Approved minutes of the CTGP SCC and nominating meeting on Thursday, August 9, 2012 at 7pm. Quorum was met.
Location: St. John's Episcopal Church Hall, 7 Whittlesey Ave, New Milford, CT
CTGP attendees by chapter: Fairfield: Hector Lopez, Cora Santaguida, Rolf Maurer, David Bedell, CTGP treasurer; Greater Hartford: Jeffery Russell, Barbara Barry, CTGP secretary, S. Michael DeRosa CTGP co-chairperson, Christopher Reilly; New London: Rona Stuller, CTGP co-chairperson, Bob Stuller; At Large: Justine McCabe, John Battisa, Nicholas Payne. CTGP at-large member: Ron J. Suresha. Observer: Joshua VanVranken. Facilitator: Barbara Barry
1.Deferred the review of minutes and: a) approve the 6-27-12 SCC meeting and b) accept the 8-2-emergency EC meeting. Reason: anticipated lack of time at this meeting.
2.Deferred Treasurer's report from David Bedell.
3.Deferred reports from our five (5) representatives to the GPUS: Linda Thompson, Tim McKee, Jeff Russell, S. Michael DeRosa and Allan Brison.
4.Deferred resolution: see Addendum I regarding the Committee to Stop FBI Repression e.g. the July 25, 2012 FBI raids against activists in Portland, Olympia and Seattle (all in WA).
5.Status of our petitioning for Jill Stein, GPUS presidential candidate: The number of petitions handed in for the GPUS presidential candidate and U.S. Senate from CT by the August 8, 2012 deadline to the SOTS (Secretary of the State) were believed to be: 2000 from the 2nd Congressional District; 990 from Fairfield chapter, 250 from a New Haven gentleman; 680 from Vic Lancia, 200 from Tim McKee, 300 from Danbury; none from Willimantic and unknown from Greater HartfordRS found about 250 petition signatures from Manchester which were not notarized so could not be handed into the SOTS. Group discussion: two CTGP co-chairpersons and the CTGP secretary did not support: any GPUS presidential candidate and other ballot line and/or petitioning candidates.
6.Deferred review of the GPUS Presidential Convention held July 12 through July 15, 2012 in Baltimore, MD.
7.reports from CTGP members to the (GPUS) National Committees.
Selection of three CTGP members to the (GPUS) International Committee. We have five CTGP members (Linda Thompson, Hector Lopez, Jeffery Russell, S. Michael DeRosa and Justine McCabe) who are seeking the three allotted positions on the International Committee. Therefore the attendees will vote for their three candidates to the IC. Candidates who spoke were: Justine McCabe for the International Committee has a PhD in anthropology and is a psychiatric therapist: IC relates to other Green Parties throughout the world; develops relationships; promotes sanctions against Israel. Each IC member is responsible for their own travel/hotel/food expenses so members have fundraisers, seek money from sponsors and friends. The GPUS at times may pay for IC members entry fees for meetings. Hector Lopez for IC: opposes U.S. intervention in Latin America, the School of America and military bases. Supports civil rights and the interdependence of Puerto Rico from the U.S. Jeffery Russell for IC: enjoys international issues. S. Michael DeRosa for IC: will work for: an accurate IC website, more timely and full communication from the IC and promote communication from the various state Green Parties to the IC; interact with other national Green Parties which might benefit both these national GPs and the GPUS. Linda Thompson did not attend this nominating meeting. Which people received the three highest votes and who will represent the CTGP at the IC: Justine McCabe, Hector Lopez and S. Michael DeRosa.
No other members came forward or were nominated for any other GPUS National Committees.
Current CTGP members on the National Committees after the above IC selections are:
Accreditation (AC): reviews any 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 July 2012 GPUS Presidential Convention
Ballot Assess (BA): discussion of efforts, difficulties, strategies and successes of the state Green Parties gaining ballot access. S. Michael DeRosa and William Glickman.
Bylaws, Rules, Polices Procedure (BRPP): for the GPUS officers and national committees.
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.
Eco Action (EA): develop strategies for the GPUS regarding ecological matters. Jeffery Russell, William Glickman
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. Justine McCabe, Hector Lopez, S. Michael DeRosa.
Merchandizing Committee (MERCH): determines and acquires items for the GPUS. Rolf Maurer.
Media Committee (MC): writes GPUS press releases.
Outreach (OC): interacts with other groups who may have similar interests of the GPUS.
Peace (GPAX): discusses/develops strategies of how the GPUS may promote peace throughout the world. Jeffery Russell, Richard Duffee.
Platform (PC): promotes positions on issues for the GPUS which are consistent with Green Party Ten Key Values.
William Glickman.
Presidential Campaign Support Committee (PCSC): develop strategies to support any GPUS presidential candidate. Timothy McKee.
Steering (SC): the seven (7) co-chairpersons of the GPUS which promote GPUS actions and strategies.
Black Caucus. Latino Caucus: Hector Lopez. Women’s Caucus: Linda Thompson.
8.CTGP candidates running for office for the November 6, 21012 elections:
Endorsed via consensus: Don Alexander for State Senate District 30 (Brookfield, Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, New Milford, North Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon, Torrington, Warren, Winchester). It is unclear if enough valid petition signatures have been acquired for Don. If not, then Don may decide to be an endorsed CTGP write-in candidate. http://www.facebook.com/groups/313222578743902; Endorsed via consensus: Nicholas Payne for State Assembly District 67 (New Milford): http://www.green67.org; he is a New Milford resident and an electronic engineer and British immigrant since 1979. He and his wife lost their only child in a gun killing. She was misidentified as drug related. Issues: crime, drugs, incarceration, jobs, legalization of marijuana, roads need sidewalks, education, equality, single payer health care.
Douglas Lary for Willimantic Registrar of Voters: He is seeking the CTGP endorsement to add to his endorsement by The Bottom Line party( which has no state-wide political party) and the Unaffiliated Line. He believes that the Latino community is underrepresented by the current Registrar of Voters. There is a lawsuit about this concern.
Endorsed by consensus: Jeffery Russell, petitioning for U.S. Senate.
Endorsed by consensus: Jill Stein for petitioning GPUS candidate for president.
We are having a CTGP nomination convention at an unknown site for the 2nd Congressional District and state offices on August 18,2012 for such “east of the (CT) river” candidates as: Melissa Schlag for 33rd State Senate district from Haddam, http://www.melissaschlag.com ; Colin Bennett or G. Scott Deshefy for the 2nd Congressional District( from Eastern CT from MA border to RI to CT shoreline).
Greater Hartford chapter will be having their own nominating convention in the near future for: State Senate 1st District and the 1st Congressional District and any others. We are seeking candidates for the 3rd Congressional District and ballot line. The New Haven chapter has decided not to endorse any candidate for this ballot line. If no CTGP candidate is endorsed for this office the ballot line will be lost at the November 6th election to the CTGP. Any future candidate for this office will need to petition for thousands of valid petition signatures. SMD is in continued contact with Allan Brison regard any New Haven supported candidate for this office. Also seek petitioning candidates for the state representative positions from Meriden and New Britain. CTGP Ballot Access Committee will seek to promote decreasing the number of petitions the SOTS require for elective offices. This will be done via promotion of CT legislative action. NOTE from SMD: CT is one of six states that only allow in-state registered voter to carry a petition for a candidate for federal office. RS also seeks legislative action to make the overall petitioning progress for offices, less burdensome. Consensus: support David Bedell, S. Michael DeRosa and Jeffery Russell to be volunteers for our legislative agendas.
10. Political actions to be taken in the near future: see #9.
11. Events: Op-Sail and Sail-fest events from Friday, July 6th through Sunday, July 8, 2012 in New London at: downtown, city pier, Fort Trumbull and the Groton side of harbor. Fireworks will be Saturday night. CTGP Fundraising discussion for: a) selling of used books by CTGP members via our websites; b) others.
12. Deferred chapter reports due to time restraints.
13. Deferred the selection of the time and site of the next SCC meeting.
14. No 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.