Approved minutes of the February 3, 2016 GPCT SCC meeting
Quorum met.7:14PM start after the closure of the GPCT 2nd Nominating Convention. Site: Portland Waverly Center, 7 Waverly Avenue, Portland, CT 06480 GPCT attendees by chapter: Greater Fairfield: Rolf Maurer, GPCT co-chairperson, David Bedell, David Michel, Cora Santaguida, Bonnie Troy. Greater Hartford: Matthew Went, Mary Lawrence, Brian Gay, Vic Lancia, Christopher Reilly, GPCT treasurer, S. Michael DeRosa, GPCT co-chairperson and Barbara Barry, GPCT secretary. City of New London: Ronna Stuller and Timothy Hanser. Waterford: Margaret Welch, Baird Welch-Collins and Emily Garfinkel.
1. Consensus without any blocking to approve and accept minutes. Motion from SMD and seconded from B.W-C. to: a) approve minutes the November 17, 2015 and January 13, 2016 SCC meetings; b) approve the 1-13-16 Nominating Convention minutes and c) accept minutes of the 1-5-16 and 1-26-16 EC meetings.
2. GPCT chapter reports: a) Greater Fairfield: DB: developing a candidate forum for chapter candidates. RM reported about an event with U.S. Senator Himes. DM continues to interact with Stamford Board regarding the ongoing Stamford waterfront pollution without CT DEEP officials activating state laws and regulations. A developer wants to build boat slips in protected wetlands and also allow larger boats there. Stamford has no harbor. Stamford Town government is outsourcing some service jobs. b) Greater Hartford: BAB 12-15-15 social event of GPCT members was very enjoyable. Next chapter meeting: end of February. c) Greater Norwich: no member so no report. d) City of New London: RS: fundraiser for New London chapter is 3-19-16 at Washington Street Coffee House in downtown NL. Chapter officers: RS: chairperson, Bob Stuller: treasurer and TH: secretary. Mirna Martinez reelected to BOE with 1085 Republican votes and 633 Green votes. She was again cross-endorsed by the Republican Party. The CT State Elections Enforcement Committee (SEEC) is investigating NL complaints about the tabulating of votes and also that election officials were giving bad or misleading voting information. and e) Waterford, CT: BW-C: next meeting is 3-14-16. Have possible candidate for the CT House District 38 and Billy Collins for Waterford Registrar of Voters. f) RS provided written approved minutes of 12-6-15, 1-13-16 and draft minutes for 1-31-16 to the GPCT secretary. BAB has Greater Hartford minutes.
3. Christopher Reilly’s treasurer: balances a) GPCT: $908 and b) Federal Elections Commission: $397.
4. Secretary’s report from Barbara Barry and GPUS CCC Candidate liaison: update of the Candidate Liaison meetings. a) attendees selected the 4 GPUS pillars. Drafts of the 4 GPUS pillars recommended for 2016 nation-wide GP candidates are: Grassroots Democracy e.g. reform of Citizens United with unfettered influence of big business; election reform; revolving door of government and business; voting rights is more local and personal. Peace and Nonviolence: need foreign policy based on human rights, diplomacy and respect for international law; demilitarization of U.S. economy. Ecology: prefer climate disruption or climate change to global warming; “water as a public resource”. Adequate clean water is a human right in balance with ecosystem and should encompass all living things. Support infrastructure but oppose fracking and privatization of water. Social Justice: racial justice; BlackLivesMatter; police brutuality and prison reform: 1 in 5 Black males are in jail; 1 in 9 Black children have a parent in jail. All may be cyclic of financial inequality, disruption of families, lower educational levels, etc.
5. Reports from our 3 representatives to the GPUS National Committee: SMD: his is helping to move the GPCT Animal Rights Committee proposal and is interacting with a GPUS co-chairperson about this. Absent: Joshua Steele Kelly and Linda Thompson.
6. Rolf Maurer provided a proposal from himself to the GPCT regarding childhood vaccinations. He was advised that for proposals to be considered, GPCT procedures require a proposal be sponsored by the GPCT EC or a GPCT chapter or five individual GPCT members. He may return if this occurs. RM agreed.
7. Petitioning: a) status of SOTS presidential, vice-presidential and U.S. Senate petition forms. Once all forms are returned to secretary, BAB will take petition documents to CT SOTS so it may develop (a handful of copies of) the official 2016 GPCT presidential petition form. Each chapter will receive at least one copy of the valid petition form. And David Bedell will scan blank copies of petition forms onto GPCT website so they can be downloaded for use. Goal: to have by the time of the 2-3-16 SCC meeting or the 2-13-16 event, whichever comes first. b) Temporary restraining order by U.S. Judge Janet Hall brought by the CT Libertarian Party and CT ACLU regarding CT regulations that petition circulators can only be CT registered voters. c) Formation of GPCT Petition Committee and any additional volunteers to current members to help with petitions: Ronna Stuller for City of New London chapter, Rolf Maurer and David Michel for Greater Fairfield chapter, and S. Michael DeRosa for Greater Hartford chapter. d) a list of petition circulators must be registered U.S. voter of any party affiliation (due to temporary restraining order). e) Need to authenticate petitions acquired by the petition circulator then photocopy petitions before handing in petitions. Reason: to be able for GPCT to challenge if needed. Need 7500 valid petition signatures for president/senate so goal is for 15,000 signatures. f) Defer paying petitioners. g) Handout or mail petitions to GPCT members who request to be petition holders. h) The GPCT seven (7) presidential electors for the 2016 presidential nominee are: Rolf W. Maurer (who replaced Allan Brison), Emily Garfinkel, Mary Lawrence, Cora Santaguida, Baird Welch-Collins, Christopher Reilly and S. Michael DeRosa. and i) The 5 people seeking presidential nomination are: Jill Stein; William “Bill” Kreml; Darryl Cherney, Kent Mesplay, & Sedinam Kinamo Christin Moyowasifza Curry. j) The GPUS 2016 Presidential Nomination and Annual Meeting is in Houston, TX on from Thursday through Sunday, August 4-7, 2016. k) GPCT is allocated 7 delegates (one each for U.S. Senate and the 5 Congressional Districts =7) to this 2016 GPUS convention/meeting.
8. Monday, 2PM February 1, 2016 meeting with Deputy Majority Leader Susan Johnson by Paul Gobell, Rolf Maurer, S. Michael DeRosa and Barbara Barry. She supports: “some sort” of CT public banking but favors developmental banks; perceives farm to table is undoable; conversion of military businesses to renewable energy: supports the growth of business and reinstating CT tax breaks for residential and commercial solar equipment/use. She is concerned about protesters who wish to protect industries such as nuclear. No response to SMD request for CT to pressure energy sources to comply with CT regulation which requires them to provide 10% of energy with solar energy. More MUDs are legal for municipalities to do but not regional CT. She supports better treatment of inmates and veterans but universal healthcare is unlikely due to CT governmental debt. She perceives that privacy and legal concerns about drones is complicated. b) First day of CT Legislature is Wednesday, February 3, 2016. Last day: May 4, 2016. GPCT 2015-2016 Legislative proposals are: ballot access; reform Common Core Curriculum; CT public banking; demilitarization of law enforcement official behavior; farm to table promotion; support more medical marijuana use; support more hemp economy; promote student mental health rights; more MUDs; renewable energy development; conversion of military businesses to renewable energy and universal healthcare.
9. GPCT Fundraising Committee: a) agenda and facilitator for February 13, 2016 event with Jill Stein, a potential GPUS 2016 presidential candidate: Time: noon to 4PM at Portland Waverly Center, 7 Waverly Avenue, Portland, CT 06480. Hope to have actual CT presidential petition forms available for distribution. Potluck food & beverages. Media: SMD to be interviewed by radio host: Scott Harris, WPKN (Bridgeport); use social media and letters to the editor. b) discussed March 2016 fundraiser with Bill Kreml via Skype.
10. 2016 GPCT Annual Meeting: Saturday, April 30, 2016, noon to 5pm; at Portland Waverly Center, 7 Waverly Avenue, Portland, CT 06480. Agenda: noon to 1pm: 2016 GPCT internal office candidates statements and Q&A; GPCT legislative proposals. 1PM: vote for which person to support for the GPUS 2016 presidential nomination. To have 4-6 workshops by GPCT members i.e. 2-3 workshops during the 1st 45 minute session. Then another 2-3 workshops during the 2nd 45 minute session. Suggested workshops: how to run for office; how to promote a candidate and issues via phone; how to become a Justice of the Peace. Applicants can only apply from August 1, 2016 through November 1, 2016. Consensus: a) deadline for submission of GPCT candidates for internal offices (3 co-chairperson, treasurer and secretary =EC and for 3 GPCT representatives to the GPUS National Committee, need to be provided to the GPCT secretary by the close of business/adjournment (typically between 8 and 9PM) at the next GPCT SCC meeting on Wednesday, March 16, 2016. b) GPCT candidates for the GPUS Standing Committees will be determined at the next SCC meeting. This is to be scheduled by the 4-30-16 newly elected GPCT EC.
11. GPCT Outreach Committee: a) Algonquin Pipeline: Tim McKee was absent. b) GPCT liaison with other CT organizations: ML: animal rights: see CT Votes for Animals; Bill Desmond’s Law: bill to allow pets in women’s’ shelters; support the CT ban of the sale of ivory. Motion from DM: support these efforts and seconded by CS: passed by consensus.
12. GPUS Standing Committees
Ballot Access (BA): efforts/strategies of the state GPs gaining ballot access: SMD: focus is on the states that have near future deadlines for: candidates and for petitioning. Current presidential petition requirements: VT needs 1000 valid signatures; NC: 95,000 and an unknown number in Nevada. Suggestion: do GPCT presidential petitioning on April 26, 2016 sites of the Democrat and Republican primaries. Absent: Jeff Russell
Bylaws, Rules, Polices Procedure (BRPP): for GPUS officers & national committees: Amy Vas Nunes & Joshua Steele Kelly were absent.
Diversity (DC): strategies/actions to urge/maximize diversity within the GPUS: Emily Garfinkel: unable to attend telephonic meetings because of work commitments.
International Committee (IC): promotes GPUS positions re: world issues: SMD: IC has not met recently. Joshua Steele Kelly and Justine McCabe were absent.
Merchandizing Committee (MERCH): determines/acquires items for the GPUS: Rolf Maurer developing new T-shirts.
Outreach (OC): interacts with other groups who may have similar interests of the GPUS: Emily Garfinkel: unable to attend due to work. Linda Thompson was absent.
Peace (GPAX): discusses/develops strategies of how the GPUS may promote peace throughout the world: Baird Welch-Collins: not active.
Platform (PC): promotes positions of the GPUS which are consistent with GP 10 Key Values: Justine McCabe, Joshua Steele Kelly and Amy Vas Nunes were absent.
Presidential Campaign Support Committee (PCSC): support a GPUS presidential candidates: Timothy McKee was absent
There are no current GPCT representatives on the following committees. Accreditation (AC): reviews state chapter which petitions to join the GPUS; reviews criteria for state delegates to GPUS annual meetings and conventions; Annual National Meeting (ANMC): working on the 2016 GPUS Annual Meeting; Black Caucus; Coordinated Campaign Committee: (CCC): is a committee which interacts with the GPUS Steering Committee to cooperates and support state and local chapters and federal, state, and local Green Party electoral campaigns through a variety of different programs and support functions. Credentials Committee (CredCom): The general charge of the Credentials Committee is to facilitate the credentialing of delegates to the Presidential Nominating Convention of the Green Party of the United States; Dispute Resolution (DRC): mediation of any disputes within the GPUS ; Eco Action (EA): develop strategies for the GPUS regarding ecological matters; Finance (Fincom): determine how to spend the GPUS money; Fundraising (FC): raises money for the GPUS; Green National Committee (NC): The Green National Committee is the highest decision-making body of the Green Party of the United States. Membership consists of all voting delegates from state GPs and caucuses; Green Party of the US internet news: acquire and write articles for the GPUS website; Latino Caucus; Lavender Caucus; Media Committee (MC): writes GPUS press releases; National Women’s Caucus; Voting Page; Delegate Apportionment (DAC); Green House Campaign Committee (GHCC): support/webinars for Green candidates for U.S. Congressional House of Representatives; Green Senatorial Campaign Committee (GSCC): support/webinars for U.S. Senate candidate. GPUS Steering Committee (SC): Co-chairs: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – VA; Sandra Everrette- CA; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – CO; Bahram Zandi- MD; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – NE; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – VA; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. of NY: resigned 1-10-16. Treasurer: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – HI. Secretary: Jan Martell-NC
13. Consensus without any blocking concerns for: a) David Michel may be one of the GPCT delegates to the August 4, 7, 2016 GPUS Nominating Convention/Annual Meeting in Houston, TX. Placed in motion by Brian Gay and seconded by SMD. Motion carried. b) Mary Lawrence may be the GPCT representative to the Annual National Meeting (ANMC): working on the 2016 GPUS Annual Meeting. Placed in motion by Brian Gay and seconded by SMD. Motion carried. c) Brian Gay for the Lavender Caucus. Placed in motion by David Bedell and seconded by Cora Santaguida. Motion carried.
14. Next SCC meeting to be Wednesday, March 16, 2016. Prefer: same time/place.
GREEN PARTY TEN KEY VALUES: non-violence, respect for diversity, grassroots democracy, social justice and equal opportunity, ecological wisdom, decentralization, community-based economics and economic justice, future focus and sustainability, personal and global responsibility, feminism and gender equality. Submitted by Barbara Barry, GPCT secretary and for other GPCT EC officers: Linda Thompson, S. Michael DeRosa, Rolf Maurer and Christopher Reilly.