Minutes, GPLAC County Council meeting, March 15, 2020

Minutes: GPLAC County Council meeting, March 15, 2020
Zoom teleconference
Business meeting 2-5pm

County Councilmembers present (7): Doug Barnett, Marla Bernstein, Mike Feinstein, Annie Goeke, Melissa Guevara, Linda Piera-Avila, Ajay Rai

County Councilmembers not present (1): Julia Russell

Other Greens present: Diana Brown, Timeka Drew, Danielle Mead

Meeting starts at 2:05 with quorum (6/8): Barnett, Bernstein, Feinstein, Goeke, Piera-Avila, Rai

Guevara arrived at 2:24 and left at 4:03

Facilitators: Annie Goeke, Ajay Rai
Minutes: Mike Feinstein
Time Keeper:  Linda Piera-Avila
Vibes Watcher: Marla Bernstein

1. Welcome and Introductions - All attendees                                           

Those present introduced themselves, including teir role with the Green Party.

2. Reviewing our process                                                                           
Presenter: Facilitators

3. Opportunity to amend agenda and/or add emergency items          

Proposal (Feinstein): That all the items marked with an * below are added to the agenda in the order presented

Approved by consensus

4. Discussion: Treasurer's Report*

GPLAC Treasurer Barnett reported that $60 is due for the GPLAC PO Box this month.

5. Decision: Approval of GPLAC County Council minutes, February 9, 2020*

Proposal (Feinstein): Approve the draft minutes https://losangeles.cagreens.org/county-council/minutes/2020-02-09

Approved by consensus

6. Decision: The GPLAC calls for the resignation of Los Angeles City Councilmember John Lee*

Proposal (Feinstein, Piera-Avila):  That the GPLAC issue the following statement and distribute via the GPLAC website, social media and via a press release to the press and the general public

"The Green Party of Los Angeles County (GPLAC) believes that all people are presumed legally innocent until proven guilty. However the GPLAC believes that Los Angeles City Councilmember John Lee should immediately resign his Distsrict 12 City Council seat. Lee’s direct involvement in affairs leading up to the federal indictment of former Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitch Englander, as referenced in that indictment — and his role in a possible cover-up of it -- means he can not govern with the confidence of the residents of his district, nor of the City of Los Angeles overall."

"The remainder of Lee’s current term runs only through November 2020, a relatively short time for the seat to remain vacant (unless it is filled by a special election, which under the current public heath emergency, it is not clear it would occur.)"

"Lee chose to run for City Council in a 2019 special election knowing that he had already been questioned regarding this affair by the FBI in 2018 . The GPLAC sees this as an unethical choice, showing Lee's disdain for the public’s right to know, and demonstrating he does not deserve the public trust."

"As of March 17, with many uncounted ballots still outstanding in Los Angeles County from a two-way March 3 primary election, Lee is ahead of his opponent Loraine Lundquist 50.68% to 49.32% to fill the seat for the 2020-2024 term https://results.lavote.net/text-results/4085#contest-10."

"While it is not clear whether Lee will remain ahead after all the votes are counted, should he prevail, that 2020-2024 term does not begin until new City Councilmembers are seated after the November 2020 general elections.  During Englander’s trial (https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cacd.770261/gov.uscourts.cacd.770261.23.0.pdf), Lee will have an opportunity to clear his name before it would be time to assume the new seat."

"If Lee is unable to clear his name, he must decline to assume the seat, and allow CD12 residents to chose a different representative. This would be preferable to Lee facing an almost certain recall effort in early 2021, should he fail to clear his name beefore assuming the seat."

Five minutes added to discussion

Approved by consensus

7. Decision: Clarification of Mistaken Bylaws Interpretation*

Text of the proposal as agendized was:

Proposal (Feinstein): That for the purposes of clarifying the record and not setting a precedent for appointment to future County Counci vacancies, Diana Brown was not eligible for appointment to the County Council when the County Council voted on the above Bylaws Interpretation on November 11, 2018 and therefore the Bylaws Interpretation was not valid.

In response to suggested amendments from Brown, Drew and Mead the propsosal was amended thus:

Proposal (Feinstein): That for the purposes of clarifying the record and not setting a precedent for appointment to future County Counci vacancies, the County Council mistakenly interpreted that Diana Brown was eligible for appointment to the County Council when the County Council voted on the above Bylaws Interpretation on November 11, 2018 and therefore the Bylaws Interpretation was not valid. However these findings in no way are meant to depreciate Diana Brown's contributions to the County Council during this time, nor do they invalidate any votes she made.

twenty mintues of discussion time added

Approved by consensus

8. Discussion: Status of Green voter registration data base from LA County Registrar*

Background: Rai and Feinstein presented update on efforts to procure the GPLAC's free copy of the registered voters in the Los Angeles County in conjunction with the March 3 primary election .

9: Decision: Authorize Email Blast to GPLAC members *

Proposal (Barnett, Bernstein): That the GPLAC authorize an email blast to GPLAC members promoting an event at the LA Eco-Village featuring Feinstein's talk "The Green Party and prospects for a multi-party democracy in California and the United States" on a future date not yet scheduled because of the public health crisis resulting from the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Approved by consensus

10. Discussion: Outreach for 2020-2024 County Council appointments*

Feinstein updated about the recent amendment to GPLAC bylaws affecting the nomination petition process to apply to be appointed to the county council. Discussion ensured around an upcoming email blast to GPLAC members to notify them of the process to apply for the 2020-2024 GPLAC County Council, including the process to grant access to interested Greens to particapte in the teleconferences.

11. Decision: Schedule County Council meetings in response to COVID-19 public health crisis *

Proposal (Feinstein) Change the April 5 meeting to a teleconference and re-visit the May 17 meeting's location at the April 5 meeting after more information is known about the public health crisis. 

12. Decision: Planning April 5 County Council meeting

DIscussion occured over potential agenda items.

13. Discussion:  Review of proposed bylaws and rules and procedures changes

Feinstein summarized proposed changes and answered questions https://losangeles.cagreens.org/county-council/agenda/2020-03-15/draft-b...

14.  Discussion/Decision (executive decision): Joining potential lawsuit to overturn Top Two elections - Executive Session, Legal Matter
County Councilmembers only

Proposal (Feinstein): That the GPLAC join a lawsuit challenging Top Two elections in CA on the basis of the move to a March primary being undue limitation of access to the ballot, that the GPLAC commit to support the legal fees with $500, and to authorize an email blast to GPLAC members to help defer these fees.

Approved by consensus

Meeting ended at 4:57pm