8:00 p.m. EDT
Participants: Holly Hart, Budd Dickinson, Jim Coplen, Jody Grage, Katey Culver, Liz Arnone, Brent McMillan, Rebecca Rotzler, Emily Citkowski
Observer: Julia Aires, GP-FLA
Facilitator: BuddTimekeeper: Liz
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.]
1) STAFF REPORTS
a. POLITICAL DIRECTOR – Brent CCC had another call. Brent and CCC co-chair Greg Gerritt have exchanged emails. Considering possibility of using Earl Gray (New Jersey) memorial fund for CCC work.
Lining up candidates for this year; currently, there are 9. Brent is working on outreach, would like to find more candidates.
Possibility of 3 campaign schools this year before annual meeting. Charlotte, NC, in early March; strategic planning retreat in DC in early March; GPCA strategic planning retreat in early February.
Reported in recent Ballot Access News: Greens garnered more than twice as many gubernatorial votes as any other third party. Sign of growing electoral strength: US House races received 293,606 votes, more than an arithmetic increase over past years’ gains.
Officeholders Network: Took a big hit in California. A lot of officeholders chose not to run again. Will start year with 223 officeholders, 3 fewer than last year, the first decline. Need to do more this year to encourage officeholders to run again or people to run to replace them if they choose not to run again.
Finished entering elections data into the Access database. Working on getting certified results into the elections database. Working on soliciting donor lists from 2006 candidates.
Carl Romanelli’s (GPPA) ballot access case (06-742) is going to the Supreme Court.
PROPOSAL to appoint Henry Lawrence III (GP-FLA) to CCC. AGREED, consensus
b. FUNDRAISING – Brent
Working on getting East Coast Fundraiser Rebecca White up and running. Next effort will be to get Midwest Fundraiser Jake Schneider up and running.
Brent is focusing on large donors. Brought in good returns and a couple large contributions from latest direct mail.
c. OPERATIONS – Emily New volunteer, GWU student, starting this month; new intern from Herndon High starting in February (3rd in a line of Herndon High interns). National office will have enough volunteers to fill office space, but can take others; especially IT experts, especially in DC area, for help with banner ads, blogging.
Database project (moving donor database to MYSQL online): this is not taking money from general funds. They need $400 up front, $400 at completion of project. Merchandise co-chair LaVerne Butler suggests applying for a grant to upgrade technology. Fiscal policy allows GPUS to receive grants up to $2000 per year per grantor. SC agrees to give Emily approval to continue to look into this.
MERCHANDISE is working on marketing plan. More details to come. 2006 numbers, budgeted to raise $24,000; looks like we’ll exceed $26,000 this year. $16,000 of that came from website donations. There is a direct correlation between website traffic and people who donate. In 2006, most of our new donors came from the website; of those, the majority either signed up for a Green Card or for merchandise. When we’re in the news, we get more web traffic. Other possibilities include targeted outreach to specific blogs, green blogs, state parties. Please send any ideas for blogs, free advertising.
OUTREACH Committee met today. An outreach plan is in the initial stages.
QUESTION from one of the Green Pages co-chairs on whether Green Pages can accept paid advertising. We may need a policy for this. Rebecca will contact Mike Feinstein for history on early policy regarding this.
2) TREASURER’S REPORT/FINANCES a. Treasurer’s report – report will be coming out tomorrow. Jody has mostly been working on the budget. Latest iteration has been sent to SC. Budget call is tomorrow night.
b. Request to increase Media Coordinator’s salary for January the amount included in the budget.
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Discussion
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Katey – would feel better if we were not also paying out two months’ stipend for work not being done for another position. Jody – idea is that the individual filling that position would continue to work for two more months.
Budd – concern about funds and had thought of phasing this in, but now feels payment should be increased now.
AGREED to raising Media Coordinator’s payment.
SC’s thoughts on extending Media Assistant stipend for one more month instead of two months.
Holly, Liz, Jim, Katey – one month
Jody, Budd, Rebecca – two months
3) VOTING QUEUE – Holly
1/7/07
ADOPTED
None
FAILED
#254 – FinCom, SC: 2007 Proposed Budget; failed 12/28/06
#255 – SC: Approval of Gregg Jocoy GPSC as Forum Manager; failed for lack of quorum, 12/26/06
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Per the agreement of the Forum Managers and Gregg Jocoy, the process will start again. The Secretary will put out another call and follow up with prior volunteers.
DISCUSSION
#256 – DAC: Allocation of Delegates to the National Committee of the Green Party
Discussion through 1/21/07
Voting period: 1/22/07 – 1/28/07
Hart// 2/3
RECEIVED for the VOTING QUEUE
1) received, 12/24/06; GPGA, GPRI to co-sponsor: A resolution to authorize the continuing appropriation of Party funds to meet the Party’s obligations in the absense of an adopted budget covering the 2007 Fiscal Year; to provide guidance to the Finance Committee on the preparation of a budget for 2007; and for other purposes.
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Question of whether this is moot pending passage of a new budget proposal. Concerns that Finance Committee is being asked to do things not in its purview. Liz will relay these questions and ask the presenters to address them. If they respond within the week, SC will take it up online for the voting queue.
2) received, 1/4/07; FinCom; 2007 Budget, revised 2 weeks discussion, 1 week vote
Floor manager: Liz
Threshold; 50%
3) not yet received, AnmCom: proposals for two possible locations and dates for annual meeting
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Expected in a couple days, SC will take up online.
NOTE: GPUS co-sponsorship of World Can’t Wait events January 4, 2007. SC granted approval on 12/31/06. Steve Kramer spoke at the event. The text of his speech has been sent to the NC list.
Suggestion for a proposal for a moratorium on all/most NC work during campaign seasons and winter holidays. TBC…
4) QUESTION
From 12/17/06 call: GPAX asks for endorsement of Jan 27-29, 2007, Peace March in DC. Jacqui Deveneau noticed that GPAX is listed as co-sponsor, but not GPUS.
AGREED that Jody will forward Holly message. Holly will send notice of GPUS endorsements to UFPJ and Peace Action.
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Secretary sent notices, but can not find any confirmation. Does anyone in GPAX know where or how to contact UFPJ? Rebecca suggested Anne Wilcox or Joni Leviness. Holly will contact one of them to find out.
5) QUESTION of GPUS representative to Climate Crisis Coalition.
Secretary will let them know it is Julia Willebrand (GPoNYS).
6) PORTFOLIO REPORTS
Jody recommends the SC put out a coordinated committee member solicitation.
POLICY – Budd
QUESTION raised concerning GPAX; GPAX was officially approved under the condition that they were addressing various organizational questions. Was this ever done?
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GPAX is getting promised upgrades to their missions statement and P&P’s, Washington State will sponsor this.
NEXT MEETING: Sunday, January 21, 8:00 p.m. ET
1/7/07
Holly Hart
Secretary, GPUS