January 30, 2006

GPUS-SC Conference Call
30 January 2006
9:00 p.m. EDT

Participants:
Gwen, Jody, Jake, Holly, Marc, Emily, Brent, Pat//Steve on at 11 p.m. ET
Observers: Matt Abel, MI; Jill Bussiere, WI; Budd Dickinson, CA
Scott McLarty, Media Committee, to report on State of the Union

Observers: Budd Dickinson, Kristen Olson, Marybeth Wuerthner, Cara Campbell, Roger Snyder

Facilitators: Marc 1st half; Jody 2nd half
Timekeeper: Jake

Abbreviations used:
AC = Accreditation Committee
ANM, ANMC = Annual National Meeting Committee
BAWG = Ballot Access Working Group
BRPP = Bylaws, Rules, Policies and Procedures Committee
BC = Black Caucus
CC = Coordinating Committee
CCC = Coordinated Campaign Committee
CG SC = Campus Greens Steering Committee
ComCom = Communications Committee
DC = Diversity Committee
DIA = Democracy in Action internet service
DRC = Dispute Resolution Committee
FC = Fundraising Committee
FEC = Federal Election Commission
GP = Green Party
IC = International Committee
LC = Lavender Caucus
NPWG = Nominating Process Working Group
NWC = National Women’s Caucus
PEC = Presidential Exploratory Committee
PCSC = Presidential Campaign Support Committee
SC = Steering Committee
SPWG = Strategic Plan Working Group
[Brackets denote editor’s suggested corrections. Some punctuation corrections done with no content change. -ed.]

I. Media Committee: State of the Union Update
Scott McLarty: Recordings went well. Craig Seeman should have all video rebuttals uploaded to website by Wednesday morning. Press release will go out; Media Committee will overnight rebuttals to a list of certain media (Free Speech Radio, Democracy Now). Recommends keeping this up on web page for awhile.

Discussion:
Jody – have been tremendously impressed by this effort; online communications, technical aspects; sense a real upgrade in the learning curve for a lot of people – thank you.
Scott – Craig deserves a lot of credit.

II. STAFF REPORTS
A. NATIONAL OFFICE – EMILY
1 – Merchandise Ad-Hoc Committee policy on allowing affiliated states/locals to use Earth Flower logo (which is being copyrighted).

Emily sent the policy out for SC review. Three parts: explanation of guidelines for use; application form; 1-year use with option of extending for another year. Feedback from SC has been positive. Emily would like a decision soon, at least one request is waiting.

PROPOSAL (Holly) – for SC to approve policy
Marc – friendly amendment, in effect immediately, subject to approve subject to further approval by NC

Discussion
Gwen – does this go to NC or can SC vet this? Is it our responsibility to set up contracts like this?
Pat – has a problem with approving something pending approval – can we guarantee someone will un-approve approval?
Marc – concern, thinks this needs to get approved by the NC. Don’t have P&P’s not willing to go outside of the box on this.

VOTE
Marc – No
Jody – No
Gwen – Yes
Jake – No
Holly – Yes
Pat – Yes

FAILS. TABLED ’til Rebecca and/or Steve com on

Later that same day…..
NEW PROPOSAL (Holly) – to send the policy to the NC for approval;
Marc – friendly amendment: in the meantime, we will take requests on a case by case basis, so people who are waiting can get an answer; approval will not be rescinded.

VOTE
Holly – Yes
Marc – Yes
Gwen – Yes
Jody – Yes
Jake – Yes
Steve – Yes

ACTION
Secretary will send policy to the NC. 2 weeks, discussion, 1 week vote, Gwen will floor manage. 2/3 threshold.

B. POLITICAL DIRECTOR; CCC; FUNDRAISING – BRENT
There are now 147 declared Green candidates for this season; 41 Congressional candidates, a goal to get between 60-70.

Ballot Access:
GPPA filed a ballot access lawsuit. The hearing is in federal court on Thursday.
IAGP/Libertarian party of IA lawsuit for party registration will be filed tomorrow
GP-IND – ballot access work; Jeff Stant, former head of Hoosier Environmental Council and brother of Bill Stant, their Secretary of State candidate, is taking the lead on the petitioning effort.

Fundraising:
Prospect mailing to San Mateo County, CA, went out Friday
Re-solicitation for February from officeholders, have a couple who have agreed to sign the letter.
Personal solicitations – secured $12, 000 transaction, involved with state sharing.

Since last SC call, Scott McLarty and Brent sat with Michael Berg (Delaware Green candidate for Congress ) and his campaign manager for coaching .

Sustainer program – doing ok; Morgen D’Arc is paying for herself at this point; how do we take it farther now and gain ground? Will be doing a lot more development work this year.

III. TREASURER’S REPORT – JAKE
1- Still “skinny.” Emily made a deposit on Friday that didn’t make it into current report, not large; will be running credit cards tomorrow, will have at least one more deposit this week.

2 – Sustaining member has posted a message to us, is dropping their sustaining contribution. Current acrimony is going to affect fundraising. Hope this is not the beginning of a trend.

Discussion:
Jody – Thinks member is simply tired on a lot of fronts. Doesn’t regard this as a bellweather.
Brent – we’ve been dealing with this for some time and it has had an impact on our fundraising. However, we’re about to have our biggest year ever electorally. Some will try to head it off; a strategy of busting up GP and forming a new progressive party – whatever problems we have, will have to solve them here and now, won’t solve problems. Negativity will fall by wayside, Candidate recruitment is going well. This is not the time to quit.
Pat – concern that this acrimony would become public, don’t want it to hurt the hundreds of campaigns across the country; possibly come up with a proposal.

Marc – will continue discussion online and on FunCom.

IV. EMPLOYEE CONTRACTS – (Marc, Emily, Jody)
1- We have full-time contracts approved (Brent, Emily) – we need “duties and benefits.”
Marc has final draft of contractors’ agreement, probably needs some revision & finalizing.
We need duties for each contractors and full-time staff and will merge into contracts.
Rob Tuffts, Jen Walling (CCC co-chairs) working with Brent; Jody, Steve working with Emily
Holly/Pat will contact contractors (Richard Scott, Scott McLarty, Morgen D’Arc, Starlene Rankin, Doug Malkan)

2 – Emily – would like input on system for reporting to SC/someone; feels need for some sort of formal reporting, checking in on regular basis; also, not sure what should be in reports.

Discussion:
Jake – do you want something in the contract on this? What’s been in reports sounds fine, we expect to hear what’s important today, this week, what needs attention, what have we forgotten…
Pat – Emily is doing a great job, validates good work, we’re getting good direction
Jody – time on calls used best by asking for and giving feedback; other things can be reported online; stay healthy, or we’re in trouble
Gwen – wants important highlights, important things we ned to discuss; no one knows office better than person in office.
Marc – slightly different angle: it’s unfair not to give more guidelines, if this is what Emily wants; would be worthwhile to look at our reporting anyway, see what kind of info we need on weekly basis, come up with list of basics; fairness to employees.

Discussion will continue online.
Emily – this is exactly the kind of feedback she was looking for.

V. DONATIONS – committees, caucuses, press release page? (Emily, Holly) Committees/caucus can raise their own funds; question of policy; question on who gets front page billing.

Will send discussion to FunCom

Jody takes over as facilitator

VI. VOTING QUEUE – (Holly)
VOTING PERIOD
#197 – GPRI/IAGP: Amendment to Proposal 175 – Creation of a Delegate Apportionment Committee – Broaden Participation
Voting period: 1/30/06 – 2/5/06
Floor Manager: Hart// 1/2

#198 – GPRI/IAGP: Amendment to Proposal 175 – Creation of a Delegate Apportionment Comm – Change Vote Counting System; amended, 1/27/06
Voting period: 1/30/06 – 2/5/06
Floor Manager: Hart// 1/2

#199 – now #206 – SC – Steering Committee Co-chair Election
Voting period: TBAmended **
Election Administrator: Schneider// IRV
Candidates:
Matt Abel, GPMI
Budd Dickinson, GPCA
NOTA

QUESTION — on write-ins
This option is automatically included in ranked-choice votes
**Error/system glitch eventually caused the thing to be deleted by accident; will be re-posted tonight. Secretary will send out notice to NC, note dates, options. [NOTE: voting page administrator has already done this – hh, 1/31/06]

DISCUSSION
#200 – MDGP: Endorsement of Letter from Coal River Mountain Watch
Discussion through 2/5/06
Voting period: 2/6/06 – 2/12/06
Floor Manager: Sanson// 1/2

#201 – ILGP/GPRI/PPMO/GP-Ark/WIGP/GPOK/more may be coming
Bylaws Amendemt – Steering Committee Recall
Discussion through 2/12/06
Voting period: 2/13/06 – 2/19/06
Floor Manager: Kramer// 2/3

#202 – SC: National Committee Approval of Forum Managers
Discussion through 2/5/06
Voting period: 2/6/06 – 2/12/06
Floor Manager: Haug// 1/2
Forum Managers nominated are:
Deanna Taylor, GPUT
Jim Coplen, GP-IND
James DeBoer, GPRI

#205 – AnmCom: Hosting of the 2006 Annual National Meeting
Discussion through 2/5/06
Voting period: 2/6/06 – 2/12/06
Elections Administrator: Kramer// IRV

******
GP-FLA/CA/NY/PA/VT Proposal Concerning the SC Co-chair Election
Question on what to write, have already sent requests several times

Message from Gary Hecker (FLA) today states he/proposers are ok with putting proposal up with 2/3 threshold.

PROPOSAL (Jody) – to send proposal to the voting page, as is. No Approval. PROPOSAL (Jody) – to move to voting page with 2/3 threshold.

Discussion:
Marc – they don’t need to agree with threshold, that wasn’t the issue.
Gwen – have reached an impasse, we know there are problems with way the proposal is written, presenters are no longer seeing any merit in what we’re saying, maybe it would be better if the NC told them.

VOTE
Gwen – Yes
Silence from rest. Proposal dies.

PROPOSAL (Holly) – to refer proposal to BRPP for review/input.

VOTE
Gwen – Yes
Marc – Yes
Jake – Yes
Holly – Yes
Jody – Yes

Marc – withdraws a proposal to add request for BRPP to work on larger area addressing tasks of the SC; will continue with SC P&P work.

VII. OLD BUSINESS
a. Forum Managers
Holly – on the faith their appointments will be approved, they have started working on a preliminary letter with guidelines/handout, templates; working with a wiki.

b. SC co-chair Elections working group
Holly (on behalf of Steve, not yet arrived) – discussing what to take to Fairvote; Steve Kramer can meet Caleb Kleppner from CVD, who has offered to help out. Clarification to take to those who speak language other than those commonly used by carbon-based life-forms: working group is to get input on what method/algorithm to use for future elections; on elections protocol and ethics.

c. MOU/AMA
Gwen – contacted Julia Willebrand and left Alan Kauffman (International committee co-chairs) a message; will start clean, examine whether there should be a relationship between GPUS and Worker’s Party of Pakistan; funds available for recognized parties from International Federation of Green Parties; it is important not to put this off.

d. Legal team/portfolio – no report.

VIII. NEW BUSINESS
a. F2F in DC – need full SC to discuss. TABLED

b. Discuss proposal on committee portfolio reporting – Marc Re-posted to list, will go back to work on it, hope to have a revision by next week.

c. Latin American Studies Ed Cut (forwarded by Jody, 1/8/06)
Secretary will put them in touch with AZGP.
Discussion on what to do with such messages or requests.
Marc – within routine purview of Secretary to send it on to appropriate recipient. AGREED

d. Diversity Committee proposal, appeared on NC list this afternoon. Secretary will send proposal template to DivCom and ask them to format it.

e. Rose Nader Memorial – Emily sent a card to Ralph Nader’s DC office; a card and plant to the family home in CT
Gwen – post on website the place where donations could be sent. Holly will try to track it down. [NOTE: Thanks to Rebecca, who supplied the address – hh, 1/31/06]

NEXT CALL: Monday, February 13, 2006; 9:00 p.m. ET

Holly Hart
Secretary, GPUS
1/30/06
Minimally edited and HTML formatted by Charlie Green