Minutes, GPCA General Assembly - Santa Rosa, November 16-17

 8:00am Breakfast, registration

 

 9:00am Opening, new delegate orientation, quorum count, announcement of Standing Committee vacancies

 

Quorum: quorum achieved with at least seven regions present: ORSB, Los Angeles, Central Coast, South Bay, East Bay, North Bay, San Francisco

 

38 delegates present to begin meeting
 

  9:30am Agenda approval

 

Rich Stone (timeskeeper)
Peggy Koteen (vibeswatcher)
 

Clarifying question (Greg Jan) - What is status of agenda item regarding next General Assembly. Item withdrawn from draft agenda by Coordinating Committee because no county party ulimately offered to host.  

Outstanding Concern (Warner Bloomberg) - Has concern of (1) agenda ommission regarding issues surrounding the Standing General Assembly; (2) has concern about endorsement of CCHI2014 via the Standing General Assembly; and (3) has concern about endorsement of statewide candidates via the Standing General Assembly

Outstanding Concern (Drew Johnson) - Shares concerns of Warner Bloomberg

Outstanding Concern, with Stand Aside (Matt Leslie) - shares concerns of Warner Bloomberg

Affirmation (June Brashares): The Napa General Assembly did not overturn the Standing General Assembly, so the question has been decided.

Affirmation (Bob Marsh): Affirms agenda because party faces significant challenges from the negative affects Proposition 14

Oustanding Concern (Dave Picarel): Feels having more candidates on the ballot is beneficial

Affirmation (June Brashares): Feels decision to endorse a single candidate was decided at Napa General Assembly

42 delegates registered
 

Yes (30): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40
No (6): 9, 11, 13, 28, 29, 30
Abstain (5): 19, 27, 38, 41, 42
Not Voting (1): 30

Agenda approved 30-6-5 (85.7%), with 3/5 (60%) necessary to pass

 

  9:45am Presentation: Coordinating Committee female and male candidates for remainder of two year FY2013-2015 term make statements 

 

 

10:05am Proposal: Approval of Coordinating Committee bylaws interpretation establishing endorsement timing for California Cannabis and Hemp Initiative of 2014

 

Outstanding Concern (Warner Bloomberg): Concern that the CCHI2014 is not technically a ballot measure and therefore doesn't fall under GPCA Bylaws that provide that the SGA is the body that takes a position on this

Response from proposal sponsor (Feinstein): Measure has been issued title and summary by Attorney General
Affirmation (Victoria Ashley): Feels party should take a position now to publicize the party's stance
Affirmation (Sanda Everette): Reminds that the party used to use County Polling to make such endorsements

 

45 delegates registered
 

Yes (36): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45
No (3): 11, 29, 35
Abstain (2): 14, 30
Not Voting (4): 7, 10, 22, 28

 

Proposal approved 36-3-2 (92.9%), with 2/3 (66.7%) needed to pass
 

10:20am Proposal: Approval of Coordinating Committee bylaws interpretation to establish process for GPCA endorsements in June 2014 primary

 

Outstanding Concern (Warner Bloomberg):  Concern that anything refered to Standing General Assembly is tainted and therefore in violation of party bylaws

Affirmation (Sanda Everette): In addition to financial/resource reasons to endorse a single candidate, county parties remain free to endorse whom they choose

Outstanding Concern  (Ron Rodarte): Feels SGA isn't the right body to make such an endorsement

Outstanding Concern (Michael Rubin): Feels that proposal does not fit Top Two Primary/Proposition environment, because feels GPCA would benefit from having more candidates; feels its not clear that any candidate will qualify for the ballot in the first place

 

Process Proposal (Alex Shantz): Add 15 minutes to item

 

Approved by consensus

 

Affirmation (Bob Marsh): While believes endorsing more than one candidate for a statewide office would be better for the GPCA, feels need to pass this proposal now so that party can make endorsements.

Outstanding Concern, Stand Aside: (Jared Laiti): "I affirm Alameda County's concerns. I'm not convinced endorsing more than one candidate for any office is the way to go, but it is a valid choice that should be available to the SGA. Just because we endorse more than one does not mean more than one will qualify for the ballot. We've heard it argued that the SGA allows for more democracy, so let's not restrict that democracy by giving it less than the full range of valid choices."

Affirmation (Peggy Koteen): Affirms idea that we have only one candidate for each race because of difficulty of gaining the required signatures

Affirmation (Matt Leslie): Shares process concerns from Santa Clara county and endorsement concerns from Alameda County, but feels that Top Two primary has backed party into a difficult situation and feels its important to make endorsements as proposed in this bylaws interpretation

Affirmation (Mark Roest): Believes that having a single candidate will make the signature gathering process easier
Affirmation (Joel Sarch): Believes having a single candidate will make the signature gathering and voting process

 

47 delegates registered

Yes (36): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47
No (8): 6, 9, 11, 24, 26, 30, 41, 42
Abstain (2): 27, 29
Not Voting (1): 28 (left room)

 

Proposal passes 36-8-2 (81.8%), with 2/3 (66.7%) needed to pass
 

10:45pm Presentation: Greens seeking GPCA endorsement for 2014 statewide office (Coordinating Committee) - David Curtis (Secretary of State)

 

Video recording of presentation and question/answer with Curtis  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F5I0fSxv0g

 

12:00pm Lunch, Womens Caucus meeting during lunch

 

 1:05pm Quorum count

 

Present - 1, 2, 3,  4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29 30,31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47

28 (left), 41 (left)

 

 1:10pm Presentation: Greens seeking GPCA endorsement for 2014 statewide office (Coordinating Committee) - Luis Rodriguez (Governor)

 

Video recording of presentation    http://youtu.be/CCUguceh-io

 

 2:00pm Discussion/Proposal: GPCA 2014 Nomination Signatures and Election Strategy (Campaigns & Candidates Working Group)

 

 2:55pm Announcement of Standing Committee vacancies

 

 3:00pm Breakout sessions for committees and working groups (CCWG, Platform, Finance, GROW)

 

 4:30pm Presentation/Advisory Vote: Update on Legal Cases against Proposition 14/SB6 and Whether the Green Party of California should join Rubin v. Bowen (Coordinating Committee)

 

Proposal (Feinstein, on behalf of Coordinating Committee): That the General Assembly approve an advisory vote that the Coordinating Committee file an amicus brief in Rubin v. Bowen with a pro-bono attorney

 

Outstanding Concern, Stand Aside (Warner Bloomberg): has (1) concern that attorney feels he/she is fairly compensated; and (2) would need to meet with counsel and establish a real and appropriate  attorney-client relationship p 

 

 

Proposal (Feinstein, on behalf of Coordinating Committee):  That the General Assembly approve an advisory vote that the Coordinating Committee file an amicus brief in Rubin v. Bowen within the budget line for legal expenses in the GPCA's FY2013-2014 budget

 

 

 5:20pm Presentation: Statewide legislation sought by Green Party, Libertarian Party and the Peace & Freedom Party to compensate for negative affects of Prop 14 on the state's smaller, ballot-qualified parties (Coordinating Committee)

 

Presentation heard from Mike Feinstein and Alex Shantz (Green Party) and Richard Winger (Libertarian Party)

 

 5:55pm Announcements

 

 6:00pm Dinner on your own (host committee providing recommendations), GPUS Delegation meeting during dinner

 

 7:30pm Free Community Event/Public Forum by Green Party of Sonoma County

 

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Sunday, November 17

 

 8:00am Breakfast, registration

 

 9:00am Breakout sessions for committees and working groups (CCWG, Green Issues, Media)

 

10:30pm Quorum count

 

Quorum reached with at least seven regions present: ORSB, Los Angeles, Central Coast, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, East Bay, North Bay

 

 

 

10:40am Confirmation: Standing Committee and Working Group Co-Coordinators

 

GROW - Yaneli Mata, Shamako Noble

 

Approved by consensus

 

10:45am Discussion: Review draft plan for County Council elections/Proposal: Bylaws Interpretation regarding County Council nomination petitions for June 2014 primary (Coordinating Committee)

 

 

Yes (23): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31
No (2): 18, 29

Abstain (7): 7, 11, 12, 13, 17, 22, 32

 

Proposal approved 23-2-7 (92%), with 2/3 (66.7%) needed to pass

 

12:00pm Lunch, Optional caucus meetings

 

 1:15pm Announcements, including announcement of Standing Committee vacancies, Quorum Count

 

Quroum reached with delegates present from at least seven regions: ORSB, Los Angeles, Central Coast, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, East Bay, North Bay

 

32 delegates registered

 

 1:20pm Discussion: Draft GPCA June 2014 ballot statement (Coordinating Committee) 

 

Input taken from attendees on previous drafts with suggestions for 2014 draft

 

 2:35pm Breakout sessions for committees and working groups (IT, Bylaws, ERWG, Clearinghouse)

 

 4:05pm Confirmation: Standing Committee and Working Group Co-Coordinators (for any committees or working groups not confirmed in morning session)

 

 4:15pm Closing session

 

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