 |  | Public Forum on Homelessness and Affordable Housing
The League of Women Voters of Collin County will hold a public forum on homelessness and affordable housing in Collin County on Tuesday, April 2nd, at 6 pm at Davis Library in Plano. Our program is the culmination of a months-long process of researching this issue and updating our local league’s position.
We are honored to have the following professionals serve as panelists for our discussion:
David Gruber, Senior Director of Development and Communication, Housing Forward NTX; Jill Scigliano, CEO, Samaritan Inn; James Thomas, Student Services Coordinator, Plano ISD; Janet Collinsworth, Founder & CEO, Agape Resource Center; and Cristel Todd, Affordable Housing Administrator, City of McKinney. Click here to view the speakers' bios.
This forum will help educate our members and guests on the challenges communities face when dealing with homelessness and affordable housing and provide valuable information on steps being taken by local entities to provide solutions to this crisis.
This event is not sponsored by the Plano Public Library System or the City of Plano.
| President's Message
from Janet Imhoff |
LWV Texas Convention in Dallas!
Please consider coming to the LWV Texas state convention as a delegate from the Collin County League. State Conventions are held every other year in order to elect new officers and directors, pass a budget, and vote on a program of work for the next two years. We still have three openings for delegates representing our League and we would love to have you come.
- The convention will be held April 19-21 at the Embassy Suites Dallas Park Central, at the corner of US 75 and I-635. Optionally, you can stay at the hotel for $119 per night with an included breakfast.
- Workshops related to the League’s work in Voter Service, Advocacy and management are held on Friday, 11 AM to 5 PM, and Sunday from 8:30 AM to 11:45 AM.
- The Making Democracy Work fundraiser dinner is Friday night, 6:30 PM to 10 PM. It is optional and a separate ticket is required.
- A Silent Auction will have a lot of interesting items to bid on Friday night and all day Saturday.
- The Plenary Sessions are held on Saturday, 8:30 AM to 5 PM. Lunch is included. The registration fee for the Workshops and Plenary Sessions is $155 until April 5, and $175 after that.
- Click here to find more information and register on the Convention webpage.
This is a great opportunity for you to experience a League state convention and I hope you will consider coming. It is a great opportunity to meet other League members from around the state and feel part of the greater League family. Our budget contains money to partially reimburse delegates for their expenses. Please email me at LWVCollin@gmail.com to let me know if you register so I can report you as an official delegate.
|  | Primary Election and May 28 Runoff
Turnout was light in Collin County in the March 5 Democratic and Republican party primary election, less than 20% of registered voters. There will be a primary runoff election on May 28 for races in which no candidate received at least 50% of the votes cast. Here is a list of candidates. View the Collin County election results and Texas election results from the election. If you voted in the Democratic or Republican primary, you may only vote in the same party’s runoff. If you did not vote in the March 5 primary, you may vote in either party’s runoff.
The Libertarian and Green parties choose candidates at conventions. You may only participate in one party's selection process.
Local Election - May 4
Many cities and school districts in Collin County will hold elections May 4 for mayor, city council member, school board trustee, and bond and charter propositions. Early voting will be April 22-30. Prepare to be a voter – again!
LWV-CC helps nonpartisan organizations conduct candidate forums for local elections. For more information, contact lwvcollin@gmail.com.
|  | Program Vice President Needed
We are filling leadership roles on the 2024-25 Board of Directors and we still have one position open - the Program Vice President. This is an important position that has been capably handled for the past two years by Sharon Hirsch.
The Program Vice President chairs a committee that plans public forums in which speakers address issues that are important to the League and the community at large. We usually have two or three public forums a year on topics that are decided by the membership through our program planning process. League program is vital to keeping our members informed and educated.
The Program Vice President gets to engage the people that are working on Collin County's most important issues. Prior experience is not required and the work of putting on programs is distributed among the Program committee. We are more than happy to assist and teach anyone interested in leading Program.
|  | What is Observer Corps Like?
I recently joined the Observer Corps as the Observer for the Plano City Council twice a month. The meeting is streamed online and I currently observe from the comfort of my home desk. If I can’t watch live, I watch the recording later in the week. The meeting is extremely informative to understand what is going on in Plano. I’ve learned so much about the improvements, new projects, and general workings of the city.
The most interesting thing for me is the public comments. Any resident of Plano can speak to the council for three minutes, about anything! I’ve seen many protests regarding the council’s lack of declaration for a cease fire in Gaza, support of several development initiatives, to individuals making crazy cat videos to post on their social media. It’s better than reality TV, since it is reality!
I heard about the new drone service ordinance that recently passed, a new “destination” Porsche dealer coming to Plano, comments on short-term rentals and many more issues that are relevant to everyone who lives in the City. If you interested in joining the Observer Corps in your area or would like to help watch the Plano City Council meetings – reach out! We are always looking for more Observers.
In League,
Liz Holland
Observer Corps Opportunities
Observers attend public meetings to learn about issues that are important to the community and to take notes so that the League can advocate on our positions. Whether you attend in person or virtually, any member can participate. Want to sign up or just find more information? Visit our Observer Corps webpage to watch an explainer video, find more information, and download the report form. To sign up to observer any of the meetings below, email Jackie Fleshman at LWVCollin@gmail.com.
Upcoming Local Government Meetings:
Collin County Commissioners Court - Every Monday at 1:30pm - Full
Plano City Council - 2nd and 4th Mondays at 7pm - 1/2 Full
Plano Independent School District - 1st Tuesday at 7pm - Full
Allen City Council - 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 7pm - Full
Frisco City Council - 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 6:30pm - Need volunteers
McKinney City Council - 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 6pm - Need volunteers
McKinney ISD - 4th Monday at 6pm - Need volunteers
If you would like to be an Observer for any public meeting in Collin County that is not listed here, we would love to receive your report! To find all public meeting times, agendas, and livestreams, visit our Observer Corps page.
|  |
Lunch with the League - McKinney and Plano
Everyone is welcome at a social lunch with LWV-CC on Friday, March 22, 11:30-1:00, at Hydeout Cafe, 1751 Eldorado Pkwy, McKinney. Click here to register. If you are a member, please log in to this website before registering.
All are welcome to a social lunch with LWV-CC on Tuesday, April 9, 11:30-1:00 at Southern Recipes Grill, 621 W Plano Pkwy #229 in Plano.Click here to register. If you are a member, please log in to the website before registering.
|
Book Club
All are invited to the League of Women Voters of Collin County Book Club on Wednesday, May 8 7:00-8:00 pm. We will meet on Zoom to discuss ''The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America" by Richard Rothstein. We will share our thoughts on the book as well as various discussion questions. Click here to register and receive the Zoom link. If you are a member, log in on the website before registering.
|  |
Donate Via Kroger, Tom Thumb, or Your Employer
Here are four quick ways to help us keep Empowering Voters and Defending Democracy.
- Kroger will donate to a selected nonprofit at no cost to you. Simply log into your Kroger Rewards account at www.kroger.com/account/communityrewards. Enter organization code FS440 or search for League of Women Voters of Collin County.
- Tom Thumb will donate 1% of your eligible purchases to LWV-CC at no cost to you. Simply write 14290 as your selected charity on this Tom Thumb Good Neighbor form, and drop it off at customer service.
- Use your company’s giving program to donate to the 'League of Women Voters of Collin County'.
- Donate directly using PayPal at www.lwvcollin.org/donate. Checks may be made out to ‘LWV-Collin County’ and mailed to PO Box 866592, Plano, TX 75086. LWV-CC is a 501c3 organization, meaning all dues and donations are tax deductible.
Thank you for supporting LWV-CC!
|  |
The Essentials of Fact-Checking: Know Your News
Any news source with credibility, integrity, and accuracy relies on facts. In a time where not all news is based in truth, it’s crucial to grasp the basics of fact-checking when consuming media. Chelsey Cartwright, LWVUS Truth in Democracy Project Manager, provides a checklist that will guide you in finding fact-based media. Read the article here.
| Empowering voters. Defending democracy.
| The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan 501C3 organization. We do not support or oppose any political party or candidate. We encourage informed and active participation in government, and we influence public policy through education and advocacy.
| |