Minutes
May
5, 2004 A general membership meeting of the Green
Party of Marin was held on Wednesday Mary 5 beginning at 6:30
at the Aroma Cafe in San Rafael. In attendance were John Anastasio,
Jerry Belleto, Sean Prendiville, Jim Geraghty, Lew Tremaine,
Pamela Meigs, Rebekah Collins, Luz Diaz and Jake Jestadt.
Formal support for the Marin Clean Energy Now! (Marin CAN!)
proposal that the county adopt the Community Choice Aggregation
method of purchasing electricity was adopted on a 3 to 1 vote
with Anastasio voting no after consensus could not be achieved.
Anastasio wanted full public ownership of the means of energy
production and not the further privatization of the energy system.
Collins explained that part of the proposal would be for the
utilization of a minimum of 20% renewable energy sources by
2020.
The council voted to send Fairfax Council members Lew Tremaine
and Larry Bragman and California Green Party Treasurer Michael
Wyman to the Green presidential nominating convention in Milwaukee
this summer. Although individual Marin Greens overwhelmingly
voted for Peter Camejo as a favorite son in the Green presidential
race, and Camejo has indicated he prefers Ralph Nader, the council
voted unanimously to express to their delegates their feeling
that the party should not run a presidential candidate this
year and should instead concentrate on building the party locally.
Upcoming tabling at the Stafford Lake Promise for Peace event
on May 29, the Mill Valley Memorial Day Parade and the Fairfax
Festival and Eco Fest on June 5-6 will be undertaken by Geraghty
and Anastasio. Geraghty was authorized to purchase a card table.
Volunteers are needed to help spread the word and sign up new
Greens. We will try and also gain signatures on the GMO-Free
Marin ballot measure.
Diaz, who was attending her first meeting, related her thoughts
on the lack of political leadership in the country and locally.
It was agreed that we should begin meeting more often than once
a month and that the next meeting will be held at the Pickleweed
community center in the canal area of San Rafael as soon as
a spokesperson for day laborers could be scheduled to speak
with us.
Jake Jestadt is trying to line up several hip-hop and rock and
roll groups to headline a fun raiser for the Marin Greens.
April 5, 2004
Minutes of the April 5 General Membership Meeting of the
Green Party of Marin. Present were council members John Anastasio,
Jerry Belleto, Jim Geraghty and Sean Prendiville. Also present
was Rebeka Collins of Sustainable Fairfax
.
It was decided that Anastasio and Belleto would be co-coordinators
for two-year terms until a women can be found to share the leadership
position. Bylaws require Marin Greens to share the co-coordinator
positions by persons of each gender. Also by consensus it was
decided that Geraghty will serve as secretary and Prendiville
will serve as treasurer. Prendiville, who has many other commitments,
will be leaving the council as soon as a replacement can be
found.
It was agreed that the most important task is to add five more
members to the council, as authorized by the bylaws and consequently
each Green who has indicated they are willing to be contacted,
will be contacted by a council member and asked to serve.
Collins gave a presentation on plans for an alternative energy
policy for Marin County. A strategy session will be held soon.
March 1, 2004
Minutes of the March 1, 2004 General Membership Meeting of the
Green Party of Marin County Council held at the Aroma Café.
Present were County Council members Jim Geraghty, and John Anastasio.
As a qorum of members was not present, a meeting was not held.
February 2, 2004 Minutes
of the February 2, 2004 General Membership Meeting of the Green
Party of Marin County Council held at the Aroma Café.
Present were County Council members Sean Prendiville, Justin
Moscoso, Jerry Belletto, Jim Geraghty, and John Anastasio.
A discussion ensued over whether County Greens
should endorse a candidate for Fourth District Supervisor encompasing
West Marin, San Geronimo Valley, the Canal area, and Homestead
Valley. Anastasio and Geraghty supported Louis Nuyens, a former
green turned Democract. The other council members did not wish
to endorse anyone at this time and since not everyone was willing
to step aside, a motion to support Nuyens failed for lack of
a two-thirds majority.
January 5, 2004
Minutes of the January 5, 2004 General Membership
Meeting of the Green Party of Marin County Council held at the
Aroma Café. Present were County Council members Sean
Prendiville, Justin Moscoso, Jerry Belletto and John Anastasio.
Also present were Jim Geraghty, Lew Tremaine, Larry Braggman,
Pam Hartwell-Herrero and Pam Meigs.
The Council accepted with regret the resignation of Council
member Debra Richardson and expressed their appreciation for
all the time and effort she has spent on Green matters over
the past several years.
Treasurer Justin Moscoso reported we have $428.31 in the bank
account and another $75 in savings. He said approximately $100
had been donated in the past several months.
Moscoso was appointed unanimously to be regional representative
to the North Bay Region and state Greens replacing Richardson.
John Anastasio was appointed unanimously to be council secretary
to replace Richardson.
Jim Geraghty was appointed unanimously as a County Council member.
He will chair a new working group - Campus Greens - the purpose
of which will be to set up Green chapters at the College of
Marin and Dominican College.
The council heard from Pam Hartwell-Herrero of Sustainable Fairfax
and Marin Master Gardeners about the importance of influencing
California Public Utility Commissioner Geoff Brown to vote down
an effort to undermine renewable energy by locking up 40% of
Californians' electricity supply in contracts with price-volatile,
polluting and non-renewable natural gas power plants. The council
came out against the proposal and asked Anastasio to appear
before Brown on January 6, 2004 and urge him to vote no.
The council had a discussion with Fairfax Vice Mayor Lew Tremaine
and Council Person Larry Bragman about a legislative agenda
for the coming year.
The process of endorsements began with Moscoso, head of the
Elections Working Group, indicating that the Greens will be
sponsoring a pre-election public forum for Second District Supervisor
candidates Hal Brown (incumbent) and Niccolo Caldararo (former
Fairfax council person) at the Fairfax Library in the next several
weeks. We will also attempt to hold a similar forum for Fourth
District Supervisor candidates Steven Kinsey (incumbent), Dennis
Rodoni and Louis Nuyens in the San Geronimo Valley.
Anastasio was given tentative approval to begin discussions
to find common ground and present a united front with Progressive
Democrats and Peace and Freedom Party members as this epic struggle
for the survival of civilization as we have known it enters
yet another crucial phase.
A joint meeting was held with the Election Committee of the Peace
and Justice Coalition of Marin. In the second hour the Green Party
conducted its regular Council meeting.
Approximately 30 people gathered for the Election Committee discussion.
Sylvia Stewart and Dorothy Hughes, 332-0886 headed the committee
and circulated an attendee contact list. Because of the large
number of attendees, introductions used all of the time allotted.
Introductions were significant business as it provided clarity
of purpose and foundation to joint concerns locally and globally.
Justo facilitated. Minutes read and approved.
Instant Runoff Voting is one of our most important focuses at
the moment. Caleb Klepner of Center for Democracy spoke to us
on the subject. State senate bill AB 1039, an IRV proposal will
soon be considered for enactment. Lonie Hancock presents it. There
are various campaigns of support for this bill. Contacts can be
reached at the Center for Democracy in San Francisco, California.
The phone number is (415) Caleb encourages us to reach out to
young people, as young as elementary school to create the quality
of choice that IRV provides. By making school elections accountable
to the voters, people could carry this standard forward. Its efficiency
would ensure budgetary savings. We purchased some IRV brochures.
Justo will work on some of his special contacts to help build
up a local campaign for IRV.
Jerry is organizing the engagement of local Greens to push for
local sustainable energy.
Sean keeps us informed of overlapping activities of our local
Peace and Justice Center. He announces events as they arise.
Introductions were made and concerns and strategies were identified.
John Anastasio tells the council that he would like to get involved
with Marin Greens. John is the Building Official for the Town
of Fairfax. Has been a California-registered Green since 1992,
ran for KPFA's first elected board, is a former newspaper editor
and was active in Mendocino County progressive issues from 1978
to 1997. He is interested in being appointed to one of the vacant
positions on the County Council.
A general meeting is to be planned soon. The next County Council
meeting to be announced.
The end.
Deborah Richardson,
Secretary Green Party of Marin
