[gpva-ic] Approval of Nomination of Audrey Clement to GPUS Ballot Access Committee (BAC)

[aloe at rev.net]

On 7/16/2012 3:56 PM, Audrey Clement wrote:

> As with other GPUS committees, each state party is entitled to 3 seats 
> on BAC. Currently GPVA has one member on BAC, Tom Yager.

If there is a third seat, I believe it might help if John Reeder is 
appointed, so that he can hear first hand about difficulties that arise 
in other states and how they are handled.

If John is not available, I noticed Sherry Stanley's name in the minutes 
in 2011. Sherry managed the successful petition drive in 2000. If she is 
currently a GPVA member, her experience would be helpful to the committee.

> BAC members are entitled to serve on the committee until their state 
> party removes them.

That puts the onus on members of a state party to monitor committee 
activities and actively remove people, which is difficult unless they 
blatantly break a rule. State parties are expected to determine the 
membership, yet we get little information about what the members do once 
appointed. When a committee runs amok, delegates complain but can't do 
much about it directly. The current practice should be reviewed, but 
probably not here and now.

Just so we know what we are dealing with, does that perpetual seating 
provision appear in more than one document (such as in several 
committees' written rules)?

> On the last call, BAC voted on requests for funding for ballot access 
> drives in two states.

Does that money come from the GPUS general account, a political action 
committee, or somewhere else? Is the BAC funding vote final, or must it 
be ratified at a higher level? Who is responsible for monitoring what 
the state parties do with the money? Is there currently an audit process 
in GPUS?

> By joining BAC I will assure that the committee has input from an 
> experienced petitioner when targetting states for ballot access 
> efforts through the remainder of this election season.

True, but I hope you will not be the only experienced petitioner on that 
committee. Surely, there must be others.

> In addition to serving as GPVA co-chair, I serve as GPUS Ecoaction 
> Committee chair and Arlington Green Party treasurer. I'm also running 
> for Arlington County Board. However my term on the GPUS Steering 
> Committee has ended,

Aren't they two years?

> the Ecoaction Committee conducts little business, and the treasurer 
> job is limited due to the fact that
> AGP receives and disburses little in the way of funds. So I feel that 
> I now have the time to devote to BAC.

By election season, most ballot access work should be done. I agree that 
the time conflict looks manageable.

> Charlie,
> You say:
> "I am also concerned that you are presiding over business that names 
> you personally. That constitutes the appearance of a conflict of 
> interest, which tends to have a damping effect on discussion and 
> dissent, and should therefore be avoided in any group process. Please 
> recuse yourself in favor of someone with neutral status, whose fate is 
> not at stake. My concern on this particular subject is blocking. We 
> need room to breathe."
>
> The only other person who can convene the Interim Committee to 
> consider this nomination is Tom Yager.

We are already convened.

Of course, Tom can take over.

> Would you remove your blocking concern if Tom conducted the IC's 
> consideration of this matter?

Although the change in personnel would answer my concern, this is not a 
/quid pro quo/. Relinquishing the chair is necessary to protect 
integrity of process. As such, it cannot be a concession in negotiation 
to gain support for a proposal. An incentive offered from the chair to 
elicit a promise from a voting member exemplifies the impropriety I 
wanted to avoid. Can you not see the irony, Audrey?

Until later,
Charlie Jordan of the Blue Ridge Greens
<http://www.rev.net/~aloe/green/brg.html> 
<http://www.rev.net/%7Ealoe/green/brg.html>
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