DRAFT Agenda, GPLAC County Council meeting, June 9, 2019

DRAFT Green Party of Los Angeles County County Council Meeting Agenda
4344 Russell Ave, Los Angeles 90027 (private home, please be respectful, meeting outside in partially shaded area, dress appropriately)
Vermont/Sunset Metro rail stop https://media.metro.net/documents/8ed0d97d-0265-4f02-bbcd-4187f8c34dab.pdf
Sunday, June 9, 2019, 2-5pm meeting, vegetarian potluck 1pm

Facilitator: Annie Goeke, Ajay Rai
Minutes: Mike Feinstein
Time Keeper:  Linda Piera-Avila
Vibes Watcher: Ava Kermani

1. Welcome and Introductions - All attendees (five minutes)                                           

Brief introductions, including role with County Council or otherwise with Green Party, or as outside observer

2. Reviewing our process  (two minutes)                                                                          
Presenter: Facilitators

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

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

Relevant By-Law 7.5.2.3 The agenda may be amended by a 3/5 vote of County Councilmember present. Emergency and/or late items may be added to the agenda by a 2/3 vote of County Councilmembers (in the interest of time, suggested amendments and their rationale should be offered on-line before the meeting)

4. Discussion: Treasurer's Report  (five minutes)                                                                  
Presenter: Barnett (Treasurer)

5. Decision: Approval of minutes from GPLAC April 28, 2019 County Council meeting* (three minutes)
Sponsor/Presenter: Feinstein (Secretary, minutes taker)

Proposal (Feinstein): Approval of these draft minutes: https://losangeles.cagreens.org/county-council/minutes/2019-04-28

6. Discussion: Update on Greens Running for Neighbohrood Council* (ten minutes)
Sponsor/Presenter: Feinstein

Background: A list of the Greens who have run or are still running for Los Angeles Neighborhood Council are found here www.gpelections.org/?t=2019 and here gpus.org/elections/report-greens-in-spring-2019-elections/.

7. Discussion: Update on candidates already planning on running in 2020 (fifteen minutes)
Sponsor: Feinstein

Background: At this point the following Greens have declared their intention - US House of Representatives: Rodolfo Cortes Barragan (CD-40), Shannel Pitman (CD-34); State Senate: Cesar Flores (SD-33); State Assembly: Juan Verden (AD-51)

8. Decision: Authorize email blast for candidate recruitment for local, state and federal office in 2019 and 2020 (ten minutes)
Sponsor/Presenter: Feinstein

9. Discussion: Update on South Central Farm legal case (five minutes)
Sponsor/Presenter: Piera-Avila

10. Discussion: Report Back from GPCA San Francisco General Assembly, May 18-19 (fifteen minutes)
Sponsor/Presenter: Brown

11. Discussion: GPLAC voting on SGA items in May/June 2019 Standing General Assembly (fifteen minutes)

Background: Voting is taking place on elections to GPCA Coordinating Committee, GPCA Delegates and Alternates to the GPUS National Comittee, and the GPLAC Bylaws proposal to provide a job definition for the GPLAC LIaison to the Secretary of State. This item is to hear views on who to vote for, for GPCA Coordinating Committee and GPCA Delegates and Alternates

12. Decision: Consideration of any amendments to GPLAC Bylaws proposal before SGA on GPLAC Liaison to SoS job description (ten minutes)
Sponsor/Presenter: Feinstein

 Background:  In case there are any amendments propsed to the GPLAC's proposal, this agenda item will allow the GPLAC to vote on them.

13. Discussion: Nominations for GPLAC Representation to GPCA Standing General Assembly  (ten minutes)
Sponsors/Presenters: Rai, Russell in their ministerial role as co-coordinators

Background: GPLAC Bylaws Section 11-4 Appointment of Delegates (http://losangeles.cagreens.org/bylaws/2017-03-12#section11-4) describe how GPLAC Delegates to General Assemblies and Standing General Assemblies are chosen:

11-4.1 The County Council shall select delegates by the Ranked Choice voting form of proportional representation, using the Droop threshold, and including the No Other Candidate option, as referenced in the GPCA Bylaws (Section 7). County Council members shall take into consideration issues of diversity and representation when ranking their choices.

This agenda item will allow County Council members to nominate GPLAC members for SGA delegates for the July 1, 2019 through the June 30, 2020 SGA term.  The vote will take place on-line after the meeting via the GPLAC on-line voting page.

Nominations:

14. Decision:  Proposal for GPLAC to host GPCA General Assembly (twenty minutes)
Sponsor/Presenter: Brown

Background: The May 2019 GPCA General Assembly set the weekends of November 16/17 or December 7/8 as the preferred dates of the next GPCA General Assembly, and has a budget of $2500.

Proposal: That the GPLAC host a GPCA General Assembly on one of the dates

15. Proposal: Proposed GPLAC Nonviolent Communication Guidelines/Spirit of Inclusiveness/Conflict Resolution to be included in GPLAC Rules and Procedures (twenty minutes)
Sponsor/Presenters: Russell, Avila, Bruhnke

Background: The purpose of adopting this practice is to reduce and ultimately remove habits of speech that aggravate discord and to build our skill in communication that maintains cohesion and heals division. We in the movement for peace and justice and transformation are learning to work together in a cooperative non-violent way...within a competitive aggressive and violent system and framework. We must actively learn new harmonious and loving ways to interact even in disagreements...the GPLAC proposes this document for all people and groups to consider, including within our own party, for consideration in helping move forward toward the safe sustainable and abundant future of joy that we all want. If "freedom isn’t free", neither are peace and justice. They will take work.

15.1.  Stick to the facts: try to be as objective as possible.
a. Don’t use evaluative language, avoiding such words as, sneaky, arrogant, rude, stupid, mean, greedy, outrageous, lazy, irresponsible, etc.
15.2.  Stick to the issue.  Principles above personalities.
15.3. Practice Active Listening: Avoid interrupting each other.
15.4.  Don’t resort to ad hominem attacks, i.e. negative evaluations of an individual’s character, intentions, intelligence, etc.           
15.5  Don’t assume we know other peoples’ motivations.  Ask them and let them tell us their motivations.  Give them the benefit of the doubt.
15.6.  Make an effort to make others right. Seek to find something in what another has said that you agree with first, and acknowledge it before going on to the issues you disagree on.  It helps people to be less defensive, more open to really listening.
15.7.  Don’t deliver ultimatums. Ultimatums leave no room for negotiation and harden people’s defenses.  No one likes to be told they have no choice and ultimatums do that.
15.8.  Have a clear desired outcome in mind.  That helps us avoid being sidetracked into bickering about non-essential issues.

Decision: That the GPLAC agree to add the above language on non-violent communication to the GPLAC Rules and Procedures.

16. Discussion: Update on SB 505 - Presidential primary elections*(ten minutes)
Sponsor/Presenter: Feinstein

Background: At its April 29th meeting, the GPLAC voted to opppose SB 505 (https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB505) unless amended, because as written at the time, it would prevent most candidates seeking the GPUS presidential nomination from appearing on the GPCA presidential primary ballot, by applying ballot qualifcation thresholds appropriate to candidates seeking the Democratic and Republican nominations, but not the Greens and other smaller parties.  Since then there have been negotiations to amend the bill to meet these concerns.  This item will provide an update on those negotiations.

17. Discussion: Update on GPLAC Voting Page implementation (ten minutes)
Sponsor/Presenter: Rai

18. Discussion: Update on GPLAC Nationbuilder data base (ten minutes)
Sponsors/Presenters: Feinstein, Rai