DRAFT: Minutes, GPLAC County Council meeting, September 27, 2020

DRAFT Green Party of Los Angeles County, County Council Meeting Minutes, Sunday, September 27, 2020
Teleconference information shared via County Council email list
Check in/socializing: 1:30pm to 2pm
Business meeting: 2pm to 5pm
 

County Councilmembers present (10): Doug Barnett, Marla Bernstein, Timeka Drew, Mike Feinstein, Annie Goeke, Diana Little, Danielle Mead, Cordula Ohman, Linda Piera-Avila, Ajay Rai

County Councilmember alternate (1): David Rockello (for Ava Kermani)

County Councilmembers not-present (1): Ava Kermani

Quorum reached at 2:02 (10): Barnett, Bernstein, Drew, Feinstein, Little, Mead, Ohman, Piera-Avila, Rai
, Rockello (alternate)

Goeke joined call at 2:13
 

Facilitators: Timeka Drew
Minutes: Mike Feinstein
Time Keeper:  Linda Piera-Avila
Vibes Watcher: Cordula Ohman

1. Welcome and Introductions - All attendees 
Those present introduced themselves 

2. Reviewing our process 

• Relevant Bylaw: Section 9.3 Participation
9.3.1 Open Meetings: With the consent of the Council, all members of the Green Party of Los Angeles County may participate in the 'Consensus-seeking Process' but only Council members may hold any 'unresolved concerns' and participate in any vote, should one become necessary.
9.3.2 County Council members shall receive priority in discussions, to ensure that they have time to a) seek clarifications. b) express their concerns and affirmations, and c) take a vote, if necessary. At the discretion of the facilitation

Drew presented relevant GPLAC bylaw on participation

3. Decision: Opportunity to amend agenda and/or add emergency items (five minutes)
Presenter: Facilitators

Proposal (Feinstein): Approve the addition of the items marked with an asterik * below as late items, 2/3 vote required, including new late items #7 and #16 below, and to change #9 from a decision to a discussion item and cut the time from 20 to 15 minutes, and to delete item on Estrada campaign 

Approved by consensus

4. Discussion: Treasurer's Report (ten minutes)
Sponsor/Presenter: Doug Barnett, GPLAC Treasurer

Barnett summarized GPLAC finances, Rai presented updated GPLAC donation page  https://greenpartylacounty.nationbuilder.com/donate

5. Decision: Approval of minutes of last six meetings (fifteen minutes)
Sponsor/Presenter: Mike Feinstein, GPLAC Secretary

Proposal: That the following County Council meeting minutes are approved:

• Minutes - August 16
   
• Minutes - August 2
   
• Minutes - July 19
   
• Minutes - June 28
   
• Minutes - May 17
   
• Minutes - April 26
   

Approved by consensus in a single proposal

6. Discussion: Update on GPLAC Voting Page* 
Sponsor: Rai

Background: Rai updated issue about measuring quorum in the code, all new County Council members present indicated an understanding of how the voting page works http://losangeles.cagreens.org/cgi-bin/gplac_vote/index.

7. Discussion:  Decision: Greens at October 24-25 Junior State of America Zoom conference* 
Sponsor: Feinstein

Proposal (Feinstein): That the GPLAC b represented by Timeka Drew, Emmauel Estrada, Mike Feinstein, and Shannell Pittman and Kenneth Mejia; and that any other council member would be open to attend

Approved by consensus

8. DIscussion: Update for Greens to fill vacant Los Angeles Neighborhood Council seats*
Sponsor: Danielle Mead
Presenters: Danielle Mead, David Rockello

Background: Update on GPLAC efforts to publicize Septembrer 20 Congress of Neighborhoods.  Hearing from any Greens who attended. Update on working DSA-Los Angeles to promote progressive canidates for Neighbohrood Council. Discussion of outreach for Greens to apply for the 200 vacant Los Angeles Neighborhood Council seats, and to run for full terms in 2021. 

Mead presented draft text for upcoming email outreac to GPLAC members.  Where the GPLAC would include inviting Greens to DSA-sponsored neighborhood council training sessions for serving on nieghborhood councils, sentiment was that it should include an explanation that DSA is not a political party, but it shares many policy approaches with the Green Party

9. Discussion Ranked choice voting, a larger Los Angeles City Council and A More Independent Redistricting Process for Los Angeles*
Sponsor/Presenter: Feinstein

Current GPLAC policy is to favor a favor of a larger Los Angeles City Council https://losangeles.cagreens.org/issues/los-angeles-city-council-size, elected by ranked choice voting https://losangeles.cagreens.org/issues/los-angeles-elections-ranked-choice-voting in November general elections. At its August 16 meeting, the County Council voted that the GPLAC co-sign onto this letter about improving the Los Angeles redistricting process,  https://www.commoncause.org/california/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2020/08/Letter-to-Los-Angeles-City-Council-2021-Redistricting.pdfvand add an additional statement "That the GPLAC calls for two Los Angeles City Charter Changes before 2030 - (1) establishing an independent citizens' redistricting commission for Los Angeles and (2) creating a 50+ member city council - similar in size to Chicago and New York - elected by ranked-choice voting; and connecting this to the 2030 redistricting process; and that a position paper explaining this position be brought back to the County Council."

Discussion at this meeting centered around whether the GPLAC should promote a larger Los Angeles City Council with ranked choice voting for multi-seat districts or ranked-choice voting for single seat districts, with all that spoke in favor of multi-seat districts, including that this provide more representation for more voices within each district and that too many smaller districts might promote parochialism. 

10. Decision: Planning Fall Endorsements - candidates*
Sponsor/Presenters: Feinstein

Proposal (Feinstein):  That the GPLAC support Nithya Raman for Los Angeles City Council District 4 and that the endorsement include an explantion that this is a choice between good and better, not good and bad, and that in multi-seat districts with ranked-choice voting, voters could chose both if they wanted

Approved by consensus

Proposal (Feinstein):  That the GPLAC support George Gascon for Los Angeles District Attorney*

Approved by Consensus

11: Discussion: Review GPCA Standing General Assembly items*
Sponsor/Presenters: Drew, Rai, Feinstein

Discussion centered around opposing the proposal to amend the GPCA Fiscal Policy because it did not contain an evaulation period for the change, and to oppose the minutes from an earlier state meeting when delegates 'voted' for the same fiscal policy change, despite the change not coming to the agenda in accordance with GPCA bylaws.

12. Decision: Planning Fall Endorsements - ballot measures* 
Sponsor/Presenters: Feinstein

Background: This item is to take positions on local ballot measures in cities across Los Angeles County.

Proposal (Feinstein): That the GPLAC take the following positions

Yes - Santa Monica Measure AB
Yes - Santa Monica Measure SM
Yes - Culver City Measure RE: The Real Estate Property Transfer Tax for Essential Services 
No - Culver City Measure B – Voter Approval of all Interim or Permanent Rent Control Measures 
Yes - Burbank Measure RC 
Yes - Long Beach Measure US - General Purpose Oil Barrel Production Tax (Barrel Tax)
Yes - El Monte HN - Affordable housing production

Proposal (Feinstein):  Take all of the positions above

Approved by consensus

13. Discussion: Bylaw change to extend lower nomination signature requirement for county council eligiblity during COVID-19* 
Sponsor/Presenters: Rai, Feinstein

Discussion was held about introducing a bylaws amendment to extend the lower nomination signature requirement through the COVID-19 pandemic, with a sentiment to extend it through November 1, 2021 by which time a vaccine might be widely available and distributed. 

14. Discussion: Hearing from those seeking future appointment to County Council to fill unfilled seats from March primary election*

Item not heard, no one present to speak

15. Discussion: Report back from letters to GPCA*
Sponsor/Presenters: Drew

Drew presented draft text on letter regarding status of GPCA Treasurer and took amendment with objective of sending final text to County Council email list, which she did, where she received additional feedback then sent the letter on the eveing of September 27.

16. Discussion: Upcoming GPCA General Assembly*
Sponsor: Feinstein

Proposal (Feinstein): That the GPLAC sponsor an agenda item focused on retaining GPCA ballot status in 2022.

Approved by consensus