May 26, 2013

GPUS Steering Comm Conference Call Minutes – May 26, 2013

I. CALL SETUP & BACKGROUND
a. Facilitator – Jody Grage
b. Roll Call- Susan Chunco, Jeff Turner, Budd Dickinson, AJ Segneri, Charles Ostdiek,
Karen Young. Absent – Darryl Moch, Farheen Hakeem, Steve Welzer.
(Jill Stein was on for item III.)

II. TREASURER’S REPORT & FINANCE ITEMS – Jeff
a. Cash report to date – sent report, $2500 in general account, $1000 expenses left to pay; Red Sun $6900 still owed; ANM reserve balance $2500 after paying for the meeting rooms, next mailing at printer already (500 will be hand addressed and stamped as a test). David Doonan not yet paid $2500 for balance of web work – question of what still left to do including some history contents (most of what is sent is posted); no set process for what is put up; restarting of the web content committee suggested.

b.Request from the CCC to subscribe to Join.Me, a web-based service that allows for desktop sharing and conference calling. It is a $13 cost per month, no contract required. Other committees could make good use of it as well. Using free trial already; FinCom recommends it. Skype also has desktop sharing. There is a question if there are advantages with Join.Me. Consensus to use Join Me for a month with a report on the next SC call about the relative merits of the two programs.

c. Update on the Progress of the FEC Amendment Work.
Used “forgive” tool for old erroneous loan balances, entered some loans that didn’t get entered; old large erroneous negative loan balance still can’t be fixed with FEC program – that’s the only problem item remaining; will consult with FEC on Tuesday, deadline of 17 June; help available from analyst and from software support; FEC reports must agree with bank and with accounting work; Susan Chunco and Bill Kreml from Fincom will help with the spreadsheet work as needed.

III. Jill Stein on Green Shadow Cabinet, etc.
Highlights of last couple weeks – FL state convention, Tampa and St Peterburg GPS, & Monsanto event, public outreach event well attended; about 60 people at ME convention – hoping to get ME people to ANM – with good campaigning system – contact Charles Ostdiek of the Program Committee. Upcoming: Left Forum, WI state convention, United We Stand Rally in Little Rock by Free and Equal; Green Shadow Cabinet getting good feedback on the road and from press including BBC & National News Network (see post on their site) & Grit TV; see greenshadowcabinet.org – sending newsletters about twice a week; Audit – shorter stay than expected and seems like those on site were pleased with work; liabilities have been greatly reduced; will hear within 2 weeks, then campaign responds.

IV. VOTING QUEUE – Budd

In the queue:
705 – Approve $2000 Loan – Voting starts 5/26.

706 to 709 – IC proposals to Confirm Julia Willebrand 2013 FPVA Delegate; Confirm Vivek Ananthan 2013 GGN Alternate Delegate; Confirm Mike Feinstein 2013 FPVA Alternate Delegate; and Confirm Sanda Everette 2013 FPVA Alternate Delegate. Voting starts 6/3.

Received for the queue: Outreach Comm Bylaws Revision Karen – Existing bylaws long and verbose, modeled after Media Committee bylaws, mission modified; floor manager – Karen, threshold 2/3rds.

V. Agenda for ANM – Darryl looking into getting GNC agenda from previous ANM from Tamar (need 2011 agenda). Holly sent four-day schedule; NC meeting is FRI afternoon and am & aft SAT; ANM needs info from SC on the NC agenda. Charles mentioned election debrief, etc., and will talk with Tamar and work with Holly’s email to integrate time requests; need table/spreadsheet format. Jeff requested, similar to a few years ago, FinCom/FunCom with half of group and then switch, 60-90 minutes for each. There was consensus on this. Strategic Planning – maximizing opportunities, solutions, volunteers, Q&A, breakout sessions, leave ready to start work – probably 3 hours.
VI. Revision of Bylaws for Caucus Accreditation – Budd No response from Darryl about this yet re: Diversity Committee, etc.; process needs facilitation; possibly provisional status with ability to handle incoming funds. Karen said that additional accreditation improvements are needed.

VII. LIAISON REPORTS

Charles – EcoAction discussing biofuels plank.
Charles – IC – voting about dues to Global Greens $917 app.; FPVA dues discussion coming.
Charles – BRPP – still inactive.
Karen – Merchandise – t-shirt poll – meeting next TH.
Karen – Outreach – branding and fundraising plan, with Strategic Planning process, investigating branding experts.
Karen – FunCom – prospect mailing to candidates under development, may do telemarketing campaign with email blast and follow-up calls in July; sustainer campaign in September.
Charles – List of SC duties calls for committee reports – very important for ANM.

Darryl! sent report: CCC+2: campaign school and advanced training for trainers will take place at the ANM. We will also have two face-to-face meetings to address the scope of our work, bylaw changes that will be necessary given any change in our scope, and our structure. We will also set an election schedule, based on any new changes, as aforementioned. Hillary is serving as treasurer for the Senate committee and filing FEC reports. We have two meetings monthly. 1st Tuesdays business and 3rd we have our webinar/call series.

Diversity Com: scheduled to have our 1st meeting June 1. No matter what. I intend to have 3 calls before the ANM; two in June and one in July; and a face-to-face meeting at the ANM.

VIII. Calendar of upcoming SC meetings – June 9, 23; July 14


Budd Dickinson
Secretary