Democratic Club
by Mary Larson
LW contributor
Plans are underway to resume Democratic Club membership meetings on Aug. 18. During its last meeting, the club’s board spent time discussing the decision to meet face-to-face or continue to hold meetings via Zoom. Given the potential number of members who would attend the meeting, the board wanted to be sure that all would feel comfortable doing so.
The board was also concerned about what appeared to be conflicting proposals from various government levels, with the most cautious ones being debated by the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board. The board’s recommendations would apply only to employers. However, some of the guidelines might be appropriate to use as a model for clubs with a large number of members.
The state board’s proposed recommendations include the following guidelines:
• Fully vaccinated employees could forgo face masks in a room where everyone else is vaccinated.
• Masks would be required if the status of all employees was unknown.
• Employers would need to supply N95 masks for those who are not fully vaccinated and for those working alongside them indoors.
• The extended mask wearing requirement may also require employers to track vaccination status.
Whatever the state board decides, its recommendations are still subject to review by the state Office of Administrative Law. It’s expected the office will approve the rules, which can go into effect on June 15—the same day as California is set to fully reopen its economy.
After discussion, the Democratic Club board referred the matter to the Strategic Planning Committee, with the request that it develop draft guidelines to review at the next meeting.
Readers who have access to the Internet are invited to check the club’s online resource center at https://sblwdems.wordpress.com/ resources/ for more information on this subject as well as a number of other issues.
Information can also be found at the club’s voter service center booth outside Clubhouse 6 every Tuesday from 10:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. Registration forms, membership applications, club newsletters, brochures and other resource material will also be available at the booth.
Club members who had not yet renewed their membership for 2021 received a letter from the Membership Committee requesting that they do so. To check renewal status, call (562) 431-7275.
