Minutes, GPLAC County Council meeting, June 9, 2019

Green Party of Los Angeles County County Council Meeting Minutes
4344 Russell Ave, Los Angeles 90027
Sunday, June 9, 2019, 2-5pm meeting, vegetarian potluck 1pm

County Councilmembers present (9): Doug Barnett, Marla Bernstein, Diana Brown, Mike Feinstein, Melissa Guevara, Ava Kermani, Linda Piera-Avila, Ajay Rai, Julia Russell

County Councilmembers not present (2): Rachel Brunhke, Annie Goeke

County Councilmembers alternate (1) : Lisa Taylor (for Annie Goeke)

Other Greens present (1): David Bond, Steve Correa, Cesar Flores, Shannel Pittmnd, Lisa Salvary, Rohan Sabnis, Juan Verdin, Bruce Villa, Margaret Villa

Non-Greens present (1): Jose de Leon

Meeting began at 4:04 with quorum (6/11) - Brown, Feinstein, Guevara, Kermani, Piera-Avila, Rai, Russell, Taylor (a)

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

Bond arrives at 2:25
Barnett and Bernstein arrived at 2:40
Flores arrived at 3
others arrival time not recorded

Feinstein left after item #14

1. Welcome and Introductions - All attendees                                         

Heard from those in attendance

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

Rai presented this review

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)

Proposal (Russell) add to the non0vioelnce item , second decision

Approved by consensus

Proposal (Piera-Avila): Add "Decision: Support Loraine Lundquist for Los Angeles City Council District 12 special election run-off election and authorize email blast" after minutes

Approved by consensus

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

Treasurer didn't arrive until 2:40, item heard after he arrived

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

Amendment (Piera-Avila): correct spelling of last name for Lundquist

Approved by consensus

6. Decision: Support Loraine Lundquist for Los Angeles City Council District 12 special election run-off election and authorize email blast
Sponsor/Presenter: Piera-Avila

Proposal (Piera-Avila): Support Loraine Lundquist for Los Angeles City Council District 12 special election run-off election and authorize emails to registered Greens in her district notifying them of the GPLAC statement of support, how to get involved in the campaign and when to vote

Yes (8): Barnett, Bernstein, Feinstein, Kermani, Piera-Avila, Rai, Russell, Taylor
No (2): Brown, Guevara
Abstain (0):

Proposal approved 8-2-0
(Under GPLAC bylaws, this decision requires 2/3 support with at least 3/5 of County Council voting)

7. Discussion: Update on Greens Running for Neighborhood Council
Sponsor/Presenter: Feinstein

Feinstein reported that six of 11 Greens who had run for Los Angeles Neighborhood Council as of June 9 were elected (references www.gpelections.org/?t=2019 and  gpus.org/elections/report-greens-in-spring-2019-elections).

7. Discussion: Update on candidates already planning on running in 2020
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)Pittman and Verden presented on their candidacies

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

Proposal (Feinstein): That Feinstein be authorizent to prepare a draft email blast for candidate recruitment for local, state and federal office in 2019 and 2020, send it to the GPLAC for input and then send a final version

Aprpoved by consensus

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

Piera-Avila reported that approval of the PIMA warehouse would be going before the Los Angeles City Council Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) committee in June (reference June 25 PLUM hearing https://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2016/16-1411-S1_rpt_plum_6-25-19.pdf)

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

Brown, Sabnis, PIttman, Bond shared their experiences in attending the meeting

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

Discussion centered around supporting GPLAC members Barnett and Guevara for Coordinating Committee

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

Proposal (Feinstein): That the GPLAC's proposal be as amended in Attachment #1 below

Approved by consensus

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

Because the new GPLAC voting page was not ready to use for this vote, discussion centered around extending the period for nominations through June 30 and then going to discussion and vote, contingent upon the voting page being ready by that time

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

Proposal (Brown): That the GPLAC host a GPCA General Assembly in Los Angeles County on either the weekends of November 16/17 or December 7/8

Yes (2): Brown, Guevara
No (8): Barnett, Bernstein, Feinstein,Kermani, Piera-Avila, Rai, Russell, Taylor
Abstain (0):

Proposal not approved 2-8-0

Because Feinstein had to leave at 4:30, item #16 for which he was sponsor was heard before item #15.  Also it was realized that item #16 had not been amended at the appropriate time at the beginning of the meeting in response to actual new text for SB 505 being available, and that the GPLAC had only until the following day to render a decision on the amended bill, therefore it was decided on this one time basis to hear the item as a decision making item

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

Proposal (Russell): That the GPLAC agree to add the above language on non-violent communication to the GPLAC Rules and Procedures.

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.

Approved by consensus

Proposal (Russell): That the GPLAC agrees that the vibes watcher will use the non-vioelnt commujnciations guidleines in the GPLAC Rules and Procedures as gthe basis for moederating GPLAC disucssion in GPLAC meetings.

Approved by consensus

16. Decision: SB 505 - Presidential primary elections

Proposal (Feinstein): Support SB 505 as amended (https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB505)

Approved by consesnsus

17. Discussion: Update on GPLAC Voting Page implementation
Sponsor/Presenter: Rai

Rai provided status update about the item.

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

Rai provided status update about the item.

Attachment #1: