SPUSA Home Page Campaigns Activist Campaigns Electoral Action About Us Principles Platform Recent Statements National Office National Committee Locals and Commissions Youth Media The Socialist Socialist Women Literature/ Merchandise The Organizer Bulletin Board SP Members E-List Membership Join Us/ Renew Make a Contribution Contact Us - Socialist Party National Committee Minutes: October 2007 (Post Convention) - Meeting of the Socialist Party USA National Committee Post-convention, October 21 2007 St. Louis Missouri Attending (all or part of the meeting):  Andrea Pason, Nan Pfefferle, Jerry Levy, Doris Lake, Sharin Chiorazzo, Susan Dorazio, Myrtle Kastner, Alice Kelsey Greg Pason, Steve Sears, Eric Chester, Dwight Welch, Bill Stodden, Mark Luzietti, Dan Jakopovich, Peter Diamondstone, Matthew Andrews , Matt Erard , Mwara Ngoima, Beverly Brown, Linda Randolph, Teresa Salo. The meeting was held in the convention room and many convention delegates observed. Meeting called to order by Andrea Pason and Jerry, who chaired Steve Sears reported that the constitution requires that setting wages for officers be the first order of business. Motion: To set the staff of the National Secretary based on the salary passed in the 2007 budget. Motion passed unanimously. Motion: To hold the next National Committee meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on the weekend of March 1-2, 2008 and the following NC meeting in Seattle Washington on August 16-17, 2008. Motion passed unanimously. Election of Officers Motion: To elect Greg Pason as National Secretary. Motion passed unanimously. Motion: To elect Jennifer Robbins as National Treasurer. Motion passed unanimously. Motion: To elect Steve Rossignol as Archivist. Motion passed unanimously. Motion: To authorize Beverly Brown to speak to Steve Rossignol and draft a description for the position of Archivist for the next NC meeting.  Motion passed unanimously. Motion: To elect Walter Brown as the Party’s legal council. Motion passed unanimously. Commissions Motion: To recharter the following Commissions and commission chairs. Faith & Socialism with Paul Werner as chair., International with Eric Chester as chair, Labor with Dan, Jakopovich as chair, Nation American with William Stubbs as chair and Womens with Susan Dorazio as chair. Motion passed unanimously. The NC agreed that these were the only currently active/chartered Party commissions. Financial Motion: The National Secretary and Treasurer are to review the Party’s finances for 2007 with the support of the Finance Committee and provide a full report at the next National Committee meeting. Motion passed unanimously Motion: To elect Matthew Andrews as National Fundraising Coordinator. Motion passed unanimously. Motion: The National Office is directed to maintain the Bea Hermann Fund, either as a portion of the National Office account or as a separate account. The purpose of the Bea Herman Fund shall be to receive and distribute funds to subsidize travel related expenses for Socialist Party members. The Bea Hermann Fund shall be managed by a committee of SPUSA members in good standing. The Women’s Commission, People of Color Commission, and YPSL shall each elect a representative to the Bea Hermann Fund Committee. The National Committee shall appoint a chairperson to ensure that the Bea Hermann Fund Committee fulfills its duties. The Bea Hermann Fund Committee shall be responsible for developing guidelines for distributing travel grants that promote participation from low income women, youth and people of color throughout the United States and its territories. The Bea Hermann Fund Committee shall solicit and receive applications, then award travel grants. Total funds available shall be determined 45 (forty five) days before an event begins. The Bea Hermann Fund may spend up to 75% (seventy five percent) of its total funds for the National Convention or National Organizing Conference. The Bea Hermann Fund may spend up to 50% (fifty percent) of its total funds for events the Socialist Party USA is co-hosting. The Bea Hermann Fund may spend up to 25% of its total funds for National Committee meetings or events endorsed by either the National Committee or the National Action Committee. The Bea Hermann fund may not allocate more than 50% (fifty percent) of the funding availing for a particular event to a single individual.  Motion passed w/ 1 abstention (Marc Luzetti) The Socialist Motion: To elect Terry Williams as the Editor. Motion passed w/ 3 abstentions. The committee discussed the membership of the Editorial Board. Eric Chester said he would no longer serve. Motion: To elect an Editorial Board of Mal Herbert as convener, Jason Becker, Jim Marra, Tina Phillips, Steve Rossignol and  Chuck Wynns. This Editorial Board will remain as is until the next National Committee, when membership is to be reviewed. The National Secretary is directed to create a “publication discussion” e-mail list which non-EB contributors could be added. Motion passed with on abstention (Dan Jakopovich) Motion: To maintain the status quo between The Socialist and Socialist Women. Motion passed w/ 1 no vote (Dan Jakopovich). Campaign Clearinghouse Motion: To elect David Schaich as the Campaign Clearinghouse Coordinator. Motion passed unanimously. Wisconsin/ National Relations The committee discussed the convention resolution on Wisconsin/ national relations and moved toward electing the communications committee. Motion: To create a Communications Committee to start the good faith effort required by the convention resolution. The committee is to consist of six members, three elected as representatives of the National Committee and three elected by the Socialist Party of Wisconsin.  Motion passed unanimously Motion: To name Bill Stodden, Jerry Levy and Andrea Pason as the National Committees representatives to the Communications Committee. Motion passed 8 yes 1 no and 1 abstention. Matthew Andrews requested that the NC reconsider the committee members. Motion: To reconsider the members of the Communications Committee. Motion passed 8 yes and 2 no.  Motion: To replace National Committee representative Jerry Levy with Matthew Andrews on the Communications Committee. Motion failed 3 yes (Matthew Andrews, Doris Lake and Eric Chester) 7 no (Peter Diamondstone, Dwight Welch, Beverly Brown, Myrtle Kastner, Andrea Pason, Dan Jakopovich and Greg Pason). Motion (revisited): To create a Wisconsin/ national Communications Committee of Bill Stodden, Jerry Levy and Andrea Pason. Motion passed 6 yes 1 no and 3 abstention. National Action Committee Motion: To retain the National Action Committee membership at the co-chairs, vice-chairs, national secretary, national treasurer and editor. Motion passed unanimously. Meeting adjourned Minutes by Greg Pason             Socialist Party USA 339 Lafayette St. #303 New York, NY 10012