GPUS Steering Committee Minutes
Sunday, January 8, 2017 – 8:00 p.m. ET
I. CALL SETUP & BACKGROUND
a) Facilitator: Holly Hart
b) To listen to call: 712-451-0019, access code 926334, ref #18 (85 min.)
c) Present: Chris Blankenhorn, Darlene Elias, Sanda Everette, Jan Martell, Andrea Merida, Darryl! Moch (joined very late due to conflict), Tamar Yager, Bahram Zandi. Absent: Brian Bittner. Observer: Starlene Rankin.
d) Agenda revisions: Tamar added a finance item for decision, request from Merchcom.
II. NEW BUSINESS
a) Formation of a voting justice action committee – Andrea. Tabled to allow more time to develop proposal.
b) Invitation for GPUS to join North Carolina ballot access lawsuit – Jan. Pro bono lawyer Alan Woodruff will be filing suit against the NC State Board of Elections on behalf of the NC Green Party and other minor parties on its unconstitutionally high bar to ballot access. He feels the case would be strengthened by having the national party join the suit. Jan will provide more specific documentation about the fee agreement and what GPUS involvement would entail. Tamar will ask Phil Huckelberry if GPUS has done this before. Further discussion and/or decision online.
c) Appointments to CCC. We have received 4 nominations for 4 seats (since Eric Smith resigned) – Em Ward (NM), Justin McCarthy (DC), Erin Fox (MI) and Bernadine Williams (TX) – Jan. Decision on Bernadine was deferred because Secretary had not yet received confirmation, bio. Justin and Erin were appointed by consensus with Andrea and Darlene standing aside. Decision on Em deferred pending re-nomination by her state party (NM).
III. STANDING BUSINESS
a) Treasurer’s Report, including update on the budget – Brian being absent, no report was made. Finance item for decision: approve Merchcom expense of $1884.65 for 140 shirts. Approved by consensus.
Budget – to expedite the posting of the 2017 budget proposal, members agreed by consensus, with Tamar standing aside, to empower Jeff Turner to finish the narrative and supporting documents to make the budget ready for posting within 72 hours.
b) Fundraising Report – Tamar. No report prepared.
c) Personnel WG Report – Tamar. Will be covered under Executive Session. Members agreed by consensus to expedite hiring of accountant, Fincom to take up job description, RFP at next meeting.
VOTING QUEUE
In the queue:
855 Approval of Budd Dickinson for Fincom
Received for the queue:
Approval of elected Global Greens representatives: Bahram Zandi, John Rensenbrink and Ahmed El Touny were elected as delegates; and Julie Saporito-Acuna and Vivek Ananthan are seated as alternates. These go as individual proposals for approval by NC – Sanda. No findings; Sanda will be Floor Manager.
IV. OLD BUSINESS
a) Final count for SC retreat – Tamar is working on a spreadsheet for attendees to fill in about arrival, other preferences. She had two proposals: 1) That members send Hillary Kane (facilitator) goals & expected outcomes for the retreat and she will draft an agenda for approval by next meeting – approved by consensus. 2) That invitations to the retreat be limited to SC members and staff only – after discussion, approved by consensus.
V. EXECUTIVE SESSION
Candidates for organizer positions; questions about Treasurer duties – Present: Chris, Darlene, Sanda, Jan, Andrea, Darryl!, Tamar, Bahram. Entered: 9:31. Members agreed by consensus to listen to interview recordings for Political Organizer candidate within the next 48 hours, and to send any questions or concerns to the SC list so that they can be addressed in the checking of references, next step. Treasurer questions were determined to be inappropriate for Executive Session, will be followed up on listserv and next meeting with transparent proposals and decisions. Exited: 10:22.
Jan Martell
Secretary