GRP State Committee Meeting Minutes, January 26. 2019
Location: St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church, 435 Central St., Acton, MA. Hosted by Assabet River Valley GRP chapter.

The meeting commenced at 10 am.

Call for Quorum:

• Seven members are required for quorum. We have it at 10!

Modify/Approve Agenda:

• Add Co-chairs' report. Approved by consensus with addition.

Approve Previous Minutes:

• Fall Minutes 2018-09-30: Approved
• Emergency Statecom Telecon 2018-10-25: Approved
• Statecom Telecon 2018-11-14: Approved
• Emergency Statecom Telecon 2018-12-21: Approved

Next Meetings:

• Telecon: March 7, 2019 7:30PM.
• Spring Statecom:
  • Preferred date: April 7, 2019.
  • Second choice: April 6, 2019
  • Next Meeting Co-facilitators: Hal Brown and Jed Stamas. Sean Connell will advise.
  • Mike Pascucci and Matt Andrews will work on Greater Boston venue.
    • Armory in Somerville? Boston?
    • Reminder: All statecom meetings should be wheelchair accessible facilities.
• ATTN: Chapters: Please submit 3 potential places for Statecom and Convention.

Co-Chair report: Charlene:

2018 Election Analysis: John Andrews:

• Re: 2018 statewide elections, 3 candidates for statewide office: Juan Sanchez for Secretary of the Commonwealth, Jamie Guerin for State Treasurer, and Jed Stamas for State Auditor.
• 3 GRP candidates spent less than $7000 vs $3.03M.
  • Jed: Suzanne Bump Incumbent Candidate for State Auditor accepted campaign contributions and gave that to other Democratic campaigns. Is this money laundering: funnelling money to exceed campaign finance limits. Bump as auditor is responsible for fiscal responsibility and ethical spending.
• John: Juan 3.8%, Jamie 3.5% and Jed in a 4 way race 2.6%. We lose when a Libertarian (?) runs a strong race.
  • Ebony: Because the GRP achieved 3% of the vote, we should demand update of RMV online political party registration.
• John: In some municipalities we are the SECOND party, out-polling Republicans. Correlate with Jill Stein vote at  least 80%. Anything over .5 is strong correlation. Jamie Guerin correlated in a different way: Maybe more campaigning there in PV? Maybe she was in the press more?
  • Jed: No, probably Jamie because of Dan Fishman endorsement.
  • Mike V: WGBH protest where Dan endorsed Jamie.
• John: Chart that takes the vote of 351 communities and shows how the numbers correlate. Juan did great in Holyoke his hometown. Juan did great in Pioneer Valley. Clusters in Boston, Ptown GLBT came out? Where will you run strong? Look at this map. Strong in Somerville.
  • Danny: Lowell and Lawrence: places where we don’t have chapters, places economically challenged, Juan did  well in Merrimack Valley areas, why is there no chapter. Lawrence 7%.
  • Elie: Red Triangles work out where our membership is strong, Lenox and Pittsfield. When you do the correlation with GRP Membership.
• John: Bubble map: Diameter . Big bubble = Boston. Concerned with 3%. Need to run well in Boston, Worcester, Springfield to bring in the votes.
• John: Strong correlation with Juan and hispanic voters, caused people to give him a  vote. Correlation with Zakim, no anger at Galvin. Main Correlation: Multilinear variables. Media whiteout was a main constraint. Juan ran stronger in home town Holyoke. Hispanic name. Confident with a down ballot candidate that we can get 3% of the vote. Gov and Lt Gov different: more difficult to achieve 3%.
• Email John for a copy, etc. label non official. Concerns: Kind of long? Is it ok? Confidential.
• Action item: pass to Com Com and Gretchen.

Response to WBUR On Point slander of Green Party: Charlene:

• August 10, 2018 On Point Week In Review News , Jack Beatty, news analyst for On Point, went on a tear, “...cannot underestimate the nefariousness of the Green Party.” Sent email August 24, 2018 and Sept 24, 2018. Matt Andrews made a call to the receptionist. Might have a record of his call. 3 contacts.
• WBUR has periodic Executive Administrative Council (EAC) meetings that are open to the public. Charlene, Josh, David Spanagle and Dick Vaillette went to the meeting.
• Charlene asked for an apology to the GPUS/GRP for what Jack Beatty says are facts: these were outright lies. For example, Jack Beatty attributed Gore's non acceptance of the Presidency to Nader spoiling the vote in Florida: Gore gave up due to lack of back bone.
• We want airtime and more opportunities to present our candidates: WBUR didn't cover any of our candidates in 2018!
• Gave them a deadline of Sept 25, 2019 for response.
• We sent follow up email Sept 24, 2019.
• The GRP received a response Sept 25, 2019 from Sam Fleming: he avoids discussing facts vs making stuff up, no response re Jack Beatty’s claims and outright lies. Says Jack was “tough on us” and apologizes for not covering Juan Sanchez.
• Don’t have to decide anything now, but what do you think?:
  • There is still something they can do about it: they can still invite Juan onto the show.
  • Jed: During the campaign, WGBH shut candidates out of the debates. We had coverage in the Western Mass media. Larger issue: involves all of NPR: the Senate debates shut Shiva out of the debate.
  • Elie: The problem is a bigger one: loss of memory. Media most guilty. Lots of healing needed by GPUS. Memory loss effects politicians. People don’t want to remember things.
  • Dan: Reporters only care about their jobs. Need to keep approaching them and push them to cover Juan.
  • Mike V: Let young people know what we are doing. Reach out to college media.
  • John: media activism: main problem is media blackout. We can get around being outspent. Boston Globe terrible for a long time. In 2008, Jill was being shutout. GRP obtained a list of debate sponsors, which we then publicized: people who donated to WGBH caught wind of this and pressured those sponsors to back out of debate. Pass this tactic on to long standing working group. We must keep up the pressure on media.
  • Mike P: We should have a list of friendly media and send PR and statements.
  • Dan: Dig magazine reaches a lot of people: Jason Primus at E5 is an editor?
  • Charlene: We have / will send a copy to GPUS: this can escalate this nationally. Other thing to remember: need to go public with this. How few media outlets cover 3rd party news. But there is public money involved, we can pull power moves. WBUR doesn’t have a public complaint policy, when you get a complaint, how quickly do you respond.
  • Jed: May have an ombudsman WBUR has one whose role should resolve complains, they know about it. Jed tweeted to all the addresses they are aware.

Annual National Meeting Working Group Report

• Hal: The GPUS ANM Committee is talking about themes. Looking at off campus venues for  fundraiser. The ANM 2019 Website will be up soon with a link for submitting workshop proposals. Hal asked Tamar about OCPF legal issues concerns. She will address specific questions.
• John: ANM 2019 will run July 25-29. We must encourage as many GRP members to attend: through media activism, etc. Let’s set a number goal of GRP members attending, help people in keeping track of the registration deadlines / status etc. We can promote this on our own list. We can bolster the Participation fund to defray the cost for our members. John invited Pirate Party Jamie O'Keefe to do a workshop, but they make workshop speakers pay registration.
• Elie: make an appropriation for publicizing advertising this ANM meeting, find a way of making this newsworthy. It’s a Massachusetts event so it should be all over social media.
• Hal: Do we want to record the workshops? Salem Access TV loves to cover political events.

Appointments

• Jed Stamas was appointed Statcom Alternate at Summer 2018 Statecom.
• Mike V nominated for Alternate. With no concerns, Mike is appointed by consensus.
• Brian Harris: First meeting, not particularly politically active. Worked for Bernie. Voted for Jill. This is the level I’d like to be active: locally and state. The Green-Rainbow Party is consistent with my core values. There is so much to talk about. I’m very concerned with money in politics, would like to create a climate for more third parties. I want a pluralistic system.
  • Elie: Would you consider being an alternate? You must be active locally. This isn’t where the action is. We need people active in Somerville.
    • Danny: No concerns with Brian Harris being a full member. People need to find their place.
    • Brian commits to local action moving forward. I’ve always shared these values, but I haven’t put them into action.
    • Mike V: We must be welcoming to newbs. Still trying to get educated. Big commitment.
    • Sean: has been active for 13 years. Get involved and learn.
    • Ebony: Love the push for diversity, youth and people of color, but I also like tough love. People have to come correct. We want diversity and growth, but don’t spare the rod, ok? TOUGH LOVE!
  • Brian H seeks appointment to be a full Statecom Member. With 9 for, 1 against and 2 abstentions, Brian is elected Statecom Member!
• Mike Pascucci nominated for Alternate by Danny: “He is level headed and  concise, really into organization.” He accepts nomination. With no concerns, Statecom appoints by consensus Mike Pascucci to Statecom Alternate!
• David Barkley (Ebony) nominated for Alternate by Elie and Danny. With no concerns, Ebony is appointed by consensus Alternate to Statecom! David Barkley works for unions.
• Karen Boutet nominated for Alternate by Danny. Karen: “Attracted by the platform and the grassroots activism.” Danny: “Karen has been an activist for many years around the state doing incredible work.” With no concerns, Karen Boutet is appointed by consensus to Statecom Alternate!
• Darlene Elias’ appointment to the GPUS International Committee ends this month. If anyone wants to be involved in International Committee seek info from the GPUS website.
• Joshua Gerloff seeks appointment to the GPUS Animal Rights Committee. With no concerns, Statecom appoints by consensus Josh to the ARC for 2 years. His term will end February 2021.
• John Andrews seeks reappointment to the GPUS Presidential Campaign Support Committee. With no concerns, John is re-appointed by consensus. His term will end February 2021.

Martina Robinson memorial

Danny: Remembering Martina Robinson who died recently at 42 years old. She was our Green-Rainbow candidate for Lt. Governor in 2006, but more than that, a disability rights, lgbtq advocate as well. She had cerebral palsy. She was a paraplegic who used a  wheelchair and had some hard times in her last years. She spent some time being homeless, and is case study of how government utterly fails people, in particular people with disabilities. Can you imagine being homeless while being a wheelchair user? Massachusetts does not have homeless shelters that will allow you to have an aide to help you, so she was homeless on the street with no one to help her. Danny helped get  her into a nursing home, and she eventually found public housing. Martina was a hero when it came to advocating for people with disabilities and human dignity. Someone once said of Martina that she had a “servant’s heart, especially for people with disabilities.” She lobbied politicians and media about disability hurdles. We should be honored to have had her in our party. Martina lived in West Roxbury when she died, before that Belchertown, Lowell and Lawrence, and was originally from Pennsylvania.

• Elie: Knew her as a GRP candidate for Lt Gov, was around with her during that campaign.
• Sean: joined the party as a young political student, I hated Democrats. But Grace Ross and Martina were fearless! They had the willingness to jump in. We should model our activism on Martina: there’s no time like the present. Let’s move forward.
• Dan: drove her to GP convention in PA. Worked on her campaign with Grace Ross. There are so many homeless people who use wheelchairs! People with disabilities   don't get rights.

End of year report and Provisional FY2019 Budget: Brian Cady:

• • Brian Cady, GRP Treasurer, is using the 2018 budget as a framework for 2019.
  • Charlene:this is a succinct way to present the budget. We have a Fundraising and Finance (Fun Fin) committee now. ANM discussion mentions the Participation Fund.
  • Danny: what was the beginning balance? Printing needs to be more. Only $400 for convention rent seems low. We must give the Treasurer guidance like last year. Let  the 2018 expenditures be the guide for our 2019 budget. $200 is too low for printing.
  • Hal: Can we collect money other ways besides Paypal?
    • Charlene: People can send in checks, must be careful about cash. Wasn’t able to donate through Paypal, but can donate with a credit card on the website.
    • Brian Harris: Paypal alternatives: Venmo or Cash Out?
    • Dan Kontoff: Venmo isn’t accepting new clients. Alibaba is a bigger cash app.
  • Elie: Was there a change in maximum amount for individual contributions?
    • Brian: went from $500 to $1500 (NOTE post-meeting: the legal calendar year donation limit from an individual is $5,000 for the State Fund and $10,000 for the Federal Fund--Charlene)?
    • Elie: what are limits on contributions? What does GRP want to do for the coming year? In setting goals, a differentiation between state and federal funds?
    • Brian: Federal Fund is used mainly for presidential campaign years.
    • Elie: Is Federal Fund in the budget?
    • Brian: We must have a federal account for that kind of spending.
  • Charlene: Our expense is higher than income?
    • John: We don’t want to spend down to zero, because of unexpected expenses/opportunities, but what about worthy costs environmental, ANM 500 is low, increase to 1000 put in reserve in case we want to spend it when we need to? We need good materials, buttons, paper products?
  • Brian Cady: Money comes in, goes to santander state account. Santander is a depository account bank need to have.
    • MV: Campaign school: why designate money for this but not schools? Need school outreach money.
    • Brian: Campaign School is for teaching us to be candidates, campaign officers, etc.
    • Sean: Santander is statewide, otherwise we would have to change banks if local bank. We make money on Campaign School.
    • Charlene: We don’t do a Campaign School unless we get enough people to sign up. State convention is when people pay dues etc. silent auction, etc. 2019 is an off year, local campaigns, let's drop the budgeted amount.
  • Elie: We need  a budget for political action. We are facing climate change. Need a change in awareness in the political and climate situation. Need more membership. Let people know what the green party is.
  • Sean : Process to request money. Being a treasurer is difficult. Brian can’t know all this. We never have more than $10,000, comes in goes out.
  • Danny: Proposal: Approve a budget for 2019 provisionally with a review at Spring Statecom, based on current conditions and what  we spent last year, with 2 exceptions: bump Participation Fund to $1000. Candidate contributions keep at $1399 in municipal elections but city elections may need more money.
    • Elie: Assigning sums is not something that can be done here
    • John: Danny’s motion ripples throughout the whole sheet. Substitute last years expenses is disrespectful to Brian’s work.
    • Charlene: Given that we don’t have proper budget, we are using the EOY report as basis for 2019 budget. Charlene proposes to increase our income amount to match danny’s proposal.
    • Charlene: Use budgeted column but increase expected income.
    • John: Asking Fun Fin to make good on increased income.
    • Danny: Go by Budgeted Column with Charlene’s and John’s friendly budget.
    • Elie: Who here has experience in institutional budgets?
    • Danny: We have not had a functional Fun Fin in the 10 years Danny has been in the party. Use this as a guide and send to Fun Fin, and Brian can present something back with conditions that call for something else. Need ownership of our budget.
    • Danny: Advocating for budgeted with increasing income and more for printing.
    • Sean: The budget is constantly reacting to the situation at hand. This needs to be a guide. Let's accept this. Accept tentatively.
    • Danny: Accept budgeted plus 2 changes: increase expected income + more for printing. Real situations: Adcom may be hamstrung. Make these changes so it allows Adcom to be flexible. This is not micromanaging.
    • Charlene: we do this every year. Second the motion for a Provisional Budget at $7470 dollars, with expected increase in income.
    • Elie: Brian is new to this. We are not prepared to present a real political budget.

• Summarize: Approve the Budgeted Column with 2 changes: increased income and more for printing = provisional budget. Fun Fin is encouraged to raise more money.

• Charlene: Need to see an increased amount for income, $500-$1000 for Participation Fund, and $200-$100 for printing.

• Elie stands aside. Approved by consensus. Provisionally budgeted.

Bylaws amendment:

• Danny and ARVC: Friendly Amendment: “If one of the purposes of the State Committee meeting is to change a bylaw or to change any part of our Party Agenda , the notice period shall be 10 days. " (the purpose of this is to make sure that this bylaw change is not used for bad faith purposes such as taking advantage of time periods when particular state com members are out town and then altering the whole nature of our party. After all, there is really no instance in which a bylaw or Party Agenda change cannot wait 10 days. The more usual pressing reasons to call an emergency meeting— such as to elect an officer— stays intact. with 5 days notice allowed)
• John: Friendly Amendment: “All Agenda Items To Be Taken Up In This Meeting Shall Be Clearly Identified In The Announcement.”
• Elie: Exclude changes of policy.
  • Danny: There are criteria for special meetings in the Standing Rules  of Statecom.
  • John: Adcom will make the right decision about whether we have a special meeting, so there should be no constraint. Unless we are about to be sued etc, we might want to change our policy before. We must trust Adcom to do their  job.
• John: Concerned about 1 officer calling a meeting.
  • Danny: At least such a Statecom meeting called by 1 person could not change a bylaw or policy. Not difficulty to call a quorum of Adcom.
  • Straw poll: how many concerned with changing prop from 1 officer calling the meeting to 2 officers calling the meeting. None.
• Charlene accepts Danny’s/ARVC Friendly Amendment “10 Days Notice Or As Soon As Quorum Is Achieved For Bylaws Or Party Agenda Change” and John Andrews Friendly Amendment “All Agenda Items To Be Taken Up In This Meeting Shall Be Clearly Identified In The Announcement”.
• Elie had a blocking concern: consensus is not reached and we move to a vote.
• Vote: 15 yes. 1 elie no.  The proposal is accepted with friendly amendments by Danny and John.

Volunteer enumerating Proposal:

• Brian Cady: Creates liaison slots between chaps and coms. Not necessary to fill these now. This creates a structure. Working coms consisting of local chapter reps. Diverse feedback.
• Danny: Brian great job. We value decentralization, encourage chaps to do there own work, is this something the work com can do on its own. Vol basis can contact chapters and arrange things ask things on their own. Are you saying these appointment need statecom approval.
• Brian: want Statecom's permission.
• Danny: not sure this belongs here but will support if Brian thinks this is necessary. Willing to do what you need.
• John: who will do the work? Not sure what this is is. Not sure how to vote. Can’t grasp this.
• Brian: I feel that our urge to group and be solid is amorphous, when i go to local chapter meeting do you know anyone who can handle this specific job.
• Elie: principles of ecological politics. Action of group at local level. Most chapter are successful locally, linked with local problems. Develop in group interaction. Loss of memory here that interferes with our dealing with race. Etc. learn how to work with others,. Look at a problem.
• Brian: this is aspirational. At state level we are weak. People haven’t heard from us unless there is a fundraiser. This doesn’t address the local situation. Need a state volunteer infrastructure.
• Sean: set up an air traffic control position. When chap membs want to get involved with the state party and send to this person?
• Brian: we must invite people to join and ask.
• Dan K: good to have someone who works with all the chapters.
• Josh: Volunteer integrator goes to the chapters and is a directive to identify people in the community and invite them into the party to work for their local chapter as a liason.
• Brian: south coast mem liaison. Go there and think about who we know, who is good at this, this is their strength so invite them in.
• Charlene: elaborate plan for many positions. Some level of interest based on our platform and candidates.. More often you get involved with a local  chapter somehow, but what must proceed this plan, ask our chapters you know your members . first thing: this isn’t a job. How do we relate? Need to give a clear presentation.
• Danny: im For this, MDVR wants to engage in this endeavour. If you need statecom endorsement, probably shouldn’t object.
• Elie: MDVR member: locals are built from local struggle. Wrong way. Another way to do it, I’m at where things are no! Has MDVR supported this. YES.
• Brian: do you know people who are interested and able to .
• Danny: MDVR supports this. We should support.
• Vote: 8 yes. 4 against. 4 abstain. It passes with a ⅔ majority voting in favor.

Reports from chapters

• Young Greens UMass Boston (YGUMB): Charlene: summarize: wrote WGBH for excluding our candidates. Speaker on Arab-Israeli relations. Both Co-chairs are graduating. Trying to recruit more members. Want a  campus event re VCMA.
• South coast: met once: started newsletter. Newsletter every other week, mayoral recall shenanigans, want a green candidate.
• Pioneer Valley: Jed: meeting on wednesday, meeting every month, event civil assistance. action day, in springfield libertarians were cleaning up parks during shut down, feeding the homeless. Dan Kontoffk: food for activists.
• North Shore: http://www.green-rainbow.org/north_shore_4th_quarter_2018_report
• Greater Boston: nothing formal: informally, break from direct action to work on internal, long meeting, what our goals are, get to know each other, address abstentions, what to do between  meetings. Elie: add: in area gbc, school committee engaging as greens but not as a member of the chapter.
• Central Mass Green-Rainbow: http://www.green-rainbow.org/cmgr_4th_qtr_2018_report
• Charlene: attendance of 9 avg. ran 2 candidates . director of mass peace action. Gordon davis working on fully funding education, got our grp sponsorship of one of those events.
• Assabet River Vallley: Core chaper members are Danny:Tar, Karen, Barbara and Terra. Chapter ran 2 candidates in the fall, Danny (State Rep)  and Terra (State Senate). Debriefed those campaigns. Jim Snyder-Grant running currently for Selectman in Acton. Tar Larner running for re=election to the Concord Housing Authority. Both elections are on March 26, 2019. Danny and Terra serve on the Board of Directors of the citizens group Green Acton.The chapter is involved in curbing development, reducing the regions’ carbon footprint and engendering a more sustainable and just lifestyle.
  
• Boston Green-Rainbow City Committee: DR complaint.
• Boston Green-Rainbow Ward committee

Reports from Working Committees and Directors:

• Convention: Roni: climate change theme and solutions. 2019 GND for peace justice and democracy. Jill Stein on committee and will speak at convention. David Spanagel is going to London. Popinchok will be sexton. Jordon Hodges is also on convention committee.
• Com Com: Hal: conflicted with an Adcom meeting? Tom Grzybowski. Software security.
• CDLC: Charlene: two candidates around Acton. 36 considering, municipal, state or federal. Continue to get inquiries. 3 active on CDLC, hoping to reactivate member out of country. Who can be a good candidate in 2020. Need that other candidate. Candidate survey: deadline: Jan 31, 2019. Danny: disappointing. More focused on candidates. We must run candidates! Let's meet in April and hear about candidates.
• Fundraising and Finance: 4 members
• Membership: Since Fall 2018 Statecom, MDVR has met 4 times. We completed the calendar year with the team's focus on the November election cycle. Our post election effort focused on the creation of a Mission Statement to focus our efforts in the coming year. That statement has been accepted by the MDVRC. A proposed agenda for the coming year has been distributed, but will require the committees refinement and ultimate approval in early 2019 to establish our work plan moving forward. On December 21, 2018, John Blumenstiel was appointed Membership Director by Statecom.  The change was made to accomodate Brian Cady's new role as GRP treasurer.
• Tech: David Gerry. Has voter rolls.

Round Robin Feedback

• Charlene: we got a lot done. Sean is a great facilitator. Great start  to the year.
• Dan Kontoff: gay pride lets march! Meeting good. We need a vibes person.
• Brian Harris: Very educational. Jumping in. Looking forward to learning more.
• Hal: great meeting.
• Jed: great facilitation. Much back and forth about props. More on election results and pres election. May have slate for northampton city council.
• RB: sean permanent vibes walker. People need to stop dominating the meeting. They go on and on.
• Brian: good meeting. Thanks facilitators!
• Frank Jeffers: I think everything went well.
• Elie: chief problem is loss of memory. Walking around in a fog. Green Party is not immune.
• Danny: pleasure to have everyone here.
• Josh: I am impressed by the attendance! Also Ralph Walton walked from the train station?
• Ralph Walton: We can view the voter list, now that we are a recognized state party.
• John: Great! Got business done. Facilitators doing a great job. Democrats and Republicans won't do it.

Adjourn at 4:30 PM and cleanup.