MGP Coordinating Council Meeting
January 23, 2024
Attendees: Mary Rooker (Co-Chair), Charlotte McBrearty (Co-Chair), Brian Bittner (Secretary), Tim Willard (Treasurer), Bill Barry (Baltimore City), Nancy (Montgomery County Delegate), John Robison (Parliamentarian), Renaud Brown (At-Large Delegate), Harry Isaksson (At-Large Delegate), Andy Ellis (Observer)
With seven members in attendance, quorum is met.
Meeting commenced at 7:11 PM with member check-ins.
Meeting commenced at 7:11 PM with member check-ins.
Agenda approved with no additions.
Officer Reports
Mary: made updates to the Candidates page on mdgreens.org
Charlotte: posting occasional updates to MGP Facebook page, others can send information to Charlotte for posting
Brian: draft minutes of December CC meeting was posted to CC listserv; new page set up for CC meeting minutes; archive list of CC decisions next to be updated
Officer Reports
Mary: made updates to the Candidates page on mdgreens.org
Charlotte: posting occasional updates to MGP Facebook page, others can send information to Charlotte for posting
Brian: draft minutes of December CC meeting was posted to CC listserv; new page set up for CC meeting minutes; archive list of CC decisions next to be updated
Tim: financial report was posted to CC listserv, starting to see signs of increased donations
Loomio Decisions
Proposal to Create Communications Committee: passed
Endorsement of HoCo statement: passed
Local Reports
Baltimore City: working to get more people involved in signature gathering, a few new people have indicated interest, the local is planning a petitioning workshop soon
Montgomery County: State Supreme Court held hearing on BACC (Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition), after party was held in DC with appearance from Jill Stein; Montgomery County hopes to propose language regarding Black cemeteries for the GPUS platform
Committee Reports
Ballot Access: Harry has been working on collecting petitions, inclement weather has made it difficult, working on exploring new areas for signatures; Montgomery County has been posting ads for paid petitioners online, 10-15 people have responded, some with experience, Andy has loaded new ballot access contacts into Nationbuilder, have been in contact with Stein campaign regarding volunteers
Rules and Bylaws: Mary and Charlotte volunteer in addition to Brian and John
Communications: Renaud volunteers in addition to Bill and Brian
Electoral Committee: three candidates have qualified for our ballot, there are still several months for candidates to meet the qualifications
Finance: no report
Meetings and Assemblies: the committee needs to be reactivated; Andy reports that a venue in Baltimore County through CCBC is available for any weekend in April, May, or June; Andy suggests that as early as possible a date is preferable; Mary notes that some bylaws requirements must be met sixty days before the assembly so a decision on a date should be made soon
Membership: working on phone banking; discussion on attempts to engage additional members in ballot access work, suggestion that interested members find time to have a separate meeting focused on sharing ideas about this issue
GPUS Committees
Animal Rights: the committee is submitting platform amendment to GPUS regarding regenerative agriculture
Black Caucus: the caucus reports that Jasmine Sherman reports unpleasant experiences running for the GPUS nomination
Coordinated Campaign Committee: Andy Ellis was recently elected to the committee; Nancy previously served as is thanked for her service; other members were elected to the committee
Diversity Committee: the committee has had difficulties with internal organization but has put on interesting program as of late
Lavender C: no report
National Committee:
Platform Committee: receiving proposed amendments, hoping to wrap up the process by 1/31/24
Women's Caucus: having trouble finding new leadership to take on additional work
Old Business
Re-activate Meetings and Assembly Committee: plan to work as ad-hoc working group; Baltimore City members will coordinate with MGP leadership
Proposal to pay $3.50 per petition signature: proposal will be submitted to Loomio for a vote
Complaint against Moshe: Moshe responded to the Co-Chairs request to remove certain social media posts and the MGP logo from his social media account; he has since replaced the MGP logo on his account with the Green Party of the United States' logo; the Co-Chairs will further communicate with Moshe that he should not use the national party logo or Montgomery County Green Party logo
BACC GPUS platform proposal: the wording of the proposed amendment will be posted to the CC listserv for discussion before a vote on Loomio; the deadline for submission to GPUS is 1/31/24
Sign on to letter in support of Reclaim Renewable Energy Act 2024 (HB166/SB146): because the deadline for signing on in time for recognition at the EHE Committee hearing is tomorrow, the sign-on was approved by consensus with no further action
Authorization/publication for MGP speakers: request that non-candidate individuals representing the MGP at hearings or public events have their comments published on the party website
MGP actions in responses to endorsed rallies: request that "When the MGP endorses events... the MGP should send out a news announcement, an e-mail blast, and social media posts announcing it and encouraging Greens to attend, make banners available to members who want to display it, instruct the Ballot Access Committee to notify volunteers and try to have a petitioner or several at the event".
Purchasing a banner with the party's Palestine platform: Andy will research designs and prices under $250, the Treasurer has discretion to approve this expenditure
The next meeting will be held February 27, 2024.
The meeting adjourned at 9:04 PM.
Loomio Decisions
Proposal to Create Communications Committee: passed
Endorsement of HoCo statement: passed
Local Reports
Baltimore City: working to get more people involved in signature gathering, a few new people have indicated interest, the local is planning a petitioning workshop soon
Montgomery County: State Supreme Court held hearing on BACC (Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition), after party was held in DC with appearance from Jill Stein; Montgomery County hopes to propose language regarding Black cemeteries for the GPUS platform
Committee Reports
Ballot Access: Harry has been working on collecting petitions, inclement weather has made it difficult, working on exploring new areas for signatures; Montgomery County has been posting ads for paid petitioners online, 10-15 people have responded, some with experience, Andy has loaded new ballot access contacts into Nationbuilder, have been in contact with Stein campaign regarding volunteers
Rules and Bylaws: Mary and Charlotte volunteer in addition to Brian and John
Communications: Renaud volunteers in addition to Bill and Brian
Electoral Committee: three candidates have qualified for our ballot, there are still several months for candidates to meet the qualifications
Finance: no report
Meetings and Assemblies: the committee needs to be reactivated; Andy reports that a venue in Baltimore County through CCBC is available for any weekend in April, May, or June; Andy suggests that as early as possible a date is preferable; Mary notes that some bylaws requirements must be met sixty days before the assembly so a decision on a date should be made soon
Membership: working on phone banking; discussion on attempts to engage additional members in ballot access work, suggestion that interested members find time to have a separate meeting focused on sharing ideas about this issue
GPUS Committees
Animal Rights: the committee is submitting platform amendment to GPUS regarding regenerative agriculture
Black Caucus: the caucus reports that Jasmine Sherman reports unpleasant experiences running for the GPUS nomination
Coordinated Campaign Committee: Andy Ellis was recently elected to the committee; Nancy previously served as is thanked for her service; other members were elected to the committee
Diversity Committee: the committee has had difficulties with internal organization but has put on interesting program as of late
Lavender C: no report
National Committee:
Platform Committee: receiving proposed amendments, hoping to wrap up the process by 1/31/24
Women's Caucus: having trouble finding new leadership to take on additional work
Old Business
Re-activate Meetings and Assembly Committee: plan to work as ad-hoc working group; Baltimore City members will coordinate with MGP leadership
Proposal to pay $3.50 per petition signature: proposal will be submitted to Loomio for a vote
Complaint against Moshe: Moshe responded to the Co-Chairs request to remove certain social media posts and the MGP logo from his social media account; he has since replaced the MGP logo on his account with the Green Party of the United States' logo; the Co-Chairs will further communicate with Moshe that he should not use the national party logo or Montgomery County Green Party logo
BACC GPUS platform proposal: the wording of the proposed amendment will be posted to the CC listserv for discussion before a vote on Loomio; the deadline for submission to GPUS is 1/31/24
Sign on to letter in support of Reclaim Renewable Energy Act 2024 (HB166/SB146): because the deadline for signing on in time for recognition at the EHE Committee hearing is tomorrow, the sign-on was approved by consensus with no further action
Authorization/publication for MGP speakers: request that non-candidate individuals representing the MGP at hearings or public events have their comments published on the party website
MGP actions in responses to endorsed rallies: request that "When the MGP endorses events... the MGP should send out a news announcement, an e-mail blast, and social media posts announcing it and encouraging Greens to attend, make banners available to members who want to display it, instruct the Ballot Access Committee to notify volunteers and try to have a petitioner or several at the event".
Purchasing a banner with the party's Palestine platform: Andy will research designs and prices under $250, the Treasurer has discretion to approve this expenditure
The next meeting will be held February 27, 2024.
The meeting adjourned at 9:04 PM.