CT Green Party State Meeting Minutes
April 24, 2001
I. Treasurer's report
Green Party funds: approximately $1700 for the state, and $2100 for individual chapters.
OLD BUSINESS
I. Committee reports
A. Elections: Workshop on 28 April to discuss the early stages of campaign planning (approximately April through the 4th of July). Will hold more as the summer progresses, to help those running candidates in local elections.
B. Finance:
1. The official reimbursement form for chapters requesting funds from the state treasurer was handed out. This is to be used by any individual within a chapter who has receipts and the authorization of the chapter's designated official in charge of reimbursements (e.g., treasurer or chair); it must come through that person to be accepted.
2. The following are the proposals of the finance committee regarding the distribution of funds: a. all money raised through renewal letters, individual donations, and sustaining memberships (automatic donations through credit card or checking accounts) will be split as before: 70% to the state and 30% to chapters; b. all funds raised at events sponsored by an individual chapter will belong to that chapter; all funds raised through state events will belong to the state; and c. state expenditures that benefit all chapters will be shared. The state will pay 50% of the expense, and chapters will split the remaining 50% proportional to their membership. These proposals will be voted on at the next state meeting, so each chapter needs to discuss them before then.
3. The CTGP could set up its own automatic credit card donation system for about $30-40/month. At present no other organization can handle automatic donations for us, but it would be cheaper, anyway, to do it ourselves. It was pointed out that automatic checking account donations can be done for free, usually by submitting a cancelled check and the CTGP address (PO Box 231214, Hartford, CT, 06123) to one's bank.
4. The finance committee discussed setting aside a certain amount of available funds for elections, the total amount of which would depend on our fiscal strength at the time, to give to candidates running as Greens. It was proposed that the amount given to each candidate be proportional to the amount of money raised by that person. There is a possibility that certain types of races (e.g., senatorial or gubernatorial) which may be deemed strategically important could be given more than other races in the same election cycle. This was not fully discussed.
C. Fundraising: no current member of the fundraising committee was present to report on current plans, but a fundraiser involving a group of professional and amateur classical musicians was proposed (probably for sometime in September). Mike DeRosa would still like to set up a phone-solicitation person, either as a volunteer or by offering the caller a percentage of all funds raised. Please contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you or anyone you know is interested.
D. Bylaws: The bylaws committee has several proposed revisions to the current bylaws (which can be found on the CTGreens.org web page). These will be sent out in the next few days to be discussed by each chapter. It would be best to vote on them at the next state meeting to have time to incorporate them into the bylaws by Annual Meeting time.
E. Legislative: A bill regulating the notification process for spraying of pesticides has been passed in NY state, and is being pursued by the CTGP as one for which the Greens can take full credit. The bill is deemed easily winnable, so we are not trying to form a large coalition to promote it. Rather, we hope to have it associated with the Greens through press releases (initially), letters to local papers (at a later date), and where possible, inclusion of the topic in local campaigns. For details contact Ron Cassidento at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
F. Communications: no representative at meeting.
G. Newsletter: thanks to all contributors, advertisers, and to the publisher for putting the Green Times together. Next issue will be a "locally based" electoral edition. One page will be in espanol. The newsletter can list locations where it is regularly available, as a means of PR. Also, we may be able to get wire racks to set out, and it's okay to build distribution boxes as well. The newsletter is available on the web page. Please write articles now for inclusion in the next issue.
It was suggested that the newsletter be made less intellectual, thus more readable.
II. Legislative update
A. The Filthy Five legislation was scheduled to have been voted on by the Senate Energy Committee during the first week of May. [Since the state meeting, however, this was moved to the Planning and Development Committee, on Monday, 30 April.]
B. Death penalty legislation has emerged as a compromise: there will be an automatic classification as a capital crime in the event of the killing of a police officer, but the death penalty cannot be sought for mentally retarded persons.
III. There will be a CTGP table on the New Haven Green for the annual May Day celebration.
NEW BUSINESS
I. ASGP update
A. The ASGP has hired Dean Myerson to prepare its FEC filing, and as a professional fundraiser.
B. There will be ASGP headquarters in Santa Monica, CA; Detroit, MI; and Washington, D.C.
C. Nader is still touring, mostly visiting college campuses. He will be going to Europe in late May to meet with the leaders of most of the European GP's.
D. Our own co-chair, Tom Sevigny, had the opportunity to meet with the Environmental Minister of France (a Green), and was informed of the most dismal view of Americans held by the rest of the world, thanks to our behavior regarding the Kyoto Protocol on global warming.
II. Middletown Greens have been invited to participate in the Labor Day parade marking the city's 350th anniversary. They would like this event to include the entire CTGP. It will be discussed at the next Middletown chapter meeting on 6 May; contact Vic deLancia at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for details.
III. The Middletown Prison Forum will be [was] held on 26 April. People from the Middletown chapter have accomplished a great deal of awareness-raising vis-a-vis the Green Party within minority communities, by going door-to-door to publicize this event. A related march will be [again, was] held in Hartford on 28 April, to protest the proposed construction of a maximum-security prison in CT.
IV. The CTGP was able to vote for up to 8 members of the CT Energy Co-op Board of Directors. Only 3, about whom we knew more than was included in the candidate biographies from the co-op, were actually voted for. These are Rosemary Bassilakis of CAN, Peggy MacLeod of PACE, and David Burdette of the Willimantic Food Co-op.
V. The Hartford tag sale is still scheduled for Sat., 19 May. There will also be a Memorial Day picnic in Hartford.
VI. The NW chapter is sponsoring Jim Kunstler (author of "Geography of Nowhere" and
"Home From Nowhere") in Torrington on 22 May. Contact Tom Ethier (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for details.
VII. Kevin is willing and able to set up websites for individual chapters. Contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for information.
VIII. The ASGP is seeking recommendations for members of their Shadow Cabinet; experts on environmental, social justice, health care and other Green-related topics are needed. Contact Tom Sevigny at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
IX. Next State meeting will be held at 7pm on Tues., 22 May, at Wesleyan Univ. (Fisk
Hall, 3rd floor) in Middletown.
Committee Contacts:
Fundraising:
Laura Cordes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.,
860-701-0483
Fundraising by phone, Green Times ads or articles:
Mike de Rosa at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 860-956-8170
Finance committee:
Tom Sevigny at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 860-693-8344
Elections committee:
Tom Ethier at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Chris Nelson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 860-701-0483
Communications committee:
Karin Norton at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 860-429-1976
Bylaws committee:
Amy vas Nunes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Penny Teal at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 860-536-4980
Chapter Contacts:
Send corrections to Penny.
Hartford: Mike de Rosa at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 860-956-8170
Central: Vic DeLancia at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Fairfield: Paul Bassler at 203-846-2909
NE: Jean de Smet at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 860-456-2188
Max and Chris at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 860-456-1804
New Haven: Pete Ellner at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 203-397-8261
Tony Santini at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
NW: Tom Sevigny at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 860-693-8344
Tom Ethier at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
SE: Penny Teal at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 860-536-4980