Revised and approved minutes of the APRIL 25, 2015  GPCT ANNUAL MEETING. Site: Portland Waverly Center, 7 Waverly Avenue, Portland, CT 06480.                                                   

GPCT attendees by chapter:  Greater Fairfield: David Bedell, New Canaan; Cora Santaguida, Stamford; Rolf Maurer, GPCT co-chairperson; Greater Hartford: Barbara Barry, GPCT secretary; Jeffery Russell, East Glastonbury; S. Michael DeRosa, GPCT co-chairperson; Bill Glickman, Glastonbury; Christopher Reilly, GPCT treasurer;    Greater New Haven: Allen Brison, Hamden;  City of New London: Ronna Stuller; Bob Stuller; Tim Hanser.   Norwich:  Linda Thompson, GPCT co-chairperson;  Waterford: Baird Welch-Collins,   At large GPCT members:  Jerry Calnen; Tim McKee; East Hartford; Douglas Lary, Willimantic; Claire Lary, Willimantic; Larry Pratt, Stratford; E. Larry Kern, Groton; Jim Ryan, Colchester; Linda Goulet, East Hartford; Rene Gagnon, Waterbury; Duncan Schweitzer, North Stonington;  Christina Campbell, Danbury; Thomas Grant, Danbury; John H. Moran, Riverside; James Moran.  Also: Jack Wiren, Ian Jackson, Arlington, MA member of the G-RPMA; Sheila Matthews-Gallo of www.AbleChild.org                                                                       Facilitator: Baird Welch-Collins                                           Timekeeper: Cora Santaquida.

11:20AM:  Candidates gave statements for the GPCT Executive Committee positions and the three members to be GPCT representatives to the GPUS. Candidates were: for co-chairperson: S. Michael DeRosa, Rolf Maurer, Tim McKee, Linda Thompson; lone candidate for treasurer: Christopher Reilly and for one secretary: Barbara Barry and Ronna Stuller. Candidates to be the three GPCT representatives to the GPUS were: S. Michael DeRosa, Joshua Steele Kelly (was absent), Tim McKee and Linda Thompson.  Attendees had no questions.

12:10PM: Lunch break: Potluck food and beverage; networking, ability to purchase merchandise for fundraising. Donations accepted by the GPCT treasurer: Christopher Reilly.

12:30PM:  Linda Thompson attempted to start to speak about her January 2015 trip to Cuba with Code Pink. Tim McKee made a motion that this agenda item about Cuba be debated by the annual meeting attendees.  He further advised that if this was not done, he would boycott this meeting. Facilitator advised Mr. McKee that the agenda was set and that the agenda would proceed. The motion was not seconded so the motion failed. Mr. McKee remained for the entire meeting.  LT spoke about her two week visit to various parts of Cuba, people’s homes, businesses and farms. LT stated that Cuba no longer has the oil supplied by the USSR since its collapse in 1989. Cuba’s infrastructure has deteriorating but is somewhat improved in tourist areas. Electricity is accessible but unreliable. The internet is available in universities, for the government and to the public in internet cafes. It is limited because the US won't provide cable due to the economic boycott and it has to be provided from Venezuela. Better service from Canada is prohibitively expensive. Credit cards should be provided within months. LT sought the first question from Mr. McKee. He spoke of his thoughts about Cuba and LT.  Attendees requested that Mr. McKee ask his question as 7-8 people waited politely for their turns.  Mr. McKee continued to state his thoughts.  Then multiple attendees requested that Mr. McKee allow them to address their questions to LT.   Mr. McKee eventually stopped but time had already run out for attendee questions to LT.

1:10PM:  DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF BALLOTS to elect the five GPCT executive committee members and the three GPCT members to the GPUS. GPCT Internal Elections Committee members collected ballots from vetted attendees and the mailed ballots and started the count.

1:20PM: Tim McKee was on the agenda to discuss our GPCT alliance with other state Green Parties regarding our opposition to the expansion of the Algonquin Pipeline. Mr. McKee had agreed to give this report but at this point on the agenda stated that he declined to do so. Since this was such an important New England GP campaign concern, other attendees (BAB, SMD, JR, and RM) filled in and provided background and updated information about this pipeline, our alliance with other state GPs and the GPUS who also oppose the pipeline. The pipeline has transported fracked gas for thirty (30 years) through most of CT, NY, NJ, PA, and RI. Proposed expansion is to be along the existing pipeline and into MA and possibly NH and ME. Other organizations opposing the pipeline: CT Sierra Club, 350.org and the CT Environmental Justice Network. A map of the pipeline showing its route through NY and New England (provided with the agenda) was referenced.

1:30PM:  GPCT 2015 Legislative Committee updates by the GPCT Legislative Committee members: Baird Welch-Collins: Common Core Reform and Marijuana Legalization; Barbara Barry: Universal Healthcare, Municipal Utility Districts; S. Michael DeRosa: Ballot Access; Ed Heflin: CT public banking; Emily Garfinkel: Common Core Reform and Marijuana Legalization; Paul Gobell: Farm to Table farming and Rolf Maurer: Demilitarization of Law Enforcement Officials; Industrial Hemp Economy.

2:00PM:    Workshop Session A. Breakout options were:

• Connecticut Public Banking with Ed Heflin
• Conflict Resolution with Linda Thompson
• Mental Health/Public Health Reform with Rolf Maurer and Sheila Matthews

2:45PM:     Workshop Session B. Breakout options were:

• Farm to table food system with Paul Gobell and Barbara Barry
• DELETED: Cannabis policy reform and an industrial hemp economy.

SUBSTITUTION: DEMILITARIZATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT with Rolf Maurer.

• Ballot Access and Voting Issues with S. Michael DeRosa and Douglas Lary.

3:30PM: A participate from each workshop reported what the workshop discussed.

3:40: GPCT Future Focus for the next year: Attendees supported having municipal, state and federal GPCT candidates and supported the 2015 GPCT legislative proposals. RS: odd numbered years have municipal elections; BAB: continue with the GPCT candidate conferences to support new and/or repeat GPCT candidates and their staff. (E.g. the EC had 10 candidate conferences for the months prior to the 11-4-15 elections.) LT: a GPCT retreat.

3:29PM: GPCT 4-25-15 Annual Meeting Internal Election Results as tabulated by Christopher Reilly, Internal Elections chairperson, at 3:29pm on Saturday, April 25, 2015, using same computer software for the past several years. 

ROUND 1 -- Tally of 1st place votes.

Green Party 2015 Election –for three (3) Representatives to the National Green Party

ROUND 3 -- Transferring all votes simultaneously from all defeated candidates.

ROUND 5 -- None Of The Above has been DEFEATED -- transferring all votes.

Saturday, April 25, 2015 3:29 PM
ChoicePlus Pro -- Version 2.3.4
(c) 1993-2009 Voting Solutions -- All Rights Reserved
Voting Solutions Web Site

4:00PM: GPCT Internal Elections: verbal report to attendees from Douglas Lary, GPCT Internal Elections Committee member:                                                                                                                 Co-chairpersons: S. Michael DeRosa was elected in 1^st round; Linda Thompson: elected in 2^nd round; Tim McKee was defeated in 3^rd round; Write-in candidate defeated in 3^rd round. None of the Above was defeated in the 4^th round. Mr. Lary stated his own interpretation of the software results was that: Rolf Maurer did not garner the threshold of votes to win in the 3^rd round so the third co-chairperson was not elected.   Total number of votes cast for co-chair position:  114 ballots.

Secretary: Barbara Barry was elected in the 1^st round because she met the threshold with 58 votes. Ronna Stuller was defeated in the 1^st round with 55 votes.  None of the Above  and Write-in candidate were defeated in the 1^st round. Total of votes cast for secretary: 114.                                Treasurer: Christopher Reilly was elected in the 1^st round.                                                        Three GPCT representatives to the GPUS: S. Michael DeRosa was elected in the 1^st round; Joshua Steele Kelly elected in the 1^st round; Linda Thompson elected in the 2^nd round; Tim McKee was defeated in the 2^nd round. None of the Above and Write-in candidates were defeated in the 2^nd round.   Total of votes cast: 112.

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NOTE: GPCT representatives to the GPUS National Committees will be elected at the first SCC meeting after this annual meeting. Time/date/place of the SCC will be determined by the EC members elected today, 4/25/15. Please see the attached Addendum about the GPUS standing National Committees or http://www.gp.org/for-members/committees-of-the-green-party.