Accepted minutes from the 7PM 7-22-08 EC meeting in Hartford, CT for the Green Party of CT
Location: Lena’s First and Last Pizzeria, 2053 Park Street (near Prospect Street), Hartford, CT 06106-2025
Officer attendees: Co-chairpersons: Phoebe Godfrey, Steve Fournier and S. Michael DeRosa; Treasurer: Christopher Reilly and Secretary: Barbara Barry.
Non-officer attendees for the later part of the meeting: Urania Petit, Working Families Party Candidate for Hartford Register of Voters; David Bedell of Fairfield CTGP chapter and Martha Kelly from Greater Hartford CTGP chapter.
1. Any business/concerns from last SCC meeting of 6-24-08
DB: discussed cross-endorsement of candidates.
BB: Harold Burbank was invited by the League of Women Voters to a debate for all 5th Congressional District candidates
for 10-11-08, between 1pm and 3pm at CCSU, New Britain, CT.
BB: the Adult Programming Coordinator at the New Britain Public Library is seeking materials from all political parties in CT for their patrons. information can be cent to the Attention: Linda McNair, New Britain Public Library, 20 High Street, New Britain, CT 06051. Suggest 25 copies of each brochure. Consensus: a) CTGP and all candidates should send information to this library. b) It will be on the agenda for 7-29-08.
Consensus: S. Michael DeRosa has the approval of this body to indicate to the GPUS that CTGP will accept help for getting petitions for Cynthia McKinney, GPUS Presidential Candidate.
2. Any proposed short and long term goals for the CTGP by the executive committee officers?
SMD: a Litigation Subcommittee has been formed for the GPUS Ballot Access committee.
3. Develop the agenda for the 7-29-08 SCC meeting. Template is below.
Proposed agenda for the 7PM 7-29-08 SCC CTGP meeting at Portland Senior Center
Facilitator: To Be Determined
A. Preliminaries:
1. (1 minute): Introductions of voting/non-voting attendees; chapters; if quorum was met; timekeeper; ground rules.
2. (2-4 minutes): Approval of tonight’s proposed agenda, any deletions or additions.
3. (2-4 minutes): Review and approval of minutes of 6-24-08 SCC meeting.
4. (2 minutes): Review and acceptance of the 7-22-08 EC meeting.
5. (2-4 minutes): Treasurer’s report from Christopher Reilly.
B. Chapters, to provide feedback for SCC vote today about 5-27-08 Fairfield Chapter proposal.
PROPOSAL from Fairfield County chapter. CONTACT: David Bedell, 12 Ardsley Rd, Stamford, CT 06906, 203-581-3193, dbedellgreen (at) hotmail.com
SUBJECT: Definition of party membership.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: At its February 2008 meeting, the Fairfield chapter adopted a somewhat stricter definition of membership than that in the state bylaws. New Haven has also adopted a stricter definition. The purpose of this proposal is to make party membership contingent on a simple written declaration, just like membership in the major parties, instead of the current definition, which includes vague criteria such as what constitutes a volunteer activity or what is a "coalition partner." This proposal also addresses the contingency of losing minor party status, which happened in some towns during 2004-2006. Further comments can be read at HYPERLINK http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldCountyGreens/message/839
PROPOSAL (To be distributed to chapters for discussion): In the CT Green Party bylaws (HYPERLINK http://www.ctgreens.org/bylaws.shtml ), the section under "Individual Membership" shall be revised to read:
If the Green Party has minor party status in a town, then: A person enrolled on their town voter list as a Green Party member is a member of the Green Party for all purposes.
If the Green Party does not have minor party status in a town, then a person may become a member of the Green Party under the following conditions:
1. The person must be an unaffiliated voter and must not have been registered with any other party affiliation during the past ninety (90) days.
2. The person shall fill out and sign a CT Voter Registration Form declaring enrollment in the Green Party and submit this to an officer of the local or state Green Party.
3. Upon submission of such declaration, the person's membership in the Green Party will be effective after ten business days.
A person not yet old enough to vote under state law may become a member of the Green Party under the following conditions:
1. The person will turn 18 and be eligible to vote before the next General Election Day.
2. The person has applied to vote by filling out and signing a Voter Registration Form with declaration of enrollment in the Green Party and submitted this to their town hall or to an officer of the local or state Green Party.
3. If the form is submitted to a local or state Green Party officer, membership in the Green Party will be effective after ten business days.
Party members shall receive announcements of State Party general meetings, and shall be entitled to vote when attending State Party general meetings.
When an active Member of a Chapter, the member shall be entitled to vote at all general meetings of the Chapter. No member, however, shall be entitled to vote in more than one Chapter. Chapters may institute their own requirements for membership different from those for State Party membership.
C. Reports:
1. (30 minutes): Reports about GPUS and the 7-10-08 GPUS Presidential Convention in Chicago, IL from: Clifford W. Thornton, Jr., Co-chairperson of GPUS, CTGP representatives: Timothy L. McKee and Charles Pillsbury and National Committee Members: Steve Fournier, Richard Z. Duffee and S. Michael DeRosa and other CTGP delegates: Allan Brison, Vittorio E. Lancia, G. Scott |Deshefy, Mazin Qumsiyeh and Justin McCabe.
2. (5 minutes): Current count of collected CTGP petition signatures for the GPUS Presidential Candidate: Cynthia McKinney.
3. (10-15 minutes): a) CTGP literature; b) literature for the New Britain Public Library; c) outreach kit: Phoebe Godfrey, Mike DeRosa and Barbara Barry will be the contact persons regarding: banners, buttons, bumper stickers, etc..
4. (10-15 minutes): Fundraising for CTGP.
5. (5-10 minutes): Steven Fournier, endorsed 1st Congressional District CTGP candidate; petitioning sheets, campaign issues.
6. (5-10 minutes): Scott Deshefy, endorsed 2nd Congressional District CTGP candidate: petitioning sheets; campaign issues.
7. (2-10 minutes): Any endorsed candidate for the 3rd Congressional District line. Ralph Ferrucci has expressed an interest but needs the endorsement by the New Haven Chapter and other CTGP members within that district; needs to have a nominating convention and public notice prior to this nominating convention.
8. (5-10 minutes): Richard Duffee, 4th Congressional District CTGP candidate; petitioning sheets for the petitioning candidates, campaign issues.
9. (2-10 minutes): Harold Burbank, potential Green Party of CT candidate for 5th Congressional District;
Need agenda, minutes and attendees and party affiliation from his nominating convention.
10. (5 minute): ACLU lawsuit update.
11. (2 minutes): a) CT Green Times newspaper and b) website: David Bedell updated website about Cynthia McKinney.
12. (3 minutes): Coalition for Healthcare4all.
13. (2-5 minutes, each): Other Chapter reports.
14. Place for next SCC meeting at 7pm 8-26-08. Date, place and time of next EC meeting in 6-08: to be determined.
15. Any additions