Approved Minutes of the GPCT January 13, 2016 SCC meeting started at 7:05pm (immediately following the close of the 1-13-16 1st Nominating Convention). Quorum was met.
Site: Portland Waverly Center, 7 Waverly Avenue, Portland, CT 06480.
GPCT attendees by chapter: Greater Fairfield: David Michel, Jenny Li, David Bedell and Rolf Maurer, GPCT co-chairperson; Greater Hartford: S. Michael DeRosa, GPCT co-chairperson, Christopher Reilly, GPCT treasurer, Jeff Russell, Barbara Barry, GPCT secretary; City of New London: Ronna Stuller and Timothy Hanser; Greater Norwich: Linda Thompson, GPCT co-chairperson. Waterford: Baird Welch-Collins and Emily Garfinkel. Facilitator: Linda Thompson.
Consensus: due to time constraints, that some agenda items were deferred.
Deferred: 1. Review and: a) approve minutes the November 17, 2015 SCC meeting; b) accept EC minutes of the 1-5-16 meeting.
Deferred: 2. Treasurer's report from Christopher Reilly.
Deferred: 3. Secretary’s report: Barbara Barry & GPUS CCC Candidate liaison.
4. Reports from our 3 representatives to the GPUS National Committee: SMD and LT: Karen Young of NY resigned 1-10-16 as one of the seven GPUS co-chairpersons. Nominations are open for her replacement. SMD: GPCT proposal for a GPUS Animal Rights Committee was sent for processing. SMD voted for GPUS budget. Joshua Steele Kelly was absent.
Deleted due to lack of any proposals: 5. Any proposals from the GPCT: EC or chapter or five individual GPCT members.
6. Petitioning: a) SMD and BAB acquired CT SOTS presidential, vice-presidential and U.S. Senate petition forms to be completed by the stand-in presidential candidate(Jill Stein) and vice-presidential candidate(Howie Hawkins) and the 7 GPCT presidential electors: Emily Garfinkel, Mary Lawrence, Cora Santaguida, Allan Brison, Baird Welch-Collins, Christopher Reilly and S. Michael DeRosa. Forms were distributed to the attending electors. Secretary will mail to the rest. Once all forms are returned to secretary, BAB will take to CT SOTS so it may develop (a handful of copies of) the official 2016 GPCT presidential petition form. Each chapter to receive at least one copy of petition form and David Bedell will scan blank copies of petition forms onto GPCT website so they can be downloaded for use. Goal: to have petition forms by the time of the next SCC meeting or the 2-13-16 event, whichever comes first. b) GPCT Petition School: Need a petition manager: no volunteer. But have a Petition Committee to help with petitions: Ronna Stuller for City of New London chapter, Rolf Maurer for Greater Fairfield chapter, S. Michael DeRosa for Greater Hartford chapter; David Michel to help. c) discussed need for a list of petition circulators. They must be registered CT voters of any party affiliation. Need to authenticate petitions of the petition holder then photocopy petitions before handing in petitions to Town Clerks. 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. May need to mail petitions to GPCT members who request to be petition circulators. d) JR: petitioning can help build the GPCT. e) DB: professional petitioners cost: $1 in January and $5 in August. f) The 5 people seeking to be the GPUS 2016 presidential nominee (at unknown GPUS Convention date/site) are: Jill Stein; William “Bill” Kreml; Darryl Cherney, Sedinam Kinamo Christin Moyowasifza Curry and Kent Mesplay.
7. First day of the short session of the CT Legislature is Wednesday, February 3, 2016. Last day is May 4, 2016. Goals and 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. SMD: pending meeting with Deputy Majority Leader, Susan Johnson. Special legislative sessions prevented her from meeting with GPCT members in December.
8. Update about the 1st written warning of November 16, 2015 to Timothy McKee, GPCT member. The three month warning expires February 13, 2016. CR: The certified letter that was mailed to Tim on November 17, 2015 was returned to our P.O. Box. There was an attempted delivery on 11/19 and again on 11/23. They held it until 12/4 and returned it to our P.O. Box on 12/9/15. LT: due to continued violations of decorum and procedures after 11-16-15, LT placed into motion: to remove Tim for 12 months (from the end of 2-13-16 through to the start of 2-13-17) from any GPCT: listserv, Facebook, social media, meetings, events and any events the GPCT sponsors. Motion includes: banning Tim from presenting himself as a representative of the GPCT in any interactions with TV, radio, media or other organizations. Motion was seconded by Jeff Russell. Consensus: passed without any blocking concerns.
BAB: The GPUS reports to BAB, that Tim McKee has more or less not violated any GPUS procedures as GPCT representative to the Presidential Campaign Support Committee (PCSC). BAB motion: Tim may remain as the GPCT representative to the GPUS PCSC throughout his elected period. This period ends with the 2016 election of GPCT representative(s) to the GPUS Standing Committees. Voting GPCT procedures for these GPCT representatives may occur at one of the following GPCT meetings: the 2016 GPCT Annual Meeting or the SCC after the 2016 annual meeting. SMD seconded the motion. Consensus without any blocking concerns: Tim may remain on PCSC.
Deferred: 9. GPCT Conflict Resolution Committee: Current members: New London County: Linda Thompson, Norwich; Bud McAllister, New London and E. Larry Kern, Groton. Jeff Russell for Hartford County and Brain Guy from Middlesex County. Need volunteers from underrepresented counties: Fairfield, New Haven, Litchfield, Tolland and Windham. Meets as needed.
10. GPCT Fundraising Committee: a) Consensus for: February 13, 2016 event in early afternoon with speaker: Jill Stein, one of 5 people seeking the GPUS presidential nomination. Likely site: Portland Waverly Center.
b) Consensus: a March 2016 event with Bill Kreml, one of 5 people seeking the GPUS presidential nomination. SMD to continue to arrange these events.
Deferred: 11. GPCT Outreach Committee: reports from GPCT member liaisons with other CT organizations with similar values e.g. Able Child, True Colors, HempCT, CT Sierra Club, Environmental Justice Network, NAACP, organizations support farm to table farming, Northeast Organic Farm Association (NOFA), SURJ=Showing Up for Racial Justice.
12. GPCT representatives to (GPUS) Standing Committees give reports:
Ballot Access (BA): efforts/strategies of the state GPs gaining ballot access: SMD and Jeff Russell: there is little money in the GPUS budget for many things including ballot access. So this committee is focusing on getting valid signatures with urgent deadlines due in the next few weeks in: NC (needs 95,000 valid signatures for petitioning president) and Nevada. Then will focus on the next states with the next urgent deadline requirements in the following weeks, etc.
Bylaws, Rules, Polices Procedure (BRPP): for GPUS officers & national committees: Amy Vas Nunes and Joshua Steele Kelly were absent.
Diversity (DC): strategies/actions to urge/maximize diversity within the GPUS: Emily Garfinkel: no report.
International Committee (IC): promotes GPUS positions re: world issues: SMD: no proposal/ decisions. Absent: Joshua Steele Kelly & Justine McCabe.
Merchandizing Committee (MERCH): determines/acquires items for the GPUS: Rolf Maurer: may acquire T-shirts and other merchandise via website.
Outreach (OC): interacts with other groups who may have similar interests of the GPUS: Emily Garfinkel and Linda Thompson: one co-chairperson resigned.
Peace (GPAX): discusses/develops strategies of how the GPUS may promote peace throughout the world: Baird Welch-Collins: no active committee.
Platform (PC): promotes positions of the GPUS consistent with GP 10 Key Values. Absent: Justine McCabe, Joshua Steele Kelly and Amy Vas Nunes.
Presidential Campaign Support Committee (PCSC): support a GPUS presidential candidates: Timothy McKee was absent.
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. EG and BW-C: committee is growing. Elections results of January 15, 2016 for a duration of one year: three co-chairpersons; a treasurer and Emily Garfinkel as secretary.
There are no current GPCT representatives 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 committee which interacts with the GPUS Steering Committee to cooperates and support state and local chapters and 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 Everrette- CA; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – 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; Resigned: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – NY. Treasurer: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – HI. Secretary: Jan Martell- NC.
Deferred: 13. Algonquin Pipeline: liaison, Tim McKee was absent.
Deferred: 14. Events of possible interest to the GPCT.
15. a) GPCT chapter reports: Greater Fairfield: David Michel: did 1-10-16 event: A Safer Plant. He showed three documentaries: Conspiracy, Plant Pure Nation and Racing Extinction. He is also promoting vegan school lunches. Greater Hartford: JR: if he is GPCT U.S. Senate candidate, he will promote: need to mitigate human and animal activities which have direct effect on climate change. There is scientific evidence that fracking causes earthquakes even in areas of no prior earthquakes. BAB: had an enjoyable 12-15-15 social event with other GPCT members from throughout CT. Next meeting in February. Greater Norwich: LT: 1-12-16 meeting: working together with Arbor Day group. Scheduled 1-31-16 meeting with Norwich elected officials. City of New London: RS requests that chapter reports be placed higher on SCC agendas. BAB agreed to do so. Waterford, CT: BW-C: working with high school students to cleanup wetlands; plan 5-21-16 fundraiser and anticipate having a candidate for CT State House District 38 ballot line. And b) New London written minutes to the CTGP secretary.
16. Consensus: Wednesday, February 3, 2016 at 6:30PM is next SCC meeting and if needed, 2nd Nominating Convention. Place: TBD, but Portland preferred.
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.