Spring StateCom – Session 2

SUN. APRIL 24th, 10 a.m. p.m.- 1 p.m.

Co-Facilitators: Danny Factor, Eileen Sheehan

In attendance: Brian Cady, Sean Connell, Jamie Guerin, Lois Gagnon, John Andrews, Francis Jeffers, David Spanagel, Charlene DiCalerigerio, Dick Vaillette, Roni Beal, Carole Olyer, David Keil, Elie Yarden, Maureen Doyle, Mike Vaglica

Observers: David Gerry, Gloria Caballero Roca, Juan Sanchez, Michael Lavery

10:00 a.m. Call To Order/ Take Attendance/ Establish Quorum à Quorum Established

10:10        Seat State Com Alternates à Seated

10:15        Announce/Confirm Selection of Stacker (Danny Factor), Notetaker (Maureen Doyle/Sean Connell), Vibes Watcher (Jamie Guerin), and Parliamentarian (John Andrews)

10:20        Approve Agenda à Approved by consensus

10:30        Approval of Past State Com Minutes 

1.              a) Approval of Spring '22 First Meeting Minutes: Maureen will make amendments by Danny and Charlene. Minutes approved.
2.              b) Approval of Winter '22 Minutes: Notes from Danny and Roni will be incorporated, Minutes approved

10:50        GRP Candidates:

1. a) Announcement, Nomination, and/or Endorsement of any GRP Candidates

-Gloria Caballero Roca, Juan Sanchez, and Michael Lavery

-Michael Lavery: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Master's degree in Public Relations, Select Board Member, helped bring electric charging stations, eliminated plastic bags by getting rid of single-use plastic bags, seeking nomination for State Rep seat, is 1/3 of the way to getting on the ballot  The incumbent has been there for 20 years and hasn’t had a challenger in many years.  His website is michaelavery.com, Three Planks: Climate Change is Real, Drug Decriminalization, Transparency for Beacon Hill

-Gloria Caballero Roca (State Auditor): Holyoke Resident, Cuban, 2 Master's degrees, 2 PhDs, Ran for Mayor of Holyoke, Pushed for support for small businesses over corporate subsidies, we need more investments in public transportation, “we need human beings to support each other”, will be speaking at May Day rally in Boston.  As the State Auditor, she wants to make all spending public so we can follow the money

-Juan Sanchez (Secretary of Commonwealth): Holyoke Resident, Homeless prevention counselor, Been a member of GRP for 8 years, 2018 Candidate for Secretary of the Commonwealth where he received over 100,000 votes and helped secured

-Discussion around nominating versus endorsing.

-Nomination is used when candidates are running in partisan races; endorsement is used for other nonpartisan races. Bylaws 12.1 referenced.

-These will be considered nominations.

-Discussion around the best way to vote: Vote for Michael Lavery as one, and Gloria/Juan as a slate

-Maureen: Are Gloria and Michael registered Green? <Yes>

-David Keil: Has concerns around platforms and asked about written platform

-Gloria and Juan: have no problem providing the platform as it's developed, but generally they ascribe to green ideals and the GRP platform

Vote to Nominate Michael Lavery for State Rep- 18 Y, 0 N - Nominated!!

Vote to Nominate Slate Gloria/Juan for Auditor and Secretary- 18 Y, 0 N - Nominated!!

1. b) Plan for GRP Work on GRP Campaigns including Signature Gathering

-We have hired an organizer to start collecting candidates for our statewide candidates, David Spanagel has started these efforts as well. Looking to have regional captains to help coordinate. Email [email protected] for more information to get involved.

-Michael Lavery: Has met with some GRP members to start in earnest. Would love to have some people in seats as events get underway. June 18^th trail opening within the Town, but may make it a campaign event too.

1. c) Recruiting More GRP Candidates: CDLC is always open for anyone to nominate people to run both as individuals or people in the community we should reach out to

11:50        Appointment of Members to GPUS Committees

-Frank Jeffers for Eco-Action: worried about “bright green lies” and mentioned the Green New Deal had a ton of issues. His application has been circulated

Questions:

-Dan Kontoff: Just wanted to mention that there are other seats on national to look into sitting people on

-Jamie Guerin: Wants clarity around Frank's position on biofuels. Wants to know what propaganda is Frank concerned with. Wants to know why Green New Deal is wrong.

-Frank Jeffers: Worried that Howie Hawkins at one point supported nuclear but that is no longer supported. We should address issues with biofuels instead of applying blanket solutions.

-Elizabeth Humphrey: What are the specifics that you support with Scandinavian countries in biofuels?

-Frank Jeffers: They use foundries that use wood chips, they get a better product than if they use coal. But they import a lot of that.

-John Andrew: The GP has its own version of the Green New Deal. This was developed mostly during 2016. We need to make sure we can support this.

-Frank Jeffers: You can’t dictate results. We need to get back to basics and not use twice the resources the planet can hold. The GND has gone through many iterations. You can’t make it work if parts are not even feasible. I do support GND when and if it makes sense.

-Lois Gagnon: If you don’t support present GND, then what do you prescribe for it? What would your solution be?

-Frank Jeffers: We can’t get out of this so quickly. We spent 100 years getting into the problem, it’ll take at least the next 100 years to get out.

Comments:

-Charlene: Thank you for being willing to volunteer, but I do not think this is a good position for you at this time. It seems that you post endless thoughts without much in the way of solutions. Would suggest that we vote NO for Frank for this committee.

-Gloria: When she ran for mayor, people didn’t want to hear about issues like why do we consume so much and why can’t recycling be standard practice. There is a need to change the ways we live our lives, things that are doable, to help mitigate the climate crisis.

-John A: There have been very specific analyses to fix things. Is worried that Frank may be ignoring some solutions that do not take 100 years to turn things around.

-Danny: Was worried about the application. It was long on biography and short on positions. It seemed the GP is opposed to biofuels save for mild exceptions. Frank’s ideas on this do not seem to line up with official positions.

Vote #3 (Frank Jeffers appointed to Eco Action): 2 Y - 12 N - 4 Abstain: NOT Appointed

12:30        Committee Reports 

-Finance Fund: Still hasn’t met

-David S (CDLC): Met after first spring StateCom to meet with candidates and go over their forms, Next CDLC meeting is Tuesday, April 26^th at 8:30 pm

-Membership: Not able to report

-Roni: Convention Planning meeting is on zoom on Wednesday 27^th at 6:30 pm

-Eileen (ComCom): Action reports on offshore drilling and Earth Day. Large rally in Western MA that got a lot of press. Jill Stein there. Jamie G and her child were interviewed (WGBH). We should look for these photos since our candidates and our party was advertised. The next ComCom Meeting is Monday 25^th, at 630 via zoom. The co-Chair is Jack Swindlehurst

-Dan Kontoff (Earth Day Rally): Lois Gagnon, Michael Heichman, John Blumenstiel all in attendance. There are pictures of marchers with banners.

12:50        Meeting Evaluation

**There will be a May meeting. A doodle poll will be sent out

David S: Appreciate all the work of facilitators

Jamie G: Good meeting! Thanks to our candidates for showing up!! Hopes our energy and efforts can be honed and focused on for these candidates.  

Lois: Very happy about getting our candidates nominated. Gathering signatures now has to be the #1 priority for all of us across the state.

Roni: State Convention is on October 1^st, will be an opportunity for candidates to speak

Carole: What a good meeting with three great meetings! This will be last meeting as I’m moving!

Maureen: Disappointed with lack of diversity. Best of Luck to Carole

Charlene: Very productive meeting. Thank you to the facilitators, to Sean and Maureen for the minutes, and for people’s good attention. It's so important that we have meetings where we make decisions and we did that today.

John A: Good meeting, appreciated all those who made it happen. What we do between meetings is also so important, particularly in supporting our candidates. Once candidates have committees, we can all help by donating. Suggests we give each the maximum of $500 from party coffers.

Brian: Thank you all to those who did roles and for attending and working together

Sean: Great meeting! Excited about the candidates, and looking forward to hearing Gloria’s speech on May Day

David Keil: Express concern of pattern around procedural decisions around excluding people

Gloria: Thank you so much, everyone. I will do my best to represent this party. I will be out there and voicing our concerns.

Michael Lavery: Thank you so much for the support and for letting me speak. I have already filed with the campaign finance office, I have a treasurer. Never hesitate to contact me. I will see you on the campaign trail

Dan Kontoff: Thank you to the candidates. Two great facilitators.

Dick V: Thanks to the facilitators and candidates. The more we help the candidates the more we help ourselves and the earth

Danny Factor: Wishes Carole well and thanks to her for her time. Thanks to Eileen as co-facilitator, and others who took on roles. To the candidates- your speeches were great. So many issues are covered. So happy to support and it's our job to help you get the word out

Eileen: Grateful to all, especially Danny as co-facilitator. Please remember we have a newsletter going out very soon! Goes out May 1^st.

12:44pm Adjourn