June 28, 2026

Steering Committee Meeting MINUTES

Sunday, June 28, 2026

8:00 pm EDT

I  Setup and Background – 10 min


Facilitator: Tamar Yager

Steering Committee Roll Call:

  1. Arshia Papari (co-chair) – present, must leave early
  2. Cassandra Lems (co-chair) – present
  3. Craig Cayetano (co-chair) – reported absence, sent report
  4. Charles Ostdiek(co-chair) – present
  5. Kalia Fitzgerald (co-chair) – present
  6. Tamar Yager (co-chair) – present
  7. Wissam Charafeddine (co-chair) – reported absence
  8. Holly Hart (secretary) – present

OBSERVERS:  Haryaksha Baba Knauer, Lavender Caucus; Starlene Rankin, Washington; Margaret Elisabeth, Washington

Observers are asked to remain muted and refrain from using the chat function.  If someone wishes to speak to an agenda item, please send a request to secretary@gp.org  

Establish Quorum (8 current members, quorum is 5)

ANNOUNCEMENTS, if any – please consider how much time will be needed for these items

 ITEMS marked FYI are included for informational purposes, unless discussion is requested.

Approve Agenda (changes require majority, new items require  ⅔ approval) – 5

  1. Request from Platform Committee for Voting Queue –  NC Motion–update references to laws, treaties, etc.

https://gpus.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Platform_update-of-references-to-laws-treaties-etc.pdf

AGREED to 48/48 – will be coming

 

 

  1. Treasurer Report (Charles)
  2. Financial Reports

finances 6/28/2026

signal financial fcu:

checking 1 – merch+: $20,640.02

checking 2 – operations: $35,442.45

savings 1 – ops reserves+: $79,015.74

savings 2 – restricted: $9,774.28

paypal: $250.24

We now have insurance for the ANM, thanks to Tamar and Rita Maniotis.

Athena is now getting mail forwarding and has the capacity to deposit checks sent to GPUS.

ADP – worked out getting needed information and payroll information.

HRA’s – Health insurance reimbursement accounts – Salusion  is our new processor, half the cost of the previous service, and better performance.

Working on confirming reserved funds (committees, caucuses).

Treasurer laptop: Craig wrote: “I researched and pinged Charles that the laptop that the YES caucus bought was a great choice for the value. The ones I saw were not much less but the quality of the screen and battery deemed subpar. I told Charles to proceed on that one. “ WIll need to purchase Windows software.  GPTX has offered a laptop, will see whether they may work.

Charles wrote to Sean Dougherty campaign team member Rick Lass asking for unused campaign funds that had been provided by the GCCC, and confirmed they would be used for Green candidates for federal office.

 

III. New/Current Business  

  1. Request from Merchom for $1,612.50 for 25 banners (Craig)

Kalia asked about the cost, and had some specific questions.  She will send her inquiry again. Not a blocking concern, but wants a better understanding.  AGREED to move forward, but note the questions.

Kalisa asked:

1.) What’s the profit difference?

2.) How often have these banners been ordered in the last 5 years?

3.) Has there been a product update?

4.) Is there an opportunity for states or caucuses to submit drafts for banners?

  1. ETC, ETC, ATC (Holly)

ETC report and proposal to certify special election is coming shortly. New call for SC Elections ETC will go out again, then move forward. Margaret Elisabeth volunteered to be on the committee.  If there is no one else, a couple other volunteers can be found to serve as observers.

Holly has been in touch with a member of the most recent ATC, who said he would help provide information to a new committee. A call will go out for members, along with an invitation for former members, in the near future.

  1. BMRC – Pilot Project to Make NEED Act  a Campaign Issue

Kalia stated that there is a NC candidate who is looking into that issue for his campaign.

Coordination with other committees will be sought. BMRC would raise up to $5000 funds dedicated, would need tracking.   APPROVED, Consensus

? will follow up to notify BMRC, CCC, Media, Office

 

  1. Standing Business/Old Business

 

  1. Reports

 [NOTE to SC: Liaisons should contact committees per the “calendar.” The calendar is included  as a second sheet in the Liaisons spreadsheet, linked below

Co-chairs have reviewed and selected committees they want to serve as liaisons. The list of Co-chairs can also be updated, as needed.]

 

Liaisons August 2025

 

  1. Guest Committee(s) –

  1. Staff (Tamar)
- Staff is eager to have us share what they’re doing. They continue working on the transition (Google drive) and ANM; will share meeting minutes so people can see details.

  1. Secretary (Holly)  Basecamp Update update.  Renewed Delegates 101, trying for following week; Committees 101. Basecamp tutorials; voting page work update; “transition,” google and Basecamp update, if available

  1. Craig: Media, Merch, PCSC, Outreach
Outreach was just Starlene and myself. Media has onboarded Bijan and he’s hard at work on ANM posts and has a schedule already set.

  1. Cassandra: ANMCom, FundCom,
 Credentials , DRC

Joint Media/ANM meeting last week. PLanning for ANM and candidate/officeholder media opportunities

Tamar notes if people want waivers for the ANM, they must be requested by July 8th. Housing waitlist and meals must be done by July 10th.

  1. Wissam: IC, Green Pages, GPAX
, BRPP, BMRC – no report

  1. Arshia: CCC, Platform – no updates

  1. Tamar: Diversity

We were able  to offer something to all who asked for meals and lodging, some transportation for the ANM.

  1. Charles: FinCom, Animal Rights

Nothing beyond reports from Finance

  1. Kalia: CCC, BMRC, AC, BAC, EcoAction

Sent greetings to committees, haven’t gotten responses. Spoke with Scott Laugenour about some of the documents and information available. Looking for meeting dates.

 

VII. Voting Queue –  (Holly)

 Received for the Voting Queue

  1. NBC Proposal – Bylaws Updates

AGREED to 48/48 review – separate online decision for each proposal. Holly will ask NBC to put each into its own proposal.

  1. Proposal – New Committee for Government Transparency https://drive.google.com/drive/u/3/folders/1Ko1cAE62yVoWOU5-Js7I-VoP6Hr7HGYL

Had tried to take  up online via a 48/48, but general agreement was a need for more clarity.

From 6/14/2026 Meeting: Craig wrote that “This proposal cites the Platform as part of the purpose. This seems redundant to create another committee for this. Will this work result in direction to other committees? Would like further review.   Kalia responded that this had been part of a workshop in the last ANM; the group does research and provided un-propagandized information.

3 weeks discussion, 1 week vote

Floor Manager: Charles

⅔ approval threshold

Concern about all votes taking place at the the same week as the SC elections, which end on a Saturday,

Tamar proposed ending votes Sunday night, Holly – blocking concern that other options cannot be weighed with this process.

Tamar – Yes

Charles – Yes

Cassandra – No

Holly – Abstain

Kalia – No

FAILED

Kalia proposed SC elections end Saturday at midnight; start other votes a few days early so they will get their full voting period.

 

Tamar also suggested having proposals go for a three week discussion period.  AGREED, Consensus

6-3.2(b) Declare an expedited placement into the voting queue, earlier than the next regular starting date, if by a 2/3 vote it approves findings that this would allow the GPUS to meet deadlines it would otherwise not meet or be of other substantial benefit to the GPUS. – Margaret Elisabeth (Jun 28, 2026, 8:48 PM) sent a message:

This rule allows a vote to have a 3 week discussion, 1 week vote

SO TO BE CLEAR – WE WILL FOLLOW THE USUAL TIMELINE AND NEW PROPOSALS WILL GO OUT NEXT MONDAY FOR A THREE WEEK DISCUSSION PERIOD? THAT’S NOT WHAT WE ACTUALLY VOTED ON, BUT IT SOUNDED LIKE THAT WAS THE PREFERRED OPTION?

  1. .Consolidate NatCom Affairs and Votes list sections and Add GPUS Community Hub section

Had tried to take  up online via a 48/48, unclear. Findings were that there was never an NC approval for the Community Hub in question; and,. That the categories of membership include a category that is not part of GPUS. General agreement – send to sponsors to update??

FINDING: No Hub ever approved by NC

   Could either use separate proposal to establish a Hub, or have the protocol simply apply to all Basecamp spaces except state Hubs

FINDING #1: NC never established a Hub.

Holly – Yes

Cassandra – Yes

Charles – No

Kalia – No

Tamar – Abstain

FAILED

Kalia – add that HUB members just be approved; AGREED, Consensus

Not sure we can do that without a Finding, but will try –

FINDING #2: There is no “national membership system” – remove that and take it up later, if someone wants to do that.

AGREED, Consensus

4, “in progress” – clarification for proposal requirements – needs language

ADD: “…”background may not contain false information” – ??

Received some positive feedback on Basecamp. Holly will put out a proposal for review.

  1. “In progress” ‘- Is clarification needed for definition of Observers. https://gpus.org/rules-procedures/#09

General agreement that no clarification is needed.

 

Discussion

#1300 – Assign Temporary Inactive Status to Green Party of Louisiana

               Accreditation Committee

               Discussion through 6/28/2026

               Voting Period: 6/29-7/05/2026

               Threshold: Majority

                Floor Manager: Holly

#1301 – Assign Temporary Inactive Status to Green Party of Montana

                Accreditation Committee

                Discussion through 6/28/2026

                Voting Period: 6/29-7/05/2026

                Threshold: Majority

                 Floor Manager: Holly

#1302 – Update Article IX – Platform Agnostic Title and Definitions

            Young Ecosocialist Caucus

           Discussion through 7/12/2026

           Voting period: 7/13-7/19/2026

           Threshold: ⅔

           Floor Manager: Wissam

#1303 – GPUS affiliation with the Federation of Green Parties of the Americas and the Global Greens

           International Committee

           Discussion through 7/12/2026

           Voting period: 7/13-7/19/2026

           Threshold: Majority

           Floor Manager: Kalia

 

Voting

#1298 – Approve Minor Platform Copy-Editing

             Platform Committee

             Discussion through 6/21/2026

             Voting period: 6/22/- 6/28/2026

             Approval Threshold: ⅔
Floor Manager: Holly

Completed

#1297 – Platform Copy Editing – Approve 11 Specific Platform Edits

            APPEAL (Proposal was removed from the voting queue)

TOTAL TIME –  2 hr, 20 min

 

found

 

delete

 

most

 

help

 

Pilot

 

Act

 

this

 

may be needed.

 

redundant –  delete

 

officeholder

 

haven’t

 

Spoke

 

Hub