League of Women Voters of Greater Lafayette Legislative Breakfast Guide

Transcription

1 League of Women Voters of Greater Lafayette Legislative Breakfast Guide December Select a date in February. It is always hard to determine when the legislators will have conflicts. Best to confer with legislators about dates that will work. Senator Senator S22 S7 H41 H27 H25 H13 H26 Reserve date at MCL cafeteria for both rooms. In 2015 no advance contract was required. However management of MCL changes so it is best to inquire about policies such as a contract, room rental with food, how many meals are required, costs of meals, tip included or separate/required, payment requirements, set-up arrangements, deadline for final arrangements, etc. Confirm with MCL payment procedure: pay the day of the event or send a bill to treasurer so that LWVGL can pay directly. Provide the LWVGL tax exempt number to MCL. Four weeks before event: Create postcards using template to invite members and advertise the event to others. Postcard should be edited to reflect any change in plans from previous year. Print postcards at Copy Mat in Village (at least 150) Place on account and send receipt to treasurer Request labels for LWV members from Database Manager Purchase stamps as needed and save receipt for reimbursement Place postcards in mailboxes for employees at the County and City Office Buildings. Distribute postcards in local retail stores with high traffic such as Sunspot, CityFoods, Matchbox and social service agencies such as LUM, MHA, etc. Create invitation. Send to all LWV members and urge them to bring a friend through LWVGL database manager. Send to all city and county government elected officials and employees. Send to local media outlets Journal & Courier, Channel 18, Exponent, WBAA, others Send s to everyone who RSVP d from previous 2 years. See mailing list. Send to legislators, asking them to share it with anyone interested. Post event on LWVGL website Post on LWV Facebook page. Post on LWVGL Twitter account Post event on community calendars on Journal and Courier website and WLFI, WBAA. Collect RSVPs. Currently RSVPs go to breakfast@leaguelafayette.org. These replies can be automatically forwarded to Legislative Breakfast Coordinator. Ask webmaster.

2 Find volunteers to fill various roles at breakfast. Moderator is most important to identify in advance. It is best to have 2 people for every role except speakers. Try to engage new people in some of these volunteer roles. (THE QUOTED USUALLY INCLUDES ONE SERVER TO KEEP THE ROOM SUPPLIED WITH COFFEE AND FOOD. LWVGL PROVIDES TWO VOLUNTEERS SERVERS TO HELP POUR COFFEE AND PICK UP DISHES SO THAT WE MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE GETTING UP AND MOVING AROUND THE CROWDED ROOM. THESE CAN BE THE SAME INDIVIDUALS THAT COLLECT QUESTIONS. THIS IS A GREAT JOB FOR AGILE YOUNG PEOPLE.) There can be one or two timers. One watches the clock and the other flashes the warning signs at the appropriate times (60 sec., 20 sec., stop) Volunteers Needed Greeter 1 Greeter 2 Registration 1 (inquire with treasurer) Registration 2 Server 1 Server 2 Welcome Remarks (President) Moderator Timer 1 Timer 2 Question Collector 1 Question Collector 2 Question Sorter Question Sorter Photographer 1 Photographer 2 2 weeks before event: Provide Moderator with script outline. (included in this document) Send Press Advisory to media outlets Send reminders to legislators. Send Press Advisory to Journal and Courier, WLFI, and Exponent. Remind Volunteers of their commitments Create a List of Volunteers to share with moderator. Place food order with MCL. People often come and want to eat who have not RSVP d so order a few extra breakfasts. In the past the order has been family style breakfast for 35 people with cheesy scrambled eggs, bacon, fried potatoes and cinnamon rolls plus coffee and orange juice. The cost is comparable to continental breakfast and people feel like they are getting more for their money. Use your best judgment for menu.

3 Provide MCL a diagram for room set-up. Below is diagram we have been using. It might be worth turning tables for seating to run perpendicular to legislators so that no one sits with their backs to the legislators. Food Q Sorters P Registration Legislators Coffee Coat Rack Coffee 3 Days before event: Gather League Display items to Bring to Breakfast. LWV Banner Table top display Officials Directories (New edition should be printed for this event) Membership Brochures League Voter newest copies District Maps and Poster Presidents Message Name tent signs for expected legislators Sign-in sheet for all attendees that will collect, name, address, and phone number 1 Day before the event: Compile RSVPs in an alphabetical list to share with volunteers at the registration table. Print any new signs that might be needed.

4 Day of event Be clear on how payment should be made with MCL and make arrangements accordingly. Bring to the event or assign volunteers to bring: List of RSVPs (Coordinator) List of Volunteers (Coordinator) Cash Box and change Receipt Book Checkbook (to pay for meal-if needed) Sign-In Sheets Name tags Small container for discarded backs of name tags Sign for Price of Breakfast Table Tents with legislator s names Stopwatch and cards for Timer Pens and pencils Index cards for questions League Display items (listed above) After Event Before leaving the event thank manager and server; confirm billing Send Thank You cards to legislators for attending. Thank all volunteers with a note or Write up Breakfast Report Seek reimbursement for any expenses Share sign-up sheet with Membership Committee so that they can follow up with prospective members

5 Notes: By: Moderating LWVGL Legislative Breakfast Liz Solberg 3/2015 Below on the second page is the script that I used for several years. Spreading around the moderating job gives the audience variety so changes are good! Some points that I found helpful to think about.. Beforehand: - Check the week before with the Legislative Breakfast chairperson to confirm the names shown in red and green below. - Prepare and mentally go through your script so that it can come across as casual/spoken rather than read from notes. - If needed, think about keeping track of which legislator had started the previous round of responses. You may be able to just remember! The best approach for me was making notes on a card to aid my grasping brain, so I needed a card and pen at the podium. - Confirm with the president or legislative breakfast chairperson what has been said to legislators about how long the program can last -- at least an hour (or more, hopefully) starting from the point after both the president s welcome and your introductory remarks. It may be that 11:30 has been projected as the end point. When to stop can also depend on how many legislators are in attendance and whether you cover most of the topics and/or run out of good questions; or the opposite -- are struggling to get in all that is in front of you. There has not previously been a visible clock in that MCL room, so I have always had a watch or timer sitting on the podium in (my) clear view throughout the program. At the breakfast: - Go early to be sure that the physical arrangement of tables is optimal, i.e. right placement for legislators, question sorters convenient to both the question gatherers and to the moderator. It s important to be able to receive those questions without distracting the audience.

6 LWVGL Legislative Breakfast Guide Let me add my welcome to all of you and especially to our state legislators (#41) represents the southeastern tip of Tippecanoe County. (#27) represents Laf. and the southern part of W. Laf. (#13) represents the western Tipp. Cty from (#25) northern part of Tipp. Cty (#22) represents much of Tipp. Cty (#7) represents northeastern Tipp. Cty. as well as all or portions of 5 other counties As President mentioned, the League of Women Voters is dedicated to informed and active participation in government and that s why all of you are here this morning, so let s get started. You will find cards and pencils at your tables. Right now and through-out the program, you can jot down your questions and raise your hand. and will collect your questions and bring them to and, who will sort them topically so that we can cover as many different issues as thoroughly as possible in the time we have. I will pose your questions to the entire panel and we will use our standard format starting with 2 min. from each of our legislators to hear about their priorities, committee work, or particular issues of concern. Our timer(s), and will give a 1 min., then a 20 second warning, before the time s-up sign comes up. Then, we pose your questions to our legislators do start jotting them down on those cards. Each legislator will each have 1 min. to respond and we ll move sequentially along the table alternating who goes first with each new question. And finally to conclude our program, each legislator will have 2 min. to share their closing thoughts. Our timers will keep us on track. We gather at a crucial time in the legislative calendar. The deadline for 3 rd reading on a bill in its chamber of origin is next Wednesday. (This statement will vary depending on when the breakfast is being held in Feb. and if we are in a long or short session of the General Assembly) Senator, will you start us off A special thanks to our legislators for joining us this morning; and thanks to all of you for coming. [What better way to celebrate and participate in our precious democracy!]