Minutes, GPLAC County Council meeting, September 10, 2017

Green Party of Los Angeles County • County Council Meeting Minutes
Sunday, September 10, 2017 • 4344 Russell Ave., Los Angeles
Noon: Pot luck vegetarian picnic
1pm to 4pm: Meeting

County Councilmembers present (13): Marla Bernstein, Doug Barnett,Tom Bibiyan, Rachel Brunhke, Angelica Dueñas, Mike Feinstein, Annie Goeke, Ava Kermani, Cordula Ohman, Linda Piera-Avila, Ajay Rai, Julia Russell, Matthew Wheeler

County Councilmembers not present (6): Daniel Alvarado, Justine Berne Akley, Cris Gutierrez  Aria Pakatchi, Tyler Morrison, Adia Williams

County Council alternates: Jesus Alvarado (for Daniel Alvarado), Timeka Drew (for Adia Williams), Melissa Guevara (for Aria Patachki)

Other Greens present: Rodney Andrews, Wade Alexander, Kristen Cox, Kenneth Mejia, Yuliana Miranda Mendoza, George Murado, Rohan Sabnis, Lisa Taylor, Lisa Wong

Non-Greens present: Troy Issac

Others present (still investigating their party status): Johanna Olejnik,

Co-Facilitators: Annie Goeke and Ajay Rai
Minutes: Mike Feinstein
Time Keeper:  Linda Piera Avila
Vibes Watcher: Cordula Ohman

1) Welcome and Introductions - All attendees

2) Opportunity to amend agenda and/or add emergency items

Proposal (Feinstein): Add late items #7 and #11
Proposal (Dueñas): Add late item #12
Proposal (Dueñas, Feinstein): Add late item #14

Amended by Consensus

3) Decision: Election of GPLAC Co-coordinators (fifteen minutes)

Nomination (Feinstein): Rai

Approved by consensus

No nominations made for female co-coordinator seat

4) Report: Treasurer’s report

GPLAC Treasurer Barnett reported on the status of the GPLAC Treasurer

5) Decision: Approval of minutes from May 4 and June 4, 2017 meetings (five minutes)
Sponsor/Presenter: Feinstein

http://losangeles.cagreens.org/county-council/minutes/2017-06-04

Proposal (Feinstein): Approve minutes as submitted

Approved by consensus

http://losangeles.cagreens.org/county-council/minutes/2017-05-07

Proposal (Feinstein): Approve minutes as submitted

Approved by consensus

6) Decision: Endorsement of Angelica Dueñas for Congressional District 29 (

Proposal (Rai): Endorsement of Angelica Dueñas for Congressional District 29

Approved by consensus

7) Decision: Endorsement of Statewide Ballot Measure to Repeal Top Two Primary, and authorization for mass emailing to LA County Greens to get involved in the signature-gathering effort (fifteen minutes)

Proposal (Feinstein): That the GPLAC endorse the Initiative to Repeal the Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act and that it authorize two email blasts in support of the measure, first to LA County Greens in the GPCA data base, forwarding them information now on how to get involved once the measure is assigned Official Title and Summary by the Attorney General's office and the measure is ready to hit the street for signatures; and then a follow-up email to get involved, sent right before the signature-gathering period is set to begin, which is expected to be late October/early November.

Approved by consensus

8) Decision: Set meeting dates and locations for County Council meetings (

Proposal (Feinstein): That the October 22 meeting be in Long Beach at a public location to be reported to the County Council by Kristen Cox; that the December meeting be held on Saturday, December 16 in Congressional District 29 at a public location to be reported to the County Council by Angelica Dueñas and  hat it be followed by a holiday party in which Greens from across the county are invited and that it be held at a venue located by Angelica Dueñas and the campaig portion be publiczied and reported to the County Council, and that $75 be alloted for the meeting for either facility rental and/or vegetarian refreshements; and that the January meeting be held on Sunday, January 14, at Chimbole Cultural Community Center in Lancaster. All meetings scheduled for a noon vegetarian potluck, with the GPLAC business meeting from 1pm to 4pm.

Approved by consensus

9) Report: Green involvement in LA Harbor Peace Week 2017

Bruhnke reported on LA Harbor Peace Week.

10) Discussion: Update on GPLAC’s proposed GPCA Bylaws amendment "Elections Eligibility/Timing for Coordinating Committee and GPUS Delegation" and dynamics within GPCA Bylaws Committee

Feinstein reported that the GPLAC's proposal was forwarded to the GPCA Bylaws Committee email list on August 17 and heard on the agenda of the Bylaws Committee August 20 monthly teleconference; and that thus far no feedback has been received.

11) Discussion: Amendment to GPLAC Rules and Procedures to provide a process to acquire Green registration lists for the purposes of applying for GPLAC County Council vacancies

Feinstein presetned the draft text below, took comments and the text will be next be presented to the County Council for an on-line vote.

Date:
Subject: Green Party County Council vacancy and eligibility for Green registration list
To: Los Angeles County Registar of Voters
From: Green Party of Los Angeles County

Dear Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters

Under Green Party of Los Angeles County (GPLAC) Bylaws http://losangeles.cagreens.org/bylaws/2017-03-12#ARTICLE8, the GPLAC County Council may fill County Council vacancies by appointment. To qualify for appointment, one must gather the same number of nomination signatures from registered Greens in the State Senate district, as would have been needed to qualify for the primary election ballot in presidential years, when the County Council is regularly elected.

In those regular elections, interested Green Party members may legally purchase the list of registered Greens in their State Senate District, in order to solicit nomination signatures.  In so doing, they also sign a form committing to follow all applicable laws governing the use of such lists.

The GPLAC supports a parallel process for Greens seeking appointment to County Council vacancies; where the GPLAC receives such a request from the interested member, their Green Party registration is verified and the GPLAC send notice to the County Registar. This is such notice.

In this notice, the GPLAC states that the following individual __________ of the following address ________ in Los Angeles County, has indicated their intent in writing to the GPLAC to seek nomination signatures to qualify for appointment to the GPLAC County Council; and that they understand that they will be legally constrained by state law on how they can use the list.

This person's Green Party registration was verified at the time of receipt of their interest. If they are still registered Green at the time of their application to the County Registrar's Office, they shall be considered to have met the eligiblity threshold to purchase a list from the County Registrar (similar to the process available during the regular ballot qualification period for the regular County Council elections every four years in the presidential primary).

Signed

GPLAC Co-Coordinators

12) Decision: GPLAC Statement About DACA

Dueñas presented the concept behind the DACA statement and the text will be next be presented to the County Council for an on-line vote.

13) Discussion: GPLAC Bylaws regarding recognizing Green locals

Dueñas, Guevara and Feinstein discussed potential content for bylaws for recognized Green locals

14) Discussion: GPLAC Representation to GPCA Ventura County General Assembly (November 11-12) and GPCA 2017-2018

Feinstein referenced the GPLAC and GPCA Bylaws governing representation to these bodies and informed that the selection for the Venturary County General Assembly will happen in October - either at the GPLAC County Council meeting on October 22, or on-line afterwards.