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★★★★★
Executive Board Member Reports
Juliana McMahan, Chair
Kitsap County Convention Report
On February 10 a record number of Republicans (350) gathered together at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds for our convention--which only happens every four years. Many thanks to all those who worked so hard to make it possible! The delegates not only participated in this very important process, but they also had a great time socializing with other Republicans!
The convention attendees got to hear from several candidates including an in-person speech from Keith Serrano who is running for Attorney General. You can listen to his excellent speech at this link: rumble.com/v4deb7o-elect-pete-serrano-candidate-for-wa.-attorney-general.html
The delegates elected our 98 delegates to the State Convention (plus 3 automatic delegates) for a grand total of 101 delegates to represent in Spokane. The following people were elected to serve on State Convention Committees: Platform & Resolutions = Elizabeth Doll; Rules = Heather George; and Credentials = Patti Schlack.
In addition, we endorsed the following Republican candidates:
- Michelle Caldier for 26th Legislative District State Representative, Position 2
- Dan Griffey for 35th Legislative District State Representative, Position 1
- Travis Couture for 35th Legislative District State Representative, Position 2
And last, but not least, after over 200 committee hours plus additional work by the convention delegates, KCRP now has a new Platform and we passed a series of Resolutions/Policy Statements to help voters better understand our party. You can find copies of those documents at the links below.
www.KitsapRepublicans.com/platform
www.KitsapRepublicans.com/resolutions
★★★★★
KCRP is looking to hire a full-time employee who will help execute our strategic plan of turning Kitsap County red! If you know if someone who might be interested, please email chair@kitsaprepublicans.com for a job description.
★★★★★
Sean Murphy, Vice Chair
He is chairing the Event Committee and they put together rudimentary plans for four events that will be a combination of community building and fundraiser for the party—one for each season.
★★★★★
John Cameron, State Committeeman
There are a lot of people working really hard right now, more than I’ve ever seen. We are creating SMART metrics (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound) to achieve our goals. More PCO applications were filled out at our precinct caucuses than we’ve ever had before! There’s still more work to do. Recruit, recruit, recruit.
X/Twitter Spaces: I am hosting a Twitter Space every Tuesday from 10-noon. Our message is focused on conservative grassroots. Look for **WA State Precinct Committee Officer Roundtable**. Twitter Spaces is a LIVE radio interview platform that you only need your phone to participate in.
★★★★★
Elizabeth Doll, State Committeewoman
She was very involved in preparations for the Roanoke Conference in January, and it was absolutely stellar. They hosted 600 Republicans and had lots of rousing discussions and classes.
She also attended the State Committee Meeting on January 20 in Longview. WSRP has encouraged county parties to consider passing the state resolution on Informed Consent. She will draft a version for KCRP to consider at their March meeting.
★★★★★
Shelly McKinley-Olson, Treasurer
The Lincoln Day Dinner is being held on March 9 at the Kitsap Golf and Country Club. Tickets are on sale right now. Rose has created a beautiful website for us. We still need sponsors and auction items. Bethany Gray has done an amazing job getting sponsorships.
We can always use volunteers for the day of the dinner—helping to do set-up, greeting, and all the other little things that need to be done. Please let her know if you can help.
She seconded what Linda said (below) to watch for those Calls to Action alerts from the Conservative Ladies. It takes only a minute to go in and do a response of pro or con. It will auto-populate as you do more of them. So easy and intuitive.
★★★★★
Linda Popp, Secretary
She recommends everyone subscribe to the Conservative Ladies of Washington updates. They send regular emails during the Legislation Session with bills of concern and action links. Because of their emails, she has shared her position on over 66 bills. It is shocking, in case you’re not aware, what the democrats are trying to pass. It’s very important to let your lawmakers know what you think.
She got a call from a North Kitsap School Board Director about a potential school board member opening in District 1. If you know of anyone who will make a good school board director, please encourage them to apply. We really need another conservative candidate there! If you have any questions, please contact her.
★★★★★
Jamie Miles, Bainbridge Island
They are working to find a date to host a dinner and movie night. She wants to build community networks to help everyone get to know their neighbors and what resources are available in case of an emergency. She is thinking of starting an informal medical minute to share at meetings.
★★★★★
John Johanson, Bremerton
He has been working to oppose the Bremerton school bond and levy. Chuck DeCosta and Francis Doyle have helped him, and they have published a website to help educate people about it. He is looking forward to working on the website and other projects.
★★★★★
Janell Hulst, North Kitsap
She reported on the North Kitsap Superintendent sign stealing issue [detailed article later in this newsletter]. There is a lot of evidence being brought forward. She’s very thankful that things are being done to exposed what is happening “in the dark.” Please continue to pray.
★★★★★
Francis Doyle, South Kitsap
He’s been attending SKSD school board meetings. They are now asking people to submit questions and comments in writing so they can better moderate the discussion (after some citizens used comment time to go off on rants about issues that weren’t on the agenda or what’s happening in the school district). They have new school board members and are helping them get up to date by holding study sessions.
The school board says they have goals and a plan to improve test scores in math, science, and language arts. Their goals are ambitious (6% linear progress in each subject). He hasn't seen a realistic plan on how to achieve them. A student can’t learn if they’re not attending school. Only 45% of students meet the threshold of less than 19 days of absence per school year. Taxpayers are paying a lot of money to educate kids which aren’t attending school regularly.
He sat in on a 7th grade English language arts class. There are a lot of students who don’t speak English as their primary language. The teachers are doing their best to communicate with them to help them become proficient.
He has been monitoring ballots for the levy elections in Bremerton and Central Kitsap. Please let him know if you would like to volunteer to observe the ballot process for this or future elections. It is a great learning experience about how things work.
★★★★★
Volunteers Needed!
If you have been looking for opportunities to volunteer, now is a great time! Below are some key opportunities to help:
Volunteer to help with our upcoming Lincoln Day Dinner on Saturday, March 9, 2024. The Lincoln Day Dinner is fast approaching. The committee is in need of some assistance. If you would like to help, please contact Shelly at shellypco255@gmail.com. Thank you!
Please purchase your tickets and encourage others to do the same before they are all gone (www.kitsaprepublicans.com/lincoln-day-dinner). This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and will finance the bulk of our budget in the upcoming year.
Volunteer to help on one of the many KCRP Committees. Some key committees: Events chaired by Sean Murphy; PCO chaired by John Cameron; Candidate Recruitment chaired by John Johanson; Lincoln Day Dinner chaired by Shelly McKinley-Olson; and Election Integrity chaired by Francis Doyle.
★★★★★
Thoughts and stray input
Found in an old school civics curriculum: The Greek word for idiot, literally translated, means 'one who does not participate in politics'. That sums up my conviction on the subject.
★★★★★
North Kitsap Superintendent Caught Stealing Campaign Signs
February 8, 2024: A North Kitsap School Board Meeting was held (with standing room only) to discuss the allegations that Dr. Laurynn Evan (the NKSD Superintendent who was paid $284,704 for the 2022-23 school year) had been stealing campaign signs against a school levy. Around thirteen citizens had an opportunity to talk about Dr. Evans and her destruction of campaign signs. "Actions have consequences", "golden parachute", "lack of transparency", "we need to model honest and ethical behavior", "hostile work environment", and "the community is watching" were but some of the phrases heard. Dr. Evans was placed on paid administrative leave by the end of the meeting.
www.kiro7.com/news/local/north-kitsap-sd-superintendent-paid-administrative-leave-after-allegedly-stealing-campaign-signs/YGCJNDXULBHK3INM56VNP2WHUI
www.kiro7.com/news/local/kitsap-county-prosecutor-reviews-case-involving-superintendent-allegedly-stealing-campaign-signs/CAHWLZEZWREJBHVAO2YEVURFU4
School Employee Salaries Link: fiscal.wa.gov/K12/K12Salaries
Glen Morgan Comments: youtu.be/9sSpOXvFmlQ
Not every day do we catch a highly compensated school district superintendent stealing campaign signs from the local community group opposed to the schools costly bond measure on this February ballot. However, when they are caught, this video helps explain how local residents caught her, and we make some suggestions on how you can catch other government employees near you stealing campaign signs as well. Some people just can't help themselves. One mistake I made in the video - the signs were no longer in her truck bed when the police interviewed her. However, the signs had been coated with a grease as a theft deterrent, and that grease was still in her truck bed, and the officers got it on their uniforms when they inspected the truck.
★★★★★
Allowing the AG to Prosecute the Police (HB 1579)
Report from PCO Susan Yake:
Last week I was in Olympia to visit all three of the 23rd District lawmakers. When I was waiting to see Senator Drew Hansen, three of the top sheriffs in Kitsap County were there to voice their objections to this bill. There were many other police there that day too. Ferguson is behind this bill and also the person who forced the trial of the three police who fought with Ellis in Tacoma when he was high on drugs and died. The internal review in the police department had already ruled there was no wrong doing, just as the court decided as well. The police are afraid of being sent to prison or being sued for all they have in the State of Washington. That is the top reason we cannot hire enough police. I thought it was because of the pursuit law, but I was wrong.
HB 1579 to "Establishing a mechanism for independent prosecutions within the office of the attorney general of criminal conduct arising from police use of force. See link below.
app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1579&Year=2023&Initiative=false
★★★★★
Washington State Learning Standards Link
ospi.k12.wa.us/student-success/learning-standards-instructional-materials
Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
The above link includes standards for SEL or Social Emotional Learning. All citizens and concerned guardians may read for themselves what "SEL" means in terms of public education, what is age appropriate.
Critical Race Theory (CRT)
Critical Race Theory is a theory because the data is not conclusive. Teaching Diversity Equity and Inclusion has long been a part of the certification process for all Washington State Educators, thus CRT/DEI is more properly "meta-educational" in nature. Civil rights laws, and "fairness and kindness" should be more than enough for our children in classroom settings.
Also at the link above are Washington state requirements in Earth Sciences, which include educational standards on Global Warming, a theory which is poorly supported by non-confounded, factual data. Stay involved with your child's education. Theories are passed off as fact all the time.
Sex Education (K-12) is mandated by the state. These issues came about by public referendum, and I believe should be re-submitted to that process if reversal is demanded by the public. To date, there has been no mandatory training in Kitsap school districts for certified teachers on how to implement these controversial lesson requirements.
ospi.k12.wa.us/student-success/resources-subject-area/sexual-health-education/comprehensive-sexual-health-education-implementation
★★★★★
February 8, 2024 SCOTUS hearing Colorado v. Trump (regarding removing Trump from the ballot)
After listening to the WHOLE thing on live feed, it seemed to boil down to this: Jason Murray, counsel for Colorado, claimed that the state had the right to delete Trump from the ballot under the Electoral Clause. As per the US Constitution, balloting is regulated by the state legislature. Was Trump qualified for ballot inclusion? Colorado state legislature was unable to reach consensus on this and sent it to the state supreme court (judicial branch) to determine if Trump had indeed been part of an insurrection. To date, no "insurrection" has been legally determined for J6. The state supreme court of Colorado deemed Trump not qualified for the ballot, with NO due process.
Mitchell (Trump's lawyer) has presented cases to SCOTUS five times in the past, so he "knew the ropes"; his purpose seemed to be to cover several bases. The courtroom was packed and at times there were chuckles from various judges' pithy commentary. Mitchell is a master of legalese and was difficult to follow (one of the judges said drily "We were wondering where you would finally land.") It finally boiled down to Trump having not been given due process in determining if January 6 was a riot or an insurrection, and exactly where (and if) guilt was to be placed. Sotomayor seemed confused at times, but the other eight judges were concise and impressive in their critical thinking and legal nuances. If this decision by Colorado is upheld, it would give license to all states to do the same for any candidate, thus just one state could potentially decide a presidency for the entire nation; the judges did not like that.
The solicitor general of Colorado was very professional and said, "We seek guidance from the Federal level." A decision will possibly be forthcoming later this month.
★★★★★
Homelessness Resources
Veterans Affairs Homeless Programs: www.va.gov/homeless
VA Homelessness Hotline: Dial 877-424-3838 and Press 1
Narcotics Anonymous: www.kitsapgov.com/pubdef/Pages/AA-and-NA-Meeting-info.aspx
NA help line: 360-215-2616
★★★★★
Kitsap County Auditor's Office - Elections Information
www.kitsap.gov/auditor/Pages/elections.aspx
★★★★★
School Board and City Council Notes
KCRP School District Information Page
www.kitsaprepublicans.com/school-districts
Bainbridge Island School District
School board website: www.bisd303.org/domain/44
Bremerton Bremerton School District
School board website: www.bremertonschools.org/SchoolBoard
Documents link: go.boarddocs.com/wa/wabrsd/board.nsf/public
Central Kitsap School District
School board website: www.ckschools.org/administration/c_k_s_d_school_board/school_board
North Kitsap School District
School board website: www.nkschools.org/about-us/school-board
Advisory board website: www.nkschools.org/get-involved/advisory-committees
South Kitsap School District
School board website: www.skschools.org/school-board
Board meetings recap: www.smore.com/gp6t2
Many parents in the South Kitsap district have found the "Parent Square" app/link to be very helpful in "being connected" with their district. See www.skschools.org for more information.
City Council
Video archives of city council meetings from all over Kitsap County can be found at:
bremerton.vod.castus.tv/vod/?live=ch1&nav=recent
★★★★★
KCRP Executive Board Contact Info:
www.kitsaprepublicans.com/board
Contact other conservative groups in our area: www.kitsaprepublicans.com/local-groups
Contact Newsletter Editor: josiec5150@gmail.com
Note: Please put your topic in your tag line and source your articles. Thank you!
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Do you have 1-2 hours a week or month to volunteer in person, at home, or virtually? KCRP needs volunteers in many areas for any skill level.
Volunteer Now!
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