Green Party of the United States - National Committee Voting

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Proposal Details

Proposal ID	217
Proposal	GPUS Steering Committee Open Meeting Policy
Presenter	Green Parties of Minnesota, New York State, and California
Floor Manager	Jake Schneider
Phase	Closed
Discussion	03/20/2006 - 04/09/2006
Voting	04/10/2006 - 04/16/2006
Result	Failed
Presens Quorum	32 0.6666
Consens Quorum	58 0.6666 of Yes and No Votes

Background

The Steering Committee of the Green Party of the United States (GPUS) exists
to aid in the conduct of the business of the Green Party of the United
States and are elected by the National Committee delegates who represent the
affiliated State Party and Caucus organizations. The intent of this proposal
is that Steering Committee actions and deliberations be taken and conducted
openly.
Though the National Committee has delegated some authority in making
decisions on GPUS business to the Steering Committee Co-Chairs, the National
Committee delegates, as the final decision making body of the GPUS, must
remain informed in order to ensure accountability to the States and Caucuses which
they represent.

Proposal

Section 1, entitled POWERS OF STEERING COMMITTEE, of the Rules and
Procedures of the Green Party of the Untied States, shall be amended to
include the
following:

GPUS SC Open Meeting Policy

1. Definitions:
"Meeting" or the plural equvilent means any forum of the Steering Committee
of the GPUS wherein a quorum is present and actions are taken on behalf of
the Green Party of the United States. For the purposes of this proposal this
definition includes but is not limited to teleconferences, email list servs,
and face to face meetings.

"Actions" include deliberations, discussions, reviews, considerations, and
final actions, including any collective positive or negative decision or
actual vote by a quorum of the members on any proposal, motion, or resolution.

2. All meetings of the Steering Committee of the GPUS will be made open to
delegates and alternates of the Green National Committee. All references to
delegates include members of the NC with alternate status.

a. Teleconference Meetings:
The Steering Committee will post a regular schedule for teleconference
meetings. The agenda for teleconferences by the Steering Committee will be
posted to the National Committee voting list no later than 48 hours in advance of
the meeting. National Committee delegates may send a written/email request to
the Secretary indicating that they would like to observe up to 24 hours in
advance of any regularly scheduled meeting. The Secretary will provide the
observer with the call in number and access code.
Observers will not participate in the meeting, however an observer may
request to speak in advance of the meeting and the Steering Committee may
approve observer participation.
Any state or individual who is a subject of the meeting agenda, or who has a
proposal under consideration by the SC will be granted a reasonable amount
of time to present any concerns, or clarify their proposal.

In the event that a meeting is interrupted by an observer or group of
observers making orderly conduct of business unfeasable or impossible, and
order cannot be restored, the Steering Committee may, upon majority vote, adjourn
the meeting and reconvene at another call location reserved for such use or
reserved for executive session. In such a session, final action may only be
taken on matters listed on the agenda.

b. Steering Committee List Serv
Any email address list or list serv to which a quorum of Steering Committee
members are subscribed shall be made open to National Committee Delegates as
observers. The Steering Committee will post notice to the National Committee
Votes list of the existence of any such list and National Committee delegates
may send a written/email request to the Secretary indicating their will to
observe. The Secretary will then subscribe the delegate to the list.

Archives:
Archives will be kept of all email meetings and will be made available to
National Committee delegates upon request. Minutes shall be taken at executive
sessions of any action that is taken and will consist of a record or summary
of the final determination of such action, and the date and vote thereon.
Minutes of Executive Session taken in this manner shall be posted to the open
list serv in a regular message with the subject heading "Executive Session
Minutes".

Observer Guidelines:
Observers will not post to the SC list serv, nor will they forward email
messages from the list serv to the media, or other political parties.
Violation of this guideline will result in the observer being barred from the list upon
motion by the SC, and majority vote of the Green National Committee.
Participation of the observer will be suspended for the duration of any
proceeding by the GNC to determine observer status.

c. Face to Face meetings
Notice of the meeting time and location and the meeting agenda
will be posted no later than seven (7) days in advance of the
meeting.
Observers will not participate in the meeting, however an observer
may request to speak in advance of the meeting and the Steering
Committee may approve observer participation.
Any state or individual who is a subject of the meeting agenda, or
who has a proposal under consideration by the SC will be granted a
reasonable amount of time to present any concerns, or to clarify their proposal

In the event that a meeting is interrupted by an observer or group
of observers making orderly conduct of business unfeasible or
impossible, and order cannot be restored, the Steering Committee may, upon
majority vote, adjourn the meeting and clear the room. In such a session, final action
may only be taken on matters listed on the agenda.

3. Executive sessions:
The SC will keep an alternate call location, and an alternate list serv for
Executive Sessions.

Upon a majority vote of its total membership, taken in an open meeting
pursuant to a motion identifying the general area or areas of the subject or
subjects to be considered, the Steering Committee may conduct an executive
session for the following purposes only,
a. matters which will imperil the public safety if disclosed;
b. discussions regarding proposed, pending or current litigation;
c. the medical, financial, credit or employment history of a particular
person or corporation, or matters leading to the appointment, employment,
promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of a
particular person or corporation;
d. the proposed acquisition, sale or lease of real property or the proposed
acquisition of securities, or sale or exchange of securities held by such
public body, but only when publicity would substantially affect the value
thereof.

4. Minutes:
Minutes will be taken at all meetings and are to include all specific
actions taken and the disposition of any votes taken. Steering Committee
members may not take votes by secret ballot. Any votes taken in violation of these
rules are considered null and void. Minutes shall be taken at executive
sessions of any action that is taken and will consist of a record or summary of the
final determination of such action, and the date and vote thereon. Minutes of
Executive Session will be taken in this manner and shall be included in the
minutes for the regular session.
Minutes will be posted to the National Committee Votes list no later than
seven (7) days after the adjournment of the meeting, and to the GPUS web site
no later than 30 days.

5. Remedies
Any actions taken by the GPUS SC in knowing violation of this Open Meeting
policy are considered null and void.

Resources

Contact - Kristen Olson gpus@mngreens.org
Eric Makela gpus@mngreens.org
Marybeth Wuerthner mb-@sbcglobal.net
Roger Snyder rogersnyder@pobox.com

References

Rules and Procedures of the Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org/documents/rules.shtml

New York State Committee on Open Government Open Meeting Laws
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/openmeetlaw.htm

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