SC teleconference Minutes – November 18, 2001 (draft)
Participants: Robbie Franklin, Jo Chamberlain (facilitator), Ben Manski, Tom Sevigny (timer), Jack Uhrich, Doug Malkan (assistan Treasurer), Nathalie Paravicini (notetaker)
Agenda:
Financial report & Treasurer’s position
Current and pending votes
Accreditation proposal on proportional representation
CT/ME proposal “on the Use of Force”
Bylaws proposal
Coordinated Campaign
Committee Reports
Coordinated Campaign
Fundraising
Accreditations and state organizing
International
Various SC issues
a. Budget for 2002 and committee fundraising
b. Employee’s Handbook
c. USGP-Nader liaison report
d. SC retreat
Financial report & Treasurer’s position (Robbie Franklin) Top
– USGP account: $13,000 and ASGP account: $620
– Income $1500 from merchandise and CT lists. MN will donate $1,000 and hopes to raise another $1,000.
– Upcoming expenditures: $5,000 to mail to the Progressive and Nation’s lists (10,000 names) + 8,000 for Dean and Jack, FICA and health insurance.
– Doug Malkan agreed to act as Assistant Treasurer, charged with surveying health insurance options. He reported for now we are looking into $500/month for COBRA for Jack and $150/month for Dean’s insurance. In DC, to be considered as a group, 50% of the staff must be located in DC.
– We need to file form I to the FEC, which is the statement of organization (?)
– TREASURER’S POSITION: Robbie indicated that because of time commitments as Treasurer and his personal needs, he cannot continue on a volunteer basis. He is willing to work on a stipend basis.
Discussion ensued as to whether the Treasurer and Secretary should be stipended and/or elected positions, how should be budget for those yet-unbudgeted expenses. In other organizations, board members do receive a stipen in compensation for their work which requires constant duties, access and accountability. Hiring a bookeeper was offered as an option, but Robbie indicated there is still not enough work for 2 people.
==> Robbie to send a breakdown of his activities as Treasurer, with approximate time commitments, although the work changes from week to week, and Ben will propose alternatives.
Robbie was thanked for all the daily work done as Treasurer. His duties cannot be postponed and are critical to the Green Party. Jack emphasized the lack of flexibility for the Treasurer’s position.
Current and pending votes
Implementation of proportional representation
Proposal sent by Accreditations committee. Anita to be floor manager.
ME/CT proposal “on the use of force in Seeking Justice”
The proposal was sent for a 3 week discussion period. There is no consesnsus at all and may need to be pulled out.
Bylaw changes
We cannot wait longer. Tom to send them out for 2 weeks discussion and 1 week to vote. Tom to be floor manager.
Coordinated Campaigns Committee proposal
Ben just sent the first draft proposal for review by the SC.
Committee Reports
Coordinated Campaign Committee
– Ben to send bylaws proposal to SC to institute CCC as a closed committee. See above.
– the CCC and the media committee issued the press release to target specific races where national state representatives voted FOR FTAA.
– The CCC is also eager to institute a campaigns school, where people who have expertise in running campaigns could train greens. Several persons were specifically mentioned (Tamara Jones and the PVA organization from Houston being one.
Fundraising Committee
– The fundraising committee listserver is set-up, ==> Jack will populate and manage it. ==> Nathalie to insert Jack in the USGP-COO list.
– We are up to $500/month in sustaining greens, plus a couple annual commitments – Something about lists I missed. Ingrid Betancourt: dates and possibilities. Jack to do something about the upcoming mailer, and then communicate with CC delegates to participate in the fundraising committee. Additionaly, we are planning to send a solicitation message to a list of 10,000 internal email addresses.
– Dec 8 DC Fundraiser: the event will be held at Mimi’s, 3-5pm. XX (owner) personaly donated $1000 and will donate percentage of proceeds from food and drinks. SC agreed to spend $300 to send invitations via regular mail instead of bulk mail, in light of mail delays due to anthrax contamination. Greens are looking at entertainment. Will there be a Green Pages supplement for this? Steve Shafarman is helping coordinate. Nader will bring autographed books to donate (how many?). Dean will be in DC but will be looking for an apartment to move and office space.
– Jim Hightower has agreed to do a fundraiser for the USGP in Texas in February. We could piggy back the SC retreat with this event.
– Need to resolve how to present national/state split in order to motivate states to fundraise. The issue of using other people to help fundraise (and split with the state) will be discussed in the fundraising committee.
Accreditations Committee
– Tony just resigned as Chair. The committee is working on succession.
– WA state just voted to affiliate with the USGP, VT is getting ready to do so as well.
– SC: Jack Uhrich was invited as keynote speaker to their founding convention. The situation in SC with the United Constitution Party is quite complicated. It is extremely diffciult to get on the ballot but once on it is difficult to drop out. The state allows fusion under one party’s umbrella. The UCP ran Nader as its presidential candidate in 2000. The party regroups the GP, the Labor Party and two other parties. Tony Mazochi refused to have the UCP affiliate both with the GP and the LP.
==> Ben indicated the situation is quite complex and will not work in the long-run. Ben committed to writing a report on the issue.
International Committee
– Arrangements for the US delegation (Annie Goeke, Tom Sevigny and Dean Myerson) trip to Europe are underway. Tomm will speak with Annie regarding the letter to German greens, in response to their vote for the sending of troops to Afghanistan.
– A report is being drafted on the meeting of the Federation of Green PArties of the Americas (FPVA) and the Green Party of Mexico (PVEM).
– Tom will speak with Annie about the presence of a European representative at the Dec 8 fundraising event.
Various SC issues
Budget for 2002
For next meeting, we need to resolve the issue of fundraising by committees and the relationship with the SC and fundraising committee.
Employee’s Handbook
Jo to send proposed employee handbook to SC for comments, and then to staff.
USGP and Nader liaison report
The Democracy Rising in MA was a success because there was a prior agreement between greens and DR. The event netted $3,000; 3 greens spoke on stage 2 of which were candidates, lists of attendees were in their hands upon completion, and greens had good tabling locations.
Greg Kafouri is to flesh-out the agreement and send it to Ben Manski.
SC retreat
Texas offered to host the next SC strategy meeting in Jan-Feb, to piggyback with the Hightower event. February 9 was suggested as the better date.