MINUTES – Steering Committee Meeting
Sunday, March 9, 2025
8:00 pm EST
- Setup and Background – 10 min
Facilitator: Ann Link; Tamar Yager, during the budget discussion (after she spoke)
Steering Committee Roll Call:
- Craig Cayetano (co-chair) – present
- Cassandra Lems(co-chair) – present
- Darryl! Moch (co-chair) - present
- Alfred Molison (co-chair) – present; joined during Item regarding earlier presidential nominating convention; had to leave during budget discussion
- Joseph Naham (co-chair) – present, had to leave during fundraising hire discussion
- Charles Ostdiek(co-chair) – present
- Justin Paglino (co-chair) -present, ha to leave before union contract discussion
- Holly Hart (secretary) – present
- Bob Stuller (treasurer) - present
- Jason Call (incoming treasurer) – present
Observers: Starlene Rankin (WA); Gloria Matters (NY, FundCom co-chair): Rick Lass (NMex, BAC Co-chair); Tamar Yager (VA),
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 (9 current members, quorum is 5)
ANNOUNCEMENTS – an FYI, please consider how much time will be needed for these items
Approve Agenda (changes require majority, new items require ⅔ approval):
REQUEST TO ADD TO AGENDA:
Fundraising inquiry into the state of NationBuilder.
Gloria Mattera (FundCom co-chair) has asked to speak. Others who may wish to speak are Daniel Bumbarger (FundCom Co0-chair) and Rick Lass (NMex, ballot access coordinator for Stein 2024 campaign)
Tamar Yager has requested to speak regarding the budget item, as she has information to provide.
- Treasurer’s Report (Bob, Jason) — 10 inn
Signal
General $15,253.43
Merchant $7,744.88
Savings $88,746.69
PayPal $2,201.08
Recently paid NationBuilder, payroll, not as flush as he would like to see, but ok. Sent in materials regarding bequest, will keep apprised.
III. New Business –
- Fundraising inquiry into the state of NationBuilder.
Gloria Mattera (FundCom co-chair) has asked to speak.
Gloria sent a report to the SC. She and Daniel Bunbarger consulted with NationBuilder. She explained that a current issue is the need for regular maintenance of the lists. Last year’s CCC eBlasts brought down the open rate to about 11% open rate which is not healthy.. A recent decision to send everything “all email” resulted in an open rate below 5%, considered “catastrophic.” Daniel Bumbarger put together a temporary list and set a test eBlast for International women’s Day. Discovered that some contacts are no longer living. We should not be sending tons of email, not sending to GreenLine, which includes people who do not want to get other types of messages. We may not send to “all email-able.” Target for a 20% open rate. We need to send fewer emails to fewer people, but that may yield more opens and more donations.
Rick Lass (Ballot Access Co-chair) stated that BAC would like to use NationBuilder to find supporters in different states for ballot access. ADvice is to work with FundCom and Staff to ensure that lists are used properly.
- .Online Decisions (Holly) – None
3.. Staff union contract (at least part of this must go in executive session) (Justin, Joseph) –
NOTE: Justin will finalize the language and send to SC to ratify. This SC call, SC will take up in;all or part in Executive Session, as required. Justin met with Staff last week.
Justin would like to get more opinions on how much the paid time off should be, should be in executive session.
- Consideration of timing of 2027-2028 presidential primary (Jason) – 5-10 min
Jason stated that GPUS isn’t a major party and needs to have a Pres/VP nominated earlier, in the summer of 202, providing an entire extra year to campaign. May not work for every state based on some state elections rules. Longer runway for the campaign would far outweigh the matching funds consideration. It also alleviates some of the issues with ballot access and candidate substitution. Cassandra asked if there is any prohibition at the federal level for having the convention prior to the year of the campaign. Darryl! recommended having PCSC look into this and provide a report in 3 to 6 months. 2025-2-23 – Discussion of 2028 Presidential Cycle
- Bylaws pertaining to caucuses (Jason)
An Arab-American/Muslim Caucus is forming in Michigan, interested in becoming a national caucus. GPUS policy does not recognize ideology/faith-based caucuses, but an Arab-American caucus might be possible; also may be other means of the group working at the national level. Joseph suggested a Moral Uplift INclusion Caucus
- Budget – 2025 5.4 (?) 2025 Budget 5.5 2025 budget process (Charles, et al) – ?
Charles sent a report with Committee requests. Charles has reviewed old SC MEeting notes, FEC reports and other information and finds we will likely have to reconcile all FEC report from the past year. Charles has done a lot of the work already, identified things not declared, so far, and added them into the budget draft. Agreed to have an extra budget review meeting – Sunday, March 15th.. Charles has done a lot of work and
has almost all act\uals finished and calculations, consulting FEC files, credit union statements, SC minutes, PNC final report. A few more pieces of information yet to come, should be finished soon.
Darryl! Requested all items except those in executive session be moved to the next call.
- Standing Business/Old Business – any news or updates on items?
- SC “Intro” Webinar. Report from Craig. The webinar was moved back to January,
now February, 2025. Craig is working with GPNJ member who is involved with Black
Liberation Media about collaboration. TABLED
- Message on Operation Simplify, an organization working to end gerrymandering; inquiry about meeting early in the new year. Justin Paglino has contacted them and will provide any update. Wrote then February 9th, and has sent another mail; has not heard back. TABLED
- Message from Florida Labor/DSA contact asking for GPUS participation in Single Payer Healthcare national action. Darryl! And Justin have both been in contact and can provide more details.. TABLED
- Interim Fundraising Position –
NOTE: Current status: So far, some members of SC have expressed interest in moving forward with the hire, reviewing the applications received. FundCom had asked for posting on a jobs list for a week. Holly followed up with the Web Manager about posting on a public jobs site for another week, waiting for further notice by SC.
Gloria asked that there be a hiring commitTee, one from FundCom two from “elsewhere.” Gloria stated that out of the four applicants, only one seems to have the experience and skills needed. Concern on Fundraising. Committee that the job wasn’t posted on a public jobs list.
Question of whether to go ahead with hire now or wait
Charles – abstain
Cassandra – wait
Darryl! – wait
Craig – edit terms of the proposal; Cassandra states a blocking concern; abstain
Justin –
Joseph – go ahead
Bob – wait
Holly – abstain
Further discussion was taken up in Executive Session (see below)
- Reports
Co-chairs, please review liaison spreadsheet and edit, as needed
- Guest Committee(s) – none
- Staff (Justin) – Justin will meet with staff this week.
- Secretary (Holly) - Migration. Some folks will be presenting information about various online platforms on a webinar April 30th. More details TBA. Possibility if quarterly committee meetings/meet-ups (or liaison-called related committee calls).
- Craig: Media, Merch, PCSC, GCCC, Outreach
- Cassandra: ANMCom, ETC, FundCom, Credentials – ANM asks for speakers and workshop ideas for ANM, theme is Party-Building. Gloria Mattera asks that we add a salary and expectation of hours to be worked to temporary fundraiser position.
- Joseph: IC, CCC, BMRC, Green Pages
- Alfred: AC
- Darryl!: DRC, BRPP, Platcom - looking for interest in DRC, plan a call to get a request addressed
- Charles: GPAX, FinCom, Animal Rights – Charles has had teh FinCom membership updated on the web page.
- Justin: BAC, EcoAction ; Staff Supervisor
- Voting Queue – (Holly)
- Received for the Queue – no new proposals
- In the Queue —
Discussion
# 1245 – Amend Credentials Committees Rules, Policies and Procedures to Automatically Resign
Credentials Committee
Discussion through 3/16/2025
Voting period: 3/17-3/23/2025
Approval Threshold: Majority
Floor Manager: Justin Paglino
# 1248 – Dividing the Credentials Committee Into Specialized Subcommittees
Credentials Committee
Discussion through 3/16/2025
Voting period: 3/17-3/23/2025
Approval Threshold: 2/3
Floor Manager: Justin Paglino
# 1249 – An Amendment to the Credentials Committee Operating Rules: Election by Separate Vote
Credentials Committee
Discussion through 3/16/2025
Voting period: 3/17-3/23/2025
Approval Threshold: Majority
Floor Manager: Justin Paglino
# 1250 – Amend Article IV of the PNC Rules to remove Year of Birth and Fax
Credentials Committee
Discussion through 3/16/2025
Voting period: 3/17-3/23/2025
Approval Threshold: Majority
Floor Manager: Justin Paglino
Voting
#1244 – Creation of a Special Fund to Identify Non-Partisan Candidates in Voter
Registration-by-Party States
Discussion Discussion through March 2, 2025
Voting period: March 3-9, 2025
⅔ Threshold
Floor Manager: Charles Ostdiek
Completed
# 1247 Appeal Against Forum Managers Advisory of 2-24-2025
Forum Managers
“48\/48” online appeal process
Threshold: A Majority of Yes and No Votes (quorum not affecting the outcome)
Floor Manager: Holly Hart
Appeal failed; Forum Managers’ Decision Sustained
VII. Old Business – see above
VIII. Executive Session –
- Discussion of Interim Fundraising Position
Discussion of Interim Fundraising Position
SC agreed on $20/hr base salary plus commision; 25 hours a week; 60 day/8 week period period. The position will be posted on a public job listing for one week.
Holly sent a job listing to the web manager and treasurer
Decided on a hiring committee of 3 SC members: Jason, Craig, Cassandra; Holly observing; and an Advisor from the Fundraising Committee.
Staff Union Contract – see NOTE, above _TABLED, take up online
TOTAL TIME – 3 hours