March 27, 2016

GPUS Steering Committee Minutes
Sunday, March 27, 2016 – 8:00 p.m. ET

I. CALL SETUP & BACKGROUND

a) Facilitator: Charles Sherrouse
b) Call-in # for recording: 605-475-3299 reference # 156
c) Present: Audrey Clement, Sanda Everette, Jan Martell, Charles Ostdiek, Paul Pipkin, Tamar Yager, Bahram Zandi. Absent: Andrea Merida, Jeff Turner. Observing: Starlene Rankin.
d) Agenda revisions – Charles asked to move reports to the end of the meeting and put decision items first, as he had to leave the call early. Paul asked to add his liaison appointment before reports. There was no objection to these changes.

II. OLD BUSINESS

a) Report: result of online vote on 5 proposals to approve minor expenditures for the office – Tamar submitted proposals for online discussion and vote to pay for office needs: Transportation Allowance, around $36/mo; Purchase Rack, Shelves, around $75; Microsoft Business Essentials about $12/month; Toner Cartridge, about $175; Office Supplies, about $50. They were all approved online with Jeff not voting and Sanda abstaining. Audrey abstained from approving MS Essentials and thought that the proposal was not specific enough, but agreed to take that up as a separate issue later.

III. STANDING BUSINESS

a) Treasurer’s Report – Audrey. At the last FinCom meeting there was about $9500 in the account and no payables, much better than expected, but probably inflated due to ANM registration fees coming in. Tamar said that now this was going through NationBuilder Jeff could check those amounts any time. Starlene said that the amount was about $1589, which would make the balance about $8k clear.

b) Fundraising Report – Tamar. The last mailing brought in some large donations, $10,500 with more coming in. Greenline brought in $1,000 when it usually brings in $100, and also brought some volunteers for ballot access. $400 from the E-blast including 3 sustainers. She will send formal reports later by email.

VOTING QUEUE

In the queue:
a) 811 – Establish Animal Rights Committee
b) 812 – ARC Committee Rules

Received for the queue:
14 of 24 Platform amendments proposals. They will be released to the NC for discussion and voting in 4 parcels of 6 proposals. The first 6 to enter the queue are:
GPMI – Electoral College Amendment
GPMI- Foreign Policy Amendment
GPNY- Adoptee Rights Amendment
GPPA – Fracking Amendment
GPUS Platcom – Clean Energy Amendment
GPUS Platcom – Climate Change Treaty Amendment
(See addendum below for links to the texts) – Jan. There were no findings, so these will go into the queue for Monday April 3. Jan will be Floor Manager.

IV. NEW BUSINESS

a) Liaison change: Paul Pipkin asked to become liaison to the Coordinated Campaign Committee, which had been one of Karen Young’s responsibilities, and Audrey had taken on after Karen left the SC. Paul said he had been on the committee for about 2 years. Audrey agreed, and there were no objections. Approved by consensus.

V. EXECUTIVE SESSION
None

TOTAL TIME: 33 minutes

Jan Martell
Secretary
ADDENDUM 1

http://gpus.org/other/platform-2016/chapter-1-section-1-electoral-college-michigan/
http://gpus.org/other/platform-2016/section-d-foreign-policy-michigan/
http://gpus.org/other/platform-2016/chapter-2-social-justice-section-a-adoptee-rights-new-york/
http://gpus.org/other/platform-2016/section-h-water-green-party-of-pennsylvania/
http://gpus.org/other/platform-2016/section-iii-ecological-sustainability-part-a-climate-change-5-clean-green-energy-and-jobs-platcom/
http://gpus.org/other/platform-2016/chapter-3-ecological-sustainability-strong-international-climate-treaty-platcom/