Minutes - November 14, 2000

Meeting held at Xhedos Cafe Nine Mile, Ferndale, MI
7:30 pm, November 14, 2000.
Approximately 25 attendees.
Meeting Facilitator: Temporary Acting Secretary: Kendra Knorp
Acting Co-Chairman Mike Madias not present
Acting Co-Chairman Mike MacGinnis not present
Treasurer: Saerah Schreiber present

HOUSEKEEPING

• Call made for new member sign-up
  
• Sareah Schreiber resigned as Treasurer due to time-constraints
  
• Treasury notes handed over to Kendra Knorp prior to meeting. Knorp gave updated treasury report: -$51.00 Monies from Madias acct disbursed to Knorp for partial repayment of printing costs $91.00 still owed. Dan Karam's printing costs of $50.00 not yet repaid. Currently MDG have $90.00 in checks that cannot be cashed because they are made out to Metro Detroit Green Party and we have no bank account under that name. Knorp working on obtaining EIN & account. With $141.00 owed and $90.00 in assets we are $51.00 in debt.
• Xhedos not informed of MDG hiatus Oct 31 & Nov 7. Please report to Xhedos@wwnet.com if meeting plans change. Collection taken up for Xhedos

UPDATES
Office Space
Update from Tom Ness regarding Woodward Ave office space currently rented to Ness for Congress with a desk & phone subleased to Metro Detroit Greens. Ness has made an offer to keep ½ the space for next 6 months. Currently accepting pledges from Greens statewide to keep a Green element in that office.
Kendra Knorp noted that she and Larry Cohen scouted future meeting/office space from 8 Mile to 10 Mile from Coolidge to John R. So far the rent looks to be approximately $1,000-$1,250 per month with parking, large meeting room and handicap accessibility.
Bank Account
Kendra Knorp is working on getting the MDGreens a tax ID, necessary for a bank account. Note: at the State Qtrly Mtg the Michigan Green Party discussed instituting requirements for recognition of local parties. Suggested requirements included having a bank account in the name of the local party. In looking for a checking account for the organization, Knorp has discovered that they all require monthly fees, the lowest being $8.00 per month.
Misc.
Kendra Knorp elected a member of State Central Committee at Qtrly Mtg.
Idea for a music concert fundraiser "Together Love". John Litle described a day-long event at a large venue which would host well-known musical performers and local bands, sponsored hour by hour by coalition groups like the Green Party in return for % of ticket sales and merchandising/fundraising during their sponsored stage events. This idea has been presented at the Alliance for Democracy and Veterans for Peace meetings. Contact John if you'd like to discuss this: (313) 541-2434.
Events Noted:

• Fran Shor Teach-in re:current political situation. Nov. 15 at 91 Manoogian Hall.
  
• Swords for Plowshares meeting Nov 16 at 7:00pm at church Woodward & Adams.
  
• Pro-Democray protests on Saturdays include Dems & Reps. Contact www.countercoup.org for details
  
• Alliance for Democracy meeting December 3rd 2:00-5:00 at Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center, contact Shirley Strom for details 356-0698.
  
• Mich Dept of Transportation mtg Nov 29th @ Christ Church Hall Jefferson 2-5 & 7-8:30 will discuss the I-375 extension.

MOTIONS

1. Motion: Shall we elect actual officers and clarify the situation of "Acting" officers who have been filling in on an irregular basis?
   Motion accepted
   
2. Motion: Shall we elect Larry Cohen and Pricilla Dziubek as new Co-Chairman and Chairwoman?
   Motion accepted. All attendees voted "For" except Priscilla's husband Lou Novak who abstained. Note: No other candidates were nominated or volunteered. Both Cohen and Dziubek pledged to get MDGreens stable and organized and to develop strategies for the future as well as developing interest among others within the local who will be willing to serve as officers in the hopefully not-to-distant future. When reached later for comment Mike Madias stated "I appreciate your picking up the ball on this. Let me know what I can do to support you."
   Contact Info:
   Priscilla Dziubek        Larry Cohen
   18662 Fairfield          21930 Kenosha
   Detroit, MI 48221     Oak Park, MI 48237
   313.345.6031           248.547.0780
   peekd@lppals.com    ab2400@wayne.edu
   
3. Motion: Shall we combine the office positions of Secretary and Treasurer, noting that Co-Chairs will provide assistance and back-up to that person?
   Motion accepted
   
4. Motion: Shall we elect Kendra Knorp to the position of Secretary/Tresurer?
   Motion accepted All attendees "For". Note: Doug Campbell declined a nomination for this post or a shared version of it.
   Contact info:
   Kendra Knorp
   809 Leroy
   Ferndale, MI 48220
   248.542.6979
   kendra123@tir.com
   
5. Motion: Shall we create a Steering Committee which includes MDG Officers and members at large to guide the agenda for future meetings.?
   Motion withdrawn. Note: 4 members expressed interest in serving on such a committee: Martin Seldon, Erica Udman, Sandy Oliver and Reggie McNulty.
   
6. Motion: Shall we empower Co-Chair Larry Cohen to develop a General Membership Meeting to take place on a weekend day in December?
   Motion accepted Note: Meeting will serve as an opportunity for MDGreens to confirm their membership, collect data from members who do not regularly attend meetings, as well as provide a venue for discussing our future mission, the start-up of other local chapters, what Greens in the area might do to capitalize on the currrent electoral situation, and to give everyone a year-end/holiday potluck gathering. Cohen will contact Dan McCarthy who volunteered his local union hall as a meeting location rent-free. Anyone wishing to aide Cohen on this project should contact him directly.
   
7. Motion: Shall we assign members to look into other meeting spaces?
   Motion accepted
   Assignments:
   Kendra Knorp - Ferndale Public Library
   Dan Karam - Royal Oak Senior Center
   Larry Cohen - Oak Park
   Sandy Oliver - Hazel Park
   Erica Udman - Huntington Wds & Berkeley
   Bonita - First United Methodist Church Detroit (find out if Larry Swarzinski made any arrangements)
   

Discussion of MDGreens Future Focus brought up the following items:

Put a face to the name Green Party by letting the public know what we're about in more detail
Support proportional representation petition drive
Get involved with community projects like river clean-ups, etc.
Support Local Elections
Train presenters to do outreach representing the MDGreens
Create a better focus/mission for our local