December 22, 2013

GPUS Steering Comm Conference Call Minutes
Sunday, December 22, 2013 – 8:00 p.m. ET

I. CALL SETUP & BACKGROUND
a. Facilitator – Jody Grage, who left at 9: 30. Charles took over.
b. Started recording
c. Roll Call – Karen Young, Budd Dickinson, Charles Ostdiek, Jeff Turner, Kate Culver, Starlene Rankin, Jesse Townley, Darryl! Moch, Tamar Yager.
d. Agenda revisions: Kate – discuss FL situation (V.a.); Jeff – – paying bills (II.c.); Jesse – BRPP certification (V.b.); Starlene – BAC request (IId).

II. TREASURER’S REPORT & FINANCE ITEMS
a. Cash report to date – $600 in 2 accounts; December payroll and rent paid. Web deposits and mail deposits both healthy.

b. Fundraising – $6200 from mailing so far which about equals cost; about half way thru expected returns. This is a typical performance for a mailing.

c. Paying bills – Decision to pay all of accounts payable when bequest check arrives – Red Sun (direct mail), Ethix Ventures (merch), Salsa, Pair, Gebbies, Global Greens, David Doonan balance – $18k total. Also approved payment of 2009 state sharing ($4742) and BAC loans ($2850). End of year balance $7-8k; request for beginning to build reserves with 2014 bequest; Jeff will have proposal for next call.

d. BAC request (Tom Yager, BAC co-chair, joined call)- Discussion about ballot access funding. BAC requesting funds for AZ ballot access drive; SC requested formal request for next SC call with specific amount.

III. VOTING QUEUE – Budd
In the queue:
733 – 2014 Budget Approval, Voting 12/16 – 22. Passing and quorum.
734 – 2014 ANM Site approval.Voting 12/16 – 22. Passing and quorum.

Received for the queue:
Fiscal Policy Document housekeeping changes (from Fincom) (Postponed to January)

IV. Personnel Comm. – Lyceum, Job Description, Evaluations – Karen

Lyceum payroll software – no progress toward determining PTO payments and Jeff has committed to determining PTO accrual tracked in Lyceum.

Job Description for Office Manager – Karen and Tamar have been discussing changes. Karen proposed that one more draft is necessary and Tamar will have a final version for approval on our next call.

V. Bernie Sanders for President – Karen (Tom Yager, PCSC co-chair, joined call)

Sanders has announced that he is considering a 2016 run for the presidency as an independent. A petition is circulating asking him to run as a Green. PCSC has not yet reached out to him. Karen proposed that Tom and Starlene Rankin, PCSC liaison, reach out to Sanders to discuss his running as a Green. There was consensus for this to be done.

V.a. GPFL situation – Several members of the GPFL have reached out to SC members to discuss an internal state party conflict. Kate volunteered to work on process for the future; look at giving SC a role in the future – also Accreditation and Diversity Committees.

The parties can also approach Dispute Resolution Committee. However, neither the SC nor DRC has the responsibility for intra-state conflicts. There was discussion about how GPUS might assist state parties in developing best practices, and/or dispute resolution. No action was taken.

V.b. BRPP certification – Darryl, SC Liaison, briefed on the history. BRPP members were certified by the Secretary using emails from certifying states and caucuses. Jesse, election supervisor for BRPP co-chair election, will draft a summary of those certifying emails to send to the BRPP committee.

VI. New GPUS-NC Bulletin Board – Darryl! is working with David Doonan and Holly Hart on a process and training for moving to the bulletin board. Darryl will ask Douglas Campbell to hold off on attempting to certify list members until this process is finalized.

VII. SC Operations

A. Decision was made to devote our second call in January (1/26) to discuss how we can improve SC operations. Tamar agreed to get input from former SC members on pro’s and con’s of how the SC operated during their terms, and ideas they have about best practices.

VIII. Committee Liaison Reports

Tamar – ANM will be in St. Paul.

Darryl! – DivCom meeting scheduled; CCC – Budd will send message to NC soliciting nominees for committee members.

Kate – Fincom is for the first time creating a calendar of what they want to accomplish in 2014.

Jesse – Platcom – no activity.

Charles – IC conference call being organized; we owe Global Greens dues for 2 years but only one year in 2013 budget and IC hasn’t requested 2nd year. EcoAction has had no activity.

IX. Next Meeting in 3 weeks – 1/12/14.


Budd Dickinson
Secretary