Green Party Minutes

ASGP - Denver, Colorado, June 23, 2000.

The Green Party of the United States Contacts:
Nancy Allen, Media Coordinator 207-326-4576, nallen@acadia.net
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, scottmclarty@yahoo.com

Association of State Green Parties
Meeting of the Coordinating Committee
Friday, April 24, 1998

3:00 PM Registration opens
5:30-7:30 Dinner hosted by Santa Fe Green Party
7:30-8:00 Welcome and Introduction - Cris Moore - Santa Fe City Councilor
and Larry Delgado, Santa Fe Mayor
8:00-8:30 Keynote Address - Fran Sena Gallegos - Santa Fe Municipal Judge
8:30-9:00 Keynote Address/discussion - Jason Kirkpatrick on Green Organizing
Arcata, CA City Vice Mayor

Note - Items for which a vote may be taken are identified by an '*' after the times.

Saturday, April 25, 1998

8:00-9:00 AM Breakfast
9:00-9:10 Greeting by New Mexico Host
9:10-9:20 Introduction by Facilitator
9:20-9:30 Steering Committee Report
9:30-10:00* Accreditation Committee
10:00-10:10* Bylaws Committee
10:10-10:25 Clearinghouse Committee Report
10:25-11:30* Platform Committee
11:30-11:50 International Committee Report
11:50-1:00* Transition Committee Report
1:00-2:00 Lunch (Press Conference)
2:00-2:15 Nominations for Steering Committee
2:15-2:40* New York Green Parties provisional affiliations
2:40-3:00* Proposal: 1 ASGP meeting/year with regional gatherings in between - GP of PA
3:00-3:15 Break
3:15-3:35* Proposal: a Policy for the Steering Comm to handle endorsements - GP of RI
3:35-3:50* Proposal on ProRep Mandate for Pres Nominations/ASGP Delegates -GP of NY
3:50-4:10* Green Pages Report & Proposal for ASGP treasurer to handle finances
4:10-4:40 Election 2000 Issues
4:40-4:55 Report on Global Cooperation Meeting from Friday morning
Including a report from the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico on Chiapas
4:55-5:10 Ballot Access Committee Report
5:10-5:20 Proposal for voluntary state party contributions to ASGP

CC Meeting Breaks

5:30-6:30 Woman's Caucus (other caucuses?)
6:45-7:45 Dinner
8:00-8:30 Keynote address by Carol Miller
8:30-? Green Party Party

Sunday, April 26, 1998

8:00-9:00 Breakfast
9:00-9:30* Vote for Steering Committee members
9:30-10:00 Consider Proposal from Woman's Caucus (tentative)
10:00-10:30* Proposal to define FEC Filing process - Steering Committee
10:30-11:30 Contact Committee - recommendations and proposals on structure negotiations
11:30-12:00* Return to Transition Comm Report
12:00-12:30 Reserve time for issues held over from Saturday
12:30-1:30 Lunch
1:30-2:00* Proposal for an Organizing Committee - Steering Committee
2:00-2:15 ASGP Web page/merchandise update - Ron Kahlow
2:15-2:30 Discussion of Media Plans
2:30-- Further committee reports time permitting

And, of course, everything in this packet is on 100% post consumer recycled paper.

ASGP Coordinating Committee Meeting Minutes
23 June 2000 - Denver, CO

Facilitators: Dave Lillie, Beatrice Briggs
Minutetaker: Beatrice Briggs
CONSENSED AGENDA
8:30 Registration and mingling
9:30 Welcome
(30 min) Introductions/roll call/ quorum check
Agenda Review and acceptance DECISION
Process and voting review
Logistics
(20 min) Accreditation report (Tony Afigne)
Voting on new applicants: TX, FL, DE, KS DECISION
(20 min) Bylaws report (Tom Sevigny)
1. Proposal to suspend Article 6 DECISION
2. GA proposal to change Article 3 DECISION
(60 min) Platform Committee report (Stephen Schmidt)
Proposal on convention agenda items DECISION
BREAK
(20 min) Steering Committee nominations and candidates speeches (Rick Lass)
(30 min) Proposal to reconstitute Transition Committee (Rick Lass) DECISION
Nomination and election of members
12:00 Lunch break
1:00 Steering Committee reports
(15 min)
(30 min) Convention Committee (Dean Myerson)
Proposal to change rules # 4 and 7 DECISION
(15 min) Credential Committee report (Greg Garritt)
(10 min) Media Committee report (Nancy Allen)
(20 min) International Committee report and Global Conference update
(Annie Goeke and John Rensenbrink)
BREAK
(30 min) International guest speakers (Annie Goeke)
(15 min) Next meeting: time and place DECISION
(30 min) Proposal to endorse Glen Canyon Declaration (reps from UT or AZ)
DECISION
(20 min) MA GPUSA proposal (Betty Zisk) DECISION
(15 min) Legal advisors' report and questions
1. Debate lawsuit (Tom Lindzy)
2. FEC status (David Cobb)
3. Trademark (David Cobb)
(15 min) Green Action Award presentation (Betty Zisk)
Steering Committee election ballot distribution and voting
5:30 pm Closing

MEETING CONTENT
Accreditation Report (Tony Afigne)
Welcome to total of 25 states and District of Columbia to ASGP
Proposal to admit Green Party of Texas to ASGP
moved: Richard Walton (RI) second :John Strong (CA)
Decision: APPROVED (Unanimous)
Proposal to admit Green Party of Florida to ASGP
moved: John Rensenbrink (ME) ) second: Nick Mellis (NJ)
Decision: APPROVED (Unanimous)
Proposal to admit Green Party of Delaware to ASGP
moved: Steven Shafferman (DC) ) second: Deb Howes (OR)and Betty Zisk (MA)
Decision: APPROVED (Unanimous)
New total membership: 28 states and District of Columbia
Applications in process: Kansas, West Virginia, Maryland, Illinois
Bylaws Report (Tom Sevigny)
1. Report on approval of new states (?)
2. Proposal to suspend Article 6 to permit nomination and election of
Steering Committee on the same
day.
Moved: CA, second: RI
Decision: APPROVED (Unanimous)
3. GA Proposal to change Article III to read:
The Association may form committees to further its work. The committees serve at the pleasure of the Coordinating Committee and shall report regularly to the Coordinating Committee. Except when a Committee is chartered by the Coordinating Committee to have a set number of members and those members shall stand for election by the Coordinating Committee at least once every two years, each member state of the Association may have up to three (3) representatives on each committee. Voting on committees will be one vote per each member state represented. A member state may exercise its right to participate on a committee at any time. Committee participation need not be limited to those members of a state party who are representatives of that state on the Coordinating Committee nor to representatives of member states. Moved: Tom Sevigny (CT) Second: Rick Lass (NM)
Decision: APPROVED by a vote of 33 for, 11 opposed, 1 abstention

Platform Committee
Proposal to accept first page of the Platform Committee report (recommendations for the agenda for Saturday's meeting) Moved: Rick Lass (NM) seconded Deborah Howes (OR)
Decision: APPROVED
Proposal to accept platform plank portion of Platform Committee report
Proposal : In Key Area 4, A Human Right Agenda, Resolution 3 , Abortion Rights section: Remove the words "on demand" from first sentence
Moved: CT; Second: AR
DEFEATED by a vote 25 for, 14 opposed, 5 abstentions
Proposal: In existing platform section I. Item D (Foreign Policy), Item 1,
delete last two sentences of paragraph Move to table the proposal for consideration due to lack of copies of existing platform
Decision: APPROVED by a vote of 28 for, 9 opposed, 6 abstentions.
Moved: CA; Second:

Steering Committee nominations (Rick Lass)
Nominations: Co-chairs: Beth Zisk (MA); Tom Sevigny (CT), Annie Goeke (PA), Steve Herrick (MI) Secretary: Greg Garritt (RI) Treasurer: Robert Franklin (TX)
Lunch break
Agenda revision: Insert continuation of Platform Committee report discussion after International guest speakers
Ruling by facilitator that the CA motion to modify the platform was out of order. The item for consideration on the floor was the Platform Committee Report, and that must be dealt with first. An item to modify the platform would have to be added to the agenda.
Proposal to reconstitute Transition Committee (Rick Lass)
The Coordination Committee hereby reconstitutes the Transition Committee. The duty of the Transition Committee is to prepare a method of determining the number of delegates (Coordinating Committee members) to which each member of the Association will be entitled. The Transition Committee shall file a report to the Coordinating Committee no later than 60 days before the next meeting of the Coordinating Committee. The Coordinating Committee shall elect eleven members to the Transition Committee, who will choose co-chairs of the committee from among themselves.Amendment to split the proposal in 2 parts:
Part 1: The Coordination Committee hereby reconstitutes the Transition Committee. The duty of the Transition Committee is to prepare a method of determining the number of delegates (Coordinating Committee members) to which each member of the Association will be entitled. The Transition Committee shall file a report to the Coordinating Committee no later than 60 days before the next meeting of the Coordinating Committee.
Part 2:The Coordinating Committee shall elect eleven members to the Transition Committee, who will choose co-chairs of the committee from among themselves.
Moved: NY; Second VA:
Decision: DEFEATED by a vote of 12 for, against,28, 6 abstentions
Moved AZ; Second NY
Decision: APPROVED by a large majority

Nominations:
Jenefer Ellington (DC) moved CT; Second: VA
Paul Loney (OR) moved OR; Second AR
Rick Lass (NM) moved: NM; Second (AR)
Madeline Hoffman (NJ) moved : NJ; second: OR
Beverly Hayes (TX) moved TX, second NM
Sheri Stanley (VA) moved DC second CA
Michael Feinstein (CA) moved ME; second TX
Julia Wildebrand (NY) moved VA, second MN
Eric Prindle (PA) moved PA, second CA
Holly Brian (MN) move HI, second PA
Ron Stansfield (NY) move NY second ?
Howie Hawkin (NY) move NY, second
Mike Oxley (WY) moved WY; second: NV
Procedure: Limited choice voting: Vote for 5 of the 13 candidates. The 11 top vote getters will be elected.

Steering Committee Reports
Annie Goeke: relationship with Nader Team
Tom Sevigny: Hawkins-Feinstein Plan re: continued discussions with GPUSA.
Rejected by GPUSA. No further discussions at this point.
Betty Zisk: (Mundane) day in the life of the Steering Committee.
Rick Lass (outgoing secretary). Acknowledgment of work of committees and state parties. Success of email decision-making system. Need for new webmaster. Endorsements. Inactive committees. Plea for committee involvement.
Announcement: Jane Hunter (NJ) willing to serve as interim webmaster.
Nick Mellis (outgoing treasurer) $900currently in bank account.
Recommendations: Checks to ASGP must be personal - not business -checks. Specify on memo line if donation is for a specific purpose. Will be making recommendation to authorize ATM debit card for future mundane transactions.Credentials Committee Report Plea for more diligent communication with states. Need for closer look at timing of national and state conventions.

Convention Committee
Proposal: Rule No. 4 Admission to Convention Space. (a) Delegate floor space will include separate space for state delegations and members of the ASGP Steering, Platform and

Credentials Committee.
(b) Duly credentialled delegates will be permitted into the delegate space, as well as alternates, as space permits. (c) credentialled press will also be permitted in this space, though no seating will be available for them. (d) Candidates, an no more than five (5) of their credentialled representatives, will be permitted in this space at one time, though no seating will be permitted for them. (e) Properly identified convention staff will also be permitted. (f) No interviews by press or candidates' representatives will be permitted in the delegate area.
Decision: APPROVED by consensus.

Proposal: Rule No. 7. Length of Debate.
For each agenda item subject to debate, and after an opportunity for clarifying questions, the remaining floor time allotted to the item, but not less than four minutes, shall be divided equally between the proponents and the opponents of the item under consideration, as determined by the facilitator's rules. The floor time reserved for the opponents of a motion being debated shall be divided equally, but in no case in increments of less than one minute, unless by consent of the delegate next recognized, among any delegates recognized by the facilitation team, who shall strive to ensure geographic diversity and gender balance in the debate. In the case of Platform items placed on the agenda by petition, the time reserved for the opponents of a motion may be used and divided at the discretion of the principle sponsor of a petition to remove an item from the Platform Consent Agenda.
Decision: APPROVED by consensus with one abstention from California

Media Committee
Mike Feinstein (editor, Green Pages). Plea for states to send information about candidates and election results to greenpages@greens.org. Announcement that in the future 100 copies of each issue to each state, with invoice for $25 payment. Need to promote Green Pages. Plea for 3-4 people to help with editing. Next issue: August/September 2000.
Nancy Allen: Text of written report: The ASGP media committee has worked sporadically through the year trying to focus on a workable structure. We tried one writer and two editors for press releases but most of the people on the committee were too busy to respond quickly and as the convention geared up the committee became somewhat dysfunctional. Most agreed that is it hard to have a functioning democratic media team and there needs to be much more emphasis on quick turnaround and dissemination of material. Committee members should be willing to read and respond to email everyday and there should be no more than 3-4 people with final decision making ability. The convention media team has worked well and could be used as a model for future media work. ASGP media should be able to be much more efficient after the convention as we go in to the campaign and in to the future.

Finance Committee. Request for volunteers to help with fundraising.

BREAK

Transition Committee election results:
Jenefer Ellington (DC), Paul Loney (OR), Rick Lass (NM), Madeline Hoffman {NJ), Beverly Hayes (TX), Sheri Stanley (VA), Michael Feinstein (CA), Eric Prindle (PA) , Holly Brian (MN) , Ron Stanchfield (NY) Mike Oxley (WY)

International Committee Report
John Rensenbrink: Comments on trip to Europe.
Annie Geoke: Greens exist in over 90 countries - the "global people's party". Described committee work. Invited participation, noting limit of 3 members per state. ASGP founding member of Federation of Green Parties of the Americas. Rapidly building network. Hosting foreign visitors in DC and connecting Nader with global green movement. Presentation of gifts to international guests.
List of International guests expected:
Marco Mroz, Secretary of International Relations, Green Party of Brazil
Alex Gonzalez, Green Party of Peru; member of Parliament
Arnold Jager, Green Ecologist Party of Mexico
Joan Russow, Leader, Green Party of Canada
Steve Kisby, Green Party of Canada
Craig Palmer, General Secretary, New Zealand Green Party
Maitalal Gurung, Executive Committee Member, Green Party Nepal
Adamou Garba, President, African Federation of Green Parties, Niger
Paul Lannoye, Member, European Parliament
Daniel Auroi, Member, European Parliament
Arnold Cassola, General Secretary, European Federation of Green Parties (EFGP)
Marian Coyne, Spokesperson, EFGP
Franz Floss, Spokesperson, EFGP
Jef Leestmans, Treasurer, EFGP
Catherine Greze, Committee member, EFGP
Vitalii Kononov, President, Green Party of Ukraine, Member of Parliament
Slavinskas Vladas, Lithuania Green Movement
Didier Rod, Green Party of France
Francoise Duthy, Green Party of France
Ernest Glinne, Green Party of Belgium

Continuation of Platform Committee Report
CA withdraws its proposal from the morning, even though it was ruled out of order.
Moved: to accept the recommendations of the Platform Committee as written
Moved: OR, second: TX
Decision: APPROVED with 22 votes for, 17 against, 5 abstentions (56% majority)
Suggestions: Reformat the platform material in comprehensible manner, with no cross-referencing, for the convention. Need for volunteers to help. Request for clarification of tomorrow's process.
Move to thank the Platform Committee (RI) Second CA
APPROVED
Next CC meeting
Options
GA between Thanksgiving-Christmas 2000
TX January 2001
DC January 2001
Preference voting Georgia was selected- the dates for the next meeting will be Dec 1-3.

Endorsement Committee (Rick Lass)
MA proposal regarding GPUSA relations In the interest of the nationwide Green movement, we propose that ASGP agrees to face to face negotiations with GPUSA and professional mediators with no preconditions set. These negotiations will be for the purpose of designing a national Green Party structure that meets the needs and concerns of both organizations. These negotiations will take place within two (2) months of the Denver convention.
Moved by HI to extend debate by 8 minutes; second MI
Decision: APPROVED by more than 2/3 majority
Decision: APPROVED by a vote of 28 for

Legal Advisors Report
FEC national committee status (David Cobb)
Lawsuit report (Tom Linzey)
Trademark (Tom Linzey)

Results of vote on date/location of next CC meeting: GA won.- Between
Thanksgiving - Christmas.

Green Action Award presentation to Dean Myerson
Distribution of ballots for election of CC co-chairs.
Motion: to use single transferable vote system
APPROVED
5:30 pm Adjourn
election results: Steve Herrick, Tom Sevigny, and Anne Goeke were elected chairs, Robbie Franklin was elected Treasurer, and Greg Gerritt was elected Secretary.

Invitation
November 26, 1999

The Association of State Green Parties, USA would like to announce our National Nominating Convention in Denver, Colorado, next year on the weekend of 24-25 June. The convention will start with a reception on Friday evening (23 June) and continue through the candidate's acceptance speech on Sunday afternoon.
Greens in the United States will be choosing our candidates for the President and Vice President and it will be the biggest Green Party event yet in the United States.
The convention is for all Greens and affiliation with the ASGP is not required to send delegates. Any state party can participate and local chapters can call a state convention to choose a delegation.
Thank you and we hope to see you in Denver next year!

Dean Myerson,
ASGP Convention Coordinator

ASGP Convention 2000
PMB 329
637B South Broadway
Boulder, CO 80303, USA

telephone: 303-543-0672
email: asgp-convention@greens.org
web: http://www.greens.org/colorado/convention.html

French Invitation

8 Janvier, 2000

Jean Luc Bennahmias
Secretaire Nationale
Les Verts
107 av. Parmentier
75011 Paris, France

Cher Mr. Bennahmias,

Par l'intermediaire de cette lettre, l' Association de Partis Verts des
Etats Unis tient a vous inviter a sa Convention Nationale Nominatrice, qui
aura lieu a Denver, Colorado, le fin de semaine du 24-25 Juin. Les Verts
aux Etats-Unis choisiront leurs candidats a la Presidence et Vice
Presidence du pays, et ce sera, sans aucun doute, le plus grand evenement du Parti Vert aux Etats-Unis jusqu' a present.
La Politique Verte est un mouvement global et nous sommes convaincus qu'il est indispensable que nous travaillions ensemble. La presence de representants de Partis Verts de tout le monde aura l'effet de demontrer a beaucoups de citoyens americains combien notre mouvement est global. Ceci aidera certainement a consolider le Parti Vert aux Etats-Unis. De meme, l'evenement offrira aux Partis Verts du monde la possibilite d'avoir acces a la presse qui couvrira la Convention.
Tout en vous remerciant d'avance, et dans l'attente d'avoir le plaisir de vous recevoir a Denver en Juin, veuillez aggreer l'expression de nos plus sinceres salutations.

Dean Myerson,
ASGP Coordinateur de la Convention

ASGP Convention 2000
PMB 329
637B South Broadway
Boulder, CO 80303, USA

telephone: 303-543-0672
email: asgp-convention@greens.org
web: http://www.greens.org/colorado/convention.html