GPUS SC Conference Call
Sunday, May 15, 2011
8:00 p.m. EST
Co-chairs: Leenie Venet Halbert, Audrey Clement, Tamar Yager, Farheen Hakeem, Jason Nabewaniec
Secretary: Holly Hart
Treasurer: Jeff Turner
Staff: Brian Bittner
Theresa El-Amin was not able to be on tonight’s call. David Strand was not on the call.
Facilitator: Farheen
I. STAFF REPORT
Office Manager – Brian
The move to the new office location has been mostly completed. The location is near Maryland border, a bit outside of downtown, but a nice neighborhood and office building. Office space has better light and ventilation. All essential office equipment and files have been moved and set up. Internet connection is schedule for Tuesday. Older files and office furniture will be moved during the coming week.
The recent re-solicitation mailing is doing well, with a nearly 2 to 1 return.
There are currently 28 registrations for the ANM. We need to try to get as many people as we can to turn out for this.
Tamar asked if Brian was interested in an open house. This may proceed further once the office is more settled.
Representatives of a Green organization from Pakistan will be traveling in the U.S. and are interested in meeting. Farheen is willing to travel to DC to meet with them, as she speaks the language. She will respond and cc’ Brian, Tamar and Audrey.
Leenie asked Brian to send a copy of the GPUS letterhead to PCSC co-chairs, Tom Yager & A J Segneri.
II. TREASURER’S REPORT – Jeff
Jeff sent out messages and information with a current financial report. He reported that we have gone 5o months straight without having any unpaid bill to outside vendors.
A few days later, he sent out another report, which corrected an accounting error, and that is what is posted here:
“We have a little over $11,000 in the general account today [5/18/11], and a little over $800 in the web deposit account, and a little less than $11,000 in the reserve account. The reserve account should be holding the following funds: a little less that $2700 for caucuses that was just approved by the SC; $1790 for the IT special fund; another $700 toward the database migration; and $1965 of ANM registration monies received for a total of about $7,000. The reserve account is $3840 more that that amount right now.
“In addition there is $3680 in ANM funds that are stuck in PayPal and have not been sent to our web deposit account, [but will be] released soon. That is about the same amount that the reserve account is overfunded at this date for monies that we have authorized to be disbursed upon proper documentation. So the reserve account accurately holds about the right amount of money even though we are waiting for that $3680 of it to arrive.
“When those stuck ANM funds arrive in a few days they will get transferred into the general account, giving the general account a balance of nearly $15,000. In addition we have paid all of our May obligations except David Doonan’s month end bill. So any monies coming in for the next 12 days will grow our May month end balance to a little less than $20,000 in my estimation.
“Which means we will be right about at zero without Brent’s major donor score as of 5/31. But we have stepped up and completed an office move for a monthly savings to be realized in the future. We have hired a fundraiser and covered that payroll increase, and we have the funds stashed away for the database transfer. No small progress from where we were at New Year’s about 20 weeks ago. There are steps in the right direction and good news going forward.”
III. Financial Items
a. PROPOSAL to release earmarked caucus funds, based on *debt reduction plan* (see addendum, below) passed a year ago – Jeff
Discussion
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According to our debt reduction plan, we have reached the point where we can enact Phase I, which releases funds earmarked for GPUS Caucuses.
Tamar expressed some caution due to other expenses due to come up soon. Jeff believes we can safely cover this, it would encourage ongoing positive outlook and, we hope, continued fundraising efforts.
APPROVED, Consensus
b. PROPOSAL to authorize expenditure of up to $2000 for database migration from CivicCRM to Salsa. New Signature Creative Technology has put in a bid for the job. David Sacks believes he can reduce the cost by doing some of the items himself. He hopes to have this completed by Memorial Day.
APPROVED, Consensus
c. PROPOSAL to authorize up to $1000 of IT earmarked funds to be used for database migration. FinCom recommends authorizing up to $1000 of the earmarked funds, and two Fin/FundCom members have donated several hundreds dollars.
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DISCUSSION:
Jeff asked for input from Jason, who had overseen fundraising earmarked for IT. Jason agreed this was an appropriate use of those funds. Having a strong working database is critical to our fundraising.
APPROVAL, Consensus
IV. VOTING QUEUE
a. DAC; 5/9/11; GNC delegate allocation formula
Holly expressed concerns about one section in Article 7 which contains grammatical errors or lack of clarity, and language that refers to something we don’t have.
VOTE to approve Findings, Section 7
Holly – Yes
Farheen – No
Jason – Yes
Tamar – Abstain
Audrey – Yes
Jeff – Abstain
Leenie – Abstain
PASSES: 3 Y, 1 No, 4 Abstain
Holly will write to DAC and ask the committee to address the language in question. As long as DAC deals with this within the week, the proposal will go out on the regular timeline.
2 weeks discussion, 1 week vote
2/3 threshold
Floor Manager: Tamar
b. GP of Virginia; 5/12/11; Proposed GPUS Mission Statement
2 weeks discussion, 1 week vote; sponsors may request an extra week of discussion
2/3 threshold
Floor Manager; Audrey
V. Committee Reports
Audrey – EcoAction was interested in drafting a nuclear power position paper, but stalled while waiting to access to the wiki. Holly will be getting admin access and will help committee members with access and wiki work.
Jeff is working with Fin and FundComs on a plan for financial reporting.
Tamar – AnmCom has invited Elizabeth May to the ANM, and she is considering attending. Major speakers are planned for Friday and Saturday night. David Korten may be available. David Cobb is likely to come, and we will work with him for a fundraiser. Band is lined up.
VI. Review and Discussion of ANM draft plenary agenda
Tamar suggested SC assign a couple members to work on the evening events; a couple others to work on GNC strategic planning meetings. Holly stated that the Women’s Caucus wants to plan one or two meetings or workshops and is trying to plan when. How will Green workshops fit around the NC meetings?
Discussion of conflicting schedules with GreenFest and GNC meetings: Jeff asked that SC, AnmCom and GreenFest discuss possibilities for arranging the GNC schedule to allow for time to attend workshops, possibly make strategic planning a workshop track. Jeff and Holly will follow up with coordination.
VII, added to call agenda. PERSONNEL SUBCOMMITTEE – Jeff
Maya O’Connor advises that a personnel committee should be set up as an SC subcommittee, as an advisory committee. It should have one SC member (not a staff supervisor) plus 2-3 other people with some HR experience. It would be charged with keeping the personnel manual up to date, drafting employment contracts, assisting with developing job descriptions, and also with helping employees resolve emploment issues with the GPUS if necessary. The committee would make recommendations to the SC for approval, rather than determine policy on those matters listed above.
Jeff asked that the SC agree to establish this committee, and asked for an SC liaison. Audrey will serve on this committee with Maya. They will discuss further on finding a chair. Nan Garrett and Dean Myerson were suggested as possible members.
SC agreed to have this written up and run by Maya, then review to adopt on the next conference call.
NEXT CALL: Sunday, May 29, 2011; 8:00 p.m. EST
5/15/11
Holly Hart
Secretary, GPUS
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* ADDENDUM
INTERNAL DEBT REDUCTION SCHEDULE – approved by SC late May 2010.
The First Phase of Internal Debt Reduction will be triggered when there is $3k in hand after a month’s expenses are covered. The First Phase will put all earmarked funds for caucuses (currently $2565) into the reserve account and notify the caucuses that they are encouraged to forward requests for funding to the Finance Committee for recommendation to the Steering Committee.
The Second Phase of Internal Debt Reduction will be triggered when there is $4k in hand after a month’s expenses are covered. The Second Phase will put all earmarked funds for committees (currently $3900) into the reserve account and notify the committees that they are encouraged to forward requests for funding to the Finance Committee for recommendation to the Steering Committee.
The Third Phase of Internal Debt Reduction will be triggered when there is $7k in hand after a month’s expenses are covered. The Third Phase will pay out 2008 national-driven state staring not forgiven
Future phases of debt reduction are envisioned to be:
1. 2009 ND state sharing – payments to states that forgave 2008 ND state sharing ($5.5k) 2. 2009 ND state sharing – payment to states that didn’t forgive 2008 ND state sharing ($5.5k) 3. Reserves – begin building (up to total of $40k) 4. Loan #431 – repay $17k (use Juoni Trust in Jan 2011 if not already repaid) now reduced to about $14k because of loan forgiveness