Minutes
09.27.2005
Coordinated Campaign Committee Conference Call
Sept. 27th 2005, Tues. 9pm EST
Members Present: Greg Gerritt [RI], Jen Walling[Il], Sally Kim [NY], Robb Tufts [MD] Staff: Brent McMillan [DC] Observer: David Silva [Lavender Caucus, CA]
Facilitator: Jen Walling
Note taker: Sally Kim
Approved Facilitator.
Agreed to approve last call's minutes via email.
Approved current agenda.
1) STATUS OF NEW CCC RECRUITS:
o October 1st is the deadline for new CCC recruits.
o Currently have 3 males for 2 spots: David Silva (Lavender Caucus); Brent White, Sean Bagley (Indiana)
o 3 Female spots open on gender balanced 5 and 5 committee. Lack of female candidates. Brent has talked to Karen Muller (DC), Cindy Azure (CA)
o Agreed to not suspend gender balance rules in response to understaffed committee and not enough female candidates. Bylaw suspension would have to be run by NC.
o Jen will work on Green female recruiting. Out of 3 accredited caucuses, have reached 2.
2) STAFF UPDATE
o Brent: Focused on Congressional Campaigns and the GCCC (Green Coordinated Congressional Campaigns) Would like to see 60-70 identified races.
o Brent is excited about Michael Berg, new card carrying Green and father of Nick Berg. Running Delaware House.
o Have identified about 15 races for GCCC, including
Kurt Shotco (info N/A),
Rae Vogler from Wisconson already announced Senate race. www.voterae.org
Byron de Lear, CA
Kevin Zeese, Maryland
2 from Conneticut: Bill Davidson, Ralph Ferruci
Adam Eidinger, had received highest percentage of Green votes, from DC.
o The #1 issue for GCCC would be to "Get Troops out Now!"
o Brent came back from a weekend of tabling coordination, received 160 new contacts for GPUS. Working with an intern at GPUS HQ.
o Sent donor list to Susan Hopkins. Updating CA Volunteer list to send off to Hilary Bradbury. Will send off appropriate resources to new Resource applicants.
o Brent will make GPUS Website Templates available for states and locals, as well as campaigns. Agreed upon by CCC members.
o Contract Status: No progress!! Rob will contact Mark Sanson immediately to resolve issue, Jen will give Rob the number. Clarification: Personnel Committee that NYS added 2 new members to deals with personnel policy, not collective bargaining/contract issues. Collective bargaining is between Steering Committee and Staff.
3) GREEN COORDINATED CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN UPDATE:
o Rob is working on listserve to facilitate GCCC coordination on Riseup.
o Brent is collecting contact information for all campaigns, will help invite and notify campaigns of new GCCC listserve.
o To keep updated on GCCC, read Political Director's weekly report and CCC members interested will be subscribed to new listserve.
o General Plan & Purpose: (Brent): Get a critical mass of candidates before holding a conference call. Give overview of past campaigns in 2002, '04. Find out what they'd like GCCC to do. Get campaigns to talk to each other. Purpose is more for Coordination vs Targeting of campaigns, as a resource and facilitation role.
o If targeting of campaigns is used, it would be selective and rare. For example, Brent White & Brent McMillan worked together to find a candidate to run against a particularly conservative incumbent.
o Main areas GCCC would tackle:
(a) Candidates Troubleshoot point-place. Prepare candidates for potential trouble areas.
(b) GCCC facilitate a coordinated and unified message with all participating candidates to present a strong Green message.
4) CAMPAIGN MANUAL AND CAMPAIGN CURRICULUM
o (Rob) Has been working with on this idea with John Eder, not present on call. Went over current campaign manuals paragraph by paragraph.
o Attempting to turn manual into a curriculum that allows it to be taught as a course at campaign schools. Similar concepts could be taught anywhere.
o Brent cautions to ensure flexibility in this case, Greens & Green campaigns are not a "One Size Fits All" category. Regions are different, campaigns vary.
o Rob envisions this course to showcase successful (campaign) models, and present them to be emulated rather than attempt to create a too-standardized course model.
5) GREEN CAMPAIGN LISTSERVE
o (Jen) Idea would be similar to GCCC listserve, offered to any candidates, campaign managers, and knowledgeable advisors along with CCC members. Heavily moderated to ensure focused and pertinent messages.
o There is already an Officeholder's network with sub-networks comprised of School Board, Council, Mayoral and Water/Municipal. Water/Municipal is the largest sub-group. (Brent) We'll most likely anticipate similar pattern on new list.
o This new listserve would function as a "hotspot" for candidates. Jen will kick it off in 2 weeks after our next conference call. It'll serve for emergency questions hot spot for current campaigns, but set up to function for next election season.
6) RESOURCES SUB-COMMITTEE
o Brent has been handling all non-monetary Resources requests. Has been pointing requests to Green Consultants, volunteers allowing their expertise to be listed in the Green Consultant Directory. Brent will re-send us the directory, urges CCC members to list themselves if not yet.
o $2,000 was allocated to 2nd Tier Matching Funds Program. $1200 left of money.
o We have more money available from canceled campaign schools, and could allocate more money going towards campaigns. We'd have to re-allocate budget and run it by Finance Committee if we did this. (Jen, Brent)
o We won't receive money accidentally sent post-primary to losing primary candidate. We must be more careful in the future, and ensure timely responses to primary applicants.
o We've allocated $800 to candidates who applied by earlier deadline. (Jen) We have an additional $100 earmarked for Elizabeth Dickenson's campaign who lost primary that can be given to other applicants. Applicants & funding allocations are listed on Questionnaire Tracker (Brent).
o Specific Applicants: Review 8 NYS and 1 PA applications. Old applications we can discuss next call. Jen & Rob reviewed the 9 applications. Jen will come up with proposal to vote and send questions to appropriate applicants.
o Jen: Issues with PA applicant, Guy Anthony. No field plan, also on the Democratic line, distressed at lack of campaign plan and having Guy's name next to the Democratic line, and the CCC donating to that effort. Discussion, decision to not fund candidate.
o Rob: Tony Gronowitz's campaign (NYC Mayoral race). Concerns: Lack of developed field plan and financial plan. Has only raised $300. Needs 1 million votes, is aiming for 50,000. No diversity points. No funding should be allocated to this campaign; all non-monetary resources should be.
o Rob: Excited about Dave Lussier's campaign (Albany, Council). $100 allocated. Sally agreed that campaign would comply with Matching Funds requirements. Campaign asked for $500, Rob says there is a $100 individual limit.
o Rob: Alice Green: No solid campaign/field/ plan. Ok finance plan. Give all non monetary resource requests. No definite conclusion of application; will consider more in-depth if more comprehensive field plan submitted. Re-evaluate next call.
o Jen: Four Syracuse, NY candidates: will evaluate more in-depth next call. 2 diversity-qualifying candidates (Linton & Bonaparte-Sally). Asking for $750 but concerned about accountability of ensuring funds are delivered to specific candidates, rather than given to collective campaign account. Jen will talk further with campaigns. No designated campaign manager. (Sally) Collective decision making body functions in part as campaign manager.
o Next conference call: Review remaining applicants, including Syracuse and any other candidates requesting money. Review past candidates. If there is any money left over can allocate to other candidates.
7) REMAINING ITEMS & CONCERNS:
o Greg: Concerned that email is not utilized effectively, we have a lot of work and discussion that can't fit into conference calls. Concerned more work should be done between conference calls.
o Sally: We could post ideas, give a set time frame for discussion (like a week). Then based on discussions form a proposal to review online and finally vote on during conference call.
o Rob: To update members on work he's been doing between calls he informed us he's been assisting a Maine candidate, Carol Schiller with her campaign, raps, etc via phone.
o Brent: Concerned that there is no operating budget for 2006. We need to discuss this on next agenda.
o Jen will send out operating budget. Greg will work on it and send his thoughts to members.
o Late call, will go over task list via listserve. Any additional tasks members need help with, put out a call on the listserve.
Re-cap of Decisions:
$100 to Dave Lussier's campaign
$0 to Guy Anthony
$0 to Tony Gronowitz
