Accepted minutes of the January 7, 2015 EC meeting at 6:30PM.
GPCT EC attendees: co-chairpersons: Linda Thompson, Norwich; Rolf Maurer, Stamford, S. Michael DeRosa, Wethersfield; treasurer: Christopher Reilly, West Hartford and secretary, Barbara Barry, Wethersfield. No other known attendees.
Purpose: discuss updates and develop the agenda for the Monday, January 12, 2015 SCC meeting:
Updates re: post-election results. GPCT 2015 legislative agenda items and planned strategies to promote the agenda were presented by RM, SMD and BAB to the EC. No known discrepancies about our write-in candidate for treasurer. Need to present to the SCC and acquire volunteers for the GPCT Budget Committee and the GPCT Outreach Committee. December 20, 2014 GPCT fundraiser: LT disagrees about what was agreed to at the 11-19-14 SCC regarding the content of the 12-20-14 fundraising event. Goal setting for future GPCT fundraising events; future political activities; discuss date/time/site of the 2015 GPCT annual meeting.
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Proposed January 12, 2015 agenda for the SCC meeting at the Portland Waverly Center (formerly called the Portland Senior Center):
1. (20 minutes): Review and approval the minutes of the: a) August 19, 2014 GPCT 2nd Nominating Convention; b) August 19, 2014 SCC, September 22, 2014 SCC and November 19, 2014 SCC meetings; c) accept the minutes of the: September 12, 2014 EC and January 7, 2015 EC meetings and d) review and accept the minutes of the ten (10) GPCT Candidates’ teleconference meetings of: July 16, 2014 and July 23, 2014; August 13, 2014; September 5th, 12th , 19th, 2014; and October 3rd, 10th, 17th and the 24th of 2014 2. (5 minutes): Treasurer's report from Christopher Reilly. 3. (5 minutes): Secretary’s report from Barbara Barry. 4. (5 minutes): Reports from our three (3) representatives to the GPUS: Tim McKee, S. Michael DeRosa and Baird Welch-Collins. 5. (zero to 5 minutes): Any proposals/resolutions from chapters or from five CTGP Members or from the EC: a) creation of a GPCT Budget Committee (see agenda item 12 a and b) and b) creation of a GPCT Outreach Committee (see agenda item 15 a and b). 6. (15 minutes): GPCT report of: a) the November 4th 2014 election results of GPCT candidates: Secretary of the State: S. Michael DeRosa: 26,612 of 1,044,005=2.5 % in a 5-way race. Stephen Fourier for Attorney General: 22,233 of 1,037,868 =2.1% in a 5-way race. Rolf Maurer for Comptroller: 17,339 of 1,027,181= 1.7% in a 5-way race. Rolf Maurer as WRITE-IN candidate for Treasurer: 532 of 1,046,169 i.e. 0.0005085%. US Congressional District I: Jeffery Russell: 3,490 of 214,206= 1.6%; a 4-way race. US Congressional District 2: William Clyde: 2,517 of 227,750= 1.1 %; in 5-ways. Barbara A. Barry, for CT State Senate District 1 (southern Hartford and northern Wethersfield): 335=2% in a 5-way race. David Michel for CT State Senator, District 27 (part of Stamford and part of Darien): 348=1.57% in a 4-way race. Colin Bennett for CT State Senate District 33 (Haddam, East Haddam, Chester, Deep River, Essex, Lyme, Clinton and Westbrook): 483=1.22% in a 5-way race. Ed Heflin for CT State Senate, District 36 (Greenwich, part of Stamford and part of New Canaan): 3,171= 13% in a 2-way race. Paul Gobell, CT State House District 25 (part of New Britain): 55=1.8% in a 5-way race. Bill Collins for State House for District 38 (Waterford and part of Montville): 221=2.5% in a 4-way race. Cynthia “Cindy” Day for CT State House District 67 ( majority of New Milford): 158=2.2% in a 5-way race. Matthew Went, State House District 84 (Meriden center): 398=14.3% in a 2-way race. David Olszta for State House, District 94 (part of New Haven and southern Hamden): 214=4.3% in a 3-way race. Kelly Hanna for State House for District 122 (part of Shelton, northern Stratford and Trumbull): 691=9.9% in a 3-way race. David Bedell for CT State House for District 125 (most of New Canaan): 825=13.6% in a 2-way race. Bonnie Troy for CT State House District 135 (Weston, Easton and south part of Redding): 1287=19% in a 2-way race. Nathan Cloutier for CT State House for District 148 (part of Stamford): 64=1.4% in a 4-way race. Doug Lary for Windham GPCT Registrar of Voters=577 and running on the Bottom Line (municipal) party line=272. Cora M. Santaguida, Stamford Board of Education: 2384=3.3% in a 6-way race. Thaddeus Hanser for Stamford Judge of Probate: 2675=11.8% in a 2-way race. Hector Lopez for Weston Registrar of Voters: 76=2.2% in a 3-way race.
7. (1-5 minutes): GPCT report regarding any GPCT complaints to the CT SEEC (State Elections Enforcement) regarding 11-4-14 election ballot access events. And any goal setting.
8. (25 minutes): a) Report about the GPCT 2015 legislative agenda whichwas approved by the November 19, 2015 SCC attendees. The GPCT Legislative Committee members (authorized by the November 19, 2014 SCC attendees) are: Emily Garfinkel of Farmington, Baird Welch-Collins, Waterford, Josh Steele Kelly, Waterford, Paul Gobell, New Britain, Ed Heflin, Greenwich, Rolf Maurer, Stamford, Barbara Barry, Wethersfield and S. Michael DeRosa, Wethersfield. b) minutes of the telephonic meetings of the legislative committee on: December 8, 2014; December 16, 2014; December 23, 2014 and January 5, 2015. Next legislative committee meeting: 1-13-15. c) follow-up committee meeting will fine-tune issues and set goals regarding strategies the GPCT members may use to promote agenda items to CT legislators and the appropriate legislative committee members/co-chairpersons and outreach to affected constituents. d) The following GPCT 2015 legislative agenda issues have been researched and will be promoted by the following committee members:
- CT public banking: Ed Heflin who has drafted a bill i.e. HB 1234 for the Finance, Revenue & Bonding (Legislative) Committee hearing Monday, January 26, 2015.
- Urban/suburban/rural farming: Paul Gobell and Barbara Barry.
- Demilitarization of the police and increasing the professional criteria of standards for police actions/behaviors: Rolf Maurer and Barbara Barry.
- Universal healthcare: Barbara Barry.
- Common Core Curriculum reform: Baird Welch-Collins.
- Promotions of MUDs (municipal utility districts) to as many of the state’s 169 towns. Currently there are 6 MUDs and only Wallingford owns and maintains its own power lines…and it has not lost power when UI and CL&P lost power. Barbara Barry and S. Michael DeRosa.
- Ballot access: S. Michael DeRosa
- Renewable energy: Ed Heflin and S. Michael DeRosa.
- Promote the conversion of military property/businesses to renewable energy sources: S. Michael DeRosa and Rolf Maurer.
- Support for changes similar to those promoted bySheila Matthews, co-founder of Able.Child.org a 501c3 organization which addresses the role of non-healthcare provider educators “diagnosing” public school students with medical conditions and suggesting prescription meds. This organization supports parent rights to determine the medical treatment and meds for their children in the face of pressure from educators. Pending Rolf Maurer.
- Decriminalization of cannabis and use of hemp economy: Rolf Maurer, Baird Welch-Collins and Cindy Day.
e) volunteers to help promote issues to legislature needed.
9. (5 minutes):Report from our GPCT liaison (Tim McKee) to our alliance with NJ, NY, RI, MA, PA, OH, WV and ME regarding the Algonquin Pipeline. http://www.spectraenergy.com/Operations/New-Projects-and-Our-Process/New-Projects-in-US/Algonquin-Incremental-Market-AIM-Project/
10. (5 minutes): Goal: setthe date and deadlines for the GPCT 2015 Annual Meeting.
11. (15 minutes): GPCT fundraising reports: a) December 20, 2014 Southeast GPCT fundraiser; b) goal setting about future small GPCT regional fundraising events; c) goal setting about future fundraiser with Harvey Wasserman, GPUS Shadow Cabinet, Secretary of Energy and anti-nuclear activist since at least Three Mile Island event…for one or two fundraising events; d) goal setting about other possible fundraising events or ideas.
12. (5 minutes): a) Goal setting: develop a GPCT Budget Committee. b) Goal setting: any GPCT volunteers interested in joining Linda Thompson and Christopher Reilly on this committee or any GPCT member suggestions to this committee.
13. ( 10 minutes):Goal setting for any GPCT sponsored events? E.g. associated with the GPCT 2015 legislative agenda or other suggestions.
14. (5 minutes): Events of interest to GPCT: a) After the People’s Climate March: What Next for Connecticut Activists? Sunday, January 18, 2015 at 2:00PM. “Semesters” in the Student Center, Central Connecticut State University (CCSU), 1615 Stanley Street, New Britain, CT b) GPUS social forum.
15. (10 minutes):Goal setting a) of the development of a GPCT Outreach Committee with Linda Thompson and b) goal setting i.e. selection of GPCT member liaisons with other CT organizations with similar values to the GPCT 10 Key Values.
16. (15 minutes): a) goal of GPCT chapter development; b) GPCT chapter reports: GreaterFairfield; Greater Hartford; Greater New Haven; Greater Norwich; New London and Waterford, CT. and c) written approved minutes to the CTGP secretary.
17. (10 minutes): Reports from (3) representatives to GPUS Committee. 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. Ballot Access (BA): discussion of efforts/difficulties/strategies/successes of the state Green Parties gaining ballot access: S. Michael DeRosa and Don Alexander. Black Caucus. Bylaws, Rules, Polices Procedure (BRPP): for the GPUS officers/ national committees: Joshua Steele Kelly . Coordination Campaign (CCC): distribution of GPUS money to GP public office candidates. Dispute Resolution (DRC): mediation of any disputes within the GPUS organization. Diversity (DC): strategies/actions to urge/maximize diversity within the GPUS. Don Alexander . Eco Action (EA): develop strategies for the GPUS regarding ecological matters: Jeff Russell. Finance (FinCom): review/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 re: world issues. Amy Vas Nunes, S. Michael DeRosa and Justine McCabe. Latino Caucus: Hector Lopez . Merchandizing Committee (MERCH): determines/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. Don Alexander and Linda Thompson. Peace (GPAX): discusses/develops strategies of how the GPUS may promote peace throughout the world. Don Alexander, Joshua Steele Kelly and S. Michael DeRosa. Platform (PC): promotes positions on issues for the GPUS which are consistent with Green Party Ten Key Values. Amy Vas Nunes, Don Alexander and S. Michael DeRosa. Presidential Campaign Support Committee (PCSC): develop strategies to support any GPUS presidential candidates. Tim McKee. Women’s Caucus.
18. (5 minutes): Selection of the date, time and site for the next SCC meeting in February 2015.
19. 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 for the GPCT EC: Linda Thompson,S. Michael DeRosa, Rolf Maurer and Christopher Reilly.