8 August 2004

Recorder: Wayne Turner

Attending:

• Wayne Turner
• Elena Everett
• Jerry Surh
• Susan O'Neil

There were no new attendees.

First topic of dicsussion was the ballot access process. On signatures, we are still collecting signatures. With the recent court decision which fixes the language of the petition, and under the assumption that the GA will address the issue in legislation, a new petition will appear. There is some uncertainty about where this leaves the old signatures which were never vetted by the counties. Elena thinks they will be grandfathered in.

Second topic of discussion was the general election and the David Cobb campaign. We will be attending, we think, the Shakori Hills Fall Festival, and La Fiesta del Pueblo. We need David Cobb literature for voter education. Jerry suggested that we should be doing voter registration at these and other events, and should be using this opportunity to educate voters on voting reform. This was generally agreed upon. Elena notes that Democarcy NC is doing voter registration, needs volunteers, and that we should consider working with there effort as Greens.

Elena is involved in an effort to secure an organizing center for progressive groups, including the TAG (eventually). She is attending a meeting tonight for this purpose, in which she will offer a proposal. Elena will provide a report of the meeting results to the TAG.

There was also discussion of extending voter registration and voter education to Triangle campuses. Elena (and Susan?) have a contact at Duke, Nichi Ward, who might help with this in Durham. This effort appears to be well supported at NCSU by the Young Dems.

For voter education we need pamphlets explaining voting reform, new brochures, and Cobb literature.

Third topic of dicsussion was money. It is probable that we can obtain the remanants of the bank account of the Western North Carolina Green Party. Susan has spoken to Dorothy Engles of Asheville, the former WNCGP treasurer, and believes we can obtain this money at any time. Jerry was to check on details involving the legality of the donation, and post the result to the listserv.

[Jerry has done so, and I am reposting his reply here as an adjunct to the minutes. :

$400 contribution from Asheville Greens: I have checked the SBoE rule book and as I suspected, no unrecognized political org. may donate to us at all. We can receive donations of this magnitute from a private person, but I'll need to keep a record of name and address of said donor. Let us hope your friend is willing to provide that information. If we do not spend over $3,000 in the next year [I hope we will, but we may not], the information will not be reported, but it has to be on file in case requested outside of basic reporting requirements. If we do exceed 3K, the donor's data will be reported. In addition, I'll have to formally register us as a political organization within 10 days of receiving the contribution, so if she comes through, send it to me by mail so I can get a postmarked envelope to document date of receipt. ]

It was agreed that if the Western North Carolina Greens reform and need help, we will come up with $400 to send them.

In accordance with the revised bylaws (more on bylaws in a separate e-mail), Jerry will send e-mail to all TAG members requesting money.

Fourth topic was the endorsement of the Million Worker March on Oct 17th in DC. This action has gained the endorsement of the GPUS. As the TAG, we should consider sending marchers to this. [While my notes do not reflect it, we should have this as an action item on the next agenda]

Bylaw changes began with a discussion of changes from the June meeting at Jerry's. Wayne entered those changes into a revised document, and distibuted copies to attendees. That document was the starting point for our discussion.

Articles I and II were accepted as written.

Article III has undergone some discussions and revisions.

Part 2, on voting rights, has been expanded to include text written by Amy after the June 26th meeting.

A new Part 5 was added, as written by Wayne, to define member financial responsibilites to the organization. Wayne was mindful of Amy's prior commets on the suitability of dues within an organization such as the TAG, and also of Jerry's comments on the dire need for financial support. The as approved language hopefully makes clear that, while members are under no obligation to contribute, it would be really nice if they did. Language added in Article IV defining the responsibilities of the Treasurer requires that the Treasurer dun members for money every six-months.

Article IV has undergone some revisions (I will skip minor editorial changes, e.g. punctuation, parens, etc.

Part 2, Subpart C, subheading 5 of Article IV, defining the responsibilities of the Communicator, has had language added to make it clear to the membership that it is not the responsibility of the Communicator to chase down archive material. This responsibility rests squarely with any person or committee which generates any material which should be archived.

Part 2, Subpart D of Article IV has had the langauge describing the election of the Treasurer and the Treasurer-elect altered, (Wayne's responsibility from the June 26th meeting) to hopefully more clearly define the election and the responsibilities of each during specific time periods of their service.

Subpart D subheading 5 has had new language added which reflects the responsibility of the Treasurer to solicit financial contributions from members. In the draft, this language was more detailed about what the Treasurer should do to define expected contributions. With the change in language of membership noted above, the Treasurer's burden is reduced to solicitation, and avoids any attempt to set the amount of any contribution.

Part 3 of Article IV was adopted as written.

Article IV, Part 4, subpart f - a new section tasking committees to define their responsibilites and a mission statement, to be submitted to the general membership for approval.

Article V has been rewritten top reflect Amy's contribution to the process of decision-making. All the previous language was discarded and the language of Amy's e-mail of June 22 was incorporated into the Article. Wayne modified the organization of this language to fit (I thought) better into the document.

Article VI was adopted as written.

Article VII was adopted as written.