PAST RECORDED PRESENTATIONS (from most recent first)
NOTE: “ These forums and programs are copyrighted by the League of Women Voters of Chaffee County (LWVCC). Based on LWVCC policy and FCC requirements, videos must be aired from start to finish. Any use of these videos, or any pictures, descriptions, or accounts of the debate or event without the League of Women Voters of Chaffee County's permission is prohibited.”
05/08/2025: LWV Chaffee County Town Hall: Board of Commissioners Update
Chaffee County Commissioners' PT Wood, Gina Lucrezi, and Dave Armstrong provide updates, shared important issues, and discussed how state and federal policies may be impacting us.
Video
04/23/2025: 3rd Annual National Civics Bee Contest in Buena Vista
The 3rd Annual National Civics Bee Contest in Buena Vista hosted by the Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce and presented by the Chaffee County League of Women Voters. The top 10 finalists compete by answering 20 questions to test their civics knowledge. The top 5 competitors continued with each presenting their essays to a panel of judges.
Video
04/23/2025: HRRMC Board Candidate Forum
The League of Women Voters Chaffee County (LWVCC) candidate forum for the Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center (HRRMC) board. The Salida Hospital District is governed by a five-person board of directors, whose members serve staggered, four-year terms. Directors are elected at-large from the community. Elections are held every two years in odd-numbered years. In 2025, three board seats are open. The six candidates running for these positions are William (Bill) P. Alderton, Dean Edwards, Annette Madonna, Carol Merovka, Lydia Segal, and Amy Stanley. The forum begins with an introductory statement from each candidate. This is followed by a round of questions presented by the moderator. John Tucker, HRRMC CEO, will present an overview of the HRRMC system.
Voting for the 3 board positions takes place on Tuesday, May 6, 7 AM - 7 PM. Citizens may vote in Salida at the HRRMC main hospital campus, 1000 Rush Drive (2nd floor conference rooms) or in Buena Vista at Mountain Heights Church, 28390 County Road. It is the mission of the LWVCC to encourage informed and active participation in community government.
Video
03/14/2025: Chaffee County Health Survey Results
Special guest Speaker Andrea Carlstrom, Director of Chaffee County Public Health, summarizes what CCPH learned from the Health Access Survey, which was co-sponsored by the LWVCC as well as the changes her department may be facing.
Video
03/10/2025: Chaffee County Immigration Services
Carol Merovka provides a presentation explaining some immigration terms and statuses, followed by speakers from Chaffee County Public Health (Julie Nutter), local Chaffee County advocates (Luz Diaz-Porter and Ursula Jones), and Jorge Gutierrez from the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition.
Video
Carol's power point on definitions is
here. For those wanting even more detail click
here.
01/13/2025: Chaffee County Health Care Access Survey Results
Carol Merovka walks us through the results of the Chaffee County Health Care Access Survey.
Video Chaffee County Health Care Access Survey Results
01/13/2025: Chaffee County Recycling, Renewing, and Repurposing Initiatives
Chaffee County LWV hosts a panel and discussion with John Armstrong, B1 Energy; Julie Mach, Elements Mountain Compost; Grant Hamel, VeroTouch; and PT Wood, Chaffee County Commissioner. The program explores the initiatives for Recycling, Renewing, and Repurposing in Chaffee County. Susanna Spaulding has assembled this panel of four local experts who will share ways we can create a more sustainable future for our community through innovative methods of creating a new life for waste materials.
Video
10/13/2024: 2024 Ballot Initiatives, the Pros and Cons
The LWV Chaffee County hosted an overview of the 2024 General Election ballot. This election the ballot will ask citizens to vote on 14 statewide issues and measures: seven initiatives, five amendments and two propositions. Those accepted by the voters offer changes to the state constitution and existing statutes or approval of tax changes. League of Women Voters Chaffee County (LWVCC) leadership team members presented the pros and cons on the state issues plus numerous local issues.
Video 2024 Ballot Initiatives, the Pros and Cons
Additional Resources:
-
Colorado LWV Ballot Issues Information pamphlet is a shortened version of the Blue Book and a handy tool that helps voters decide what issues they want to vote yes or no on
-
Vote 411
10/09/2024: Chaffee County Commissioners Candidate Forum
The LWV Chaffee County hosted a Candidate Forum for the Chaffee County Commissioners. District 1: Gina Lucrezi, Beth Mason, Norm Nyberg, District 2: Dave Armstrong, Tom McCracken. Session will be held at the Poncha Springs Town Hall. Moderator will be Grace Garret, LWVCC Voter Service Chair.
Video
9/09/2024: Explore Artificial Intelligence in Elections
Colorado How does it work? What are the possibilities and threats? How should we understand it in the context of our elections? The panel, “Artificial Intelligence in Elections,” will feature Colorado House District 27 Representative Brianna Titone (D), to present AI-related legislation passed in the 2024 legislative session. Chair of the State General Assembly Joint Technology Committee, Titone was a primary sponsor of legislation requiring political candidates to clearly label advertisements that feature content generated by AI (HB24-1147). She was also a lead House sponsor of successful bill (SB24-205) establishing consumer protections for AI. Dr. Dan Bishop, retired professor, CSU, will join Titone to provide a primer on AI: Development, advances, and risks. Kate Shea, LWVCC Treasurer and the AI program planner, noted that exploring this topic aligns with the League’s goal of empowering voters to make informed decisions. Understanding the complex and evolving topic of AI and sharpening our ability to recognize disinformation from deepfakes is important to voter decision making.
Video Presentation
5/12/2024:
Highlight 2024 Colorado Climate Environmental Legislation
Colorado Citizens’ Climate Lobby volunteers Susan Campbell and Bob Blackburn will be the featured speakers. They will discuss the climate and environmental bills that passed the 2024 Colorado Legislative Session. We appologize for the poor sound recording. Link
04/08/24: The Process for Counting Ballots, Lori Mitchell, Chaffee County Clerk and Recorder.
Video Link.
3/10/24: Women's Reproductive Rights -It was hard to read slides while we filmed the presentations, so you might read over Kim's Reproductive Rights Power Point before or after. Ellen's presentation on the proposed abortion access amendment to the Colorado Constitution is
HERE. To get involved or see where to sign the petition, click
here and slide to the bottom.
Here is the video link of both of the presentations. The speaker battery died towards the end so it might be hard to hear the final questions. The bios of our presenters are below.
3/6/24: Buena Vista Trustees Candidate Forum - video link.
2/12/24: Affordable Housing Panel - Video link. The Chaffee Housing Authority handed out some good charts on the kinds of dwellings that are planned, in construction or built in various area. At the top please take the housing survey. They have a VERY comprehensive annual report on their website.
1/29/24: Buena Vista Schools Drinks & Dialogue, Small groups discussed questions and submitted them to school representatives: Superintendent-Lisa Yates, Chaffee County High School Principal-Kelly Chandler, English teacher-Robin Fritsch, and school board president and BV alumnus-Jessica Crites. 60 folks present and lots of interesting and new information. Video link
1/29/24: Watch Colorado Mountain College's, "Rediscovering Common Ground" – a non-partisan community conversation about civic engagement and civil discourse inspired by CMC’s Common Reader book for 2024 "The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens" by American and former president of the Council on Foreign Relations Richard Haass. This is a conversation with Richard Haass, former CNN CEO, and Walter Isaacson, former Time Magazine Editor, moderated by Mary Louise Kelly, host of National Public Radio’s All Things Considered. Video link.
1/8/24: Annual Review by Chaffee County Commissioners. Video link. In addition this is a good resource the county uses for data.
Here are the answers to a question that was brought up about roads and bridges managed by the county:
- 535 total road miles - not all are maintained by the County
- 100 paved, 38 of which are chip-sealed (some have received hot-mix asphalt (HMA)
- 395 gravel
- 110 miles are school bus routes (they receive top priority for plowing)
- 59 bridges
11/13/23: Censorship in Libraries and Schools. Presented by Jamie LaRue current head of Garfield County Library District and former director of Douglas County Libraries and the Executive Director of the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom. Video Link (Make sure you slide back to the beginning)
10/14/2023: Buena Vista School Board Candidate Form. (Difficulty with the new equipment, even though tested, did not produce sound as loud as we would have liked unfortunately. We apologize and will work on it.) The "candi-dating" portion which had each candidate at a table of 8-10 folks for 10 minutes and then rotating was not recorded due to impossible logistics. You can find additional questions and answers that were asked of all candidates by the League of Women Voters' premier national Voter Education portal at Vote 411. Here is our video link of the forum.
10/9/2023: Senior Services Panel (Even after practicing, our new recording equipment did not do a great job of picking up sound, so you have to listen carefully). Listed below are the panelists in order of their speaking followed by links to their websites to you can find much of the information presented. It was an excellent panel and we apologize for the sound quality and delay in getting it on our website.
- Dee Dubin from Places to Age, a community group trying to get an assisted living and memory care unit into Buena Vista.
- Aubrey Tamietti from Ark Valley Helping Hands a division of Public Health that provides household and lawn services.
- Tom McConaghy from the Area Agency on Aging which has a great green book with resources.
- Molly Bischoff from Aging Well Coalition a division of Public Health with healthy activities.
Here is that video link. Here is info from Public Health programs: Aging Well Home Share
10/04/2023 Salida City Council Candidate Forum hosted by LWVCC and Truth Has A voice Foundation.
Video Link: Salida City Council Candidate Forum
9/11/23: Combatting Disinformation with Jan Wondra and Stephen Hall. Video Link
Additional links: Article Summarizing Presentation Fact-Checking Sources
05/08/2023: Chaffee County Fire Protection Chief Robert Bartram. Video Link.
04/20/2023: Schools, Kids and Covid, Amanda Neitzel, PHD and Samantha Messier, PHD Video Link
03/15/2023: Lessons Learned from Covid, Dr. Eric Toner and Andrea Carlstrom Video Link
03/02/2023: County Commissioners Update Video Link
02/13/2023: Health Care in Chaffee County Video Link Click here to see the Powerpoint slides from Public Health's Director, Andrea Carlstrom.
01/09/2023: Meet the Mayors! Video Link
11/14/2022: Solvista Regional Assessment Center Powerpoint. Click here for more information and slide down to the bottom for video on the Regional Assessment Center.
10/05/2022: Buena Vista Member Spotlight Member Spotlight
9/28/22: Congressional District 7 Town Hall. CD 7 Link
Vote4119/12/22: LWV Chaffee County Health Care Committee Update: Link Update
7/4/22 Buena Vista. Members of League of Women Voters Chaffee County march in the 4th of July Parade. Video.
5/13/22: Read McCulloch, Executive Director of Chaffee Housing Trust, explains the community land trust model for affordable home ownership. Susanna Spaulding, moderator and Leadership Team Member. Chaffee Housing Trust.
4/18/22 HRRMC Board Candidate Forum, moderator Scott Hartman, LWVCC Voter Service Coordinator. Candidates: Bill Alderton, Rick Carroll, Susan Dunn, Dean Edwards, Lydia Segal
HRRMC Candiate Forum
3/25/22. Poncha Springs Trustee Virtual Candidates Forum, moderator Scott Harman, LWVCC Voter Service Coordinator.
Candidates: Katie Davis, Evalyn Parks, Adrian Quintana, Darryl Wilson. Forum Link.
3/14/22 Learn about Buena Vista's new modular manufacturer and community developer. Click Fading West Presentation to watch STARTING 4/7 (sorry it wasn't available sooner).
2/22/22 Chaffee County Commissioners Update - https://youtu.be/QsBNiP2ZWhA
To see the chat box and some links go to Chaffee County Commissioners Chat Box
2/14/22 Update on CO Immigration Issues by Lisa Duran, Executive Director of Colorado Immigration Rights Coalition.
Due to technical troubles the presentation was not recorded. We apologize. Here are the documents Lisa included in her presentation: 2021 Legislative Report .pdf, Am Imm History - Hist Channel.docx, Don't You Understand?, Immigration-Facts-The-Positive-Impact-of-Immigration-2020-Fact-Sheet.pdf.
1/10/22 Presentation by SolVista and NAMI regarding Mental Health, especially in Chaffee County.
12/13/21 Presentation by Karen Sheek, LWVCO president to update us on state activities. Also Sandy Long updates us on Carbon Pricing actions one can take. Click here. Here's a short written summary.
11/8/21 Presentation by retired physician and LWVCC member, Dr. Carol Merovka. Learn the history, complexities, causes and potential solutions of our health care system - USA Health Care for Profit - Click for our Document Library/Event Folders/Health Care Resource Reading (open the folder to the left of event folders, then look on the right for the Resource list).
10/19/21 Presentation by Colorado Secretary of State and Chaffee County Clerk - Keeping Elections Accessible and Secure
10/11/21 Presentation of pros & cons of 2021 Colorado Ballot Issues - Marjie Gray & Karen Dils, presenters
Click Ballot Issues 2021
10/6/21 Salida City Council and School Board conversation-Scott Hartman, moderator. Click here.
10/4/21 Buena Vista School Board Candidate Forum-Scott Hartman, moderator. Click here.
9/14/21 Truth in Media - Presentation by Cheryl Brown-Kovacic with media panelists
Link: https://youtu.be/Jjy8e0QmuDs . Here are a couple of additional links with additional info on how various media sources are rated in terms of bias and reliability: All Sides, Ad Fontes Chart, and Trusting Bias Charts.
4/12/21 Chaffee County Commissioners Update - Link: https://youtu.be/fqRlX9ltNxM
4/7/21 Voter Suppression & the Rural Utah Project - Click here to listen and watch presentation.
3/8/21 Energy Innovation and Climate Legislation by Sandy Long
Link to full presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx64M3moqmo&t=81s (about an hour with questions).
Link to Power Point slides only. This is a slide show you can open with google docs. You can read most of what Sandy says at the bottom of each slide. Just hit your right arrow to advance the slide.
2/8/21 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion by Wendell Pryor
Link: https://youtu.be/9Q-X6W2-slo Here is the list of resources Wendell suggested.
1/29/21 Colorado Secretary of State giving award to LWVCO (LWV section starts at 14:30-18:07)
Link: https://fb.watch/3nU4tJ1zWL/
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold awards National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Medallion Awards to five individuals/organizations who made significant contributions to the success of the 2020 General Election in Colorado, which featured unprecedented challenges including a global pandemic, forest fires across the state, and rampant disinformation.
1/28/21 COVID Presentation by Dr. Eric Toner, Johns Hopkins,
Link: https://youtu.be/MHhg_JC0Wzo
1/11/21 Slide Presentation on Chaffee County Housing Update
Unfortunately the audio recording malfunctioned. The slideshow link above should give you most of the info. Becky is happy to keep the conversation going so you contact her at bgray@chaffeecounty.gov or 719-239-1398. You can access some of the questions and answers from the discussion here.
11/9/20 Presentation on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault
On our first attempt at recording a Zoom meeting, we didn’t quite get the Record button pushed soon enough so it starts with member Carol Merovka giving a little background on the VAWA (Violence Against Women Act). She refers to the Democratic Bill sponsored by Michael Bennett (SB 2843) and the Republican bill (SB2920).
Link: here to view & listen. To view the slides only click Alliance Power Point
12/14/20 Law Enforcement Presentation
Unfortunately our recording got a late start so the first person you see is member Karen Dils, then Salida Police Chief, Russ Johnson, then Buena Vista Police Chief, Dean Morgan.
Link: here to watch.