June
17th 2003
Park Hill Library
In
attendance: Rick VanWie, Christy Bouchard, Arnie, Lena Patyandi, Robin
with SEIU Justice for Janitors; Eric Karnes, Sunny Maynard, Randy
Richter, Dave Chandler
Justice
for Janitors
Rick VanWie, Coalition Diversity Committee:
Contract battle coming up for Janitors in the city.
Robin from Service Employees International Union presented case of
maintenance workers in the city who own low wages and have no health
insurance. The union is trying to give full time workers (20% of workforce)
family health care, and transition the other 80% to full time. 41
million Americans don’t have health care, but 9 of 10 janitors
lack it. Janitors make $1.60 under living wage in Denver. Community
support is crucial to winning benefits and living wage for these workers.
Many church groups are involved.
Rick proposed that the Denver Green Party support the SEIU in these
efforts.
7:20 all in favor.
Rick to put out announcements/press releases about upcoming demonstrations
and ways to support.
Gay
Pride Parade
Rick VanWie
Sunday June 22nd. Line up at Cheesman park at 7:45am.
Slogan is “Love Makes a Family.”
Bring all your friends. Banners to be made at Bruce Meyer’s
house the Saturday before. Rick to make quarter-page handouts specific
to GLBT concerns as relates to the DGP. Christy to bring DGP banner
and buttons. Rick to put out an announcement.
Sunny said she would like to do some voter registration, and asked
Eric Karnes for reasons why gays would want to be Green instead of
Democrat. Eric could not give any and suggested that Sunny do research
on the national GP’s web site.
Christy
Bouchard
People’s Fair/Registration Drive
People’s fair registered over 50 new Greens, collected 15 new
phone numbers and 60 new email addresses, handed out 200 brochures
and newsletters. Volunteer turnout was great. Greens enjoyed talking
to people at the booth and handing out info. We also kept track of
the number of visitors at various times of day, as well as the amount
of printed materials needed for future tabling events. Thanks to all
who participated, you did a great job.
Registration
Drive
Sunny Maynard
Handed out phone lists. Everyone took a page. The goal is to call
everyone on the list and mark which phone numbers are incorrect so
we can try to get a proper phone list. She also handed out phone scripts
and talking points.
The registration drive is 2-pronged: Calling non-greens and asking
for participation and contributions, and calling Greens and asking
them to each bring in 3 new Greens.
Phoning is difficult without an office.
They are working on special-interest targeted phone scripts, eventually
to create special targeted materials for booths and tabling as well.
Judy Trompeter is working on phoning too.
Kent
Holcomb is taking over managing the Green member database. Anyone
who registers voters at an event should first copy all the forms,
then ask Kent for a blank form to fill in with the new addresses,
and he can add them.
Campaign
Committee
Eric Karnes
District Targeting Research
He is looking at state Senate and House districts and putting relevant
info into a spreadsheet. Creating a matrix of demographically winnable
races based on incumbency, voting records of incumbents, term limits,
and registered voters in that district. They are still waiting on
the data from Sunny’s race to see how a Green candidate fared
in each area.
Examples are: Senate district 19 in Arvada, Sue Windell had a 49.3%
win in 2000, with Republicans and Libertarians splitting the other
51%. Jennifer Viega, House District 3, Cherry Hills/Englewood. 56%
of the vote, now term-limited. House district 33, Republican incumbent
Shawn Mitchell, very conservative, homophobic, only got 53% of the
vote.
More to come.
There is a real dearth of quality Green candidates though.
Dave suggested going to progressive Democrats whose party wouldn’t
support them, and asking them to switch.
Web
Site
Dave Chandler
Jim Ray shut down the web site in a huff saying the Green Party “doesn’t
know what it wants.” Now we are back to the old site. Dave is
taking over management of it. Christy Bouchard will assist. They have
the same computer system and software.
July
Fundraiser House Party
Rick VanWie
Bruce Meyer’s house, July 19th Saturday from 4-8pm. Suggested
donation at the door is $5 for the office fund. Alcoholic beverages
will be extra. Food and juice/soda/water will be provided. Rick will
coordinate volunteers to do food/drink/music/activities.
Christy will send postcards and emails to all new Greens who registered
at the people’s fair.
Next
meeting: Tuesday, July 15th at Park Hill Library, 6:30-8:30 pm.
Respectfully
Submitted,
Christy
