DRAFT Statecom Summer 2018 minutes,
July 14th, No. Shore U.U. Church, Locust st. Danvers, MA.

In Sum:

People Present:

David R,(stacker, facilitator) Joshua G(facilitator), Dan K, Danny F, Elie Y, Ralph W(vibes?), John A, Charlene D, Brian C.(notes) Manny P. (by phone for part).

Topics Discussed:

See final agenda, below:

 

Time	Duration	Item
08:30 AM	30	Setup
09:00 AM	30	Registration & Credentialing / Refreshments
09:30 AM	10	Call To Order, Co-Chairs' Welcome
09:40 AM	15	Meeting Administration Secretary’s confirmation of quorum Identify and Confirm: Minutes Taker, Timekeeper, Vibes Watcher Stacker Parliamentarian, seating alternates (if needed) elect new statecom members (if any)
9:55 AM	5	Response & Discussion of Co-Chairs’ Welcome.
10:00 AM	5	Approve the day’s agenda
10:05 AM	5	Approval of Spring 2018 State Committee Meeting Minutes:
10:10 AM	5	Approval of Fall 2017 State Committee Meeting Minutes:
10:15 AM	30	Reports from officers co-chairs: 5-10 minutes each treasurer and budget: 5-10 minutes secretary: 5-10 minutes
10:45 AM	35	Reports from Committees (5 min each)  Candidate Development & Legal Team Green-Rainbow Working Group Communications & Media Convention Planning Fundraising & Finance Membership, Diversity & Volunteer Recruitment GPUS national committee Each Statecom member, unless an active candidate or co-chair of a chapter, is required to be active on one to two working committees.
11:20 AM	20	Chapter reports (3 min each) Assabet River Valley Central Mass Greater Boston North Shore Pioneer Valley South Coast Young Greens U-Mass Boston
11:40 AM	15	Selection of Fall 2018 State Committee Location: Boston? South Coast? Berkshires? Date Co-Facilitators Next StateCom teleconference
12:05 PM	30	Lunch
12:35	15	Speaker: Damon Jespersen, Newbury Select Board member, J registered
12:50 PM	60	Old business Petitioning Report Discussion on Statewide Ballot Questions and Possible Vote
1:50 PM	10	Break
2 PM	60	Urgent Matters (Items TBD by StateCom) Proposed Executive Session: Complaint Against a State Com Member
3:00 PM	-	Elections of GRP Officers, GPUS Committees, etc. MAAPL GRP Rep and Alternate
4:00 PM	15	Meeting quality feedback
4:15 PM		Adjourn and clean up

 

 

 

Decisions Made:

-Failed to Pass: Agenda Modification: Delete ‘Complaint against Statecom Member’.
Vote: 1:7:1 Yes:No:Abstain

-Agenda modified to include response to Co-Chair’s Welcome Message, by consensus.

-Agenda modified to open (non-executive) session first, MP to set from then on, on ‘Complaint against Statecom Member’ Vote: 6:2:1 Yes:No:Abstain

-Jed Stamas declared Statecom Alternate.

-Approved: 2018 Spring Minutes.

-Approved: 2017 Fall Minutes.

-Accepted: Young Greens of UMB as chapter by GRP

-Statecom asks Adcom to take up Participation Fund application and decision process guidelines

-Agenda further modified: ‘Elections’ moved to 3pm.

-Next Statecom Facilitator: Brian Cady & ____

-Next Statecom Date: 1st choice Sept 30th, 2nd choice Oct 13th, 2018

-Next statecom telecon: Wed. August 29^th

-Ballot Q? #1: Yes, with stipulation: a statement saying that we support the ballot question even though it fails to address funding, workers rights, and the systemic problems with the healthcare system being for profit. We decided that Danny F and DR will draft the statement. : 7:1:1 Yes: No: Abstain

-Ballot Q? #3: Yes passes by consensus (retains law) DR will draft statement.

-Ballot Q? #2: Tabled due to time.

-Failed to Pass: Temporarily Suspend Manny P: Vote: 2:5:1:1 Yes:No:Abstain:NotVoting

-Minutes to PV Chapter by Wednesday July 18th

-Passed: Letter of Recommendation from Statecom to Steering Comm about David Gerry. JA will write.

-Passed: Letter of Recommendation from Statecom to Nat’l. Platform for Joanna Herlihy.

-Passed: Jordan Hodges joins Adcom as YGUMB rep.

-Passed: Lois Gagnon in Adcom from PVChapter

-Passed: Re: MAAPL representative: Broadcast request for GRP Representative and GRP Alternate to MAAPL

 

---------------------------------------------------------

 

Rough Transcript:

Co-Chair’s Welcome:

Mass Power Forward coalition member attended Mass. House session, where person at podium (not the Speaker) falsified votes, other votes reported as unanimous that should not have been on major climate legislation, according to this person. The Speaker himself never appears on the floor of the House.

Mass. Democratic party corrupt beyond most citizens’ knowledge. None of this reported even when it’s out in the open.

MPF to Emergency Rally July 19th, conduct Civil Disobedience July 25^th, State House.

Responses:

DF: lost

EY: re: Mass Democ: MA considered progressive can mean corrupt.

JA: Mass Legislature like organized crime - Democ. Caucus like secret session - much hypocracy - GRP needed.

DR: Thanks, Charlene - Smizik is zionist - climate activism very white, not anti-imperialist enough.

-

Approval of past minutes

Discussion on timeliness of minutes approval

DF: Delay OK - important to get right

JA: Delay not OK - stops subsequent decision making until official minutes out.

-

Officer Reports:

Co-chair: CD: Learning curve steep starting co-chair job - adcom achieves quorum, functions well - chapter and working committee reports will now alternate at adcom meetings, since most meet monthly anyway - Chapter visits by co-chairs in planning stages - Brian D Crawford = still Treasurer, sez ‘is two-person job,’ gave suggestions as to how an Assistant Treasurer would help - Shift from Santander to Berkshire Bank on hold, Berkshire unhelpful & new treasurer location uncertain - Limited # of banks can host depository accounts, which is what state parties need. 1st job of Fundraising & Finance Committee is to support Treasurer.

DF: (Adcom reviving Working Groups) gone well - after new treasurer found, adcom returns to this task, including Platform comm.

DR: Wants to revive/chair Platform Com

Secretary Report: JG:

emailed report of new officers to Sect’ry. of Commonwealth, which is required ASAP after officer changes.

Official New Chapter: Young Greens of UMB.

Much email traffic at [email protected]

EY: Suggests that Secretary be emphasized at website.

DF: Too much work for Secretary to respond to everything. Have Membership respond instead of Secretary to membership-type inquiries.

CD: Josh G doing great job as Secretary.

DR: Some don’t like us - we should ID disruptors & react differently to them.

 

CDLC Report:

CD: Statewide candidates will be reported on by TGR. Three State Rep candidates on Ballot, each encouraged to do facebook page, bio page - CDLC has only 3 current members. Need more members. Please recruit in your chapters

DK: letter to chapters re: committee members needed.

CD: co-chairs in-person visit planned, plan to recruit for Working Comms and State Com as well.

DF: CDLC in touch with existing elected officials? (9)...

CD: quarterly reports requested from GRP officials to CDLC, & to their Chapter. Will forward one from Lancaster Library Trustee as model.

DF: Newsletter needed Statewide

DR: Appointed officials?

CD: Yes there are appointed & elected given in report, is posted online. Chapter can guide choices for their members about which offices they could go for. (Wayne Miller - Beverly Parks Commission)

Team Green Report:

JG: signature gathering is focus - Press Release: Jed, of Quasi-public agencies(?)

 

Convention Comm Report:

JG: Convention Committee has not met since before Convention. The North Shore Chapter created a Place Finder role, filled by Gail Gouveia, to casually research future locations for Statecom / Convention / Chapter meetings..

DF: GBC discuss annual convention site? Members present said they would.

 

Fundraising & Finance Report:

BC: Serena Newman’s life unsettled. Can’t do Fundraising Dir. job now, doesn’t know when she can.

DF: We need a firm yes or no. Ask her to take a leave of absence and recruit new FR Director?

CD: Not sure that’s useful. Could do soft recruit with 2^nd round of Treasurer/Ass’t Treasurer recruitment email. Dues proposal being worked on by Matt, others. Why press Serena N? - priority Treasurer eblast could recruit for Fundr & Fincomm.

 

DR: Manny improperly dismissed from Fundraising Director position

 

MDVR Comm Report:

BC:.Meeting monthly. Wish I knew how to better recruit vols.

JG: gateway Cities proposal going to Chapters.

DR: GBC working on this.

JG: John B. taking pix to put merch on online store. Gretchen can help.

CD: Diversity is also in mission of MDVRC - Volunteers not separate from members, need to connect them with chapter and/or Working Committee. - ladder of levels of involvement – registered J or supporter of candidate or party and/or donation > join chapter > join working committee> join State Com. How do we connect with members? [Newsletter? BC]

DF: How to go from chapter to working group? - Assabet Chapter reports on State GRP bodies - Ch. Cochairs re: Diversity(?). Part of Chapter co-chairs’ job is to connect chapter with state-level activities.

DF: Just convention is not enough to connect our larger membership to activities. Statewide caucus for women, POC, LGBTQ, etc.

CD or DF: MDVRC should set up diversity sector/group facebook pages. (Brian C take note)

EY: Once local chapters engaged with/fought for local issues. Website recruits volunteers for elections. It could do more in terms of party building. Website should help build chapters.

 

GPUS Report:

JA: 4 voting GRP members at National level, Johanna H, John A, David G, Juan S. - see report, attached. - Annual National Meeting starts July 18th

[Participation fund discussion - statecom asks Adcom to take up Participation Fund’s application & decision-making process] Ask new Treasurer to work with Gretchen to set up form on site.

CD: we might want to survey members: would you attend a chapter meeting, Working Comm, State Convention, State Comm if you could get $ help with transport, childcare, phone call,…

JA: publicize criteria for distributing $ for which costs. Reserve; partial help; priorities: comm members, diversity.

 

Chapter Reports:

AssabetRVC: 1 elected official, - priority: State Rep race: already in 1 of 3 debates.

Central Mass: 4 elected officials, avg 8 at meetings, 2 state rep candidates ~700 signatures gathered - 5 on state working groups.

 

GBC: ~10 mostly white men - many endorsements, participated in Boston May Day Coalition, Boston March against Monsanto, Boston Free Julian Assange & Justice4Siham campaign. DR is secretary. Female co-chair not at last couple of meetings.

 

No. Shore Chapter: Signature gathering ongoing, mostly done by Josh – Bonnie, women’s march on Pentagon - Hal Brown calling on behalf of Freedom for All (Ballot Q 3). Gail: made NS banner.

 

PV: no rep on StateCom.

 

SC: absent.

 

YGUMB: Summer Recess - officers will meet.

 

Boston Wards & City Comm.: no report

Comment: Ward & City Comm should be on GRP website local page. [Brian C take note]

EY: How do we handle Ward, City comm Statecomm Representation?

Others: can apply to be chapter, so you can get a voting member on AdCom.

 

agenda modified: Elections at 3pm

 

-lunch break-

 

Next Statecom: Facil: Brian C & _______? , Location probably Lothrop Room, Northampton MA - date see decisions made., above.

Next statecom telecon: Wed. August 29^th

 

Petitioning Report: 4,889 not-yet-certified plus 1,722 certified (4,889 times 85% + 1,722 = ~ 5,878)

BallotQ?#1: per-nurse patient # limits. Yes, with additional statement.

...

BallotQ?#3: gender identity anti-discrimination veto referendum question.

Yes by consensus

...

BallotQ?#2: Tabled

...

-

Damon Jespersen interview with Statecom.

 

DJ: serves as Newbury Town Select Board Member, now for ~6 years. - ~7K residents - funny shaped town, strongly divided along internal region boundaries. Fairly conservative. Party irrelevant to voters, communication important. Job takes 10-20 hrs/wk.

DF: nexus to green-town issues? Living Wage? Immigration?

DJ: Newbury doesn’t engage with ICE - School District regional (Multi-town) - state aid supposed to be 75%, they pay 27% - cuts slated, as fund-maintaining override failed in 2 of 3 towns - active PTA in Newbury. DJ thinks of serving in higher than town office. Lennie ___ & Bruce Tarr state reps. State Reps and Congress both very Republican.

CD: Pretense, no reality to ‘Mass Dems better than Reps’ - in 2016, 2/3 of races uncontested - Only GRs = clean $ party, will oppose MA Dem Machine.

JA: Cambridge School Comm factions rejected former elected GRP member’s ideas because he didn’t negotiate with the factions.

DJ: Newbury history: one family controlled - getting to Newbury reg’nl. faction roots took a year. Regional School Com of 3 has 1 elected from Newbury.

EY: Pop’n #s stable?, local issues? RCV?

DJ: Most in town don’t want to be bothered, involved - Letter to selectman could make RCV public issue by discussing on camera at a meeting - appointed commissions hard to staff.

DF: Town Clerk has Green voter rolls - ‘Run for State Rep.’

DJ: Ran ‘cuz wanted to replace old select board - energy interest - troubled by Oil & Coal industry juggernaut

DF: In Concord: Envir. Sust. Plan = criteria for all town decision-making - In Acton, making this plan a priority.

-End Damon Jespersen interview

----

 

Urgent Business: Complaint about Statecom Member.

 

Manny Pintado joins statecom by phone:

JG: Hello

MP: Hello

DF: Hears wonderful things about MP all the time. good activist, compassionate.

JG: & CD: [explain executive versus open session, implications]

MP: wants record open/public

DR: Supports MP - Against this racist charge, which should be publicly recorded..

MP: GRP shouldn’t go after me, should go after white racist, Thank you DR.

DF: [MP history of threatening] Feb. 2011 arrest for threatening Florida congressperson William Snyder, served probation - Nov 2016, while Fundraising Dir threatened woman on Facebook - adcom found him unrepentant. Rec’d. statecom dismiss - Statecom dismissed MP as Fundraising Dir. - Manny shoud be temp suspended or dismissed from Statecom.

DR: vibes - DF being racist. He did nothing wrong.

MP: complainant ‘Jay’ threatened MP online during current issue, ‘This man wrote ‘I’m going to come and cut your neck’. I didn’t threaten complainant. ... there’s a lot of hate out there. ...they’ll try to divide us.

CD: Non-violence = a GRP 10 key value? Racism does terrible things to people in this country. Was chased down street by person thought CD lesbian

MP: Understands that nonviolence = no physical violence = use of force, & no mental violence

CD: When someone uses phys/mental violence, they are treating others like an object. We must be non-violent with people who want to hurt us...Agrees with MP. Unfortunately CD sees threat of physical force here. You threatened complainant and children - GRP Statecom Members should be/are representing, have responsibility to other GRP members. Why didn’t you call police?

MP: MP blocked ‘Jay’, so all of message lost.

BC: what is meaning ‘... going to expose you, especially to your children’.

MP: Some racists are hiding their racism from their families. Meant to say this racism should be exposed.

DK: gotta be careful about what’s on Facebook....I have to be very careful what I post, because it’s not just about me, it’s about the homeless I’m feeding. We don’t win by lowering ourselves to their standards.

JG: Can you get screenshots? If he made threats...
MP: [Blocking someone loses all messages between them and you].

DF: When MP said ’...Want to meet so I can show you how I handle racist fucks.', what did you mean? Was this invitation to conversation? Are you really saying that your intention was to be peaceful?

MP: I was raised in the Bronx. Did you grow up in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens or Manhattan?

DF: Yes I did.

MP: If so, you would know that when people say they’re going to meet it doesn’t mean that they are going to shoot or kill each other, it means they are going to talk first.

CD: Do you have PTSD?

MP: Yes.

CD: How are you trying to heal yourself at this point? Can we help you connect with support groups?

MP: treating by doing activism, defending Puerto Rico, taking meds, joined anger management & VA support groups. National situation horrible- MP threatened, manhandled, everyday by others online. You made me realize how we represent the GRP.

CD: Would you think about taking a year long break/ leave of absence from Statecom? GRP to be healing force. Getting support from folks in similar situations.

MP: will think about this.

DF: CD, are you saying suggest it, or statecom initiate

DR: Don’t let them push you off statecom.

MP: DR we have to think about the party.

CD: suggestion: Invite MP to take year long break from Statecom, until Ann. Convention 2019

EY: Speaking to Statecom: Can’t in good conscience participate in this decision...I will not participate.

DR: Propose getting PoC involved: Mediation by Ebony?, Jamie McLaughlin?

CD: ask MP consider leave of absence, notify [email protected] ... More like suggestion than proposal - Could have PoC involved.

MP: 1st talk with PVchapter, with statecom meeting minutes sent to them, then MP proposes to take leave of absence until next year’s convention.

MP: Open meeting, open minutes of PVchapter.

DR: Point of order: co-Chair doesn’t have the power to overrule us and do the negotiation.

EY: Who is facilitator:

DR: I am [one] and statecom shouldn’t have this racist witchhunt on the agenda.

MP: PVC meets next week. OK.

EY: addressing Statecom: Think that this is a very Bad Idea: sets threats from inside party OK, threats outside not OK - EY has received threats of physical force in party -

CD: Then you should report...

EY: I will not, because the threatener has no choice.

CD: That’s your choice.

DF: MP are you saying that you will

MP: want to discuss with PVC first on Wednesday. Then will write up email to take leave of absence until next year’s convention.

JA: Concerned that, without statecom decision, CD, DF are negotiating with MP, as if for Statecom, when really no statecom decision has been made. - Record incomplete, & Manny wasn’t in an official GRP role when incident occurred. - concerning, uncomfortable with this type of investigation ‘Where do we stop?’ - Bad process of statecom. we should consider this to be a conversation, not a statecom negotiation.

CD: This is a conversation. Stan Rosenberg incident similar in some ways. As GRP member-elected representatives, statecom must keep higher standard. We can’t ignore this.

DK: I can’t run for office now, issue would hurt party. Wish you luck.

EY: friend is VA nurse, says PTSD treatment at VA hospitals best avoided.

DF: All MP incidents happened in political conversations. ‘what do we stand for if GRP elected reps tolerate threatening?'

MP: to put DF at ease: I haven’t heard anyone say that no action would be taken.

DF: Proposal: Year suspension from statecom until ann. convention. GRP wants to assist with mediation between GRP and MP. Adcom to discuss with MP

DR: Fault now with this statecom, not with MP.

EY: not qualified to vote on this.

JA: MP used intemperate language, not GRP role to determine private conversation right and wrong. doesn’t support sanction.

Motion: Temp Suspend MP until Ann. Convention: Fails

CD: motion failed, minutes of this statecom meeting to PVChapter by 18th. [Brian C take note]

MP: Please understand - MP not letting statecom push me out - If PVchapter decides, MP decides to leave of absence of his own accord - MP Understands 10 key values, that GRP stands behind MP if MP threatened by white supremacists- MP felt threatened. Many threaten GRP. I will always stand for Peace and Justice.

 

-End MP phone call-

 

 

 

Urgent Matters: GPUS Steering Comm election soon. David Gerry running.

JA: Seeking statecom support for letter expressing statecom confidence in DG abilities & suitability for Steering comm co-chair role.

DR: DG apolitical? what faction gets support if DG elected?

DF: uncomfortable with ‘support’ wording

DK: DG willing to do work

EY: DG committed to state & Nat’l platforms, rises above political factions - EY comfortable with DG political positions.

JA: Some on Steering Comm block for personal agenda, DG’s approach welcome, needed.

CD: Supports DG because of what CD has seen at Nat’l Meeting.

EY: GPUS’s Steering Comm = GRP’s Adcom - Steering Comm. not decision-making body, like Statecom - Nat’l Council = decision-making body at USA level - has 7 members, members can be re-elected. Steering comm apolitical

DR: last years Newark election was quite political...[?]

Passed: JA writes letter of recommendation/support/

-

Joanna Herlihy seeks recommendation to Nat’l Platform Comm.

CD: in favor, & would like reports back to Statecom.

EY: Joanna doing much work with National Platform Comm

DR: part of Marathon bombing cover-up? but stands aside from a blocking concern

Passed:

-

Jordan Hodges seeks Adcom membership

CD: better statecom 1st, adcom later, adcom is a heavy lift, but if JH enthusiastic, OK

EY: Statecom must review bylaws so that each local chapter doesn’t need adcom representation.

CD: Adcom needs every chapter represented - must think of hierarchical ladder of state level connection progression.

DF: likes every chapter on adcom

CD: adcom meetings open

Passed.

-

Louise Gagnon in Adcom from PVChapter

Passed

-

MAAPL rep issue:

CD: representatives CD & DK stepping down. replacement reps sought. -1st fridays 1-3pm in-person or online meeting in Boston, typically at ABCD, & 3rd Friday telecon - MAAPL GRP rep role should be rotated - Law on tenants side actually - Banks breaking law - work super important especially in Worc. County - MAAPL coalition needs strengthening - lots of work needed here. Let’s ask a GBC member to be rep.

EY: MAAPL = GRP + initiative, Legislators fighting law

RW Accept[?]

 

Round robin evaluation

End.

 

-

2018 Aug 29 Statecomm Telecon Minutes

*Members in attendance:
John Andrews, Matt Andrews, Roni Beal, Brian Cady, Sean Connell, Charlene DiCalogero, Danny Factor, Josh Gerloff, David Rolde, and Elie Yarden.
Guests: Darlene Elias and David Gerry.


*Topics discussed:

PROPOSED AGENDA for GRP Statecom telecon , Wednesday August 29, 2018, 7:30pm

1. Roll Call and determination of quorum. 5 minutes
2. Approve the meeting agenda. 5 minutes
3. Appointing people to GRP officer and director positions and other positions. 5 minutes
    • 3a. appointing an Interim Membership Director .  We have at least one nomination already: Brian Cady who is already interim chairing the Membership Committee

4. Ballot Questions
    • 4a. Discussion of Ballot Question 2 for the Massachusetts state government to create a committee to recommend how to change the U.S. constitution to outlaw corporate personhood and regulate campaign contributions and spending. Should GRP endorse, oppose or take no position?  15 minutes
    • 4b. Moving forward, per decision from the July Statecom meeting, on a GRP statement in support of Question 1 to implement patient assignment limits for nurses in hospitals. 5 minutes
    • 4c. Moving forward, per decision from the July Statecom meeting, on a GRP statement in support of Question 3 to uphold the 2016 Massachusetts bill prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity in public places. 5 minutes

5. Financial report and account balances from Brian Crawford. 5 minutes
6. Motion for GRP to send a letter of interest to host the GPUS 2019 Annual National Meeting. 10 minutes
7. Motion for GRP to endorse the National Prison Strike. (presented by Matt Andrews). 5 minutes
8. Team Green-Rainbow Working Group
    • 8a. Report from the working group presened by Joshua, Charlene and/or Danny Factor. 5 minutes
    • 8b. Motion to move $500 from the GRP General Fund to Candidates Fund to assists our statewide candidates in the final two months of campaigning. 5 minutes

9. announcements. 10 minutes total
    • 9a. We need a new party treasurer and an assistant treasurer. Please look for GRP members who could serve in these positions
    • 9b.  State Committee members should serve on at least one working group or be an electoral candidate for government office or chair their local GRP chapter.  If you want to serve on Membership & Diversity Committee contact Brian Cady. If you want to serve on Communications Commitee contact Gretchen. If you want to serve on CDLC contact Charlene.  If you want to serve on Convention Planning Committee contact ?. Elie is trying to start the Legislative Committee. David Rolde is trying to restart the Platform Committee. If you want to serve on the Tech Committee contact David Gerry.  Fundraising & Finance Committee contact ?
    • 9c. GRP has a fund to provide financial support for people who need help to be able to afford to attend meetings and events.  Support can be for travel expenses, childcare expenses, etc. Meetings and events can include State Committee and other meetings, state and national GRP & GP conventions, events GRP has endorsed such as the Women’s March on the Pentagon, Etc.  People who need this financial support should contact Adcom to apply.

10. Wrap-up and meeting evaluation. 10 minutes

Total time: 90 minutes
 
*Decisions Made:

By Consensus: Interim Membership Director: Brian Cady
Passed by Consensus: no position on Ballot Question #2: John and David R will work on statement
Accepted by Consensus: Treasurer/Financial report
Passed by Consensus: send letter of inquiry into hosting 2019 ANM to Steering committee.
Passed by Consensus: support prison strike Matt A will do press release for/with Gretchen
Passed by Consensus: $500 moved to candidates fund
-

End.