SC Conference Call August 5, 2001
MINUTES
1. Treasurer’s report
a. – Santa Barbara finances: waiting for a recap of expenses from SB greens. Still owe for boarding for Lynn Serpe, Dean Myerson and Jello Biaffra.
– Raised $7400 Saturday, still trying to reach a number of people (totalling $900) to collect their pledges. Will try to get SB attendance list and match some of the folk.
– Global greens videos: sold all 60 of them, made some $120 net (approx)
– Receiving approx $200/week on various appeals already sent.
b. Upcoming expenses: Karen Koss (Green Pages lay-out), Dean Myerson contract rate, Kevin (webweaver monthly fee), upcoming organizing trips to ID ($193 RT Dean), MS ($200 RT, David Cobb), FEC seminar on PACs ($360)
2. Fundraising
– Marnie Glickman circulated the new fundraising letter, got suggestions back.
– Printing 20,000 + 1000 additional envelopes and return cards, etc. for approx $3500. (New cards will have time limit on the EFT sustaining donation).
– Send asap to internal list. Jo Chamberlain expressed questions of origin and legality of current lists, recommends not proceeding until this is resolved, refused to stand aside. All others voted to move forward.
– Dean and Nat: to work-out bulk rate permits and report back
– Robbie to appeal for volunteer to keep track of donations and names (also locally)
– Jo Chamberlain: Goods for Greens: Jo to draft letter re any agreement (union, design, no donation)
– Resume for fundraiser: no incentive pay, Robbie to place on cc list and pass to locals.
– Marnie: If ad in Chronicle of Philantropy is less than $50, Dean and Marnie delegated to place the ad. Otherwise, Marnie will send info to the SC. Marnie agreed to help review resumes.
3. Green Pages
– For spring 2001 issue: SC had agreed to pay up to $2000 for shipping to affiliates. We will honor that amount.
– For summer 2001 issue. Ok to pay for shipping+production-subscriptions, after we receive invoices and full list of subscriptions. SC already paid $800 toward production. Nathalie and Dean to write letter to Mike.
– 3000 copies in Santa Monica: Nathalie/ Dean to offer bundles of 100 to the CC at cost
– Future issues: Talk about it at SC strategy meeting Aug 24-25, Hartford CT.
4. Office space
– See attached report from Annie Goeke, who visited the location in DC.
– SC supports opening the office in Oct, since it is a great deal. Jo Chamberlain to take over (length of lease, waiting period, utilities, subletting flex with landlord)
5. Settle legal finances with David Cobb
David to send memo on allocation between SC and state requests. How should legal budget be partitioned. No invoice has ever been sent yet, all work was done pro-bono.
6. Internal communications
Need to delegate responsibilities, discuss privately and only report to the SC for input at weekly Conference call or post reports – lighten-up on email load.
Discussed logistics of Strategy meeting Aug 24-25 in CT, including travel money if needed for all to participate.
Dean to call SC members to draft initial agenda.
7. Field Organizing
Idaho revised state meeting plans and will meet only in Boise. Kansas cancelled for now. David Cobb to go to MS for their statewide meeting. XX to meet end of Sept. Cost is still below budget for September.
8. Recap of relationship with past GP presidential candidate
– Ben to draft letter and circulate for input. Letter to be sent to 2-3 point persons for past GP presidential candidate
– David and Dean to do final legal research on donation of lists to national committees, before Chicago Campus Greens rally, where RN will be present.
9. Filing with FEC by August 10, on time for Campus Greens rally
States missing: WY, UT, GA. MA and AR won’t be able to send affiliation in time. Nathalie to contact WY, UT. GA. MO won’t be part of the filing.
10. Liaison with campus greens and past GP presidential candidate
Ben Manski selected liaison with Campus Greens, liaison with past GP presidential candidate to be selected in CT, Aug 24-25.
IMPORTANT: both in CA and at the SC level, reporters were trying to raise contentious issues between various local greens and greens and the past GP presidential candidate. It is very important EVERYONE both at the CC level and at the state level be aware the media is looking for hooks for controversy or sensationalism.
It is very important that all statements be very positive, focusing on GP building the grassroots, identifying leadership willing to stand-up, accomplishments. Anything else, we just do not know. Please consult with the media committee, the SC or others on the various state media committees to coordinate talking points.
11. Draft personel guidelines
We need personnel hiring and employment guidelines. Please send any you may have from work. Tom & Dean, and Jo to draft proposals on those issues.
12. Trip to Europe: wait for International committee to send memo
13. National fundraising event:
– David and legal team to look for legal issues regarding joint fundraisers
– Marnie and RF to discuss with fundraising committee about how to handle donations at events, especially cash (if smaller than $X, no reporting need)
– There is a proposal to hold national fundraising events in SB-CA, NY, TX, NM, AZ.
– Past GP presidential candidate offered to hold fundraising event in Sept. This would coincide with IMF WB protests in DC. This will be discussed with fundraising committee.
14. Jonathan Farley:
African American mathematitian professort, running for Congress in TN, unabashedly Green. Very enthusiastic, up & coming leader in AA community, wants to help develop the grassroots. Tom to see about setting-up series of events in CT (would support Elizabeth Horton-Scheff’s electoral race). Dean to pursue Farley’s availability and interest in meeting with SC in CT, and to check whether he might be in Chicago for Campus Greens.
15. Presidential Search Committee:
Committee was reinstated in Hiawasse meeting in Georgia. John Strawn and Jane Hunter encouraged to call for volunteers.
16. Bank account:
Robbie suggested staying with current bank. Creating new accounts and processing signature cards (Robbie, Tom Sevigny and Nathalie P). Requested to set-up EFT
17. Coordinated Campaigns Committee:
Ben requested setting-up committee to coordinate congressional campaigns next year. OK by SC, details to be discussed in CT, Aug 24-25.
18. DC/IMF protests:
It was uggesteded greens need much higher visibility as rallying national organization. Suggested dramatic action such as Steering Committee going to protests and participating in high visibility actions, etc. Ben, Anita and David Cobb to go, others to consider. Details and other ideas discussed Aug 24-25.
19. DC Proposal on Durban Conference on Racism
SC feels this is in line with platform. We will proceed with 48-hour endorsement procedure. By default I’ll be floor manager. I need help, please let me know if I can forward responses to one of you to tally this time. I am going to recruit volunteers to help with this sort of things, until we have a better voting system.
Thanks
======
Annie Goeke’s report on DC office:
Dear All,
As some of you know, I went to check out the proposed office in Takoma Park with both Jenefer Ellingston and Jay Marx from the DC Greens on Monday, July 9th.
The proposed office is at 268 Carroll Avenue, Washington D.C. (across from the Takoma Park Metro station)
It is very visible and would be an excellent location as Takoma Park is very much known for being a community of diversity and green minded. It is just inside the beltway and the office is part of Washington D.C. district rather than the Takoma Park area.
The person who has the lease is Brian Robinson – 1 301 270-8057 and the liaison for us is Jay Marx 1 301-587-3979, jaymarx@hotmail.com who is a member of the DC Greens.
At the moment the space has just been organized to become an ‘Open Community Living Room’ for the community of Takoma Party. The full size of the space is 20′ by 45′ and includes a tiny bathroom. It is next store to a dry cleaner. It has a big window in the front and french double doors entrance with windows too. There is a skylight in the back, so the space is airy and bright. The front with the window is very visible to the street and even to the metro entrance.
The estimated size that we thought would be best to mark out would be the front with the window – 15′ by 10′. This space could be marked out by a similar counter as in the SM office. It could easily accomodate 2 people and leave an area for people to come in and sit. With regard to security of equipment this could be built into the L shape counter.
The talking price for this space is about $400 a month. THere are discussions about whether the DC Greens would want to share the space. This will be talked about at their meeting tonight. New electrical outlets and system is being put in. It will be available from Sept onwards. I talked about having a DSL line put in and at least 2 phone lines for us. There seems to be no problem about that.
I also asked about what percentage would we have to pay for the energy bills, costs on insurance and other items. Also, how long a lease would Brian expect us to sign.
Just spoke to Jay Marx saying that we may be interested in starting a lease in October. He says this would be no problem.
So the deciding factors are:
– True costs with insurance?
– What type of lease and for how long?
– Whether the DC Greens want to share?
We will need to do some construction with building an L shaped counter about 3 1/2′ tall and have a way to lock up all the equipment.
So I suggest that someone from the SC take over the negotiations with Jay and Brian. I would be happy to help in anyway if you need me especially if I go to DC for a visit to check out the progress.
I will scan the photos I had which I brought to SB but didn’t have time to show you on another email.
Green blessings and peace from Annie