MEETING MINUTES

Green Party
County Council/General Membership Meeting
03/05/99

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss SD Greens policy. No decisions will
be made during this meeting, only discussion and proposal.

1.  Policy--Focus and Goals of the Green Party of San Diego

	Tammy-This is the 4th meeting of newly est. group.
	
a. Need a viable group to continue to function in this county.
to do this we may need to focus on a few items and put aside some of our 
issues until we are a stronger group.
	
b. Like to see major goals membership and fundraising.

	Tom-need to have fun and make things interesting to bring people into 
	the group. The business isn't that fun.  This is an untapped county.  
	Different groups around the county.  

	Gary-Main goal to elect candidates. Need volunteers to do that.  Need 
	people active, need something for them to do. We aren't the Sierra Club 
	etc. Need to become the policy makers because we are a political party. 
	Focus on elections in year 2000.  Find candidates in the county and 
	focus membership on working on those campaigns.

	Ann-makes sense to focus on candidates, but what we stand for is 
	different than other parties. We are grass roots. Imagine a campaign 
	that connects with social issues in state, country and county.  
	Accountability-if we run a serious campaign and win the person 
	should be loyal and accountable to our principles.  Don't want 
	someone who will be coopted into system.  Electoral arm of the 
	social movement.

	Linda-sets aside. If we want product we need to start tableing and 
	registering voters.  Should participate in Orange County meeting. 
	Lots of side talking about getting product only through registering 
	voters.  If we can have some ideas about what is imortant we could 
	play a  role in helping state get better organized.  Need to not 
	scare off candidates by focus on accountability and litmus test. 
	It is a problem.  Accountability is the election, lack of endorsement 
	next time.  In some states can be decertifed as a Green candidate 
	(not in CA).

	Tammy-cart before the horse. Need membership and volunteers. WOn't 
	have a candidate without members.

	Ric-change of focus. What role this organization wants to take 
	county-wide. This is a big county. Can't really be grassroots 
	in a county this side. We should be facilitators. Focus on 
	improving membership and getting the membership to form locals. 
	We as a central clearinghouse, support, connection with state. 
	Gain membership/registered Greens and deflecting them to create 
	locals to be grassroots. Joe Mortz couldn't make it. He will 
	submit a proposal to start a Gay local-issue-based local.  

	Tom-good idea! hope locals maintain connection with us for 
	fundraising and planning.  We need registration forms. Jane 
	and Gary have some. Need to get those out. Carry with you 
	so you can hand them out.  Need to have them at the Green 
	meetings.
 
	Ric-talk about voter registration at the next meeting. Need 
	to do a particular process to collect the names.   Tom-Get 
	info from peopele. Must turn in the paperwork within 72 hours. 
	Ric- need to do paperwork for the state party. Table till 
	next meeting to talk about process.

	Adam-need to increase membership and funding. Need to motivate 
	people to join with a cause. HAve a candidate that is going 
	to make a difference.  Maybe just one candidate would make a 
	big difference. Focus on winning and election. Grassroots 
	from around the county for one candidate.

	Aubyn-agree. Need memebers here who will then form locals. 
	Need an issue to start people out.

	Linda-build locals out of community colleges. People live close 
	to school. Better chance of getting a solid group. Let each of 
	those groups choose their issue and try to find a candidate out 
	of that group. Young candidates from student groups helps build 
	organization.  May continue on after school ends for them.  
	Instead of looking at SD City Council look at smaller city 
	elections to build grassroots. School board/water board etc.  
	27 elected people in the state. 2 in Santa Monica City council
	and making a major difference. Like what Joe said about "clubs" 
	since people know what that is rather than a local which sounds 
	like a local.

	Ann-agree with general spirit of the discussion. Need activities 
	to get people to join. Hard to pull out a grassroots thing in a 
	million places. Better to focus on one project such as one candidate.  
	Need to grow us before we can support locals.  

	Tom-we need to facilitate the movement/event.   We need to bring 
	in registration and create the organization.  Need organization 
	so events are one-shot deals.  

	Robin-SD is a conservative town. Not very progressive like 
	Portland etc.  Time for there to be a force that is a voice to 
	counter the conservativism.  Need to counter falsehoods with an 
	organized response. Become a presence. Focus on a couple of major 
	issues and mobilize on them.  Make our voice heard by the average 
	person so we can gain membership.  Average people become aware of 
	Green issues.  Be a voice media sees. 

	Jane-has talked with Bill Byron about focus issues. He wants 
	fundraising. Good ideas. Direct marketing-membership packets with 
	information, contrib. $35/yr to get newsletter and be a member. 
	Low effort/hi return thing.  Bill also wants to have a social event 
	on the Bahia Belle like Sierra club does.  Focus on larger money events.  
    Agree with Robin about public speaking ex. Gloria Penner-Where are the Greens?
    CAn use voter registration to form locals.  

	Ric-Talked to Gloria a month ago.  Focus on affecting change. Most 
	effective way would be if we were the decision makers.  We need to get
	people in elected office.  Not sure how much PR we can get to county
	office since most are not partisan elections.  Focus on getting people
	in which means we need people power.  Need money and people in any way
	we can.  Joe Hoffman at state-running candidates are expenses, registering
	people is a money-maker.  Need to be clear that we need more in than out. 

	Tammy-want to build party.  People come together over an issue or 
	candidate say others tonite, but people also come together socailly
	to meet others who are liberal too!  People will pay to come to 
	fundraisers just to talk to someone you consider rationale.  Nice to 
	talk with people with similar points of view. Strong attractant.  
	Then they will volunteer since the know the people.  

	Tom-not an Us/them attitude. Plan to organize an area. What types 
	of services can we give to an organizing neighborhood.

	Linda-fundraising issues.  Community colleges to build membership. 
	Let's make connections there now.  Good time to expose people to Greens.
	Build around those areas.  Southwestern, Mesa etc. see what the interest
	is at the college then have the community come in around it. The group
	will decide the local issue. There is not one issue for the whole county.
	Need candidates who will run as Green and make a big deal out of being Green.

	Ann-liked what Robin said. Need visibility. Tables at campuses and 
	in communities. Tables and fliers at events.  Be present among activists.
	One unified electoral campaign. No need to pick the issue since Green
	party would speak to all the issues.  Openly as the Green party even
	in a nonpartisan election to increase visibiilty. Get in media more.
	Feel locals are premature.  Need to stick together.  

	Linda-other groups are running a high visibility campaign as well as 
	local races for halo effect. Run as a team. Very effective.

	Gary-If we are looking at our goals and focus we should look at the 
	2002 and 2004 elections. Census will redistrict with no incumbents etc.
	Set up for those years by focusing on one candidate that all of our
	volunteers can be behind.  In 2002 we will have a tool for getting
	people into the new districts and have more strength.  Need candidates
	and issues together so we have something for the volunteers.  Don't yet
	have the strength to have locals. Can't become a huge party in 16 months.  

	Robin-there are local things that can be done. Earth Club at Grossmont.
	Growth issue is a huge one coutny wide and good for Green party. 
	One example of bigger issue. A little fo small groups in local issues
	but 1-2 big issues to unite the county.  Wants the party to be a voice
	for these issues.  Don't want to lose track of large issues.

	Tom-we have issues, events, process of party building.  No one can do
	all three. Specialization from personality, skills, time etc.  Some
	like to table some don't. Let's form groups that do something.  Can we
	diversify.  

	Linda-Tom is making a good point. You would be surprised at how few
	activitis there are anywhere except NM Maine and Hawaii.  Not 200
	people active with Green party in CA.  Make tabling your recruiting
	vehicle. Spend time with them and see if they are interested in being
	active with the party. Recruit them to register voters as the issue. 
	Don't all need to focus on one thing.  Grow greens where we can.

	Jane-Like idea of large campaign plus local campaign to compliment
	each other. Need realistic goals if we tackle a federal or state
	campaign. Group broke up over large campaign, split over the candidate.
	Focused one one thing and go 2% or less of vote and were so dissapointed
	and split up.  Need clear goals for the campaign like geting on the radio
	and developing a platform etc.  Need a county platform.  Recruiting--
	we have a how-to book for project 2000 we can use.  When you ask level
	of interst have htem rate on a likert scale to find out who will be active.
	Need to get paperwork together for this stuff. Start-up seed money.  

	Tom-pay me what you think its' worth makes more money than the actual 
	taxi fare!

	Ric-not convinced about candidate, but issues sounds good. Let's not
	spread too thin since we are so few.  Issue in front of us-voter
	registration.

	Tom-Dems and Repubs have noticed more parties formed so they ahve tried
	to show that there is a diff. between dems and repubs even tho they are
	funded by same people.  If we have candidates they will make the issues.
	If we don't have the candidates do the issues. This is a process. Use a
	different move dependign on the situation. 

	Linda-let's talk about fundraising.  Steal an idea from Sierra club. 
	Green Single clubs/outings/activities.  

	Tammy-one concrete goal in mind--can't even send a newsletter to all 
	the registered Greens in this county.  ONe concrete goal that we can 
	do to get money and membership and can offer candidates.  6000 members-
	begin with those who have voted in recent elctions so 3000 people.  
	Put event and platform in there and place to send $ to continue to get 
	the newsletter.  

	Jane-county council found a Green establ that would advertise in the 
	newsletter for $25-$100 per ad. Called 1000 who were most frequent 
	voters and asked for $ and volunteers.  

	Ric has most current CD of voters. It is the most recent from Sep 98. 
	Has gotten some better lists.  We should forward a proposal to general
	membership before next month.  

	Ann-need more discussion.

	Ric-with general membership, lots of tangents. Need some possible 
	proposals to get people going in direction.

	Propose that Ann and Tammy and anyone else come up with concrete 
	proposal or proposals to present at the next meeting.

	Discussion
	Tom-need all these things.  Just do it, don't write it down.

	Jane-need to know who is dong what, need it in writing. Need to be 
	organized to plug new people into positions.

	Adam-lets see what we are all good at and work together on all these 
	issues. We are the party, what are we going to do.

	Jane-present as series of options please.

	Discussion of whether to bring this to a general membership etc.  
	How to decide.

	Outcome No objections

2. FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE REPORT

Met on February 13th

Need to do an event to make some major money.
Carl has contacts and connections to set up a concert.  Has done a concert
to raise money for lifeguards. Thinks he can get everything donated. 
Get out the vote not necessarily Green.  Carl can do the mechanics. 
Set up voter registration there.  

Carl will send a letter out on email regarding the details etc.

Want to raise money to do the mailing and also use some money for
fundraising next event.

Talked about nature tours and education like Tammy's work with composting.
Robin gave a list of possible tours. May or may not be able to do so in
State Parks.  County parks a bit better about it.  

Adam may be able to ask for money for a newsletter.  Could promote concert.
Carl edit?  Adam and Jane will contact printers.  Joe can handle the budget.
County platform in newsletter.--State platform.  

History of SD Greens
State platform
Calender of events

Aubyn and Adam will chair the beginnings of the newsletter

Ad space for the newsletter from green businesses

Donated prizes for the concert

Waiting to have a report from Carl regarding the Concert then we will proceed

Bi Laws Committee
	Ric Bi Laws need work and we have a process to revisit them.
	Joe will help. Can we agree on a date to meet about the bilaws committee.
	Tammy, Gary, Linda, Ric & Joe are the committee.

	Can access bi laws on the internet.
	
	Adam would like to work on bi laws also

	Meeting date:  Friday March 26th--11:00am at Linda's

Internet Committee-pass

Earth Day-Gary
	Contacted police regarding the March. They have not returned the call yet.
	Upas & Park Blvd to President's way at Southern end of the park.
	Begins at noon (children's parade at 10:00 so we don't want to overrun)
	We will be on the margin of Earth Day rather than marching through it.
	We have a table. Jane will call Tax ID number to Gary.  We may earn $ from
	the profit booths as part of tabling.
	We have fliers Gary and Robin made.
	Announce on web page so people for volunteer.  
	CAn't hand out fliers at Earth Day but they can be on the table for people
	to pick up.  We can collect money at our table.
	GAry talking to Southwestern students next week to let them know about 
	the March.  Also having Palomar instructurs announce and also Grossmont.  
	Fliers out at the end of March. Up at Health food stores, green business
	groups etc.
	Can we contact other groups to join us?  SCAN?  

Joe and Ric got product for the table. Platforms, bumperstickers, buttons etc.
Will be available at the Earth Day table. Call Ric if you want to have any
product for other tabling.

Process for Discussions at Meetings
	Tammy and Ric feel the rules are already in the bilaws.
	Ann feel it isn't always followed.

	Read proposal.

	Facilitating consensus process handed out by Jane.  Feels that last 
	meeting did not feel like consesnsu.  Include in membership packet for
	new locals.  

	Ric-part of process of facilitation means it isn't facilitators 
	responsibility it is everyone's responsibility to understand the
	consensus process.  Most people there didn't understand the consensus
	process.   That make it difficult.  The specific proposals here are
	some addressed in bi laws and others can be made in bi law changes
	if people feel they need to be in there.  

	Ann will try to come to committee meeting.

	Jane-need opposite sides of an issues. Didn't do at the last meeting.
	Would have been better if there was a consesus process from the beginning.

	Linda-felt she was presenting issues.  asked for feedback before the
	meeting.  Assumed people were reading.  

	email discussion-need another way to communicate.  Some people are not
	on email. Not a substitute for a meeting so we need to get consensus
	at the meeting without assuming it happened on email.  

	Need a plan to handle the quarterly state plenary issues so they don't
	take up the entire meeting each quarter.

	Consensus-send proposal to bi-law commitee.

Meeting Sites
Gary proposes that CoCo meetings can be done at someone's home. Rotating.

Quarterly general membership meeting.  

Rec Centers and Libraries charge per hour.

Gay communitee center as a possibility?

Solana Beach Community Center?

Ann's house unless we find another facility.

Contact co-chairs if there is another site. Must do in next 2 weeks.
Adjourned 10 pm