Accepted Minutes of the GPCT Executive Committee (EC) telephonic meeting of TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 at 6:30PM.
Attendees: co-chairpersons: Linda Thompson, Rolf Maurer and S. Michael DeRosa; Christopher Reilly, treasurer and Barbara Barry, secretary & facilitator.
EC agenda is to develop the agendas for the 1-13-16 GPCT 1st Nominating Convention for the11-8-16 elections. The GPCT SCC will immediately follow the GPCT Nominating Convention:
- 1-13-16 GPCT 1st Nominating Convention for those GPCT candidates who wish to start their campaigns and/or petitioning drive(s) to acquire ballot line e.g. 5th Congressional District; Bonnie Troy and David Michel.
- Get Presidential/VP/US senate petition requests from CT SOTS and process and return to SOTS to get valid 2016 GPCT presidential petition form; plans for petitioning and timelines.
- Preparation for our 2015-2016 legislative agenda. February 3, 2016 (Wednesday) is the opening day of the CT legislature.
- February event with Jill Stein as speaker?
- Update about Tim McKee from GPCT and GPUS.
- GPCT Animal Rights proposal to the GPUS.
- Other suggestions.
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Proposed agendas for the Wednesday, January 13, 2016 1st Nominating Convention and SCC meeting. 1st Nominating Convention start time: 6pm. SCC meeting to start immediately after the closure Convention.
At: Portland Waverly Center, 7 Waverly Avenue, Portland, CT 06480
GPCT 1st Nominating Convention at 6PM. Facilitator: S.Michael DeRosa.
(30 minutes): GPCT 2016 candidates for: U.S. Senate; 1st Congressional District; 2nd CD; petition for 3rd CD: greater New Haven; 4th CD: greater Fairfield; and 5th CD: greater Torrington/Danbury: possible candidate: Stephanie Piddock. Candidates for ballot lines of: CT House District 67th: Cindy Day and CT State Senate, District 27: David Michel.
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GPCT SCC meeting starting immediately after the close of this Nominating Convention. Estimated start: 6:30pm.Facilitator: Linda Thompson
1. (5-10 minutes): Review and: a) approve minutes the November 17, 2015 SCC meeting; b) accept EC minutes of the 1-5-16 meeting.
2. (5 minutes): Treasurer's report from Christopher Reilly.
3. (5-10 minutes): Secretary’s report from Barbara Barry and GPUS CCC Candidate liaison: update of the Candidate Liaison meetings.
4. (5-10 minutes): Reports from our 3 representatives to the GPUS National Committee: Joshua Steele Kelly, S. Michael DeRosa, and Linda Thompson.
5. (0-15 minutes): Any proposals from the GPCT: EC or chapter or five individual GPCT members.
6. (10-15 minutes): Petitioning: a) presidential, vice-presidential and US Senate petition forms from the CT SOTS office and b) GPCT Petition School: need a specific CT petition manager to maintain a locus of control; a list of petitioners. Must be registered CT voter. Table at: CT events & beaches. Need to stress need to authenticate petitions of the petition holder when handing in petitions. Instructions are on the back of each petition. Need a list of people who can authenticate. Mail/hand out petition forms to GPCT members who want to be petition holders. Remind petition holders to make photocopies of petitions after they are authenticated. 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 i.e. 2500 gross signatures a month to the August 10, 2016 SOTS deadline. C. Reilly to clarify if the Federal campaign laws allow for reimbursement for travel, food of petition holders and for printing of petition forms.LT: Each GPCT chapter could be responsible for a specific number of valid petition signatures. Tabling sites: events, organizational events, public transportation hubs, CT beaches (with prior CT approval). The GPCT seven (7) presidential electors for the 2016 presidential race are: Emily Garfinkel, Mary Lawrence, Cora Santaguida, Allan Brison, Baird Welch-Collins, Christopher Reilly and S. Michael DeRosa. The people seeking the nomination to be the GPUS 2016 presidential candidate include: a) Jill Stein; b) William “Bill” Kreml; c) Darryl Cherney, d) Kent Mesplay, and e) Sedinam Kinamo Christin Moyowasifza Curry.
7. (20-30 minutes): First day of CT Legislature is Wednesday, February 3, 2016. Goals/ plans to promote the GPCT 2015-2016 Legislative proposals: ballot access; need to 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; promote more MUDs; renewable energy development; conversion of military businesses to renewable energy businesses; universal health care for all. Develop speeches for different lengths of time which include talking points of a proposal and how it supports 2-3 Green Party 10 Key Values. Plan to coordinate this with the 2016 GPCT candidates.
8. (10-20 minutes): Update about status about the 1st written warning of November 16, 2015 to Timothy McKee, GPCT member.
9. (5-10 minutes): GPCT Conflict Resolution Committee: need volunteers from underrepresented counties: Fairfield, New Haven, Hartford, Litchfield, Middlesex, Tolland. To meet as needed.
10. (10-15 minutes): GPCT Fundraising Committee: a) event with Jill Stein for the GPUS presidential candidate in February 2016 and b) others?
11. (10-15 minutes): GPCT Outreach Committee: reports from GPCT member liaisons with other CT organizations with similar values e.g. Able Child, NAACP, HempCT, CT Sierra Club, True Colors, Environmental Justice Network, groups supporting farm to table farming, Northeast Organic Farm Association (NOFA), SURJ=Showing Up for Racial Justice.
12. (20 minutes): Reports from representatives to GPUS Standing Committees:
Ballot Access (BA): efforts/strategies of the state GPs gaining ballot access: SMD and Jeff Russell.
Bylaws, Rules, Polices Procedure (BRPP): for GPUS officers & national committees: Amy Vas Nunes & Joshua Steele Kelly
Diversity (DC): strategies/actions to urge/maximize diversity within the GPUS: Emily Garfinkel
International Committee (IC): promotes GPUS positions re: world issues: SMD, Joshua Steele Kelly and Justine McCabe
Merchandizing Committee (MERCH): determines/acquires items for the GPUS: Rolf Maurer
Outreach (OC): interacts with other groups who may have similar interests of the GPUS: Emily Garfinkel and Linda Thompson
Peace (GPAX): discusses/develops strategies of how the GPUS may promote peace throughout the world: Baird Welch-Collins
Platform (PC): promotes positions of the GPUS which are consistent with GP 10 Key Values: Joshua Steele Kelly, Amy Vas Nunes & Justine McCabe.
Presidential Campaign Support Committee (PCSC): support a GPUS presidential candidates: Timothy McKee.
Young Greens of the US: engage youth in Green issues and give members a voice within the GPUS. Membership is open to US youths age 14-35 who identify as Green, support the GPUS 10 Key Values and generally agree with the GPUS platform and missions. Co-chairperson: Joshua Steele Kelly. Elections: open through January 15, 2016.
There are no current CT representations 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 standing committee of the GPUS that cooperates with state and local chapters in the support of 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 Everette-CA; Andrea Merida-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. – NY is likely to resign shortly. Treasurer: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – HI. Secretary: Ms. Jan Martell-NC.
13. (5-minutes): Algonquin Pipeline update: Tim McKee, GPCT liaison.
14. (5-15 minutes): Events of possible interest to the GPCT.
15. (15 minutes): a) GPCT chapter reports: Greater Fairfield; Greater Hartford; Greater Norwich; City of New London and Waterford, CT. and b) written approved minutes to the GPCT secretary.
16. Determine the next SCC meeting date/time/place.
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, GPCT secretary and for other GPCT EC officers: Linda Thompson, S. Michael DeRosa, Rolf Maurer and Christopher Reilly.