DRAFT Green Party of Los Angeles County, County Council Meeting Minutes, April 22, 2024

DRAFT Green Party of Los Angeles County, County Council Meeting Minutes, Monday, April 22, 2024
Teleconference information shared via County Council email list

County Council members present (3):  Mike Feinstein, Annie Goeke, Ava Kermani
County Council members non-present (1): Timeka Drew
Alternates (1): Ajay Rai (for Timeka Drew)
Other Greens present (2):  Doug Barnett, Shannel Pittman

Facilitators: Ajay Rai
Minutes: Mike Feinstein

Quorum was reached at 2:30pm with three present (Feinstein, Goeke, Kermani)
Meeting started at 2:35
Kermani arrived at 2:38
Pittman arrived at 3:09
Barnett arrived at 3:10
all remained til end of meeting

Agenda

1. Welcome and Introductions - All attendees

In the interest of time, introductions were skipped, as the three present when the meeting started were already well-acquainted with each other.

2. Reviewing our process (three minutes)

In the interest of time, this review was skipped, as the three present when the meeting started were already well-acquainted with the process.

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

It was recognized that item #12 was mistakenly labelled a decision item when it was meant to be a discussion item. 

Proposal (Feinstein): Change #12 from a decision-item to a discussion-item.

Approved by consensus

4. Discussion: Treasurer's Report

Rai presented on the status of the county treasury and the fines the GPLAC is facing for late filings in 2023.

5. Discussion: Discussion of goals for 2024 - 2028 County Council by newly elected County Council members and those applying for appointment to the County Council at this meeting (thirty minutes)
Sponsor/Presenter: Mike Feinstein, outgoing GPLAC Secretary,  Timeka Drew, Ajay Rai, outdoing GPLAC Co-Coordinators

6. Election: Election of GPLAC Co-coordinators

Drew nominated by Goeke for position of female co-coordinator.  Drew accepted before the meeting in writing via email

Yes: Goeke, Kermani, Rai
No: none
Abstain: none

Drew elected 3-0-0
Feinstein missed vote because lost internet connection

Election of male co-coordinator was deferred until after #9, when Rai was appointed to the county council, making him eligible for election as male co-coordinatorl

Rai nominated by Goeke for position of female co-coordinator. 

Feinstein took over to faciliate an election where Rai, the faciliator, was the candidate.

Yes: Feinstein, Goeke, Kermani, Rai
No: none
Abstain: none
Rai elected 4-0-0

7. Election: Election of GPLAC Secretary

Feinstein nominated by Goeke.  Vote taken pending Feinstein's acceptance when internet connection returned.

Yes: Goeke, Kermani, Rai
No: none
Abstain: none
Feinstein elected 3-0-0

Feinstein regained internet connection after vote taken and accepted nomination and election.

8. Election: Election of GPLAC Treasurer (five minutes)

Samir Bitar was nominated by Feinstein, with the understanding that Bitar was not able to make this meeting, and wants to discuss further the responsibilities for the position with Barnett and Rai.  Vote was taken contingent upon his acceptance.

Bitar
Yes: Feinstein, Goeke, Kermani, Rai
No: none
Abstain: none
Bitar appointed to the County Council 4-0-0, contigent upon his acceptance as per above.
 

9. Elections of New County Council members (fifteen minutes)

Consideration of Doug Barnett, Shannel Pittman, Ajay Rai
Each applicant spoke about why they wanted to join the County Council.

Barnett
Yes: Feinstein, Goeke, Kermani, Rai
No: none
Abstain: none
Barnett appointed to the County Council 4-0-0

Pittman
Yes: Feinstein, Goeke, Kermani, Rai
No: none
Abstain: none
Pittman appointed to the County Council 4-0-0

Rai
Yes: Feinstein, Goeke, Kermani, Rai
No: none
Abstain: none
Rai appointed to the County Council 4-0-0

10. Decision: Authorize letter regarding FPPC compliance  (ten minutes)
Sponsor: Mike Feinstein, Ajay Rai

Background:  Decision-making opportunity after outgoing Treasurer report and election of new Treasurer

11. Decision: Set next GPLAC meeting dates (ten minutes)
Sponsors/Presenters: Feinstein, Rai

Background:  GPCA Combine a mix of virtual and in-persons every month to six weeks, with the goal in part of identifying and adding additional county council members to

Proposal: That proposed dates above are accepted or modified, and a final schedule is adopted.

Sunday, May 20, 2-5pm, 1:30 to 2pm social time (virtual)
Sunday, June 23, 2-5pm, 1:30 to 2pm social time (in person somewhere)
Sunday, August 4 2-5pm, 1:30 to 2pm social time (in person somewhere)

Authorize email blast to GPLAC members to gauge interest in attending an in-person gathering to watch the GPUS presidential nomination convention on August 17

Approved by consensus

12. Discussion: Update on GPLAC Nationbuilder database, data and finances

Heard from Rai about issues with uploading latest Green voter registration list; heard from Feinstein about monthly charges with Nationbuilder

13. Decision: Report on GPLAC efforts to promote proportional representation and a substantially larger city council for Los Angeles (ten minutes)

Proposal (Feinstein):

(1) That the GPLAC position be that in establishing the Charter Reform Commission, that the City Council should specifically include as part of the Commission's scope, that the study of council enlargement include studying electing the LA City Council from multi-seat districts by proportional ranked-choice voting, and provide reasoning as in this document LA needs to consider using Proportional Representation for city council elections.

(2) The GPLAC do an email blast letting all Greens in Los Angeles County about the GPLAC position and ask for letters of support, to forward information about the Charter Review Commission to GPLAC members, both now and during the Charter Review Commission process

(3) The GPLAC do an email blasts to LA Neighborhood Councils with the GPLAC position and background material, both now and during the Charter Review Commission process

Approved by consensus