GPUS-SC Conference Call
19 June 2006
9:00 p.m. EDT
Participants:
Jody Grage, Budd Dickinson, Holly Hart, Jake Schneider, Brent McMillan, Gwen Wages, Emily Citkowski, Marc Sanson, Rebecca Rotzler
Facilitator: Gwen
Timekeeper: Budd
Observer: Jason Nabewaniec, GPoNYS
Calling in for a portion of the call: SundiataTellem, recent co-chair of the Black Caucus
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. STAFF REPORTS
a. Operations Director – Emily
i. Emily sent her work report just before call. She invites any questions and/ or feedback on the style, amount of information, etc.
ii. Spanish translation: We now have two documents written and edited by native Spanish speakers. One is the 10 Key Values with one side Spanish, one side English; another is on Immigration. We will consider having copies printed. They will be printed in the next issue of Green Pages.
iii. Merchandise and Media Committees review of online Green bookstore: Merchandise Committee thinks this is a great idea. MerchCom co-chair Jon Olsen will contact Media Committee, Platcom and Rebecca Rotzler to set up a conference call to work out next steps.
b. Political Director — BRENT
i. CCC – The Green Party is currently at 302 candidates for the year.
The GPUS National Committee has just adopted the CCC’s Senate- and House-CCC proposals. The CCC’s goal is to get the Senate committee started first, with a goal of raising 50 contributions of $200 each from a variety of states: goal of $10,000 for the Senate committee. The plan is to submit advisory opinion for FEC recognition. for full national committee status for the Senate committee first, There is no precedent for what we’re trying to do, so we will see how it falls out.
ii. Ballot access update
Illinois’ petition drive ends June 26; it’s looking good, they are getting a cushion.
New York needs 15,000 valid signatures and are aiming for 25,000; their drive runs July 11 through August 22. They are hiring a petition coordinator. If Malachy McCourt, their gubernatorial candidate, wins 50,000 votes, GPoNYS will re-gain official party (ballot) status.ext step is 50,000 votes for official party status.
MO and MD have ballot campaigns coming up later in the year.
c. FUNDRAISING – Brent
i. Brent asked for input for re-solicitation message. Suggests highlighting work party is doing to get out the message that the Green Party is the Real Peace Party, and how what GP is doing is building up a structure to achieve peace. Brent will continue writing and send a draft to the SC list.
ii. West Coast Fundraising Assistant: Hiring committee interviewed Carlotta Abrams on Wednesday and have offered her the position. She has done fundraising for the Pacific Green Party in Oregon. A small correction is needed in the contract, which the SC will take up online. Carlotta Abrams will be notified right away, and will begin July 1.
II. BLACK CAUCUS – Gwen, Sundiata Tellem
Sundiata Tellem, recent co-chair of the GPUS Black Caucus, joined the call to report on activities and state of the Black Caucus.
There have been several meetings of the BC in the past year. Sundiata has sent an extensive written report to the national office on activities and campaigns.
During his tenure as co-chair, he sent monthly reports on request to those interested and to his state party’s co-chairs. Activities have involved television appearances lectures, appearances with Cindy Sheehan, and with Black Green Party candidates.
The call addressed concerns that the Black Caucus had not been in compliance with their bylaws, specifically the need to hold an officer election and lack of communication. Members have avoided participating due to acrimony of a few people, so it has been hard to meet quorum for business. Some volunteers have not followed through on sending out timely announcements. They would like to do an online election, and have been working with Hugh Esco to set up a program. Rebecca is willing to call members to help notify them of the upcoming election.
III. TREASURER’S REPORT – Jake
a. Last week’s treasurer’s report showed about $19,000 in accounts payable and about $16,000 in the bank. About $9,300 is owed in state sharing. Concern about going into national meeting with little cash.
PROPOSAL — Jake: that GPUS postpone paying out state sharing until the first week of August, after the national meeting. AGREED
IV. VOTING QUEUE – Holly
ADOPTED
#222 – SC: Resolution to Amend the Rules and Procedures on Steering Committee
Adopted, 6/19/06
Discussion of whether SC will put out an amendment in response to potential Yes vote. The Yes vote was not forthcoming.
PROPOSAL for SC to propose an amendment to Proposal #222
VOTE
Jake – No
Marc – No
Rebecca – No
Gwen – Yes
Holly – No
Jody – Yes
Bud – Yes
PROPOSAL FAILED
#223 – CCC: Creation of National Green Party House and Senatorial campaign
committees
Adopted, 6/19/06
CCC would like this to be part of this campaign cycle.
PROPOSAL, Gwen: get language from political director and CCC, the SC will consider it online and send to the voting queue to go out next week. AGREED
DISCUSSION PERIOD
#224 – AZGP: GPUS sign-on as a supporting organization with VotersForPeace and the Voter’s Pledge
Discussion through 6/25/06
Voting period: 6/26/06 – 7/2/06
Floor manager: Hart// 1/2
#225 – WAGP: Resolution to Support the Work of the Nonviolent Peaceforce
Discussion through 6/25/06
Voting period: 6/26/06 – 76/2/06
Floor manager: Grage/ 1/2
V. ONLINE ELECTION to Fill SC Co-chair Vacancy
The online election will be taking place partly during the national meeting.
Discussion on whether to amend the process to postpone the election until after the national meeting; truncate the process to 1 week of discussion; or stick with the timeline specified in the bylaws.
AGREED that the secretary will send out the announcement calling for nominations again and not propose to alter the policy. Noted that the timeline was in error; that will be corrected for the re-posting.
VI. ANNUAL MEETING
i. Registration
74 paid registrations, $9,775; well ahead of where we were last year. Still one problem with the registration page, but that is being worked out.
ii. Need to cut budget: we will figure out how much of the nat’l meeting needs to be recorded. Agreed that Campaign School was of most value. Audio budget is close to $1000. The proposed volunteer recording group has estimated the cost of high quality tapes for editing and archiving is about $1800 for 30 tapes, which is well over budget. We are suggesting we reduce the number of tapes to maybe 20.
iii. Update on approval of meeting facilitator. Six have been nominated. Secretary will send request for bios; then send this to the voting page for the approval vote.
iv. Plenary planning – TABLE
Marc will write up a draft.
v. Peacekeepers – TABLE
vi. Consensus method question – http://www.consensus.net/bio.html – TABLE
vii. Credentialing/Dels/Alts List – plan is mostly set, will consult with former secretary for further details. Will have online spreadsheet and hard copy list of delegates/alternates.
viii. Diversity Waivers
Jake, Marc and Holly raised several concerns: The application form has just been sent to the NC list, although the SC had assurances from DivCom that it would be run by the SC first; Rebecca forwarded the DivCom subcommittee the information that the application is for fee waivers, not “scholarships,” but the terminology used is still incorrect, although; there are several points not in compliance or that go far beyond the specific policy that created the waivers; this is going out just 1 month before the meeting; the secretary was to have been included in those receiving applications.
PROPOSAL, Marc: To extend the application deadline to July 10, with July 15 as the decision date; To add the secretary to the list where applications are received; That correct phraseology be inserted in the text, with “diversity committee annual meeting funds application” substituted for “scholarship.”
AGREED
VII. SC P&P’s – Jody and everyone else
TABLE
Some fine-tuning is left, otherwise this is nearly finished and ready to review.
Next Call: Monday, July 3, 2006 9:00 p.m. EDT
Holly Hart
Secretary, GPUS
Minimally edited and HTML formatted by Charlie Green