Greetings all,
While we are working through the details on how we can schedule zoom meetings that will accommodate all the scheduled “visits”, I am asking our membership to contact their Senators and Representatives to schedule a meeting time just like we normally would.
Now is the time to give all the offices a heads up that we are putting together a virtual meeting and ask for their help. If an office is willing to schedule a meeting using a platform that they are comfortable with, GREAT! If not, we will find a platform that you can use. Our State Legislators have been doing office visits like this for over a year, so they are familiar with this procedure.
My recommendation is that since people were planning on traveling to meet a bus on May 11th, just find a meeting place in your area and plan on holding the virtual meeting there. Before you confirm this location, please make sure that they have good internet access that you can use. I think it would be best if we could have all the meetings on May 11th since many people were planning on that day anyway.
A good option would be to contact your State Senator(s) and schedule a meeting with them plus the three Assembly Districts that they cover. You could catch 4 legislators with one meeting. ABATE will try to figure out a way to put all the meetings on an accessible calendar so attendees can join the meetings.
Until we know better how many meetings are going to overlap, we will not know what platform we are going to use but that is ok….as long as the Legislators have it on their calendars, we can send the link to join at a later date. If a Legislator is willing to set up the meeting, even better….then they will be there for sure.
I would like to know when your meetings are scheduled and who you reached out to, that way I can keep track of what offices still need to be met. Also, by having the master calendar I, or John can try to make as many meetings as possible to assist. Please let me know if you have a meeting scheduled and are not comfortable presenting our information, we will find someone to join you. Our plan is to mail the folders to the offices in Madison and email them to the membership so everyone has the information.
I realize this is not ideal for some and may not work for everyone, but we can adapt and be successful. If you do not have the ability to do a virtual meeting, PLEASE schedule a time to call, the future of motorcycling depends on us being successful on, or around May 11th.
These are the cards that we are dealt and because we are bikers, we can adapt. I appreciate all the help.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Steve
Abate of Wisconsin Membership site