....WHAT THE DEMS WILL SAY

Those nasty republicans are cutting too much.

WHAT is the reality and what really is the GOP doing?

This bill still signifies a 15 percent increase in the Health and Human Services budget. The fiscal responsible republicans are merely slowing the growth in spending in this area. If we continued to allow this part of the budget to grow out of control, we would need to double income taxes every eight years just to keep up.


MORE SPIN....WHAT THE DEMS WILL SAY

70,000 people will lose health coverage under the GOP budget plan.


REALITY CHECK....WHAT THE GOP IS DOING

Put in reforms to ensure the most needy -children, elderly, and disabled, have appropriate coverage. The 70,000 figure is based on the 2003 eligibility reforms and is SUPER inflated. The actual number of people that were disenrolled due to the changes was 11,300. This year's changes are expected to impact another 1,600.

Overall, Minnesota is very generous with its public health care. Minnesota ranks #1 in the nation for per capita spending on public health programs and the have the lowest uninsured rate in the nation per the UnitedHealth Foundation State Health rankings. In fact, many other states do not even have a comparable program to MinnesotaCare.

Maplewood City Manager needs to GO!

I've been contacted and asked to post these emails about the 1-1/2 year long fight the citizen's of Gladstone have been waging against city hall and now City Mgr. Fursman, who has not been apart of the process weighs in on the side of the developers.... read on!

Richard Fursman's MANAGER'S REPORT/ April 15, 2005

The Gladstone planning process is like a "Tale of Two Cities." It is 'the best of times, and the worst of times." The consultants' involvement of the neighborhood has been the best; more attention is needed however, on some significant staff concerns. A great deal of time and energy has gone into developing a master plan that reflects the views of the neighborhood. This is a great move that was overdue. The fear that I have is the neighborhood and the those closest to the planning will come away with unrealistic expectations.

A look at the draft proposals includes a low density plan with lots and lots of green everywhere as feasible. The only catch is a significant city-wide levy would be needed to make it work. I don't think we can count on the rest of the City to be understanding of a 10% tax hike just to redevelop one area of the City. I also doubt the Gladstone neighborhood wants to have a huge neighborhood assessment either.

The only reasonable reliable and handy economic tool in the box is tax increment financing (TIF). The only way TIF can be a reality is if the area redevelops with greater intensity and density.

Once a spoonful of economic reality and a pinch or two of fiscal responsibility are mixed into the pot, the soup will taste a wholelot different.

I'm afraid that those in the neighborhood who have been empowered to think that whatever they suggest is economically feasible will walk away feeling either betrayed or unheard.

The time is now for the consultants to bring the sobering economic realities in line with the expectations of the future development. Once this is done, the council and the Gladstone neighborhood will have to decide between renewal and higher intensity of uses and density, or the continued slow decay of the area. From: Richard Fursman

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Jan Steiner the Chair of the Gladstone Neighborhood Coalition and a member of the City's Planning Taskforce asked us to post these 2 emails she has sent out to the Gladstone email list....
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1) This is a very important point - The audience for City Manager Fursmen's report is directed to and is for the benefit of the City Council and this is his propaganda to them.

Manager comments: "low density plan with lots of green everywhere as feasible" "The only catch is a significant city-wide levy".

Comments:
First of all, this process was to establish the type of zoning changes that are consistent with the neighborhood desires and the character of the neighborhood. Maybe this is NOT a neighborhood that elects to be zoned differently to provide for high density housing and a redevelopment plan funded by big developers and TIF money.

Which by the way, TIF-(Tax Increment Financing)...
First we were told there was no plan of the City to involve TIF money - then Melinda said in an email that all of Maplewood was a TIF district - now the City Manager is holding out the "TIF carrot" to the Council as if by passing up the "opportunity" that Gladstone in "reality" will not be redeveloped. The point is that it won't be redeveloped as HE sees fit. Not as the citizens see fit. Who lives here anyway?

Fursman says the consultants now must do the city's dirty work to tell the citizens that their vision for their neighborhood is a bunch of "Hooey" and is NOT economically feasible from the City's big redevelopment high density plan. Melinda has always stated that the City staff has no "position in this" - I beg to differ. Just read the Manager's Report.

It IS economically feasible to keep the Savannah and open space...its already been paid for by tax payer dollars...

Now, where is Bob Cardinal? The man who 6 years ago in his campaign literature said that we (Maplewood) were not going to be another ward of St. Paul. Also, at one of the meetings when asked by Al Galbraith, "who was driving this?" - - Bob Cardinal said "He was driving this".

So who REALLY IS driving this? The City Manager, who Bob Cardinal has stated in the manager job evaluation, as the "most trusted" ? Or Melinda Coleman, who answers Bob Cardinal's emails, from Constituents. (Cardinal thanked her for such efforts at a recent workshop) Further, Bob Cardinal has stated to a developer, who lives in Maplewood, that the Savannah/Open space, is a waste of resources and should be developed. The same thing Bruce Mogren has said at the last Taskforce Meeting. (Mogren is taking up a spot on the Taskforce and does not live in Maplewood either).

And what about the "Numbers " Fursmen speaks of? We have been asking for numbers? Rental per square foot numbers, Density numbers. All kinds of numbers? Why don't we have the numbers? At the last city council meeting, Jackie Monahan-Junek said she makes no decision with out the numbers, Blah-Blah Blah. Now where is she... Never at a meeting, but she has made up her mind already about the need for high density in Gladstone - so that must mean SHE has the numbers. WHERE ARE THE NUMBERS!!!

By the way, who did the numbers? When were they done? We want to see a timeline of when the computations were completed and by who.

ALSO, THE CITY MANAGER HAS ATTENDED NONE OF THE MEETINGS AND DOES NOT LIVE HERE AND HAS BEEN VERY DISTANT FROM THE PROCESS. WHAT DOES HE KNOW ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE? THE CHARACTER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD?

We have a FLIP FLOPPING council...Cardinal will vote with the developers
Rossbach will feel our pain but will vote with the developers.
FYI: Rossbach has stated he will be running against Cardinal for Mayor.
Jackie Monahan -Junek, doesn't care.
Junenenman can't be trusted, as the back room meetings have proved.
Koppen will vote to save his hide...
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--A showdown is brewing----
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EMAIL #2

There has been some confusion on the roll of the city manager v. the elected city council and mayor. I hope this clears it up.

Just some background information. Maplewood is a "Class B" City in it's structure and organization. This means that Maplewood's City organization model is that of a strong City Manager and a weak City Council.

In other words, this means that a City Manager of a Class B city runs and manages the City, as well as provides guidance and develops recommendations for Council action. What does this mean to us? While the City Council can vote any way they want, the recommendations and opinions of the City Manager weigh heavily. The City Manager has the ultimate final say no matter what a consultant says.

I believe, without substantial reasons or legitimate information/reports or a voter uprising, the City Council members and the Mayor will not have a comfort level to just vote their "gut", if it is in conflict with the City Manager's recommendations. After all, he is going to school for his post graduate degree in City Administration (or some similar degree) which Maplewood is paying for in addition to his approximately $100k per year.

The bottom line is this: the citizens/neighbors need to continue to do their homework and give/develop viable legitimate counter arguments to the high density models supported by City Staff.

I too feel the Master Planners are doing a good job in facilitating the input from all interested parties - but, BUT, they are not advocates - that is not their role.

While I am hopeful the process will be a success, I also know we must be ever vigilant. We have seen the strategies of the City Staff change as time goes on and the citizens have adapted and met those strategies with our own responses and counter-strategies to those strategies.

The City Manager's report reflects another shift in strategy.

Special interest groups are being given authority to govern.

Environmentalist Water Bill Surges in Minnesota

A torrent of private property rights are being flooded out by a radical water bill (HF 826, SF 762) being rushed through the Minnesota legislature at tsunami-speed. Opponents emphasize this is a dangerous bill that threatens the private property rights and other freedoms of all Minnesota Citizens.

Supporters claim quick action on the bill is necessary to avoid development-related lawsuits, but closer examination of the legislation reveals that the Act itself is crafted so it can create an unelected Green Army, empowered to destroy development rights and drown businesses and homeowners under sweeping new regulations.

The Clean Water Legacy Act allows a Green Army of extreme environmentalists (called "citizen monitors") to collect information on Minnesota properties. The bill requires "individual wasteload data" be collected for all point sources in the state. Minnesota law defines "point source" as follows: "'˘Point source' means any discernible, confined and discrete conveyance, including, but not limited to, any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well, discrete fissure, container, rolling stock, concentrated animal feeding operation, or vessel or other floating craft, from which pollutants are or may be discharged." This appears to mean that "individual wasteload data," in addition to what is collected already, must be collected for

a. all private septic systems,
b. all private wells,
c. all privies,
d. all toilets in RVs, boats and aircraft,
e. all animal barns or sheds where livestock of any kind is kept or may be kept,
f. all road ditches and dry runs,
g. all drainage ditches,
h. all drainage tiles, and
i. any other identifiable point "from which pollutants are or may be discharged."

This bill is supposed to deal with surface water, but as it is written requires that all private wells be tested. How are the Greens going to have access to all this information? A companion bill (HF 1309 and SF 1371) to the Clean Water Legacy Act stipulates that authorized Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) which will include PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and the Sierra Club will be eligible to be designated as "agents" who can enter private property in order to "make surveys and investigations" without permission or warrants. That is, they can be enabled to go on any private property, without permission or any evidence of wrong doing and without due process of law, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to do their "investigations." Because this bill creates law that deals with surface water, the Greens can be enabled to do their inspecting on virtually all property in the state including private lawns in towns
and cities.

The Clean Water Bill also says that "each property owner served by a community wastewater treatment system under this program must provide an easement to the governmental unit to allow for access to the system for management and repairs." This means that your sewage system, for all practical purposes, now belongs to the government. Government and its agents can "repair" it and send you the bill. Government and its agents can now come at least to your doorstep, unannounced, and evaluate and "fix" your system. Does the word "system" include your indoor plumbing and toilets? Based on the definition of "sewage system" in Minnesota law, it appears that it does. That may be why we are told that some legislators are calling this, "the toilet bill."

What will happen when local officials drag their feet on enforcing a state law that is extraordinarily expensive in addition to violating the people's right to protection of "life, liberty and property" by means of "due process of law"? Isn't our right of private property trampled on when property is no longer "private"?

The Greens, of course, can be expected to do what they often do–they can be expected to go to court and demand that the law be enforced to the last letter. Local officials will then have no choice but to give the Greens what they demand.

Maplewood City Council race HEATS UP!

The word on the street is that Council member Will Rossbach has set his cap for higher office and is going to run this fall for the position of Mayor of Maplewood. This comes as no surprise to most of the residents of Maplewood. If you follow the happenings at Maplewood City Hall even slightly, you are aware of Rossbach's ambitions up the political ladder. The fact that he has barely worn any fabric off the chair he currently occupies, proves what most of the locals suspected all along.

Of course, Rossbach has nothing to loose by running for Mayor, as he will retain his council seat even if he looses the mayoral race. But, wouldn't be nice if Jackie Monahan-Junek would do the right thing and step down NOW, then all 5 of the city council members and/or their seats could be put on the ballot this fall. Life would truly be good!

Pre-Agenda City Council Meetings Interrupting elected Officials Lives!

Maplewood City Council members must be having a hard time finding the time to do city business.

The Council pre-agenda meetings are held on the Thursday before the Monday night council meetings. For the last 2 months, they have been cancelled (A quroum is needed).

The Mayor of Maplewood never attends these meetings as he should. So if neither he or Jackie are at the pre-agenda meetings, why should he point a finger and call the "kettle black"?

The council voted at the last workshop to have the pre-agenda meetings be held for 15 minutes (Yes! only 15 minutes!) and that they are all to make a "committment to attend." (Of course Jackie was NOT there, again).

So, let's see who is going to show up for a 15 minute meeting on the appropriate Thursdays at 4:45. Watch the attendence of Jackie, the Mayor, and Marv Koppen.

Speaking of Jackie Monahan-Junek....THERE HAVE BEEN ZERO Jackie sightings!!!! Life at the lake shore home is just too wonderful to tear herself away!

The "Pravda" Press Partisan Butt-in-skee's

The Pioneer Press's liberal bias partisan slip is showing again.

In today's Pravda 3/18/04 on the opinion page they spewed garbage about our hard fought and high cost dispatching system. They called our Maplewood mayor a "Luddite". I had to look it up, the Funk and Wagnalls described a Luddite as follows: One of a band of workmen who joined in riots (1811-16) for the destruction of machinery, under the belief that its introduction reduced wages and increased unemployment: called after Ned Lud, a feeble-witted mechanic who destroyed several stocking-frames: in English industrial history.

Now if the opinionated buffoon had picked his/her lazy "arse" up and actually checked some facts instead of spewing the liberal script coming out of the Ramsey County Commissioners and sheriff's offices he/she may have come to a different opinion.

If you'd followed the bouncing ball of our 911 dispatching system you would know that about 6 years ago a previous (now tossed out) unenlightened Maplewood City council let our very excellent dispatching system go to the county's sheriff's department, so our very politically motivated Sheriff Fletcher could buff out his chest as he climbed the political ladder of his own agenda.

The Maplewood residents said loud and clear-we want our own dispatching. Having our emergency calls filtered through the county only delayed the reaction time of our police and fire departments, that is proven.

After a couple of years the Maplewood Council brought back the dispatching (under the terms of the agreement with the county). BUT in the mean time, that council tore down the old dispatching offices and got rid of all the equipment.

So now, we are currently paying on a very large bond to put in the new 800MHZ system we currently have.

Time will tell what will happen but, The cozy-ness of the Maplewood City Council and Ramsey County has always been incestuous!!!!

Ramsey County is too deep into the pockets of the Maplewood tax payers-
• Recently the current Maplewood Council GAVE AWAY prime land on White Bear Ave to Ramsey County so they can build the county's new court house.
• Maplewood is hosting the Ramsey County Homeless Shelter
• Maplewood is hosting the Ramsey County Nursing Home
• Maplewood is hosting a large acreage of land in and around the Ramsey County Workhouse
• Ramsey County, also known as: The Ramsey Rail Authority (aka-Light Rail and the Rush-line) owns land through Gladstone and all of the Vento trail.

These are just a few of the very desirable properties where Ramsey County has its grip on the wallets of the Maplewood residents and no property taxes are being levied against any of it. Most these properties could be generating either commercial or homeownership property taxes but instead they are all in government coffers as county revenuers continue to raise the property taxes of the rest of us for their own agendas.

And consider this--everyone of the above mention properties owned by Ramsey County actually cost the City of Maplewood money everytime our emergency dispatching system is called and the police, fire or paramedics are sent out to repond to one of these county owned and operated facilities. Our EMS services are already strained we certainly don't need our calls being filtered through the county.

So, get off your lazy pedestals at the Pravda Pioneer Press and actually do some fact checking. This was a hot and contentious issue 6 years ago and I'm pretty sure it will be again. AND to the current city council PAY ATTENTION- the last council members crashed and burned when they voted to do away with our local dispatching.

Gladstone-WHAT IS THE CITY THINKING???!!!!

The phone has been ringing off the hook and emails have been flying in every direction about the newest "hair-brained" idea to come out of Maplewood City hall yet.

All the buzz has been about the "regime" at Maplewood City hall wanting to lease the land previously owned by Quality Restoration (between the Gladstone open space-The Savanna and the Marine/Boat works) on Frost Ave. for their impound lot.

Haven't we been hearing for the last year and a half about the blight on Frost Ave. caused by the auto businesses? Haven't we heard what an eye soar all the parked cars are? Not to mention that the city is already using the land behind Al's Auto for dumping the cars they have D&D towing pick-up.

The land they want to make into an impound lot is suppose to be some of the prime land for building the walkable, liveable community the city and all the circling vulture's (carpet bagging land developers) have been eyeing up. This property is the most desireable for building because there is no problems with contamination from leaking auto engines and no buildings to tear down to make way for all the population density they want to bring in.

The real BLIGHT in Gladstone is the entrenched, head in the sand, resume padding regime at Maplewood City Hall!

Where's Jackie?

Monday March 14th, 2005 the Maplewood City Council was called to order WITHOUT the Princess of Eveleth Jackie Monahan-Junek.

You remember Jackie our new council member who worked so hard to get elected she wiggled her way into the opposition camp, found out their campaign plans and then told them she would strike out on her own; only to be seen campaigning with the "dark side".

Yeah, that's the Jackie, who worked so hard to be elected and cares so much about Maplewood that she took a good paying job 200 miles away as the city administrator for another city then she threatened the Maplewood Review with harassment when questioned about her motives!

Yes-sireee, that's the one who says she can do it all!!!! Hold down a full-time job 200 miles away and make all the Maplewood Council meetings and the rest of the commission meetings she's suppose to attend and stay informed, much less actually care about what happens to the City of Maplewood. IF SHE REALLY CARED-SHE WOULD RESIGN NOW and let the council put her seat up for election so the citizens of Maplewood are given the chance to vote for her replacement instead of waiting until this fall and the city council then replaces her council seat with an unelected crony.

Yes, that's the wonder woman from Eveleth Jackie Monahan-Junek who was missing at the regularly scheduled Maplewood City Council meeting on 03/14/2005!

Meet U.S.Rep. Mark Kennedy in Maplewood

Congressman Mark Kennedy is scheduled to come to the 55A BPOU convention on March 19th at the Maplewood Moose Lodge 963, 1946 English St. (corner of English & Frost, across the street from the Maplewood Bowl) between 9 AM and NOON (The doors open at 8:30 AM). Please come and meet Rep. Kennedy as he embarks on his campaign to be our next U.S. Senator.

For the Delegates/Alternates to 55A the fee is $5.00 but ALL guests are welcome and FREE (donations cheerfully accepted). Pastry and coffee will be served.

The purpose of the convention is to elect new BPOU officers and delegates/alternates to State central, etc. You DO NOT have to be a current delegate/alternate to become an officer to the BPOU and we look forward to having anyone who would like to get more involved with our upcoming local elections; we promise to be finished with all business before noon.