PDNC Executive Committee Meeting 6/27/07

Minutes 6/27/07  Phone Conference of PDNC Execs plus friends

Present:  Matilda, Pete, Isaac, Chris, Mac, Helen, Mike Oder,
Mike Sprague and Delmas

Pete announced that the Fayetteville Progressive Democrats will consider joining up with us in their July meeting.  He met with them recently.  Also,
Orange County's Progressives will meet 6/28/07 to rekindle their energy and should also be joining on as a chapter. (They decided to join at the meeting and will adopt bylaws and elect officers at the next meeting.

 Matilda is coming up with a draft on how to start chapters.

The Fundraising letter was polished up by Pete and is ready to be mailed out.   EVERYONE ON THE EXEC COMMITTEE is to mail it to friends with a personal handwritten note and follow up with a phone call to the letter recipient.  WE NEED TO SEND OUT AT LEAST 10 LETTERS EACH.

WE NEED TO RAISE MONEY NOW!!!!!!!!

The State Executive Committee meeting will occur on Aug 25 and the Platform and Resolution Committee is in place.  Their first full meeting will be Aug. 9.  Delmas said we need to hand in our resolutions to the committee by August 1.  We are waiting to hear the report from the P and R C about what the resolution process will be.  Delmas will talk with Sally Leslie about the room.

There was discussion about the resolutions which needed to be placed on top priority.  Chris reminded us that we have several resolutions which have been approved by the PDNC which have not been presented to the P and R Committee.  We decided to use the internet/email to solicit additional  resolutions and tweak the ones we are working on. 

Chris sent us several attachments to read before tonight's call including the Platform for the PDNC, our mission statement, and a beginner's guide to lobbying. (Bill Lobbying 101)  Mike O. was asked to post the lobbying guide on the website – but without the mention of the specific bill.

Pete asked Isaac to chair the PDNC meeting on Aug 25 at the SEC gathering in his absence.  Isaac is checking whether he can attend. Isaac and Chris will talk to work out details for the meeting. 

The meeting place for the annual PDNC on Sept 15 meeting is still undecided as it now appears as though Raleigh will be the better place to hold our meeting.  Matilda is looking into the
Pullen Senior Center and Pete is checking on the
Binkley Center.

Pete says Rev Barber has tentatively committed to the Friday evening event but we still have to find and additional speaker for the banquet Friday evening. 
Mike Sprague talked with Amy Goodman's representative who asks that we send her a letter with information about our event and the time she will be needed to speak.  Ms Goodman has an event in
Colorado on Saturday but her rep says that she MAY be able to attend our Friday event.  Pete will email details to Mike so that he can send the letter.

 Delmas suggests Stewart Acuff.  We discussed other options for speakers. Acuff is a  labor leader and a great speaker.  Delmas will try to contact him.  Pete knows someone who is a friend of Tom Hayden and will pursue that line.  The Institute for Southern Studies has speakers. 

Mike S. proposed that we include people from the other chapters and those who want to form chapters in our phone conferences until we get out 12 chapters.  We agreed it would be a good idea in order to generate more interest and activity.  We need to find people to serve on various committees!

Website update:  Mike Oder was asked to post the newsletters on the site.  Matilda asked about posting a thermometer to help us visualize  how much money we are raising.  Mike was also asked to post links to an article from the Progressive States Network, as well as links to the Progressive Democrats of America and
Susan Oehlers update, Wake County Progressives, Fayetteville Progressives.  He kindly agreed to do so for us!

The next meeting date was not set but will be in a few weeks as we have a lot to do. 

Submitted by Helen Clark, Secretary