GPUS-SC Conference Call
24 April 2006
9:00 p.m. ET
Participants:
Jake Schneider, Holly Hart, Jody Haug, Rebecca Rotzler, Budd Dickinson, Steve Kramer, Emily Citkowski, Pat LaMarche, Gwen Wages, Marc Sanson, Brent McMillan
Observer: Gloria Mattera/NY, Co-chair, GPoNYS
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REQUESTED to be on tonight’s call:
Roger Snyder, Maria Kuriloff, co-chairs, GPUS Accreditation Committee; will call in at 10:00 p.m., 10-15 minutes
Sylvia Inwood, Morgen D’Arc, co-chairs, GPUS National Women’s Caucus; will call in at 10:40 p.m., 10-15 minutes
Facilitator: Steve Kramer
Timekeeper: Jody Haug
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. Political Director — BRENT
Brent has spent the last 4 days in New Paltz NY for campaign school there. Got a chance to meet with a couple campaigns, do some coaching and workshops and follow-up with NY State Committee. Will be selecting their main statewide candidates May 20th. Later in the call, Rebecca noted that all involved felt the campaign school went wonderfully well, and wa attended by Greens throughout New York and the northeast.
There are now 248 Green candidates declared (1/2 of Brent would like to see for candidate recruitment); about 54 Congressional candidates identified.
BALLOT ACCESS
Just picked up Nevada ballot line; they now have enough signatures and are waiting for confirmation.
Illinois is at 7500 signatures in their petition drive, moving along quickly.
PA lost their lawsuit, are appealing and also going for the signatures; they are at about 5000 towards roughly 64,000.
Texas is currently at 10,000 signatures in their drive, also moving along well.
Ohio is at about 3900, sweating Ohio – they need 5000 by May 1.
b. Fundraising – Brent
Last re-solicitation mailing returns have now tripled (brought in more than 3x as much as it cost) 4.5% return; last year was at 3.8%.
Next prospect mailing: spoke with John Atkeison, campaign manager for Michael Berg’ US Senate campaign in Delaware; Berg is open to doing a mailing. Also looking at more prospect mailings, including subscribers to The Nation.
Sold 5 t-shirts in New Paltz. Picked up $1000 pledge last week will be on phone this week to see what he can do.
c. Operations Director – Emily
i – Sent out March Work Report today
Outlined online fundraising, Green Party card, ANFC [??], interns and volunteers, finance committee, merchandising, a few IT issues
ii – One of the workstation computers has been down for awhile today. Emily talked with Hugh Esco and Microsoft. Work station needs to be repaired or replaced. $1200 are budgeted for national office. About $200-300 has been spent to repair the copier it will likely need to be replaced sometime soon.
SC AGREED to authorize Emily to spend up to $400 to get another work station set up. If the cost is close to that amount, we may better look into getting a replacement. If so, Steve will help help with looking for a new computer.
II. TREASURER’S REPORT – Jake
In addition to last week’s report, state sharing checks went out today. We have approx. $22-23,000 available. Still skinny, but above water.
From the last call: Media Committee’s proposal to do some fundraising with promotional appeals to air their ad. Becky Weber, Nick Mellis and Emily are the liaisons with the MC. We need a fundraising plan from MC. Some concerns have been raised about this taking away from other fundraising programs – competition. FunCom is addressing this at this time.
Marc is not running for re-election to SC, and his term will end at the end of July. SC really needs to look at getting someone experienced with budget, fundraising, finance, etc. Recommends Budd for Finance portfolio. Budd will keep it in mind.
III. VOTING QUEUE – Holly
ADOPTED
#218 – CA/MI/WI/DC: Resolution To Pose Challenge To Two-Party System
Adopted, 4/24/06
FAILED
#219 – FLA: Proposal to Clarify Terminology and Mission of Delegate Apportionment Committee DAC
Failed, 4/24/06
DISCUSSION PERIOD
#220 – BRPP: Resolution to Amend the Rules and Procedures on Internal Elections Policy
Discussion through 4/30/06
Voting period: 5/1/06 – 5/7/06
Sanson// 2/3
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BRPP is currently considering several amendments, and will brrp up what amendments they come up with.
Question as to whether they will ask for an extension of discussion period.
Will make decision by end of week.
VOTING PERIOD
None
RECEIVED FOR VOTING QUEUE
None
IV. Ongoing Business
a. Annual Meeting – Jake
-Received from AnmCom MOU for registration webpage contract for Cameron Spitzer, Susan Dridi, [??] Dixon and Hugh Esco. It’s in the budget, $300 for 15 hours, plus some bartering for registration fees at the convention.
i – Who do we want to sign the contract? Jake. AGREED
ii – Who will be the designated person to communicate with on SC on fulfillment of contract? Point of contact for checking integrity of program? Ruth Weill.
Jake will scan contracts and e-mail to SC so that more “eyeys’ Have a chance to review.
AGREED
-Received contract from Univ. of AZ. Deposit must be forwarded to them by May 30, ca. $1600.
i – Who do you want copies sent to for approval? Ruth, Emily and Marc. AGREED By July 1 we will need to give them a final # for rooms and should have received registration fees. 20% of those 80 rooms. There are 3 different contracts: Y, dorm, school. This will involve ca. $2000 in addition to current (U-AZ) contract.
ii – Who do we authorize to sign off on this agreement? Jake, with authorization from Ruth, Emily and Marc. AGREED
b. May 1st Coalition – G-PAX statement – Rebecca
They are working on getting the statement translated into Spanish, and planning a two-sided page in Eng/Esp for distribution at May 1 events. Rebecca is in contact with the Media Committee to see if they may be interested in doing a release.
c. Proposals process, integration of language – secretary apologizes and blames the weather, will follow up this coming week, same time frame.
d. Black Caucus – Gwen
Talked to Michelle Tingling-Clemmens a couple weeks ago; they haven’t discussed whether BC will be holding elections at national convention.
Marc – invite Rick and Michelle Tingling-Clemmens and Sundiata Tellem on the next call, see if we can get some answers. AGREED
e. Accreditation Committee
AC co-chairs Roger Snyder and Maria Kuriloff on the call. Questions concerning AC P&P’s and accountability.
National Women’s Caucus CC contacted SC because they had received notice that there were proceedings being conducted by the AC due to a complaint against the NWC. SC has had questions before about the BC, NWC and state parties, and have no way to respond, having no knowledge whatsoever of what complaints, investigations or proceedings are underway. AC P&P’s and complaint process state nowhere that the NC has authorized these things to be done w/out notice to the NC. SC wants to know what entities AC has received complaints against and what entities have any proceedings been involved with?
Discussion of confidentiality, how complaints are handled, whether SC has oversight. GPUS Bylaws state SC has oversight of working committees. Request for a list of complaints AC has received and any resolutions, and complaints AC is working on.
Major static on some phones for most of the duration of this item obliterated the rest of the discussion. For some of the participants. Secretary has requested that participants send notes of their conversation for the record, within 24 hours.
[NOTE: The Secretary has received no further notes. – hh]
f. National Women’s Caucus
NWC Co-chairs Sylvia Inwood, and Morgen D’Arc on the call
NWC requested confidentiality. Discussion of whether this should go into executive session, Initially, it was agreed to go into executive session, due to discussion of potential legal matters, and if the discussion moved away from that, we would return to regular session. After this item SC agreed that none of it should be considered executive session material.
Subsequent discussion involved NWC request for certain of the SC members who were either directly involved in this item, or who had connections to those involved and possible conflicts of interest to recuse themselves from any votes or discussion on this item. Some refused; concerns that this would remove too many of the SC from involvement.
Discussion of SC members conflict of interest ran on throughout the time. See motions.
#1 – PROPOSAL – Marc: Time has elapsed. Move on to the rest of the agenda. If NWC officers want time on the next call, they can make a request.
#2 – PROPOSAL – Holly: To set up another informal call w/out SC with potential conflicts of interest present. (Withdrew motion, as previous motion passed.)
VOTE ON PROPOSAL #1
Budd – yes
Marc – yes
Pat – abstain
Holly – no
Jake – yes
Jody – yes
Gwen – no
Rebecca – yes
Steve – yes
MOTION PASSES
Holly withdraws second motion.
g. Brent has received an invitation to meet with a leading representative of the Palestinian government. Brent is now off the call. SC will address this online, if needed.
h. Mt Party Annual Meeting in WVA – Steve
Steve went to WVA over the weekend for the Mountain Party of WVA annual meeting. MtP has a good relationship with the GP-WVA. They are discussing a merger. To retain a ballot line, they may keep name Mt Part; the task will then be to get those registering Green (which can be done by writing in he name) to know under what name to register.
V. More SC Business
a. Committee activity and accountability – Marc – TABLED
b. SC P&P’s, Jody, etc.
Jody went though bylaws and rp’s, and sent to the subcommittee a list of items that should be included. Jody will send that to the SC list.
NEXT CALL: May 8, 9:00 p. m. ET
Holly Hart
Secretary, GPUS
4/24/06
Minimally edited and HTML formatted by Charlie Green