SDWNY Meeting, July 24th, 2012, held at El Museo Art Gallery, 91 Allen Street, Buffalo, NY 14202.

Attendance: Lisbeth Ball, Bruce Kogan, Cory Promowicz, Cheryl and Kitty Lambert-Rudd, Tom Gleed, Jeremy Zellner, Jim Kirkwood, Chris Puchalski, Paul Morgan, Errin Doyle (representing Sen. Kennedys Ofc), Melissa Breckenridge, Carol Speser, Geoff Nelley (Artvoice), Ari Moore, Neal Flaig, Cory Tuck, Mark Nowak, Cindy Manarina, and Bryan Ball. Meeting called to order at 7:15 PM Jeremy Zellner spoke o Asked for SDWNYs support for his candidacy for Erie County Democratic Party Chairman. o As Chair, his aim is to put two SDWNY members on the Executive Committee. o Would like to complete a survey if we put one together about what he can do for us. Tim Kennedy, NYS Senator, 63rd District (formerly 58th District), spoke. o Thanked SDWNY for advocacy and support. o Believed his work in the Senate gave voice to WNY again. o Credited his staff as the best and most hard-working in all of NYS. o Worked 6 months convincing three democrats to support marriage equality. o Bruce Kogan suggested he work on Gabrysak. o Tom Gleed asked where he stands on fracking. Kennedy said hell be against it if it causes harm to the environment. o Cindy Manarina asked him about supporting or advertising on any homophobic Websites. He reiterated same points as he answered on our questionnaire that he does advertise on politicsny.net for a variety of reasons, but does not agree with everything that is published on the Site. He has advertised, supported, or intends to advertise on

such Websites for re-election, and lastly, he does not intend to cease advertising or supporting such Websites. Mike Amodeo (NY Senate, 60th District candidate) spoke. o He is running against Chuck Swanick in the Primary. Swanick accepted $7,000 from National Organization for Marriage (NOM). o Amodeo has a 3 yr old son and 1 mo. old daughter. o Has a relative in NYC who is gay. o Campaign headquarters are 6000 South Park St., Hamburg, NY. o Ari Moore asked about his familiarity with GENDA. Amodeo stated hes very familiar, - knows it passed in the Assembly and not in the Senate. o Will appear Aug. 9th at Kogies on Sheridan Dr. in Tonawanda. o Against fracking in NYS. o Paul Morgan asked if he has a 1 mo. old baby at home, how hell be if away from home so much. He said hell be okay. Hes passionate about public service. Amy Witryol represented by Kitty Lambert-Rudd. o Has no money o Rcvd Working Families Party endorsement. o Against fracking o Hates pay for play politics. o Rcvd Niagara County Dems endorsement. o Comes from a financial background saving businesses and creating jobs. Sean Ryan, NYS Assembly, 149th District. o Elected 10 months ago first election. o Reform to the Industrial Development Agencies (IDAs). o Appointed himself watchdog over Cuomos $1billion for Buffalo. o Watching NFTA and their routes. Busses go to the Outer Harbor now. Trains and airport continue to be a concern. Howard Zemsky

recognized theyre in transportation business, not development business. Let Outer Harbor development go to developers. o BPS advocate lobbied for $1 million for BPS. o Advocate for marriage equality. o GENDA sponsor. Disappointed in how the debate went on the floor. Bathrooms became the issue, which poisons the argument. Committed to bring it again. Need to send a strong message about it. Ari Moore stated, Keep doing what youre doing. Carol Speser added, Keep hustling. Kevin Gaughan, challenger to Sean Ryan for 149th Assembly Dist. seat. o Humanitys most important cause equal justice for all. o Running against Sean Ryan. o Idea for an American ideal Beau Fleuve o Wants the city and region to be great again. The Erie Canal was the Internet of its time The Underground Railroad led slaves to freedom here. Sent two presidents to the White House o Regarding public servants Since the 1970s, weve lost 240,000 people. Since 1990, lost 91,000 people. We lose 1 person every 1 hr and 40 minutes (every 100 minutes). But somehow weve added 71,000 public service jobs. We breathe the most toxic air in NYS. Birth defects are 1 in 5 in WNY. We are the 3rd most impoverished city in America = low literacy. We pay the highest corporate and individual taxes in NYS. We pay the highest sales tax in the country. Wants us to understand the power of a citizens coalition. We have a friend in him. 3

 Cindy Manarina asked how hes different from Sean Ryan. Gaughan said Ryans not much on policy but they both worked for county govt. 35 years ago. He said assemblyman should be completely independent and that the system tends to take care of itself better than its people. Ari Moore asked how to chg top-heavy Albany if elected. Gaughan said, Let people decide. Volunteers distribute petitions, organization will get proposition on the state convention. Bruce Kogan asked if hes not running in the wrong race, against Chuck Swanick instead. Gaughan said he thought about it but wants to win and has lived in the Elmwood Village for 10 years, moving from Hamburg. Kitty Lambert-Rudd asked him about referendum voting, which has failed LGBT citizens across the country. Gaughan said NYS is the most regressive state on peoples choices. There are 27 school districts people should be allowed to vote on consolidation. So we need to go slowly but smart. Chris Puchalski asked about his ability to build relationships with other politicians. Gaughan said he knows more than half of NYS legislation in Albany. Never saw WNY delegates utilize their (notes incomplete). Al Coppola (running for NYS Senate, 60th District) o Got into politics because he questioned policies. o In early 1980s, we paid $600 million for six miles of rapid transit up Main Street and lost his business, Shanes Bar, that he had since the 1960s, because of that political decision to close Main to vehicle traffic. All 12 of his employees, including a gay bartender, lost their jobs. So he collected 500 signatures in 1983 and ran for Common Council and won because he questioned authority. o Served 15 years on the Board of Benedict House. o Against fracking. o Supports West Side Preservation. o Advocates for health. 4

o Advocates for clean air. o Advocates for Roswell. o Advocates for Benedict House. Bryan Ball asked membership to consider any endorsement. o Neal Flaig motioned for Amy Witryol. Carol Speser seconded. Unanimous support for Amy Witryol. SDWNY endorse Amy Witryol o Regarding the 149th Assembly District, the candidates are Sean Ryan, Kevin Gaughan, and Joe Mascia. Discussion was as follows: Bruce K. said K. Gaughan wouldnt meet with the Executive Committee. Bruce said Gaughan wanted Lenihan to give him a clean slate and he didnt get it. So Gaughan now is running against Ryan, who is already our advocate. Neal Flaig stated Gaughan is a very good orator/speaker but he essentially admitted youve got to take the good with the bad. His primary agenda is a referendum agenda. Cheryl Lambert-Rudd motions to endorse Sean Ryan, Ari Moore seconds. Endorsement motion passes with 13 for, 1 abstention so as a quorum, it passes. SDWNY endorses Sean Ryan. o Regarding Tim Kennedy endorsement, members discussed our Bylaw of not endorsing any candidate who advertises or supports homophobic Websites. Members voted to suspend the Bylaw until the November meeting. Kitty motioned, Tom Gleed seconded, voted unanimously. Then Cindy Manarina motioned for endorsing Tim Kennedy, Bruce Kogan seconded, and by a 14:3 quorum, the motion passes. SDWNY endorses Tim Kennedy for NYS Senate, 63rd Dist. o Mike Amodeo VS. Al Coppola, NY Senate, 60th District Kitty Lambert-Rudd motions to not endorse for this district because it is Republican Mark Grisantis district and he already supports us completely. Neal Flaig seconds. Discussion ensues. Carol Speser said we are an LGBT community in an unusual position. Republicans have a 33:29 majority. Theres too much at stake. Bruce Kogan said its too important a race to not endorse a democrat. Tom Gleed asked that we keep in 5

mind that were only endorsing for the Primary. Its important that we stand behind a candidate for the Primary. Vote on Kittys motion for NOT endorsing was 5 for the motion, 10 Opposed, 1 Abstain. So SDWNY WILL endorse for this district. Bruce Kogan motions to endorse Mike Amodeo, Tom Gleed seconded, Carol Speser said Coppola supported us in 1984. Chris Puchalski added that Coppola has a track record of support. Vote ensued for the motion of Amodeo for the district = 11 in favor, 0 opposed, 3 abstain. SDWNY endorses Mike Amodeo for NYS Senate, 60th District. Meeting adjourned at 9:45 PM.