{news} approved minutes of the 2-27-07 SCC meeting of the GP of CT

Wed Apr 11 23:36:54 EDT 2007

Minutes of the 2-27-07 SCC meeting of the Green Party of CT.
quorum met.

Location: Portland Senior Center, 7 Waverly Avenue, Portland, CT 06480
Phone:  860-342-6760         

Time: 7PM to 9PM
Facilitator/Moderator: Jerry Martin, New Haven Chapter

Voters by chapter: Central: Vic Lancia; Fairfield: David Bedell, Richard
Duffee, Patricia Kane; Greater Hartford: Barbara Barry, Secretary of GP of
CT; Michael DeRosa, co-chairperson of GP of CT; Christopher

Reilly, Treasurer of GP of CT; New Haven: Jerry Martin; Northeast: Jean
DeSmet and Amy Vas Nunes.        Non-voting attendees: none

A.      Preliminaries:

1.       Introductions of voting attendees; chapters; if quorum was met;
ground rules.

2.       Approval of tonight’s proposed agenda; deletions: GPUS report due
to the lack of representatives; additions: press release procedures.

3.       Review and approval of minutes of 1-30-07 SCC meeting.

4.    Review and acceptance of minutes from the 2-9-07 EC meeting.

5.       Treasurer’s 2-28-07 report by Christopher Reilly: Contributions:
$123.82 from Pat Kane’s campaign and $700+ from Jean deSmet’s campaign. An
unsolicited $1000 check from the Working Families PAC was received from
Patricia Kane at the 1-30-07 SCC meeting.  Because of the 1-30-07 SCC
directive and the State of CT regulations, the GP of CT had to resolve what
it would do with the check in a timely fashion.  At the 2-7-07 EC meeting,
it was unanimously determined that the Treasurer would: a) try to elicit
from the WF PAC, why they were sending the check. Treasurer received no
phone or written response from the WF PAC contact, to date; and b) the
Treasurer returned the check to the WF PAC with the following wording:
“Thank you for your generous donation of $1,000. Unfortunately, it is the
policy of the Central Committee of the Green Party of Connecticut to only
accept donations from individuals. In light of this policy, we are returning
your check. Please note that the policy of not accepting PAC money does not
extend to Green Party Candidates. Each GP of CT candidate is free to set
his/her own policy regarding such donations.  Therefore, we are returning
your check.”    SCC Consensus: approved of action.

B.                   Reports:

1.       CT Green Times: MD: Eric DeVos has gotten the needed parts for the
printer and if ready to print; Likely date of availability is 3-21-07 with
the ballot with self-addressed envelope for the 4-21-07 convention might be
inserted in the newspaper; format: like the Advocate newspaper. In the
newspaper: articles about such things as energy rates/election reform/etc.;
chapter issues and information about contacts, meeting dates; candidate
profiles; fundraising ad.  

2.       GP of CT Internal Elections Committee for 4-21-07 convention: JdS:
David Sumerall has withdrawn for co-chair. Declared candidates:
co-chairperson: Jean DeSmet, Michael DeRosa, Jerry Martin; Secretary:
Barbara Barry; Treasurer: Christopher Reilly; 2 people have announced for
the 3 GPUS Representative positions: Charles Pillsbury and Amy Vas Nunes.
“None of the Above” will as be on the ballot; A speaker may be wanted. Site
of convention: New Haven Labor Council on Water Street, New Haven. Has easy
access from I-91 and I-95.

3.       Deleted: GPUS updates, survey and report from CTGP representatives:
Tim McKee and Charlie Pillsbury.

4.   Chapter reports regarding the proposed Bylaws Committee Proposals for
the 4-21-07 convention vote:

Fairfield Chapter: PK: okayed the original by-law proposal; Northeast
Chapter: JdS: suggested some deletions of what was perceived as repetitive
wording. Greater Hartford: BB: unanimously voted not to approve the any
versions of the By-law;

RD: suggested that 90days are needed for getting feedback from others. Also
raised option that only members should vote and not chapters.

AVN: this is self-imposed deadline to have any bylaw changes presented to
the 4-21-07, so a self-imposed deadline can be extended to allow for a fully
informed and responsive feedback from members and chapters.

BB: need another By-laws Committee meeting to discuss these chapter
concerns.

JdS: I will call Caleb to see if we can resolve what the by-law proposal
should be.

5.       GP of CT Website: MD: Eric DeVos now has the keys to the website.
He is in the process of changing the format to the present website and is
trying to develop portals.  MS will notify the listserv when the portals are
available. 

6.    ACLU lawsuit: MD: the Green Party got an email from the ACLU, our law
firm in this lawsuit regarding the 2005 CT “campaign finance reform” law.
The ACLU wanted to fully disclose to the GP of CT that:

the law firm which is represents The Motion to Intervene group ( i.e. CCAG,
Common Cause and Thomas Sevigny) also has provides ACLU with some
immigration information/resources.  The ACLU would like feedback from the GP
of CT about if the GP of CT believes this is a conflict of interest.  At the
2-7-07 EC meeting, 3 officers believed it was not a conflict of interest (MD
and JdS and CR), BB perceived it was a conflict of interest.  Michael
Westerfield, co-chairperson, was not present.
Consensus of SCC: that there was not a conflict of interest.

7.       Political issues the GP of CT is  addressing with legislators
during the 2007 Legislative Session: 

a) MD: several members of Fight the Hike group spoke at the Energy Committee
regard the electrical rate increases which have most recently affected the
United Illuminating customers in New Haven area more so these last 3 months
than Connecticut Light and Power in the rest of the state.  The
Co-chairpersons: Rep. Fontana, Democrat from North Haven, was present and
for the 1st time, Co-chairperson, Senator John Fonfara, Democrat
Hartford/Wethersfield was present for a few minutes. Senator Fonfara stated
that “re-regulation” of the electrical industry was “communistic” and that
the idea of more municipal electrical utilities “was a dangerous idea”.
This was in response to Mike DeRosa’s statement, that the municipal
utilities have been able, throughout the country and in CT, to not increase
electrical rates when non-municipal utilities were increasing rates up to
1000% as in California.

    There will be a 2-28-97 press conference at noon at the CT State
Legislative Office Building by Fight the Hike. CT Attorney General
Blumanthal has expressed interest in having a Power Authority and supports
re-regulation. JdS:   Still trying to get a meeting with Senate Pro Tem,
John Williams and Minority Leader, Amann.  We have There are many different
versions of what Universal Health Care programs can be e.g. Medicare for
All. The Health Care for All coalition wants the GP of CT to join them.
However, it appears that we have different ideas about what that is.

8.    Connecticut Anti-War Marches on 3-17-07: AVN: in Hartford at the Old
State House at 3pm. It has yet to be decided if it will be a rally or a
march and if any civil disobedience will be done, after training. David
Ianno, a Veteran for Peace and a Hartford Green Party member will speak.
Sponsor=CT Opposes The War: CCAG, PURG, Lamont people, Quakers, GP of CT. 

9.    Volunteers needed to help organize/run the 4-21-07 convention can
contact BB and JM of the Convention Committee: likely to have  literature &
merchandise tables; food, fundraiser, speakers.

10.   Chapter reports.

a) Greater Hartford: MD:  David Ianno is running for Hartford City Council
as a Green Party member.  The Working Families Party has asked him to run as
their candidate, also. He has declined.  We plan on revising our Film
Nights: location: to be determined. 

b) Fairfield:  DB: working on Impeach Bush and Cheney resolutions; trying to
find appropriate candidates for various positions; may want to participate
in a traveling file show.

RD:  I have not received an acknowledgement from Justine McCabe of the GPUS
International Committee, that the SCC on 1-9-07 authorized me to be part of
the GPUS IC. She has indicated that a requirement is that she must have
emails from all 3 co-chairpersons from the GP of CT to affirm that I was
authorized by the GP of CT to be on the GPUS IC.  

c) Northeast:  JdS:  trying to develop a full slate of local candidates; I
am running for First Selectman (like the mayor); students at UCONN and ECSU
are interested in starting a GP chapter.

d) New Haven: JM: campaign financing has started in the New Haven area for
candidates, as authorized as a pilot program of the 2005 CT campaign finance
law; we are seeking $25 donations from New Haven registered voters for our
local GP fundraiser.

11.       Date, place and time of next EC meeting in 3-6-07: around
Glastonbury area.

12.       Date, place and time for next SCC meeting 3/27/07: New Haven
Chapter will try to find a location. If they are unable, the SCC will seek
the assistance of Vic Lancia to find a site in Portland or Middletown.

-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 269.2.0/757 - Release Date: 4/11/2007
5:14 PM

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://pairlist10.pair.net/mailman/private/ctgp-news/attachments/20070411/8247d5ae/attachment.html>