Approved minutes of the 7PM August 19, 2014 GPCT SCC meeting immediately following the GPCT 2nd Nominating Convention meeting. Location: Portland Waverly Center , 7 Waverly Ave., Portland, CT 0648 . GPCT attendees by chapter: Fairfield: Rolf Maurer, GPCT co-chairperson, David Bedell and Cora Santaguida. Greater Hartford: S. Michael DeRosa, GPCT co-chairperson, Christopher Reilly, GPCT treasurer and Barbara Barry, GPCT secretary. New London: Ronna Stuller. Waterford: Billy G. Collins, Margaret Welch. At large: Timothy McKee. Facilitator: Barbara Barry, GPCT secretary. Quorum met.
1. Consensus: approved the minutes of the: a) July 30, 2014 SCC meeting; b) accepted the minutes of the: August 13, 2014 EC meeting and c) accepted the minutes ofthe August 13, 2014 Teleconference of the GPCT Candidates with the EC. 2. Treasurer's report from Christopher Reilly: balance: $491.06. 3. Secretary’s report from Barbara Barry: url for GPCT: www.ctgreenparty.org. GPCT Yahoo news listserv: CTGREENSNEWSLISTERVE NEWS This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. MA Green –Rainbow Party: collected over 7300 certified signatures to place on the 11-4-14 ballot: Danny Factor for Secretary of the Commonwealth, Ian Jackson for Treasurer and M. K. Merelice for Auditor. 4. Reports from our 3 representatives to the GPUS: a) Tim McKee: stated that the GPUS Steering Committee is moderating his GPUS listserv messages. The GPUS utilized an outside agency to develop several GPUS branding items, new icons to support its 4 pillars: Peace, Ecology, Social Justice and Democracy. b) S. Michael DeRosa: . and c) Baird Welch-Collins was absent. BAB did re-contact Holly Hart of the GPUS Steering Committee that Joshua Steele Kelly was duly authorized to be one of our three representatives to the GPUS. No response as of yet. 5. Deleted: no proposals or resolutions were represented by any chapter or from five CTGP Members or from the EC. 6. TMcK: our GPCT official delegate who attended the July 24th through 27th GPUS Annual Meeting which was the 30th anniversary of GPUS annual meetings. No platform was endorsed.
7. Campaign updates of the GPCT candidates for the November 4th 2014 election for the offices of: a) Ballot line candidates: S. Michael DeRosa for Secretary of the State: did a radio interview on August 11th at 9:30PM with Scott Harris at WPKN (89.5FM). https://www.facebook.com/voteMikeDeRosa. Democratic incumbent since 2011: Denise Merrill. Stephen Fourier for Attorney General: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Democratic incumbent since 2011: George Jepsen. Rolf Maurer for Comptroller and also as a WRITE-IN CANDIDATE for treasurer: Gravis Marketing Poll of 440 registered voters in CT has Rolf Maurer at 8%! http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2014/08/connecticut-poll-shows-green-nominee-for-state-treasurer-at-8/ https://www.facebook.com/vote.rolf. Democratic treasurer, Denise Nappier, Democratic incumbent since 1998. Kevin Lembo, Comptroller , Democratic incumbent since 2011.
US Congressional District I: Jeffery Russell. Incumbent since 1999: Representative John Larson, D. from East Hartford. US Congressional District 2: William “Bill” Clyde, VP, professor and provost of Manhattan College, received the GPCT endorsementat the August 9, 2014 GPCT Southeast Regional Nominating Convention. He is a 1st time candidate for any political office. Democratic incumbent since 2007: Representative Joe Courtney of Vernon, CT. Barbara A. Barry, for CT State Senate District 1 (southern Hartford and northern Wethersfield) is also a 1st time candidate.Incumbent since 1997: Senator John Fonfara, Democrat of Hartford. He also was a CT House Rep from 1987 to 1997. David Michel for CT State Senator, District 27 (parts of Stamford and Darien): Incumbent since 2011: Carlo Leone, Democrat. https://www.facebook.com/GreenPartyStamfordDistrict2 Colin Bennett for CT State Senate District 33 (Haddam, East Haddam, Chester, Deep River, Essex, Lyme, Clinton and Westbrook). https://www.facebook.com/Bennett.for.Senate Incumbent since 2012: Art Linares, R. of Westbrook Ed Heflin for CT State Senate, District 36 (Greenwich, part of Stamford and New Canaan).Is a 1st time political candidate and forming his campaign. Will promote public banking for CT. Republican incumbent since 2008: Scott Frantz of Riverside.
Cindy Day for CT State House District 67 (New Milford). Is a 1st time political candidate. Democratic incumbent since 2012: Cecilia Buck-Taylor.
David Bedell for CT State House 25. Democratic incumbent since 2011: Bobby Sanchez.
Matthew Went for State House District 84 (Meriden center). Democratic incumbent since 2005, Hilda Antiago. David Bedell for CT State House District 125 (most of New Canaan and Wilton). https://www.facebook.com/vote.bedell Tom O’Dea is Republican incumbent since 2012.
Nathan Cloutier for CT State House District 148 (part of Stamford). Democratic incumbent since 2011: Daniel J. Fox. Douglas “Doug” Lary for Windham GPCT Registrar of Voters (also running on the Bottom Line (municipal) party line): endorsed at the August 9, 2012 Southeast Regional GPCT Nominating Convention. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lary-3rd-Registrar/20993769732602 Zoe DeVito for Stamford Board of Education.
b) Petitioning for offices: Successful: Bill Collins for State House, District 38 (Waterford and part of Montville). Is a 1st time political candidate. https://www.facebook.com/BillGCollins. Democratic incumbent since 2004: Elizabeth Ritter of Waterford. Successful: placeholder: David Bedell for State House District 94 (part of New Haven). has relinquished to candidate: David Olszta. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Democratic incumbent since 2008: Gary Holder-Winfield of New Haven. Successful: David Bedell for State Representative for District 122 (part of Shelton and northern Stratford). Republican incumbent since 1990: Lawrence Miller of Stratford. Unsuccessful: Brian Austin for CT State Representative for District 51 (Thompson, Putnam and part of Killingly).
c) GPCT is seeking candidates for the following GPCT ballot line for the following offices: CT State House District 135 (Weston, Easton and south part of Redding); Weston Registrar of Voters and Stamford Judge of Probate.
d) No GPCT members petitioned by the August 6th petitioning deadline for governor/lieutenant governor. e) Update regarding the CT SEEC (State Elections Enforcement Commission) regulation deadline of Wednesday, August 6th 2014: date that all signed petition sheets must be handed into the appropriate Town Clerks. (Candidates may hand in the petition sheets to the Secretary of the State’s Office(SOTS). However, the SOTS will send them back to the appropriate Town Clerks for appropriate INITIAL processing.) Typical rate of rejection of petition signatures by Town Clerks: 50%. BAB and SMD will go to the SEEC and SOTS to provide updates about people who have received the endorsement of the GPCT from the August 19, 2014 Nominating Convention. And WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3rd 2014: datethat the chairperson of CT political parties must notify the CT SOTS of their endorsed candidates.
8. Updates from our GPCT liaison (Tim McKee) to our alliance with NJ, NY, RI, MA and PA regarding the Algonquin Pipeline and from BAB: GPCT secretary. WV, OH and ME are interested in joining the alliance. The energy company plans to expand the pipeline to a ME seaport so fracked oil and gas may be exported.Some MA legislatures and Governor Patrick are “rethinking” support for this pipeline.Apparently due to public demand, more public hearings have been added for: NY for Monday, September 15, 2014 in Cortlandt Manor, NY. A second RI public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, September 16, 2014 in Mapleville, RI. An August 1, 2014 email from the Conservative Law Foundation (CLF): The New England States Committee on Electricity (“NESCOE”), an entity created to carry out the policy directives of the New England governors, had been hurtling down the track towards forcing electric customers to pay for a massive, new gas pipeline as well as new transmission projects to import large-scale Canadian hydropower. On August 4, 2014, at the monthly meeting of the voting participants in the New England Power Pool (“NEPOOL”), NESCOE signaled that the train is going to slow down by suspending votes on tariff proposals. Here's a link to the Spectra Energy description of the project: http://www.spectraenergy.com/Operations/New-Projects-and-Our-Process/ New-Projects-in-US/Algonquin-Incremental-Market-AIM-Project/ Next teleconference meeting is 9PM TONIGHT.
9. GPCT fundraising: a) Harvey Wasserman, the Secretary of Energy in the GPUS Green Shadow Cabinet, is a college professor, journalist, author and ananti-nuclear activist since at least Three Mile Island event…for two fundraising events: Waterford, CT chapter is seeking a site for one event and Fairfield chapter, e.g. at a Stamford Library, as a site that would also be fairly accessible to New York Green Party members and others. Harvey has indicated he is available for Saturday and Sunday, November 8th and 9th of 2014. May need to cover his traveling expenses. RS to investigate the possibility of holding a second fundraiser with Harvey Wasserman in New London.
10. GPCT sponsored events: a) Fairfield Chapter willtable at the Green CT Festival: September 13 through September 14, 2014 (Saturday and Sunday) at Taylor Farm Park, 45 Calf Pasture Beach Road in Norwalk, CT. Free admission. CT’s largest, healthy living festival for all ages. Businesses showcase their new technology to positively impact our lives and environment and tips that will save you money. livegreenct.com. b) New Haven GPCT members endorse the Bridgeport #ActOnClimate event on Saturday, September 13, 2014 from 4-6pm. This is in support of closing Bridgeport’s dirty energy plants; stopping global warming and no more oil wars. Sponsors: CT Coalition for Environmental Justice, CT Sierra Club, Promoting Enduring Peace, Middle East Crisis Committee. c)The September 19 to 21st Climate Change event in NYC. Similar events will be staged across the world at the same time. The Green Party of the US, GPNY and GPCT have endorsed the NYC Climate Convergence, a weekend of teach-ins, rallies and protests being held on September 19-21 in conjunction with the march. d) Saturday, October 11, 2014 between 2PM and 4PM at the Harry Bennett Stamford Library, 115 Vine Rd., Stamford. 203/351-8291. GPCT candidates will speak including: Rolf Maurer for CT Comptroller and (write-in candidate for CT) treasure; S. Michael DeRosa for CT Secretary of the State. And the movie “1984” will be shown. e) use of festivals and fairs for tabling and outreach by candidates. f) RM: possible October 4, 2014 event at the Silverstar Diner in Stamford.
11. Reports from our (3) CTGP representatives to each of the following (GPUS) National Committees. Accreditation (AC): reviews: state chapters which petition to join the GPUS and criteria for state delegates to GPUS annual meetings and conventions. Annual National Meeting (ANMC): working on the 2014 GPUS Annual Meeting: Tim McKee. See # 6 above. Ballot Assess (BA): discussion of efforts/difficulties/strategies/successes of the state Green Parties gaining ballot access: S. Michael DeRosa: GPUS has requested that he help redevelop the GP in VT with the goal of achieving presidential ballot access for 2016. Don Alexander was absent. Black Caucus: Bylaws, Rules, Polices Procedure (BRPP): for the GPUS officers and national committees: Joshua Steele Kelly: absent. 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. Don Alexander: absent. Eco Action (EA): develop strategies for the GPUS regarding ecological matters. Jeff Russell: absent. 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 re: world issues. S. Michael DeRosa: no activity. Absent: Amy Vas Nunes and Justine McCabe. Latino Caucus: Hector Lopez: absent. Merchandizing Committee (MERCH): determines and acquires items for the GPUS. Rolf Maurer: see #6 above. Media Committee (MC): writes GPUS press releases. Outreach (OC): interacts with other groups who may have similar interests of the GPUS. Don Alexander: absent. Peace (GPAX): discusses/develops strategies of how the GPUS may promote peace throughout the world. Absent: Don Alexander, Joshua Steele Kelly. S. Michael DeRosa: no response from last known chairperson of this committee. Platform (PC): promotes positions on issues for the GPUS which are consistent with Green Party Ten Key Values. Amy Vas Nunes, Don Alexander were absent. S. Michael DeRosa: see # 6 above. Presidential Campaign Support Committee (PCSC): develop strategies to support any GPUS presidential candidates. Tim McKee: no updates. Women’s Caucus.
12. GPCT Mailing List: It has been requested that chapters provide their own updated member information including emails to the GPCT secretary so that the March 4, 2014 Secretary of the State Voter Registration List.
13. Deferred due to time restraints: GPCT chapter reports: a) Fairfield;Greater Hartford; Greater New Haven; Greater Norwich; New London and Waterford, CT. b) update from Willimantic members and c) written approved minutes to the CTGP secretary.
14. Selection of the Monday, September 22, 2014 for the next SCC meeting. Site to be determined.
15. 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.