GPUS Steering Committee
Meeting Agenda
Sunday, September 13, 2015 – 8:00 p.m. ET
I. CALL SETUP & BACKGROUND
a) Facilitator: David Doonan
b) Start recording of call (ref #142)
c) Roll Call – present: Audrey Clement, Sanda Everette, Jan Martell, Andrea Merida, Charles Ostdiek, Jeff Turner, Tamar Yager, Karen Young, Bahram Zandi. Observers: Mike Feinstein, Starlene Rankin.
d) Agenda revisions: Jeff – add budget production schedule to Treasurer’s Report; Proposal to Approve Linda Cree as Forum Manager is awaiting approval from GPMI, and so will be deferred to next meeting; final draft of Iowa Proposal to Amend RP&Ps is not complete and will also be deferred to next meeting.
II. OLD BUSINESS
a) Dispute resolution process for BRPP, DRC revival – The subcommittee has submitted names of possible DRC members to Darryl Moch, who will contact them and report back to the Secretary.
b) Liaison temporary assignments, will be reviewed Jan. 1 – Karen: CCC, Fundraising, Outreach, Web Content. Tamar: ANM, Personnel Group. Andrea: Accreditation, Diversity, Officeholders Group, Media. Audrey: Ballot Access, Presidential Campaign Support. Charles: Finance, International, Bylaws, Dispute Resolution. Bahram: Diversity, Merchandise, Outreach. Sanda: Credentials, EcoAction, Green Pages. Jan will take Platform, though Secretary does not usually do liaison.
c) Insurance – Tamar is working up a new proposal concerning dropping health insurance, so send thoughts and questions on this to her within the next few days.
d) Decision to renew current insurance policy pending change Jan. 1 – Jeff sent attachment with suggestions about salary adjustments in relation to insurance costs, not a decision item. Proposal to continue current health insurance for employees through end of year – passed by consensus.
e) Staff discussion – Tamar needs more feedback about tasks needed done by office staff – who we hire to replace Brian depends on what we want staff to do. Jeff – office manager can be half time hourly and we should have half-time political director, salaried – this can be written up. Committee will weigh half and half vs. full time and report back before next meeting so SC can make decision – Tamar will contact Brian to see what duties he handles beyond office work.
III. STANDING BUSINESS
a) Treasurer’s Report
1. Financial report spreadsheet, no questions
2. Fincom recommendation on operating fund reserve – placing $1000 in an operating reserve fund and continuing to add a minimum of an additional $500 to that reserve fund for every month that we are deemed able to do so – not a mandate, a goal to strive for – accepted by consensus.
3. Update on Global Greens dues – IC requests holding off sending check till further thought on the dues issue.
4. Budget production schedule – Jeff: should we have a joint Fincom/Fundcom/SC call on the 27th to launch budget? No, not like last year, when SC went over the budget line by line – this is Fincom’s work, not SC. Jeff will invite SC members to the call, but participation is voluntary.
b) Fundraising Report – Karen – Launch day for Nationbuilder website is Sept. 21 – memo coming tomorrow. Fundraising for August holding the previous 80% of goal though Aug. is usually less. Metrics for 90-day plan available; 1-year plan has been drafted; phone bankers are being trained; recruitment drive through NB, trade of contact info for bumper sticker on Facebook. 30% increase in sustainers.
c) Report: results of the online SC decision to nominate Linda Cree to the NC as Forum Manager (quorum: majority — aye: Ostdiek, Martell, Young, Yager, Clement, Everette / nay: None / abstain: None / did not vote: Mérida, Turner, Zandi — proposal passes)
VOTING QUEUE
In the queue:
a) Approval of Latinx Caucus
b) Ranked choice vote: Credentials Committee
Received for the queue:
a) Iowa Proposal to Amend GPUS RP&Ps, Article IX – postponed pending final draft.
b) California Proposal: Amendment: GPUS Rules and Procedures, Article IX National Committee Email Lists – ready to go, no discussion.
c) Approval of Linda Cree as Forum Manager – postponed, pending GPMI approval.
d) Amendment: GPUS Bylaws, Steering Committee Elections, 6.1 Nominations – ready to go, no discussion.
IV. NEW BUSINESS
a) Z Magazine has invited the Green Party to be a partner of its online school for activists, World Institute for Social Change (WISC). Partnership would allow the GP to sponsor a course at WISC. We’ve missed the first opportunity (Sept 1) but if we approve this we can get on board for the next course session. – Scott McLarty has a course in mind – approved by consensus.
b) Decision to update Internal Procedures and amend 2012 meeting notes to reflect complete decision-making process – approved by consensus. Jan will forward to Webmaster.
V. EXECUTIVE SESSION
None
TOTAL TIME: 122 minutes
Jan Martell
Secretary