Strategy Committee

The Strategy Committee was formed in July 2006 by the GPCA Coordinating Committee.

It is charged with helping implement GPCA Bylaw 7-1.13 Strategic Plan:"The CC shall establish a two-year strategic plan annually, using input from a brainstorming plenary session and draft work plans from the standing committees and working groups. The proposed plan shall be presented and affirmed at the subsequent General Assembly. The two-year strategic plan shall be reviewed and refocused by the CC and presented to the General Assembly annually. As part of the strategic plan, the CC shall develop a two-year schedule, including potential agenda items, for the General Assemblies and Gatherings, with input from each standing committee and working group work plan. The two-year schedule shall be revised annually, with General Assembly agenda and scheduling remaining flexible."The following time line shall be used to initiate the work of this committee. After the committee is fully established, it may create a yearly timeline that works best based on learned experience and CC feedback.

a. Phase One - Prepare, and regularly update, a two-year schedule for the GPCA by using draft/final work plans from the Working Groups and Standing Committees (as described in 6-2.1 Work Plan), relevant information regarding election cycles and other deadlines affecting the GPCA from the state of California and the U.S. Government, and deadlines of the Green Party of the United States affecting the GPCA. Potential agenda items for the General Assemblies and Gatherings shall be identified and tentatively scheduled. This subcommittee will prepare a proposed planning session for the upcoming plenary.

b. Phase Two - Prepare a draft of a strategy plan and present it to the GPCA-GA during a plenary session. This draft is for brainstorming purposes only but it shall be reviewed by the CC before presentation.

c. Phase Three - Use the information gathered in the GPCA-GA’s brainstorming session to prepare the final GPCA’s two-year plan to be proposed at the first plenary of 2007.

Committee Members

Michael Feinstein (appointed 7/10/06 )
Stuart Bechman (appointed 7/10/06

• Proposal to Establish Strategy Commitee
(as approved by consensus by the GPCA-CC at its 7/10/06 monthly teleconference)

Proposal: CC Strategy Subcommittee to create 2-year plan
Presenter: Magali Offerman
Background: Since 2001, the GPCA General Assembly (GPCA-GA) has delegated the strategic planning of GPCA work to the GPCA Coordinating Committee (GPCA-CC).

This was established through the approval of a Restructuring Plan at the April 2000 General Assembly in Berkeley. That plan eliminated the old Goals & Strategies Working Group as a separate entity and brought that function within the GPCA-CC, along with specifying a specific two-year minimum time frame for coordinated planning to be achieved. The bylaws language reflecting this plan was approved in December 2005, at the Yolo County Plenary:

Bylaws 7-1.13 Strategic Plan - “ The CC shall establish a two-year strategic plan annually, using input from a brainstorming plenary session and draft work plans from the standing committees and working groups. The proposed plan shall be presented and affirmed at the subsequent General Assembly. The two-year strategic plan shall be reviewed and refocused by the CC and presented to the General Assembly annually. As part of the strategic plan, the CC shall develop a two-year schedule, including potential agenda items, for the General Assemblies and Gatherings, with input from each standing committee and working group work plan. The two-year schedule shall be revised annually, with General Assembly agenda and scheduling remaining flexible.”

Text from the 2000 GPCA Restructuring Plan relating to the Two Year Work Plan: “ Goals and Strategies: The Working Group previously known as Goals and Strategies will become a function of the State Coordinating Committee."

"The purpose of the Goals and Strategies function is to articulate the priorities and goals of the GPCA; formulate sensible focused strategies to achieve the goals and priorities that realistically utilize and reflect GPCA resources; and to make sure that the GPCA provides the structure for adequate follow through to achieve these goals and strategies."

"The GPCA-CC will use the following process to formulate goals and strategies. The GPCA-CC will establish a two year "strategic plan" using input from a "brain storming" plenary session and draft work plans from the Working Groups. This will be formally presented and affirmed at the subsequent state plenary. The two year work plan will be reviewed and refocused by the GPCA-CC and presented to the plenary each year."

"Included as part of the strategic plan, the GPCA-CC will develop a two year schedule, including potential agenda items, for the General Assemblies and Gatherings, with input from each WG work plan. The schedule would be revised each year and flexibility would still remain on content, date and location of General Assemblies and Gatherings." There have been a few attempts to revive a Goals & Strategies subcommittee of the CC, but these attempts failed for different reasons."Purpose: The purpose of this proposal is to get the two-year planning process started immediately. The intent is to do the groundwork needed before the next plenary, and make sure that the GPCA CC has a proposal ready for the GA in early 2007.

Proposal:

1) Create a GPCA CC subcommittee called Strategy Subcommittee, as described in bylaws section 6-1.1c, and 6-1.3 (See bylaws text in appendix below.)

2) The mandate of this subcommittee is to accomplish the tasks outlined in Bylaws Section 7-1.13 and the wishes of the GPCA-GA, as approved during the April 2000 plenary.

3) The following time line shall be used to initiate the work of this committee. After the committee is fully established, it may create a yearly timeline that works best based on learned experience and CC feedback.

a. Phase One - Prepare, and regularly update, a two-year schedule for the GPCA by using draft/final work plans from the Working Groups and Standing Committees (as described in 6-2.1 Work Plan), relevant information regarding election cycles and other deadlines affecting the GPCA from the state of California and the U.S. Government, and deadlines of the Green Party of the United States affecting the GPCA. Potential agenda items for the General Assemblies and Gatherings shall be identified and tentatively scheduled. This subcommittee will prepare a proposed planning session for the upcoming plenary.

b. Phase Two - Prepare a draft of a strategy plan and present it to the GPCA-GA during a plenary session. This draft is for brainstorming purposes only but it shall be reviewed by the CC before presentation.

c. Phase Three - Use the information gathered in the GPCA-GA’s brainstorming session to prepare the final GPCA’s two-year plan to be proposed at the first plenary of 2007.

4) The group will have eight members appointed by the GPCA-CC. Four members shall be appointed each year. Appointments will occur in the first quarter of each year.

5) The initial members of this group are Stuart Bechman (Ventura), and Michael Feinstein (Los Angeles). They are tasked to complete phase one. Additional members may be added after Phase One is completed. (Note: Bechman and Feinstein coordinated on a draft such effort a few years ago, have identified many of the state and federal and Green Party structural and electoral dates/deadlines, and have already developed a spreadsheet methodology to effectively lay this information out. They also live close to each other, and can thus meet in person and sit in front of the same computer and edit a draft document effectively.)

6) A call for volunteers will be made as soon as possible. The announcement should include a statement explaining how this subcommittee is not in charge of coming up with their personal vision of a strategy, but to develop one with the information they receive from GPCA groups, GPCA members, and other sources that have information which affects GPCA work. It is essential that members can do research effectively, and gather accurate information.

Appendix - Bylaws Defining Subcommittees
6-1.1 Definition
c) A Special Group (or ad hoc group or subcommittee) is a group established by the General Assembly or a standing group to consider non-recurring business of the party or is otherwise expected to dissolve itself after completing its charge. Special groups do not have General Assembly agenda privileges (see proposal authority, 6-2.5).
6-1.3 Formation of Special Groups
Special groups may be established by the General Assembly or any standing group with a 2/3 vote. The statement of purpose or charge of the group and whether its membership is open or appointed must be stated at the time of formation. A special group may be dissolved with a 2/3 vote of the establishing body, but in any case, is automatically dissolved two years after its establishment or after completing its charge, whichever comes first. Expiring special groups may be reestablished at the discretion of the establishing body.