Steering Committee Meeting – MINUTES
Sunday September 28, 2025
8:00 pm EDT
I. Setup and Background – 10 min
Facilitator: Cassandra Lems
Steering Committee Roll Call:
1. Arshia Papari (co-chair) – present
2. Cassandra Lems(co-chair) – present
3. Craig Cayetano (co-chair) – present
4. Charles Ostdiek(co-chair) – reported absence
5. Justin Paglino (co-chair) – present
6. Tamar Yager (co-chair) – present
7. Wissam Charafeddine (co-chair) – present
8. Holly Hart (secretary) – present
9. Bob Stuller (transition treasurer) – present
10. Mark Elbourno (incoming treasurer) – present
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.
Cassiday Moriarity (IN, YES), asked to speak on Green Pages; Starlene Rankin, WA; Gloria Mattera, NY
Establish Quorum (9 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)
I.A. The Steering Committee asked Cassiday to speak about Green Pages near the start of the call. She wrote to the Steering Committee with a request, for at least 3,but ideally all SC members. This can be done now or later. WShe would like to have an article on each, a personal approach like a Q & A with an article, can be developed via a Zoom call. She would also like each Steering Committee member to write an op-ed. 500 words or long essay.
She has been working on the SEO and is seeing an uptick in hits on their website, re: 4,000 hits per year.
Craig stated that those SC members who don’t yet have their bios on the gp.org website to get them in to the web manager.
II. Treasurer Report (Bob, Mark)
TBA – Bob, Mark – tBA next meeting!
III. New/Current Business – 20 min
1. Online Decisions (Holly)
A, Invitation – United National Antiwar Coalition is hosting Teach-in on Palestine and Immigrant Rights on December 13 in Chiicago–[they] invite the Green Party to co-sponsor event and provide a speaker to one of the teach-in panels. Please let me know by return email of your interest and availability. Information sent to SC, IC and GPAX, Media; also sent to INGP, ILGP.
Wissam has offered to travel to Chicago to speak.
PROPOSAL: REQUEST to co-sponsor this event. Technically, there is time for the NC to vote on this, but preparations need to start right away.
The event will be held December 13, 11 am – 4 pm,, at a Spanish church TBA in Chicago.
Wissam stated it would be good to have a Spanish-speaking speaker.
Wissam suggested a small stipend to cover trailing expenses if needed.
Craig asked that the message also be sent to the Latinx Caucus.
Craig asked if this is an in-person only event, or if GPUS can have a speaker and/or workshop present via Zoom.
APPROVED by CONSENSUS to co-sponsor the event. The SC will look further into the question of providing a stipend, if needed, and will follow up with GPAX/IC,Latinx, relevant state and local chapters. Holly will ask whether virtual participation is an option.
2. FYI – From People’s Forum and Palestinian Youth Movement – Call for Action in NYC September 28, 2025; March on UN (Holly)
Craig reported that a couple Greens from NJ went on Friday. Lifeline for Palestine organizers, Greens from NY and TX were present.
3. Renew trademark for Earthflower (Cassandra)
Cassandra sent the information to Holly, who sent it to staff. We should be using this trademark, and need to file the appropriate paperwork. This must be done within the next year. Craig stated we should then create some merchandise using this trademark.
4. Steering Committee approval of 3 delegates for communications task force: Esmee Silverman OR), Aly Schmidt (TX), Holly Hart (IIA). All have volunteered
Cassandra moved to designate the three individuals; Wissam seconded. APPROVED by CONSENSUS/ ti approve a.. Three volunteers. Holly will notify Esmee and Aly.
,4. . Forum Managers – time for new election:renewal. (Holly)
https://gpus.org/rules-procedures/#09
All three current forum managers have said they would be willing to continue. Ideally, there should be five forum managers.
See Appendix A
Sample Approval of Forum Manager
If 5 aren’t available, odd number is desirable. There should always have at least one woman and diversity; a single candidate representing gender or diversity is not automatically appointed.
SC members should think of possible candidates in the next couple weeks.
The NC will vote on approving each candidate separately.
IV. Standing Business/Old Business
1. Reminder, follow-up: Open Media and Good Party Request for Party Chairs’ responses. There is no set timeline, but sooner rather than later is probably better
Reminder, this is a good opportunity.
2. Payment to Constant Contact for Stein campaign contacts (Justin)
The Jill Stein contact list was uploaded into Constant Contact and used for a time by Media. Now expired. we have the list, but information gained through Constant Contact (bounces, etc). To get that information, we would need to subscribe to Constant Contact for at least a month. The names can be moved in batches into NationBuilder and labeled as Prospects.
Tamar stated she had talked with Georgia Davenport and Rose Roby. They won like to subscribe for 3 months, to be sure to have all the information available. Tamar will work with Rose.
Athena/office renewed Constant Contact for a month at $128/mo. Craig recommended subscribing through December, to be able to legitimately follow up with all current contacts.
Craig proposed taking Constant Contact payment through two additional months, at $120/mo, to mid-December.
APPROVED, by CONSENSUS
3. Clarification of YES bank account and domain, how to transfer caucus funds. (Tamar, Mark, Charles) . Cassiday was asked for more information. They are testing out various tools, a work in progress. YES will work with the Finance Committee and Treasurers, and will bring more information when they have things worked out.
4. Lifeline for Palestine. All webinar videos are available on the Lifeline for Palestine website, except still waiting for the webinar with GPAX and Wissam. Craig noted the GPAX social media info had not gone out.
V. Reports (Overall)
Co-chairs have reviewed and selected committees they want to serve as liaisons. The following list of Co-chairs and committees can also be updated, as needed Holly and Justin are following up; Holly set up a calendar or add to Liaison assignment spreadsheet.
Co-chairs, please review liaison spreadsheet and edit, as needed
1. Guest Committee(s) : Request from Cassiday Moriarity to speak to the SC regarding Green Pages – see above
2.. Staff (Justin): Pair server: doesn’t always give the digital authentication stamp that a go.org forwarding address needs to forward at times; staff is exploiring google groups as a workaround. Mailman lists will no longer be usable as of January 1st.
3. Secretary (Holly): Ongoing General “Housekeeping” Information/Requests: Delegates 101; NEW: Committee Co-chairs Basics. Following with Committee one-on-ones, to the degree possible. Policies on security, storage and access. To follow-up: Monthly/Quarterly Delegates Meeting to discuss party-building, suggested by Dave Mullenix, HI; Committee reporting; Guide for Google Drive, addition of easy-to-access NC rules & procedure & information.\, suggested by Esmeee Silverman, YES. Holly and Justin are following up on a committee reporting calendart.
4. Craig: Media, Merch, PCSC, Outreach
Merchcom conducted a survey on different bumper sticker designs. Trying to find visible Greens wearing merchandise.
Craig, Justin and Glioria MAttera (Media Committee co-chair) are working through Digital Media Creator applications and hope to have a first meeting in a week.
5. Cassandra: ANMCom, FundCom, Credentials , DRC –
ILGP is objecting to Cook County, ILL from having anything to do with this year’s ANM, and seeking to disaffiliate Cook County Gommitteereens. A member of Cook County Greens has been given information on the Dispute Resolution Committee, and is planning to contact them Mark offered to help, if needed.
Fundraising is writing letters to donors who have not donated recently.
Darryl! Moch would like to step down from being co-chair from the Dispute Resolution Committee.. He would remain available to help, if needed, for committee and GPUS. Cassandra has volunteered to contact all DRC members whose terms appear to have expired to see if they wish to be re-appointed, and if they’d be interested in being a co-chair. We may also want to put out a call on the n National Committee list for potential committee members.
6. Wissam: IC, Green Pages, GPAX , BRPP
Working on reactivating committees, cc’d SC so news is up to date
7. Arshia: CCC, Platform – no report
8. Tamar: Diversity, Staff Supervisor – no report
9. Charles: FinCom, Animal Rights, GCCC BMRC - no report
10. Justin: Staff Supervisor; ETC- see above
Liaison needed for EcoAction
VII. Voting Queue – (Holly) . Two of the three proposals from GPMI were returned to the state party with requests for clarification and instructions on what would be needed to re-submit should they wish to do so.
Received for the Queue
A. Coalition Engagement Protocol need final copy for Google drive or take up on the next call – does the Steering Committee win to sponsor this? TABLED to next meeting for SC to have a chance to read and review.
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/2/folders/1EIVNXVfH1MYQbZhQDyw1d9lWsdnWgu1l
B. National Committee Rules Update – Procedure for Changing Delegate
Discussion: Doesn’t define who does what – who notifies the member, who designates as inactive? Should define duties. The secretary notifies, but who should report to secretary? Some states have delegate appointments longer than a year. Alternates may never need to vote. Craig stated he believes this is irrelevant, as states and caucuses already update their membership and decide who votes and how to vote.
FINDING: Removes right and responsibility of states and caucuses and places it on the national. State parties and caucuses manage their own affairs. “Irrelevant.” Must rewrite bylaws regarding NC Delegate Role or adapt proposa.
C. Annual Strategic Plan with SMART Goals
Wissam stated that the Steering Committee has to work as a group, so a plan should be more like a SWAT analysis that would take more like 2 years. He suggested instead doing a SWAT analysis at the Annual National Meeting every two years to share with the National Committeel. Also, SC members don’t have “personal goals.” The SC can have [develope] a strategic plan, but would not be lobbying for personal goals.
Craig asked if the budget isn’t approved or not in time, what happens to the strategic plan? Nothing concrete. If the goal is progress, who is measuring the progress? Isn’t a balanced budget progress?
General agreement that there are arguments against the proposal, but no “findings.”
2/3 threshold
3 weeks discussion
1 week voting
Floor Manager: Wissam
D. Annual National Meeting Committee Revised Policies and Procedures
Majority threshold
2 weeks discussion, 1 week vote
Floor Manager: Tamar
E. 2025 Steering Committee Election Tabulation Committee Report
Majority threshold
2 weeks discussion, 1 week vote
Floor Manager: Justin
NOTE: LInks to Google docs and sheets in the above-linked proposal may no longer go to those documents. The documents will appear in the proposal, linked to the ETC web page, once it goes into the voting queue for discussion.
2. In the Queue —
Discussion
#1266 Approve Cassiday Moriarity for membership in the GPUS Finance Committee
Discussion through October 6, 025
Voting period: October 7 – 12, 2025
Threshold: 50%+1
Floor Manager: Wissam Charafeddine
Withdrawn A. Proposal to Establish a Youth Accessibility & Procedure Reform Working Group – will proceed with a request for volunteers for a task force
This is the link to the proposal: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1k-enOjz64Nx8AYNPBSOqETcKf309URaA4qHy6Y7FhgM/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.49hmuqph8bl2
Voting
Completed
VIII. Executive Session – None
TOTAL TIME – 2. hr. 40 min.
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Appendix A
Rules and Procedures of the Green Party of the United States
ARTICLE IX: GPUS NATIONAL COMMITTEE LISTSERVE PROTOCOLS AND POLICIES
https://gpus.org/rules-procedures/#09
Eligibility The Steering Committee shall nominate five (5) individuals, subject to National Committee approval, to serve coincident two-year terms as Forum Managers. They must not all be of the same gender and have gender balance of females, non-binary, and males.
Forum Managers may be sitting NC delegates, alternates or others as recommended by their State or Caucus.
All nominees must be either recommended or approved by their state or caucus. It is recommended that Forum Managers have dispute resolution training.