Coordinating Committee members present (11): Victoria Ashley (East Bay), Marla Bernstein (at-large), Warner Bloomberg (Silicon Valley), Maxine Daniel (at-large); Sanda Everette (at-large), Mike Feinstein (Los Angeles) arrived at 7:42, Barry Hermanson (San Francisco), Tim Laidman (at-large), Stevie Luther (at-large), Alex Shantz (North Bay) , Lauren Sinott (at-large)
Coordinating Committee members not present (6): Daniel Braun (San Diego/Imperial), Dave Heller (at-large), Matt Leslie (Orange/Riverside/San Bernardino), Nancy Mancias (at-large), Michael Rubin (at-large), Kate Tanaka (at-large)
Quorum: Quorum reached before 7:40 with 10/17 present: Victoria Ashley (East Bay), Marla Bernstein (at-large), Warner Bloomberg (Silicon Valley), Maxine Daniel (at-large); Sanda Everette (at-large), Barry Hermanson (San Francisco), Tim Laidman (at-large), Stevie Luther (at-large), Alex Shantz (North Bay) , Lauren Sinott (at-large)
Facilitator: Alex Shantz
Minutes taker: Mike Feinstein
Time keeper: Maxine Daniel
Vibes Watcher: Victoria Ashley, Tim Laidman
Feinstein joined call at 7:42
3) Approval of Agenda
Proposal: Add items 11-13 (Shantz, on behalf of sponsors who emailed them in after agenda submission date)
Approved by Consensus
Proposal: Add item 14 (Hermanson)
Approved by Consensus
4) Approve minutes
- Approval of minutes from 4/9 CC meeting
- Approval of minutes from Presidential debate proposal
-Approval of minutes from Elections Code proposal
Approved by consensus (Bloomberg stands aside listing concerns he did not see change in voting period posted from April 16-22 to April 23-29.
Luther left call
5) Decision: Appointment of facilitators for San Francisco General Assembly (Feinstein) (10 minutes)
Proposal (Everette): That the GPCA CC appointment facilitators for the San Francisco General Assembly.
Saturday afternoon - Laura Wells
Sunday morning and afternoon - Sanda Everette and Alex Shantz
The Coordinating Committee will add others on Friday night.
Approved by consensus
6) Decision: Missing regions from the CC (Bloomberg)
Discussion held, comments from Bloomberg, Feinstein
7) Report: GPCA Elections code progress (Feinstein)
Report made by Feinstein, questions from Bloomberg, WHO ELSE?
8) Decision: Equipment for Livestreaming (Everette)
Proposal (Everette, accepted amendments from Feinstein, Hermanson): Out of respect for the privacy of individuals in the audience, that the policy of the GPCA be that filming at the Presidential Candidate Forum be only of the people on the stage, that group side shots be allowed, but not individual people in the audience, including one-on-one interviews, other than spokespersons for the GPCA and/or San Francisco Green Party, who may voluntarily choose to speak for the party if arranged through the party's media contact for the event.
Approved by consensus
9) Decision: Approval of Strategic Plan for GA Agenda
Proposal (Feinstein): That the draft two-year schedule be considered and approved by the General Assembly, and that the attached text below submitted to the Coordinating Committee be added as an attachment for discussion and context for future planning.
2012
Spring General Assembly - Approval of the Annual Budget and Annual Strategic Plan
Spring: Delegates to the Standing Green Assembly shall be appointed by active County Organizations and shall serve for one year terms, with no term limits. Terms shall run concurrent with the GPCA's Fiscal Year.
May/June - Coordinating Committee at-large elections (7 two year seats, 2 one year seats) via SGA vote
June - County Council elections, conducted by state of California
July - GPUS Presidential Nominating Convention
July/August - Summer gatherings, Northern California and Southern California
Fall - Endorsement of or opposition to statewide ballot measures via SGA vote (up to eight measures expected for November 2012 ballot); optional discussion teleconference to be scheduled during discussion period
Post-election General Assembly
2013
January - Work plans submitted from committees and working groups
March - Candidates for the Coordinating Committee and the GPUS Delegation must submit an application by the first Monday of March to be eligible.
May - Coordinating Committee at-large and GPUS Delegation elections. Discussion period shall begin on the first Monday of May and run for six weeks, followed by a one week SGA vote.
May - Confirmation of the Treasurer and of the Liaison to the Secretary of State. Discussion period shall begin on the first Monday of May and run for six weeks, followed by a one week SGA vote.
Spring General Assembly - Approval of the Annual Budget and Annual Strategic Plan
Spring: Delegates to the Standing Green Assembly shall be appointed by active County Organizations and shall serve for one year terms, with no term limits. Terms shall run concurrent with the GPCA's Fiscal Year.
Summer - approve General Assembly minutes via SGA vote.
Fall General Assembly - Develop alternate plans for conducting council council elections in 2014, assuming state eliminates them for as long as Proposition 14 is in place
Fall - approve General Assembly minutes via SGA vote.
Fall - Seek input on GPCA party ballot statement for June 2014 primary
2014
January - Work plans submitted from committees and working groups
February - GPCA party ballot statement for June primary due, approval by Coordinating Committee under current practice
Winter/Spring - Endorsement of or opposition to statewide ballot measures via SGA vote
March - Candidates for the Coordinating Committee and the GPUS Delegation must submit an application by the first Monday of March to be eligible.
May - Coordinating Committee at-large and GPUS Delegation elections. Discussion period shall begin on the first Monday of May and run for six weeks, followed by a one week vote.
Spring General Assembly - Approval of the Annual Budget and Annual Strategic Plan
Spring: Delegates to the Standing Green Assembly shall be appointed by active County Organizations and shall serve for one year terms, with no term limits. Terms shall run concurrent with the GPCA's Fiscal Year.
Fall - Endorsement/opposition of statewide ballot measures via SGA vote;
Approved by Consensus
10) Decision: Letter to San Fernando Valley Greens regarding use of Green Party name and potential campaign finance liability for the GPCA (Executive session)
An executive session was held to discuss this item under the following party rules:
Coordinating Committee Internal Procedures: Section 3-9 Executive Session
3-9.1 The Coordinating Committee may go into Executive Session only for personnel matters, sensitive legal and financial matters in which the Party itself is involved in actual or potential legal proceedings, sensitive conversations concerning Green candidates or elected officials, and when dealing with proprietary information of vendors and contractors. No other circumstances are appropriate for Executive Session. Only Coordinating Committee members and persons invited by the Coordinating Committee whose participation is necessary to address the agenda item are allowed to participate.
3-9.2 When an item proposed for Executive Session is called on the agenda, it shall first require consensus or a 2/3 vote to enter Executive Session. Once Executive Session has begun, if at least twenty percent of the Coordinating Committee members present believe that the discussion is entering areas that are inappropriate for Executive Session as per 3-9.1, they may ask for a vote and 2/3 is required to remain in Executive Session.
3-9.3 Agenda item for which Executive Session is denied or permission withdrawn as per 3-9.2 may be heard in open session, but only within the limits of what may be discussed outside of Executive Session, as per 3-9.1.
3-9.4 Minutes of all Executive Session shall include the time of entering and exiting Executive Session, those present and a general summary of topics discussed, without including specific information precluded under 3-9.1. Decisions made in Executive Session shall be reported in the Coordinating Committee minutes, subject to any legal limitations on disclosure.
General summary of topics discussed
The Coordinating Committee discussed issues around fundraising done in California in March 2012 and how the Green Party's name was used in association with these efforts, with a focus on clarifying how the Green Party's name and to ensure that the Green Party of California and the Green Party of Los Angeles County were not associated with said fundraising.
Proposal (Feinstein): That the following letter be sent to the San Fernando Valley Greens
Dear San Fernando Valley Greens
It has come to our attention that pictures and video from the March 23rd event at the Mayflower Club in North Hollywood feature a banner with San Fernando Valley Green Party printed on it and publicity for the event that referred to it as "The Green Party’s ‘Rally in the Valley’".
From the perspective of the Green Party of California, there can be no such entity as the San Fernando Valley Green Party. The only legal entities of the Green Party in California are the state Green party and the county Green parties. Self-selected groups of registered Greens may chose to use the name 'Greens', but not the name Green Party.
One of the problems with using the name Green Party is the potential misrepresentation of the Green Party in California and/or the Green Party of Los Angeles County. Another is that the Green Party of California (and/or the Green Party of Los Angeles County) could be seen as liable for campaign finance reporting for an entity that claims to be part of the Green Party, when it is not.
This letter is to make it clear to all concerned that
- the Green Party of California is a ballot qualified party in California and recognized as a State committee of a political party under the Federal Elections Campaign act;
- there is no entity named the San Fernando Valley Green Party associated with the Green Party of California and/or the Green Party of Los Angeles County, and
- any and all issues of campaign finance reporting of the San Fernando Valley Greens and/or San Fernando Valley Green Party are 100% independent of the Green Party of California and/or the Green Party of Los Angeles County.
In the future, the Green Party of California formally requests that the San Fernando Valley Greens refrain from using the "San Fernando Valley Green Party" in any and all public and private representations and works to ensure that any individuals or groups with which it is involved are clear that there is no such thing as the San Fernando Valley Green Party.
We thank you in advance for your cooperation. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
Sanda Everette, Alex Shantz
Co-coordinators, Coordinating Committee
Green Party of California
Yes: Ashley, Bernstein, Everette, Feinstein, Laidman, Shantz, Sinott
No: Bloomberg, Hermanson
Abstain: Daniels
Approved 7-2-1
11) Discussion: New coordinating committee members orientation (Daniels)
Daniels introduces discussion, Shantz, Everette, Laidman, Feinstein and Hermanson add comments.
12) Discussion: Financial and budget report (Laidman)
Laidman reports that he sent an update to the Coordinating Committee email list
13) Decision: Proposal to discuss a process to transition Marnie Glickman's duties to others. (Ashley)
Ashley introduces item. Feinstein, Hermanson, Laidman, Everette, Daniels comment. No proposal made, item to be heard at Coordinating Committee's May 11 meeting.
14) Decision: Location of Coordinating Committee's May 11 meeting.
Proposal (Hermanson): That it occur at this house, with dinner at 6pm and meeting at 7pm.
Approved by Consensus
