[Sosfbay-discuss] Requirements for Working Groups in 2007/8

[Wes Rolley]

The initial budget submissions for GPCA working groups have been 
compiled and should have been submitted.  From what I have seen, there 
are three problems with the process:
- none of the tasks that defined arose from County Council input.  This 
might be reasonable with GROW, since one of their "tasks" is to assist 
the organization of new counties or to help revitalize counties that 
seem to have fallen apart.
- the total amounts requested far exceed the total party income.
- the amounts requested are not tied to specific, achievable goals.

Since I am involved with two Working Groups (GROW and Green Issues) I 
want to solicit input from Santa Clara County Greens as to what they 
would want to see these two groups accomplish.

Green Issues Working Group (GIWG): (http://www.cagreens.org/giwg/)

According to the bylaws of GPCA, the _Goals_ of the Working Group include:

    * To identify current issues and events for which the GPCA has no
      position;
    * To sponsor resolutions on current issues to be passed by the GPCA
      Plenary body, when appropriate;
    * To sponsor debate of issues that may impact the platform;
    * To interface with the Platform Standing Committee
      <http://www.cagreens.org/platformsc/> and with candidates who are
      running for office as Green Party members, as appropriate;
    * To build coalitions with other organizations.

In the past year, Green Issues has expended the most energy on health 
care reform, supporting the minimum hourly wage initiatives and on 
genetically modified organisms.  The level of success greatly varied.

It seems to me that the greatest energy in the Santa Clara County 
organization is being spent on anti-war efforts, the impeachment 
movement and in helping to put together a county wide health care 
coalition.

What actions do you required (desire) from GIWG in support of local goals? 
What areas do you believe that GIWG should address for the very reason 
that no one else is devoting enough (any) energy to them right now and 
that they are "important"?

Grassroots Organizing Working Group (GROW): (http://www.cagreens.org/grow/)

The Mission of GROW is:
*
*To facilitate coordination and communication between local Green Party 
organizers and groups; and to provide resources for collaboration, skill 
sharing, and training in order to promote the strategic growth and 
diversity of the Green Party of California.

Past efforts have been focused on party literature and providing 
assistance to locals and / or county councils during their startup. The 
biggest part of the GROW budget is spent on Green Focus newspaper and 
the newspaper reports through GROW.  Editor, Don Boring, participates 
regularly in every GROW meeting and telecon.

What additional requirements does the GP-SCC have for GROW?
What things would you like to see done in a different manner? (e.g. one 
suggestion has been to provide Green Focus in Spanish.)

I would hope that I can get some responses to this so that I can help 
guide the mandatory budget discussions in these two groups toward 
necessary and achievable objectives.

-- 

I have been impressed with the urgency of doing.
Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Being willing is not enough; 
We must do. –Leonardo DaVinci
Wesley C. Rolley
17211 Quail Court
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
(408)778-3024 - http://cagreening.blogspot.com