GPUS Steering Committee Minutes – 11 March 2018
SUMMARY FOR DISTRIBUTION TO STATES AND LOCAL CHAPTER:
Since only four Steering Committee members were on the call, there was no quorum. Updates and discussions, but no decisions were made.
1. Standing Business: Treasurer’s Report, Fundraising Report, Liaison Reports
2. New Business:
On 25 February the SC approved co-chairs Mike Dennis and Gloria Matter, as well as GPUS lead Twitter volunteers Brandon Long and Justin McCarthy, to participate in the Twitter beta program regarding account authentication on behalf of the Green Party and help to implement it as needed for the party as part of the beta program. Gloria and MIke were on the call to begin participation.
3. Voting Queue – https://secure.gpus.org/cgi-bin/vote/login
Received for the Queue:
Endorsement of Stop Trump’s Military Parade in November, Presenter: GPAX – on agenda for next SC call
Endorsement of the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) 2018 Spring Actions; Presenter: GPAX – SC will hold a rapid response vote on this time sensitive matter
In the Queue:
a) Coordinated Campaign Committee Election – Presenter: Coordinated Campaign Committee (CCC); Floor Manager – Andrea Merida; Ranked Choice Vote; Secret Ballot Revealed at Close of Polls; Voting – 12-18 March
b) Steering Committee Vacancy Election – Presenter: Steering Committee; Secret Ballot Revealed at Close of Polls, 1 Seat; Floor Manager – Gloria Mattera; Discussion 5-18 March; Voting 19-25 March
4. Old Business: Review of pending agenda items
5. Executive Session: 2018 Budget – Ongoing staffing discussion
Addition to 25 February minutes: Online consensus by SC on 19 Feb 2018 – Hours Reduction on March 1st – On Monday, February 19th, staff will be provided notice that starting March 1st, hours for all staff will be reduced to half-time (twenty hours a week). This notification does not preclude ongoing negotiations with the staff union, however it ensures that the GPUS Steering Committee is following its fiduciary responsibility to the party and the staff salary budget line that it passed via the National Committee.
The full minutes are available at http//gpus.org/committees/steering/minutes/march-11-2018/
The call recording is available at 712-451-0309, 926334#, reference 18
https://gpus.org/steering-committee-recordings/
Jody Grage, Secretary
GPUS Steering Committee Minutes – 11 March 2018
I. CALL SETUP & BACKGROUND – 15 min.
a) Facilitator: David Gerry
b) Roll call: Gloria Mattera, Hillary Kane, Darlene Elias, Chris Blankenhorn Absent: Jody Grage, Andrea Merida, Darryl! Moch, Mike Dennis
There was no quorum. Decision to proceed with agenda with no decisions being made.
Observers: Tamar Yager VA, Gary Frazier NJ
c) Agenda revision suggestions – none
II. NEW BUSINESS – 5 min
On 25 February, the SC approved co-chairs Mike Dennis and Gloria Matter, as well as GPUS lead Twitter volunteers Brandon Long and Justin McCarthy, to participate in the Twitter beta program regarding account authentication on behalf of the Green Party and help to implement it as needed for the party as part of the beta program. – Mike and Gloria were on conference call to being with process.
III. STANDING BUSINESS – 30 min.
a) Treasurer’s report – Hillary Kane, 10 min.
including Treasurer’s Reports to the GNC
Starting to dip into operating reserves, moving money from income checking to expense checking as available and adding PayPal income, have $105,290.75 in all three accounts including reserves of $103k of which $78k is operating reserves and the balance is for caucuses and committees; FinCom decided that in the absence of any written record to the contrary, budgeted funds for our 5 caucuses will be treated as all other budgeted funds rather than as a one-time gift of $1k to each caucus unless documentation can be found
Gloria – All decisions already reached regarding staffing will proceed as planned, changes can be considered when we have quorum
b) Fundraising report – Mike Dennis – 10 min.
Tamar – Eblast yesterday primarily for sustainers has brought in $689 with 23 sustainers – one at $50 per month. Starlene is working with Latinx Caucus on sending eblasts; Nearly all voters lists in – including CA, Mike’s request for volunteers about 3 months ago resulted in 3 thank you card writers and 1 NationBuilder deduping volunteer who will need to sign a confidentiality agreement; Starlene is compiling a list of possible major donors and there will be training for those making the calls; 20 March Greenline is being put together by Joy Davis; the next direct mail piece is still not completed written – Chris and Gloria volunteer to help
c) Liaison reports – 20 min.
Annual National Meeting – Darlene – now planning content; first 2 days are workshops, the second 2 days are planned by the SC – plenary, strategic planning, 2020 vision perhaps, perhaps workshop on proposing legislative suggestions with the SC; Darlene will help the SC plan; good to have secured location early; space reserved as in 2017 – program planning may necessitate changes; PCSC may have proposal for changing process used in 2017; Hillary reminds us that only registration and travel are covered – not lodging or meals; Hillary will book travel directly if at all possible
Dispute Resolution – Darryl! – Darlene reports a meeting recently and getting new members; no active cases now though a few minor things have resolved themselves; gearing up to do some trainings; suggestion to gather dispute resolutions resources, too
GPAX – no liaison now, proposal for Spring actions in queue; also 15th anniversary of DNC in Chicago
Merchandise – Chris – committee members approve moving a the fulfillment model especially print as you go; present shirt printer has that service and is getting proposal to committee, also looking at a couple of other options; a proposal will be coming; consider how to do fulfillment on free buttons, etc.
Outreach Committee – no liaison now, Gloria – looking at participation in Left Forum with GPNY
IV. VOTING QUEUE – Jody – 5 min.
(https://secure.gpus.org/cgi-bin/vote/login)
Received for the queue:
Endorsement of major Spring demonstrations to “End the Wars at Home and Abroad!”: Presenter: GPAX; Floor Manager – TBD; discussion and voting periods – TBD – would require 2/3 vote of SC if had quorum for expedited placement in queue and for reducing discussion to one week, Chris will write a 48/48 proposal to the SC
Endorsement of Stop Trump’s Military Parade in November; Presenter – GPAX – on agenda for next SC call
Endorsement of the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) 2018 Spring Actions; Presenter: GPAX – SC will hold a rapid response vote on this time sensitive matter
In the queue:
a) Coordinated Campaign Committee Election: Presenter: Coordinated Campaign Committee (CCC); Floor Manager – Andrea; Ranked Choice Vote; Secret Ballot Revealed at Close of Polls; Voting – 12 – 18 March
b) Steering Committee Vacancy Election: Presenter – Steering Committee; Secret Ballot Revealed at Close of Polls, 1 Seat; Floor Manager – Gloria; Discussion 5-18 March; Voting 19-25 March
V. OLD BUSINESS – 45 min
Review pending agenda items – very brief updates as available – 10 min
1. Staff computer purchase protocol recommendation from FinCom – Hillary – FinCom did not get to reviewing and approving draft policy – for next SC agenda
2. Election database Phase II and III update – Hillary – Kendra asked for status update for payment, replied that Mike Feinstein will tweak it after his campaigning over soon
3. Voting page maintenance/Tech issues update – Chris – no update
4. ETC Final Report – Darryl! – David is on the committee and reports progress has been made and the report should be available for the next SC call
5. SC Strategic planning virtual retreat – 24 & 25 March – Gloria, Darryl!
(11Feb18 minutes) Include guidelines for SC involvement in state party issues (15Feb18 minutes) Day 1 A: With staff – reset relationships, realign tasks and discuss roles
End product- working document for next 18 months Discussion of site, combining in-person and virtual formats
Gloria – proposes some time the 24th/25th as planned and doing another session after SC election completed; need preliminary questions before then since the time at the retreat is too short to allow for much brainstorming, will do doodle poll, Hillary – suggests longer session on first session
End recording of call – 8:53 Eastern
VI. EXECUTIVE SESSION – 60 min
Roll call: Gloria Mattera, Hillary Kane, Darlene Elias, Chris Blankenhorn
Ongoing staffing discussion. No decisions made.
End Executive Session – 9:30 pm
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Jody Grage, Secretary