Accepted Minutes of the 1-21-14 EC telephonic meeting at 8PM. Attendees: co-chairpersons: Allan Brison and S. Michael DeRosa; Treasurer: Christopher and secretary: Barbara Barry. absent: Linda Thompson. No other observers.
EC discussed the following for addition to the 1-28-14 SCC agenda and/or for further GPCT consideration: AB to find out more information about the organization, Decarcerate CT, organized by the Yale Divinity School. AB believes their goals are: outreach to other organizations about the military industrial complex. AB will then consider if he wishes to report about this organization to the GPCT for our consideration. SMD advised that Rolf Maurer is seeking GPCT approval for possible GPCT events he is trying to arrange: a) Sheila Matthews of AbleChild.org, a child/parent advocacy organization she co-founded. She would be speaking on the legal and mental health service options of reforms introduced in the state after the Newtown shootings. She is likely to speak sometime in early March at the Ferguson Library Harry Bennett branch on a Saturday afternoon for a couple of hours; b) Adam Hughes and Joanne Sheehan of Hands Off Appalachia (http://handsoffappalachia.com/) to see if they would like to speak at a GPCT fundraiser held at the UU Society in Stamford for 2/22 or 2/23. They have demonstrating against UBS’ financing of mountaintop removal along the Applalachian Mountain ridge in affected states over Thanksgiving and are supported by Dan Fischer and Capitalism vs. the Climate and c) Rolf is thinking of contacting Ardeshir and Eleanor Ommani, founders (along with Richard Duffee) of the American-Iranian Friendship Committee (https://www.facebook.com/AIFCIran; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTCU-EpJSqM&list=UUtIQil-e9wzT_fxySy1y3nw&index=31) for a fundraiser down the road to discuss the current state and history of American-Iranian relations. They are both lively and scholarly speakers and frequently travel back and forth between the two countries. d) RM is also concerned about the pilot study in Stamford, CT regarding Teen Screening by educational personnel about need for pharmaceutical intervention for individual students without parental input or healthcare evaluations. This program also would encourage students to alert school authorities about “unusual behavior” of their peers. Concerns: civil rights. CR: received $516 from GPUS. Current balance: $1774.56. Discussed typical larger yearly expenses: $300 for Secretary of State’s registered voter list. There is a organization which will clean up the mailing list for about $100. September 2013 GPCT Retreat, cost about $900 but did not recoup all that in donations. Are more retreats anticipated/desired? BAB: a) need a GPCT Budget Committee and to reinvigorate the GPCT Fundraising Committee. Consensus to develop a budget committee and restart the fundraising committee; b) need GPCT Merchandise volunteers. c) a private Texas company is building a nuclear waste site in efforts to get $10,000 of federal funds for each barrel of nuclear waste. d) BAB will update David Doonan of NY about meetings/events to be on the GPUS website. SMD: a) is in discussions with Harvey Wasserman of Ohio regarding one or more GPCT fundraising events this spring. GPCT financial costs: to be determined. b) outreach to other anti-nuclear and/or pro-renewable energy (wind, sun and geothermal) groups regarding similar GPCT concerns e.g. closing of Millstone nuclear power plant in Waterford, CT. One group is PACE (People’s Action for Clean Energy) in CT. c) SMD met with CT Rep. Susan Johnson of Windham about improving ballot access: counting of write-in votes and absentee votes; increasing petitioning requirements to be more in line with other states and to demonstrate more fair democratic voting practices. d) David Bedell plans in the near future to hand into the CT Secretary of State’s office the list of GPCT candidates for state-wide offices. We are also seeking additional GPCT candidates. AB: is unable to alter the CTGP letterhead to GPCT letterhead so need a volunteer to do so.
Consensus: current legislative agenda: ballot access; energy: anti-nuclear and anti-fracking but pro-renewable energy; healthcare including Medicare cuts.
Proposed 1-28-14 SCC agenda at start of the 1-21-14 EC meeting:
1. Review and approve the minutes of the: a) 1-7-14 SCC meeting; and b) accept the minutes of the: 1-21-14 EC meeting.
2. Treasurer's report from Christopher Reilly.
3. Reports from our three (3) representatives to the GPUS: Linda Thompson, Tim McKee, and S. Michael DeRosa.
4. Any proposals/resolutions from chapters or a group of 5 CTGP Members or from the EC.
5. GPCT fundraising while following the CT and federal regulations (as updated by Christopher Reilly, GPCT treasurer). Examples are: a) selection of speakers such as Harvey Wasserman, anti-nuclear activist since at least Three Mile Island event…for fundraising events; determine dates, times and sites of fundraising events; b) GPCT merchandise and c) request donations from GPCT members and/or activists.
6. GPCT website: a) GPCT 10 Key Values to be developed by Barbara Barry for placement on eventual placement on GPCT website. Some GPCT concerns and solutions about state issues are already on the website. b) Allan Brison to develop a GPCT letterhead and to send his vetted GPCT retreat flier to the GPCT website.
7. Development of GPCT strategies, literature and actions to be taken about nuclear energy and closing Milestone nuclear power plant in Waterford, CT; address the safe closer of same; re-training of Milestone employees; legislative activities.
8. Update on Mailing List Information from Allan Brison inclusive of emails.
9. a) GPCT responses to a) any actions taken by the CT legislature, our governor or the federal government and our actions. Possible topics: the 10-17-13 debt ceiling which has been moved to 2-7-14; the federal shutdown from October 1, 2013 through October 16, 2013 which may reoccur on January 15, 2014; N.S.A. vs. civil rights and privacy rights; possible changes to Social Security and Medicare; fracking, immigration, etc. b) GPCT legislative agenda items.
10. Political actions to be taken in the near future; GPCT legislative actions; events GPCT wishes to participate in and discussion about running GPCT candidates for the November 2014 offices for: governor?, Congressional Districts? State Senate and state rep?
11. Discussion regarding date, site and agenda for the 2014 GPCT Annual Meeting and Internal Elections.
12. Status of the GPCT Bylaws Committee from members: Rolf Maurer, Cora Santaquida, Christopher Reilly, Linda Thompson, Barbara Barry, S. Michael DeRosa and Jeffry Larson.
13. Reports from CTGP members to the (GPUS) National 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 2014 GPUS Annual Meeting: Tim McKee and John Went.
Ballot Assess (BA): discussion of efforts/difficulties/strategies/successes of the state Green Parties gaining ballot access: S. Michael DeRosa & Edward Schwing.
Black Caucus:
Bylaws, Rules, Polices Procedure (BRPP): for the GPUS officers and national committees: Amy Vas Nunes.
Coordination Campaign (CCC): distribution of GPUS money to Green Party public office candidates.
Dispute Resolution (DRC): mediation of any disputes within the GPUS organization:
Diversity (DC): strategies and actions to urge/maximize diversity within the GPUS: Linda Thompson.
Eco Action (EA): develop strategies for the GPUS regarding ecological matters.
Finance (FinCom): review and determine how to spend the money of the GPUS organization
Fundraising (FC): raises money for the GPUS operations.
Green Party of the US internet news: acquire and write articles for the GPUS website.
International Committee (IC): develops/promotes GPUS positions regarding world issues. Hector Lopez, Justine McCabe and S. Michael DeRosa.
Latino Caucus: Hector Lopez.
Merchandizing Committee (MERCH): determines and acquires items for the GPUS. Rolf Maurer and Hector Lopez.
Media Committee (MC): writes GPUS press releases.
Outreach (OC): interacts with other groups who may have similar interests of the GPUS: Linda Thompson.
Peace (GPAX): discusses/develops strategies of how the GPUS may promote peace throughout the world: Hector Lopez and S. Michael DeRosa.
Platform (PC): promotes positions on issues for the GPUS which are consistent with Green Party Ten Key Values: Justine McCabe and Amy Vas Nunes.
Presidential Campaign Support Committee (PCSC): develop strategies to support any GPUS presidential candidates. Timothy McKee.
Women’s Caucus: Martha Kelly.
14. a) GPCT chapter development: reactivation of the Greater New Haven chapter; b) report from the new Waterford, CT chapter and c) Chapter reports: verbal to the attendees and the written approved minutes to the CTGP secretary/EC members.
15. Selection of the date, time and site of the next SCC meeting: will it be the last Tuesday of February i.e. 2-25-14 or some other date?
17. Other suggestions.
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, secretary of the Green Party of Connecticut