Meeting Minutes for 1st Downriver Green Local Meeting (@Zodiac Racquet Ball Club in Southgate, MI)
Meeting opened at 7:45pm with Darren Wilkinson calling meeting to order.
After brief introduction and thanks for the great turnout we welcomed Douglas Campbell, Party Manager pro temp.
Doug gave us an update on the state party meeting, which was also covered by Paul Jennings later in the meeting.
Doug spoke about the following topics:
*Winona La Duke will be in Kalamazoo on Monday the 20th.
* We have had a good start for Green Party .
* At this time is unclear if Ralph Nader will run again.
* Committees need to begin to run a candidate for all elections, we also need to look for open positions.
* Detroit mayoral race is coming up, Doug asks if anyone would be interested in moving to Detroit.
*Charles Simmons is running in Detroit for city council
* The question is asked should we run now or wait for more clout?
* No ballot initiative positions how do you run?
* Party is on ballot unsure of how process works will check up and see.
Action Items:
Find information on:
*Is there state convention nominations or are we back to petition drives? Should have details before the next meeting.
*Check election laws and laws pertaining to listing candidates!
Ten key values of Green party are handed out to meeting attendees.
Discussed the fact that we must ratify 10 values to be establish a local
After some discussion of decentralization and.what exactly it means.
Discussed as a more political than economical
Motion raised by Amy Hunt to adopt the ten key values as our local platform basis:
Motion was seconded by numerous attendees, Susan Eaton is the recognized person for seconding the motion.
The Motion passed unanimously.
Need people to sign up and join the Green Party.
Join green party. Douglas Campbell took payments and will register our sign up. Full forms will be available at the next meeting to sign.
We talked about a University of Michigan - Dearborn chapter. We also discussed that smaller locals could be formed within the downriver area if this local becomes too big or if groups feel their area has different issures.
Darren discusses the Downriver and the need to reach out to people in our community. The area is made up of mostly working class. It is stressed the opportunity we have to raise membership from blue-collar and Union employees which Downriver is so rich in.
With Douglas Campbell's announcement, the Downriver Greens are recognized local.
Paul Jennings reviews the state meeting.
Paul is GREEN to the core and gave us a brief discussion on what happened and what will be happening here in Michigan over the next few months
Discussed the need to:
*Diversify and make our outreach more toward those of all colors, sexes and faiths.
*Discussed difference between ASGP and GPUSA
Congratulations were offered to Darren and Amy for taking on the responsibility of Organizing this Local
We discussed the $2,000 debt for election from the Ferndale office and passed around a pledge sheet to help Tom and Sue maintain their office and to help make up their debt. We raised over $100 a month in pledges for this.
We discussed:
*Detroit being split up into smaller units or joining other locals surrounding their area
*First green party winner in Michigan and congratulated the new Drain Commissioner on her success.
*We need better internal communication due to our very fast growth and the fact that the party needs to catch up.
*Fear factor hurt greens
*Student turn out, voter registration is at home and no absentee ballots were allowed for first time voters
*Ray Ziarno is the new party Man.
*Changes to bylaws were thrown back to committee so the current ones remain in effect
*No active committees we need volunteers!!!!!
*Green party does take check made out to green party.
*Office space on 9mile and Woodward (are we going to keep it or not) at which point we pledged our help!
* Our pledge passed hope to maybe keep 9mile office open in it's very visible area.
*And started off our local in a strong way
Meeting was turned over to Amy Hunt for discussions.
*After debate we decided to hold our meeting next month on the 21st feeling it was not too close to the Holidays to cancel.
*Fund raising- possible bumper sticker
*Possible cling window sticker instead of and/or stickers
*Possible environmentally friendly signs
*Come up with ways to get in media more often.
*Nader got spots on Kalamazoo TV
*Get to know people
How do we as a local interact with the community?
*Maybe talk to high school government classes
*Adopt a road program
*Look for associations.
*Address issues instead of party.
*Get more active in Gay and Lesbian organizations
*Get more active in environment organizations
*Peace action, check for local
*Work toward union support, think of ways to get them involved. (use base of union support)
*Need to support workers rights Jobs for justice, propose to promote workers rights.
*Network through jobs for justice.
*Training yourself so you can answer questions or know where to refer people to the correct source.
(nafta and world trade organization education . Educate yourself and others)
*Educate, educate, educate!!!!!!!!!
*Discussion on unions taking a little from democrats and not willing to support other parties because of the retribution problem
*Contact Dan McCarthy, Labor for Nader organizer to try and become more active on the Union/Workers fronts
Meeting was Dismissed at approximately 9:30PM and most stayed after to talk.
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