April 28, 2013

GPUS Steering Comm Conference Call Minutes – April 28, 2013

I. CALL SETUP & BACKGROUND
a. Facilitator – Jody Grage
b. Roll Call – Budd Dickinson, Steve Welzer, Darryl! Moch, Jeff Turner, Karen Young.
Absent: Charles Ostdiek, Susan Chunco, Farheen Hakeem, AJ Segneri

c. Agenda revisions – Jill will be on call at some point; Tamar 8:30 for ANM report.

d. Correction to previous minutes – II. “Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)” should be XL Pipeline.

II. TREASURER’S REPORT & FINANCE ITEMS – Jeff
a. Cash report to date
Sent report yesterday, about $5000 after bills at end of month – enough to cover payroll and rent; $6892 Red Sun Press postage and mailing at the end of March, $6600 in reserve includes ANM registrations.

Loan to MerchCom to restock for ANM discussed, would need GNC approval since $5875 loans already outstanding. Also discussed possibility of fundraiser or advance orders. MerchCom will discuss for next SC call agenda.

b. Other financial items
FEC re: compliance issue – will begin at the beginning of 2011 and work forward; will focus on 2013; hard deadline of June 15.

Lease – will go up another $50 to $1300 beginning of May; Brian likes our office; we will consider renegotiating lease through 2015 and then see if we want to stay through 2016.

III. SHADOW CABINET FROM STEIN CAMPAIGN
Jill was on the call and said that the idea emerged during the campaign and on the GP agenda for a long time. Didn’t get done during the campaign so worked on it after the election to engage more people, increase credibility, keep party and campaign alive. Discussion with many Greens including David Sacks. Clear that not a GP project at this time. Press release and website so far and people are starting to produce materials. Executive structure as is the executive branch of government. Talks about issues and why need different government. Green controlled and designed to grow the Party.

Canadian GP has shadow cabinet of former candidates with two branches – political and organizational, grassroots input as well as appointments from the top.

Should it become a project of the Party? Should it be a mirror of the official cabinet?

Jill – One step at a time, need to figure out how the shadow cabinet will function and evolve. Getting popular positions discussed. She is traveling and fundraising for state Green Parties and local candidates – including Green candidate training for Occupy and formation of College Green groups. GP connection can be Jill on SC calls.

Campaign organization still exists mainly to do the audit. Still have website. Primarily Jill and Cheri and Ben.

IV. Annual National Meeting – Tamar Yager, co-chair ANMC

SC meeting Sunday afternoon – Darryl will work with Tamar to organize including staff for first couple hours.

Tamar will send previous ANM agendas for consideration.

V. VOTING QUEUE – Budd

In the queue:

698 – Apportionment of Green National Committee, Voting 5/6-12.

699 to 703 – Approval of IC Election of 2013 FPVA and Global Green Network delegates, Voting 5/6-12.

Three additional IC proposals are expected. Karen will respond to Justine, Farheen, and Sanda that everything received has been posted.

VI. WEBSITE

David Doonan, Darryl, and Karen have been working on the new website. Facebook fundraising campaign to pay for website upgrade aimed for Earth Day. Still needs centering to finish home page and restructure. Not everything perfect but the former one was in danger of collapse and it’s easier to navigate. Pages need upgrading which will take time. Seems to load slowly.

VII. LIAISON REPORTS

Darryl! – nothing new.

Karen – Outreach meeting last week with new and good member from NJ; talk of branding, working with Strategic Planning Committee, etc.

Karen – Strategic Planning – organizing on state level materials needed, review outreach materials on the website.

Steve – BAC – AR requesting $5000, 15k signatures in 3 months; NEV – registration route chosen, MT 5k signatures; South Dakota ballot line being sought; WI needs 10k signatures starting in January; BAC developing long range plan and budget with committee fundraising.

Steve – Media – several media releases.

VIII. NEXT MEETING – 12 May – Budd not available until afternoon on 11 May, someone else will need to do the agenda on Wednesday.