GPUS Steering Committee
Minutes
Sunday, January 24, 2016 – 8 p.m. ET
I. CALL SETUP AND BACKGROUND
a) Facilitator: Kate Culver (joined call late; Tamar Yager filled in)
b) Call reference # 152
c) Present: Audrey Clement, Sanda Everett, Jan Martell, Andrea Merida, Charles Ostdiek, Jeff Turner, Tamar Yager, Karen Young, Bahram Zandi. Observer: Starlene Rankin.
Agenda Revisions: Andrea asked to table II.b., Media Director job description, till next meeting. Also to change the discussion topic in IV.d. from Gary Johnson to Black Lives Matter.
II. OLD BUSINESS
a) Report on ATC adoption of PNC apportionment proposal – Audrey. Vote was taken Monday Jan. 18 approving PNC apportionment based on the current (2013) National Committee apportionment. SC approved placing the apportionment in the voting queue and giving it an expedited schedule of 2 weeks discussion, 1 week voting. Audrey will be contact person, Tamar floor manager. Jan offered to post it to the voting page the same night, to start discussion on Jan. 24.
III. STANDING BUSINESS
a) Treasurer’s Report – Jeff, update on figures sent recently, we now have $9750 in operating act, about $2k over what’s owed to reserves with 8 days still remaining in the month, so we may have $11k by the end of January. This reflects real amounts of money in the bank and does not have to be adjusted for fake donations. Monthly survival net is $8k, thanks to fundraising team and Audrey.
b) Fundraising Report – Karen. Phone bankers who were off for the holidays are back calling new prospects, working from some free lists and some that may be purchased – prioritizing value of lists needed. Exchange of lists with state parties starts next week with new volunteer. First Friday email on the 1st & 4th brought in $1k, one on MLK Day about $300. There will be a blast to caucuses on the 27th. Next direct mail in March. Alexandra Thiebert will be writing the next direct mail piece; for now we will hire freelancers to do writing. Next committee meeting Jan. 26. Audrey shared her experience making calls, said that half the time people don’t donate because they’re supporting Bernie Sanders. Karen said SC needed strategy in place before Super Tuesday to pull in disappointed Sanders supporters. Sanda suggested noting in Nationbuilder for a call back.
VOTING QUEUE
In the queue:
a) 807 – Animal Rights Committee
b) 808: Appeal from the Decision on 807
Mary Lawrence has sent a revised draft of 807. Connecticut GP may withdraw 807 and replace it with the new draft – they will be meeting on Tuesday. There is probably no correlation between procedural challenge and support for the creation of the committee.
Received for the queue:
a) SC vacancy election – at this point, it is just a call for nominations (3 weeks) after which it will enter the queue as a special election. Jan will post call for nominations on Monday Jan. 25.
b) 2016 Presidential Nominating Convention Size and Delegate Apportionment. – already discussed under Old Business. Expedited schedule to begin Jan. 25.
IV. NEW BUSINESS
a) Discussion of 2016 Volunteer Plan – Karen sent an outline of this plan. GPUS needs a volunteer coordinator to respond quickly to volunteers, connect them with work that needs doing and suits their abilities, and to show appreciation for work done. Nation builder allows for more volunteers and with straitened budget GPUS needs more unpaid help. In February, identify a Volunteer Coordinator who is a people person, well organized; then gather updates on committee needs – job descriptions and tasks – liaisons should do this; and coordinate with state parties. March, coordinator learns Nationbuilder, by April has a process in place and begins contacting volunteers, sharing with states, and appreciation. Takes time to set this up, but eventually not that much time to do. This is a key position, which should be staff, but under our budget needs to be a volunteer from the leadership. This could be an Outreach Committee function, but no one on the OC now can do it. Andrea volunteered to take on the Coordinator role. The motion to appoint Andrea as Volunteer Coordinator passed by consensus.
b) Decision to create a subcommittee to develop a 2016 work plan – Audrey. SC is supposed to publish a list of potential proposals semi-annually. Jan said that Budd Dickinson had been working on a SC calendar last fall, and had sent information to her, and that she had also been working on this, volunteered to be part of the committee. Audrey thought that a subcommittee was more focused than just letting the SC work on this online, and also volunteered to be on the subcommittee. Andrea moved to have this be a 2-person committee consisting of Jan and Audrey – passed by consensus.
c) Report on the progress of subcommittee to determine how to register earth flower logo – Audrey. LuAnne Kozma drafted questions to submit to Richard Citowski, who has not yet replied. LuAnne is convinced that having this done by a lawyer is worth the extra $ because of the long-term record it produces of the process. Audrey will get contact information for Emily Citowski from Brian Bittner, to see if we can get a response from her dad, who handled the initial work 10 years ago.
d) For discussion: Black Lives Matter – Andrea. Alicia Garza of BLM is undecided about where to throw support in the presidential race. A subcommittee of GP leaders, mostly African American, but not including any presidential candidates, are beginning work on outreach – just wanted feedback from SC at this point. SC members were positive about this. Garza has had a lot of press coverage lately and is vocal about her dislike of Hillary. Andrea also reported that she and Tom Yager had sat in on a meeting of Nevada GP and want to coordinate effort to get Ballot Access signatures there, bringing in Greens from out of state to help.
Ae) amendment to SC Agenda rules – Charles. This is our internal rules so doesn’t have to go for NC vote. 1-2.3. The facilitator will be notified of observers on SC calls, and will call on them to speak in stack order. No questions or concerns, passed by consensus. Charles will notify the Webmaster to update our online rules. Starling Rankin who was observing this call, was called upon to speak – she thanked Karen and the fundraising team, and all the SC for their great work.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
None
TOTAL TIME: 90 minutes.
ADDENDUM 1: PNC Apportionment
SPONSOR(S): Apportionment Tabulation Committee
CONTACT: Audrey Clement, aclement65@hotmail.com
SUBJECT/TITLE: 2016 Presidential Nominating Convention Size and Delegate Apportionment
TYPE OF PROPOSAL, EXPECTED APPROVAL THRESHOLD: Two Thirds
REQUESTED PROPOSAL DECISION-MAKING TIMELINE: Two weeks discussion/one week vote
BACKGROUND:
GPUS Rules and Procedures, ARTICLE VIII, NATIONAL COMMITTEE SIZE AND DELEGATE APPORTIONMENT, requires that the National Committee be apportioned every two years in the odd numbered year.
To that end Section 8-2.3 Membership and Structure, requires:
“8-2.3(a) Between November 15th and December 15th of every even-numbered year, the Steering Committee shall appoint seven people to the Apportionment Tabulation Committee.”
Section 8-3.1 further requires:
“8-3.1 The Apportionment Tabulation Committee shall convene 30 days after the November General Election in the even numbered year, review the information available in the GPUS Elections Database and put out a call to state parties to request that they review the same information and offer any corrections to the Apportionment Tabulation Committee no later than 75 days after the November General Election.”
Section 8-3.3 further requires:
“8-3.3 No later than 100 days after the November General Election, the Apportionment Tabulation Committee shall determine the number of delegates allocated to each state party using the Delegate Apportionment Formula and forward a proposal to the National Committee for approval.”
The Rules of the Presidential Nominating Convention of the Green Party of the United States, ARTICLE III. APPORTIONMENT OF DELEGATES, requires that the Presidential Nominating Convention (PNC) consist of 400 delegates +/-2, comprising representatives of states and territories of the Unites States and accredited caucuses, to be allocated on the basis of the NC apportionment:
“3-2.3 The tabulation method to determine the allocation of delegates to the National Committee, as outlined in Article 8, Section 6 of the GPUS Rules and Procedures, shall be used to allocate the number of Presidential Nominating Convention delegates to the various states with accredited and active state parties, except that: a) the number of delegates to be allocated (D) shall be 400 minus the number of delegates assigned to caucuses, territories, and states without affiliated and active state parties; b) the minimum percentage threshold shall be {4 / (D)} * 100%.”
Section 3-3.1 directs the Apportionment Tabulation Committee (ATC) appointed to perform the NC apportionment in the odd year preceding the election to perform the PNC apportionment for the next succeeding presidential election year:
“3-3.1 Beginning in the year 2015, the Apportionment Tabulation Committee as defined in Article 8 of GPUS Rules and Procedures is authorized and directed to perform the tabulation for allocation of delegates to the Presidential Nominating Convention in the odd years preceding presidential election years, for the presidential election year next succeeding.”
The Steering Committee did not appoint an ATC in November, 2014 as required by GPUS Rules and Procedures, 8-2.3(a) cited above.
In fact it did not appoint an ATC to perform the 2015 NC apportionment until October, 2015 almost a year later.
When the ATC finally convened in October, 2015, it could not come to agreement on several issues including: how to direct the caucus chairs to fulfill the requirements of GPUS Rules and Procedures, Article VIII, Section 8-2.2(c); and how to get all the data needed to compute the apportionment formula stipulated in Article VIII, Section 8-5 Delegate Apportionment Categories.
Thus the ATC could not complete the task of apportioning the 2015 NC.
PROPOSAL:
Insofar as the NC has not been apportioned in the year preceding the PNC, and insofar as the PNC apportionment depends on the NC apportionment, the Green Party National Committee hereby
1) directs the ATC to apportion the 2016 PNC according to the 2013 NC apportionment; and based on that apportionment,
2) approves the following allocation of delegates to the 2016 Presidential Nominating Convention:
Alabama – 4
Alaska – 4
Arizona – 6
Arkansas – 9
California – 63
Colorado – 5
Connecticut – 7
Delaware – 4
District of Columbia – 4
Florida – 7
Georgia – 4
Hawaii – 4
Idaho – 4
Illinois – 23
Indiana – 4
Iowa – 4
Kansas – 4
Kentucky – 4
Louisiana – 4
Maine – 11
Maryland – 6
Massachusetts – 10
Michigan – 15
Minnesota – 7
Mississippi – 4
Missouri – 4
Montana – 4
Nebraska – 4
Nevada – 4
New Hampshire – 4
New Jersey – 5
New Mexico – 4
New York – 18
North Carolina – 4
North Dakota – 4
Ohio – 9
Oklahoma – 4
Oregon – 8
Pennsylvania – 9
Rhode Island – 4
South Carolina – 8
South Dakota – 4
Tennessee – 4
Texas – 23
Utah – 4
Vermont – 4
Virginia – 4
Washington – 5
West Virginia – 4
Wisconsin – 8
Wyoming – 4
Puerto Rico – 2
Guam – 2
Northern Mariana Islands – 2
United States Virgin Islands – 2
Lavender Caucus – 2
Black Caucus – 2
Women’s Caucus – 2
Youth Caucus – 2
Latinx Caucus – 2
TOTAL – 400
RESOURCES:
REFERENCES:
GPUS Rules and Procedures, ARTICLE VIII, NATIONAL COMMITTEE SIZE AND DELEGATE APPORTIONMENT
http://gpus.org/rules-procedures/#08
Rules of the Presidential Nominating Convention of the Green Party of the United States, ARTICLE III. APPORTIONMENT OF DELEGATES
http://gpus.org/convention-rules/#03
Minutes, Steering Committee Meeting, October 11, 2015
http://gpus.org/october-11-2015/
2016 PNC Apportionment Spreadsheet
https://www.dropbox.com/home/gpus/Apportionment/2016
2013 Apportionment of Green National Committee
https://secure.gpus.org/cgi-bin/vote/propdetail?pid=704
2012 Presidential Nominating Convention Size and Delegate Apportionment
https://secure.gpus.org/cgi-bin/vote/propdetail?pid=644
2011 Apportionment of Green National Committee
https://secure.gpus.org/cgi-bin/vote/propdetail?pid=629
ADDENDUM 2: Volunteer Plan
VOLUNTEER PLAN 2016
GOALS
• Instead of letting potential new members from the Presidential campaign, in particular, slip through our fingers, engage with them in a positive way and keep them involved.
• Connect people with the right volunteer opportunities for them.
o Give them a good experience with the party and encourage them to develop more commitment.
o Give people who come through the website, as well as existing local members, a chance to connect with GPUS.
• Create as efficient an intake system as possible.
o Respond to people more quickly and on a regular basis.
• Get more work done.
• Ensure that the best new active people are appreciated and given more opportunities to engage.
• Help cte chairs and state parties more effectively respond to and integrate new volunteers.
FEBRUARY
• Appoint Volunteer Coordinator. When/if we hire Organizer, it would be their job.
o This job would probably take some setup time, but once the system was set up, shouldn’t be more than a few hours per week.
o Ideally it would be a “people person” who is also well organized.
• Gather/update cte info and job descriptions (what cte’s specifically need done)
o SC Liaisons should do this.
• Gather/update state party people who are in charge of volunteers.
o Secretary?
MARCH
• Coordinator learns how to pull lists, send emails, take notes etc. in Nationbuilder.
• Enter state volunteer contacts in Nationbuilder.
APRIL
• Start sending general volunteer emails to volunteers on a regular basis (weekly?)
• Start sending volunteer lists to committee chairs. (Monthly? Quarterly?)
• Start sending notices re volunteer recruitment to the NC and state party chairs on a regular basis (monthly? Quarterly?)
• Establish list sharing protocol with states who are willing to share lists. (Quarterly?)
• Develop a system for capturing activity level of volunteers, notes, thank you notes, etc.=
• Coordinator should be available to volunteers as much as possible to give advice or troubleshoot.
ADDENDUM 3: Proposal on observers on SC calls
Sponsor:
Charles Ostdiek
Title:
Amend SC Internal Procedures to add Section 1-2.3 to Section 1-2 Agenda Management
I will ask for consensus, failing that, a vote.
Background:
To facilitate NC participation and to encourage transparency and dialog with Observers on SC calls, the following amendment to the SC Internal Procedures section on agenda management requires that the facilitator be made known of Observers who have asked to participate on the call, so that such Observers may be called upon to speak when they so request.
Proposal:
Pursuant to SC RP&P’s, Article 2, Section E. – Observers on GPUS-SC Conference Calls
SC Internal Procedures are hereby amended to include the following Section 1-2.3:
“1-2.3 The facilitator will be notified of any Observers who have requested in advance to be added to the agenda. The facilitator will call upon any such Observers for participation in stack order as they request to speak.”
References:
• http://gpus.org/committees/steering-committee/steering-committee-internal-procedures/
• http://gpus.org/committees/steering-committee/steering-committee-rules-policies-procedures/#observers
E. Observers on GPUS-SC Conference Calls
“SC calls will be open to no more than five observers on each call. NC delegates and alternates can observe the call by contacting the SC Secretary at least 24 hours in advance on a first come, first served basis. Delegates and alternates who have never observed on a call will receive priority over those who have. Observers will be provided with a call number and access code that they will be advised not to share. Observers may observe only and may not participate or ask questions during the call unless they have specifically requested to be added to the agenda in advance. A separate call number shall be reserved by the SC as necessary for executive session discussions.”