GPUS Steering Committee Minutes – 25 February 2018
SUMMARY FOR DISTRIBUTION TO STATES AND LOCAL CHAPTER:
1. New Business: March For Our Lives – organized by Cheri Honkala, June, Philly to DC, focusing on anti-poverty relief including Puerto Rico -consensus to endorse
2. Standing Business: Treasurer’s Report, Fundraising Report, Liaison Reports
3. Voting Queue – https://secure.gpus.org/cgi-bin/vote/login
Received for the Queue: Steering Committee Vacancy Election; Presenter: Steering Committee; Secret Ballot Revealed at Close of Polls, 1 Seat; Floor Manager – TBD; Discussion 5-18 March; Voting 19-25 March
In the Queue: Coordinated Campaign Committee Election: Presenter: Coordinated Campaign Committee (CCC); Floor Manager – Andrea Merida; Ranked Choice Vote; Secret Ballot Revealed at Close of Polls; Discussion – 19 February – 4 March; Voting – 5 – 11 March
4. Old Business: Review of pending agenda items
5. Executive Session: 2018 Budget – Ongoing staffing discussion
Decisions: Gloria will be staff supervisor for Scott McLarty; Any employee who is laid off will get 6 months of Health Reimbursement and 1 month of pay; If/when there are funds to re-hire staff that have previously been laid off, if the title of the position is the same the staff person will be rehired and if the position is different the staff person will be interviewed before anyone else; Staff changes to ¾ time for David, Scott, and Starlene take effect March 1st. Staff changes to lay off Adrian and Cynthia take effect March 15th; The general configuration of duties is to be determined, but generally Scott would be picking up Cynthia’s work and also working in the office if we have an office. If we do not have an office, Scott can resume working from home.
The full minutes are available at http://gpus.org/sc-agenda-2018-2-25/
The call recording is available at 712-451-0309, 926334#, reference 17
Jody Grage, Secretary
GPUS Steering Committee Minutes – 25 February 2018
I. CALL SETUP & BACKGROUND – 15 min.
a) Facilitator: Charles Sherrouse
b) Roll call: Darlene Elias, Hillary Kane, Gloria Mattera, Andrea Merida, Mike Dennis, Darryl! Moch
Absent: Chris Blankenhorn, Jody Grage (minutes taken from recording)
Observer: Tamar Yager
c) Agenda revision suggestions – endorsement March For Our Lives – New Business
II. NEW BUSINESS – March For Our Lives Endorsement – Gloria – organized by Cheri Honkala, June, Philly to DC, focusing on anti-poverty relief including Puerto Rico -consensus to endorse
III. STANDING BUSINESS – 40 min.
a) Treasurer’s report – Hillary Kane, 10 min
Treasurer’s Reports to the GNC – will be ready to send to the NC and the GPUS website within days
FEC Jan filed on time, necessary amendments done
In all accounts: $111,273.13 – reserves/savings $89,289.10, checking $17,170.57, extra checking $4,813.46
All caucus and committee funds in reserve are now up to date based on 2016 records from Jeff Turner plus 2017 and 2018 amounts less 10% GPUS administrative overhead less 2017 caucus and committee expenses – $111k balance less $89k moved to reserves leaves $23k in checking, $18k payment from Stein campaign added to reserves as previously agreed would leave only $5k which will not cover 7 March payroll – December payroll expenses were $16k
b) Fundraising report – Mike – 10 min.
Fundraising seems to be in its traditional slump for this time of year; need to be more transparent about financial uses including fundraising, staffing, etc
$20k in January, $13k so far Feb; nothing has gone out – using volunteers who need more training but working to grow the number and expertise; Gloria is willing to be a volunteer writer and is needed for letter from the SC
c) Liaison reports – 20 min.
Eco-Action – Gloria – secretary elected, talk of having regularly scheduled calls
International Committee – Darlene –in process of electing co-chairs; Darlene delegate to FVPA but unable to go to meeting; IC went to FVPA as delegation – some controversy there; need to determine roles and purposes of FVPA and Global Greens, GPUS positions also need to be defined; Andrea – Global Greens and UK plus included session about Trump with Dems invited rather than GPUS followed by apology of sorts from admin secretary of Global Greens – not going to be members now, Andrea would like to be liaison; Darlene – lack of agreement in IC about GP in Mexico which is felt not to be a good representative of Green Party principles, IC needs to agree on positions; Darryl! – committee has to do that work- needs to make recommendations to GPUS; Bahram running for co-chair with push back from Mike Feinstein about his effectiveness in building bridges, etc., veteran Greens using personal resources to attend meetings even if not official delegates which is a problem especially if only Greens there, Israel as issue with Mike Feinstein lobbying against the GPUS position; IC is pulling together subcommittees – media, etc.; IC on future SC agenda – need to be clear about who is representing GPUS
BRPP – Andrea – David Gerry running for co-chair unopposed but quorum/voting problems, Charles Sherrouse staying on as co-chair and Hugh Esco not running
Fundraising Committee – Mike – see Standing Business above
Merchandise Committee – Chris absent; Hillary – purchasing decision needed, makes money in the long run, look like fulfillment house system will take some time – list of criteria to be discussed online and union may not be necessary if other factors okay, Darryl! – update due Monday from Cynthia, consensus not to purchase unless large quantity requested; last inventory shows a little of everything, consider non-union small businesses and coops
IV. VOTING QUEUE – Jody – 5 min.
(https://secure.gpus.org/cgi-bin/vote/login)
Received for the queue:
Steering Committee Vacancy Election: Presenter – Steering Committee; Secret Ballot Revealed at Close of Polls, 1 Seat; Floor Manager – TBD; Discussion 5-18 March; Voting 19-25 March
In the queue:
Coordinated Campaign Committee Election: Presenter: Coordinated Campaign Committee (CCC); Floor Manager – Andrea; Ranked Choice Vote; Secret Ballot Revealed at Close of Polls; Discussion – 19 February – 4 March; Voting – 5 – 11 March
V. OLD BUSINESS – 45 min
c) Review pending agenda items – very brief updates as available
1. Staff computer purchase protocol recommendation from FinCom – Hillary
FinCom has draft and also update on travel reimbursement policy – both should be ready for next call
2. SC Strategic planning virtual retreat – 24 & 25 March – Gloria, Darryl!, Mike
Include guidelines for SC involvement in state party issues (11Feb18 decision)
First part of first day:- Face time with local staff with Skype for others to reset relationship and discuss their roles in party building, realignments based on framework we determine that includes SC and volunteers and previous Strategic Plan – content plus what accomplished to create updated working Strategic Plan
End of second day – leave with working document for next 18 months
Gloria – 24 March is gun control demonstration so in-person traveling may be difficult,
Darryl! can provide homestays and travel; Darlene – Philly retreat good with much energy spent but no end product, need to document what took place and decisions made; Darryl! – leave with working document and probably assignments, relate to committees and caucuses and staff; how do we bring staff into this conversation – unknown who staff will be, invite or require staff, sensitivity necessary
Discussion of dynamics if some people in person and some on Skype – originally to be virtual retreat, talk with staff needed sooner for reassurance, answering questions, etc.; if in person Philly or NY more central, as many SC members as possible may be more important than staff, perhaps sponsors or donations to finance, need to discuss options online
3. Election database Phase II and III update – Hillary – no update
4. Voting page maintenance/Tech issues update – Chris – not on call
5. ETC Final Report – Darryl!
From Charles as one member of ETC – Personal and health problems for members including leader, will have phone call to finish final report in coming week, no irregularities effected the election results – confirmations not received though sent out; attempt to vote after deadline, issues with WiFi though generally available, trouble logging in before voting – no duplication of votes, system counted votes properly
Recorded call ended at 9:45 pm Eastern time
VI. EXECUTIVE SESSION – 45 min
Decisions:
Gloria will be staff supervisor for Scott McLarty.
Any employee who is laid off will get 6 months of Health Reimbursement and 1 month of pay.
If/when there are funds to re-hire staff that have previously been laid off, if the title of the position is the same the staff person will be rehired and if the position is different the staff person will be interviewed before anyone else.
Staff changes to ¾ time for David, Scott, and Starlene take effect March 1st. Staff changes to lay off Adrian and Cynthia take effect March 15th; The general configuration of duties is to be determined, but generally Scott would be picking up Cynthia’s work and also working in the office if we have an office. If we do not have an office, Scott can resume working from home.
Executive Session ended at midnight Eastern time
TOTAL TIME: 4 hours
Jody Grage, Secretary