GPUS-SC Conference Call
10 July 2006
9:00 p.m. EDT
Participants:
Budd Dickinson, Jody Grage, Jake Schneider, Holly Hart, Gwen Wages, Emily Citkowski, Brent McMillan, Marc Sanson
Facilitator: Jody
Observer: Katey Culver/GPTN
Calling in for National Women’s Caucus: NWC co-chair Sylvia Inwood; Spokesperson, Nan Garrett
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. EXECUTIVE SESSION 9:13 – 9:31 p.m. EDT; 10:17 – 10:33 p.m. EDT Personnel matters. See Treasurer’s Report.
II. STAFF REPORTS
a. Operations Director – Emily
Calculating June income: even though web traffic is down, June was the highest fundraising month this year, GPUS raised $5,839; second highest month was in April. One reason was the fundraising letter with Michael Berg’s appeal. Richard Scott and Emily would like to send out monthly candidate appeals through the date of the election; after that, similarly-formatted appeals highlighting elected Greens.
The second factor is that Merchandise income was highest this year, as well, with $1,403 raised online. Accountant’s reports don’t take into account that most online income is coming through through green cards and merchandise; also, quite a bit through sustainers.
b. Political Director — BRENT
i. CCC – A half a dozen campaigns are seeking resources, mostly volunteer and donor lists. There is not much hope of being able to offer financial assistance at this time.
Brent hit his personal threshold on candidate recruitment for Congressional campaigns: now at 60 candidates. The Coordinated Congressional Campaign Committee recently held their first conference call.
ii. Ballot access update
Many lawsuits are underway. Illinois slate faces substantial challenges, with an 8,000-page long challenge to statewide offices, and more to lower-level candidates. Indiana didn’t make the ballot; they are talking about running a write-in campaign. MD, MO are looking good. MO will be a new ballot line for the Green Party. NY starts petitioning on July 11. The national office delayed recent direct mail, hoping NY would get their own appeal out first; unfortunately, they didn’t act on that. WA state is on the ballot. DC and MD are running more candidates than ever before.
Among Green officeholders, there have been a couple of defections, down to 227 officeholders.
c. FUNDRAISING – Brent
Re-solicitation went to mailhouse today, expecting returns starting around July 24.
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.
AGREED, that:
i. The Treasurer will post an email notice to NC informing them of our financial situation.
ii. The Steering Committee will follow up with an appeal email. Budd and Jody draft a fundraising appeal; Brent and Emily will help.
b. Lavender Caucus has requested Tier I monies of $500 to pay for a member’s travel to Tucson. Already approved by the FinCom. Upon determining that the Lavender Caucus had not already used their Tier I monies, it was AGREED to grant their request.
IV. VOTING QUEUE – Holly
ADOPTED
#222 – SC: Resolution to Amend the Rules and Procedures on Steering Committee Elections Policy
Adopted, 6/18/06
#223 – CCC: Creation of National Green Party House and Senatorial campaign committees
Adopted, 6/18/06
#224 – AZGP: GPUS sign-on as a supporting organization with VotersForPeace and the Voter’s Pledge
Adopted, 7/3/06
#225 – WAGP: Resolution to Support the Work of the Nonviolent Peaceforce
Adopted, 7/3/06
DISCUSSION PERIOD
Online election for SC co-chair vacancy
Discussion through 7/20/06
Voting 7/21/06- 7/27/06
VOTING PERIOD
#228-234: Approval of David Bosserman, Lori Burton, Olivia Cadaval, Lisa Houston, Rick Lass, George Martin for national meeting facilitators.
Voting period through 7/12/06
#226 – CCC: National Green Party Senatorial Campaign Committee Election
Discussion/ Nominations through 7/9/06
Voting period: 7/10/06 – 7/16/06
** New candidate(s) announced after voting commenced; it was not possible to add these candidates or some of the biographical material.
AGREED that the Secretary will send out an explanation; the proposal will be sent back to the discussion period with a new deadline for nominations, and new voting period to commence Monday, July 17.
CANCELLED
#231 – Approval of Elena Everett as annual meeting facilitator
Cancelled, 7/5/06
***
She is unable to attend the meeting.
COMPLETED
#227: NC Election of Elections Tabulation Committee, completed 7/9/06
Elected:
Phil Huckelberry/ILL
Jason Nabewaniec/NY
Donna Werley/ARK
Cat Woods/CA
Jill Bussiere/WI
FAILED – None
RECEIVED FOR VOTING QUEUE
i. received, 6/17/06 – GPAX: Proposal for GPUS Recognition of GPAX as a Standing Committee
Floor manager: Kramer
2 week discussion, 1 week vote
1/2
********
Concerns are being raised about some GPAX actions, in particular that this committee has begun to act as a de-facto Congressional campaign and to tell other committees what to do. GPAX has discussed targeting any candidate supporting a two-state solution to the Middle East situation. A complaint has been received from at least one Congressional candidate. The CCC has been given a heads’ up. Further concerns are that members of this committee are not elected with an eye toward addressing electoral concerns; that GPAX has never been made an official standing committee after operating as such for some time; that members have presented themselves as official GPUS spokepersons. One co-chair is withdrawing. Jody will work with GPAX to try to get activities more in an accountable working order.
ii. received, 6/27/06 – AC: Proposal from the Accreditation Committee concerning National Women’s Caucus
*****
The NWC Coordinating Committee wished to remind the SC that they do not believe the AC has jurisdiction over this matter; also, that the NWC CC was advised by legal counsel not to discuss this matter. Members of the NWC CC would like to address this, and again request the SC’s assistance in finding legal counsel so that this issue may be resolved in an appropriate venue.
*****
NWC co-chair Sylvia Inwood, NWC Spokesperson Nan Garret, and member Katey Culver joined the call for this item.
Discussion:
Sylvia Inwood presented some history of her involvement with NWC, which shed some light on the current situation.
Nan Garrett reiterated that the AC does not have jurisdiction according to GPUS bylaws or their own rules to make determination as to caucus membership, processing of membership or membership. When this situation arose, it appeared the NWC was being set up for litigation; an applicant was complaining that she was being excluded before she even sent in an application. The NWC coordinating committee consulted an attorney. The SC needs to find way to get legal counsel for the party as whole for legal issues we think need to be addressed
by legal counsel.
Katey related her experience as membership and database manager, to clarify that an application in question had been processed in due order, and that the applicant had received a clear response as to the status of her application.
PROPOSAL – Holly: Based on the belief, demonstrated by communications that took place during some AC/NWC work, that a part of the problem involves misconceptions between some individuals, proposed a mediation. The NWC coordinating committee supports the idea.
PROPOSAL – Marc, Gwen second: That the NWC send a note to the NC explaining the status of the application in question, and that the caucus is currently voting on revising membership criteria, and include some timeline to make clear that the NWC didn’t sit on this application.
AGREED
PROPOSAL – Marc: as there are serious problems with the proposal, send it back to the AC now, so they will have time to work on it if they want to submit it after the national meeting. (The proposal contains nothing to vote on, no information, no record of findings, nothing explaining how this fits in with GPUS bylaws, and nothing about suspending caucus for any of these reasons.) Gwen and Budd will work on a note to the AC asking for re-write.
AGREED
iii. received, 7/10/06 – FinCom: GPUS Fiscal Policy, confidentiality policy
This just came in this evening; SC will take it up online to send to voting queue.
V. Misc.
a. Reports from Wiki and Forum managers.
Sec will ask FM [and Wiki manager] to forward report to NC.
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b. GP of LA Committee (GPCA) request for web notices
AGREED to forward this to the NC, see if anyone wants to take it up [and] send reply back. GPLAC may want to work through their state party to set this up.
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c. IT meeting in Tucson – Cameron, Hugh, Mike, Brent, Emily, Kevin, Steve Kramer. AnmCom can offer the computer room Thursday evening.
VI. ANNUAL MEETING
a. Update on meeting facilitators
One facilitator had to drop out. There are now 6 candidates (all likely to be approved). If needed, more facilitators may be approved on site at the national meeting.
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b. Registration page
It’s not working, but Emily hopes the problems can be resolved.
—
c. Diversity Committee fee waiver applications
The Diversity Committee subcommittee overseeing dispensation of Diversity Fee. Waivers did not revise the application, push back the deadline, re-send the application or add the Secretary to the application email address, as requested by the SC. There have been a number of inquiries and complaints; some applicants received no response; some applicants were granted the waivers and not told. It is not known how many applied.
AGREED – the SC is responsible for oversight of the committees. The SC and AnmCom will take on this task. Secretary will put out an announcement with the application after Treasurer’s notice of our financial situation, and ask that only those who really are in need apply. Applications wil be sent to the Secretary, with a new deadline of Friday, July 14.
Waivers all totaled will amount to ca. $800-$1000
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d. “Civil Disobedience” – delegates from one state had decided to protest having to pay a registration fee in order to vote by refusing to pay the fee.
More recently, they changed their position and agreed to go ahead and pay the fee.
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e. Plenary Schedule
SC will take this up online. First draft out to NC by Friday.
VII. SC P&P’s – Jody and everyone else
TABLE
Nearly ready to go. Any more feedback welcome. Will send out again for more review. Will hand over to the next SC and go over this with them in Tucson.
Next Call: July 17, combined FinFunSC – 7:30 EDT
Holly Hart
Secretary, GPUS
Minimally edited and HTML formatted by Charlie Green