LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF PINELLAS COUNTY

November Meeting Minutes - 11/19/2020

Written by secretary on Nov 19, 2020

1. 7:48pm – Calling the stream to order by Mark Rodriguez
   1. Introductions:
      1. Mark Rodriguez - Chair
      2. Eric Olson
      3. Camilo Colina
      4. Jazmine Herrera
      5. Sandor Bath
      6. Laura Hartman
      7. Marcia Powell – Vice Chair
      8. Sebastian Blumberg – Secretary
      9. Devan Hurley
      10. Steven-Paul Deiter
      11. Nick Boss
      12. Randal Snyder
      13. Brett Bittner
   2. Officer Reports – 8:02pm
      1. Interesting cycle. In the recent LPF regional meeting, they did the reports. As far as memberships, overall there were 70,251 votes. 4071 were LPF. We did the top 10 counties as far as LPF were concerned. We were mentioned in reports that beat the spread for the elections.  We’re having impact with people around us. 3rd parties, others who vote our way as well, people end up going 3rd party. Region 8 we had 15,463 votes of the overall voter vote. Pinellas, Polk, Hillsborough and Hernando county was split 3 ways.
         
         Joe Jorgensen came to Tampa Bay Area.  We will be voting for Chairman, shifts of the bylaws, Brett will explain a bit more.  Whoever was the chair going forward, there is so much opportunity. A lot of people voted primarily out of spite. It wasn’t this year, they could have voted different ways and reached out to those people.
         
         going forward, whoever is the chair, we want to help whoever the chairperson is, to take advantage of making a good opportunity and engaging.  You saw what you had before, we can always get more.  There are candidates at LPF.org and where we work together. They’re onboard and fully together with candidates and we are working together to make a good situation going forward.
      2. Marcia Powell – I was not able to go to Jo Jorgensen’s rally. Hats off to Mark and Laura especially who were incredible in making that happen. We were hoping for 50 people, but we got over 200.  My thought was that what was missing, was the media, the PR, pictures, radio.  Last year, right before the lockdown, I came up with an idea of a 1 page checksheet for people who don’t know what Libertarianism is.
         
         When I was getting ready for checksheets number 2, the lockdown occurred. I was being noticed in the National newsletter about it. When I went to the convention in July, the national chairman Joe Bishop Penshman, Walter Block liking the idea, Jim Tourney, Jacob Hornberger really liked the idea, wanting to know how it goes.  These check sheets allow someone who is new to invite people over.
   3. Treasurer’s report: $2,467.67
      1. $12 went to Zoom.
      2. $23 for pizza that we sponsored.
      3. Rodriguez: Officers should donate, Libertarians should donate. Recurring monthly revenue will help us do really cool things, and can count on that little bit without having to spend the entire amount. We should spend all donation money for cool things.  I’m looking at shirts, hats, swag to host them so it shows a value.
         
         This is interesting in the meeting, if people don’t donate to the party, if the whole effort means something, donate, help monthly.
   4. New Business
      1. Fund raising: Libertarian Birthday Party. December 11th to the 12th, 1972. In the last 3 years we hosted a party and everyone can meet, end of the year, we’ve done a lot of work. It’s gotten members, attention, where we can have the venue at the Copper Shaker in Downtown St. Petersburg who is Libertarian leaning.  We want to find out who our local Libertarian leaning or Libertarian owners that we support them.
         
         Our meeting would be on the 17th, the party would be on the 11th or 12th. We could decide.
      2. Bylaws proposals – 13 amendments on the website
         1. Amendment 1, 2, and 3 are cleaning up language
         2. Amendment 5 – changing a word.
         3. Article 1 section 3 removing “that” with regard to the mailing address.
         4. Amendment 3 adds Oxford comma.
         5. We have 15 days prior to submit motions to Mark for them to be considered.  I have solicited feedback asking for an email address after seeing them.
         6. Amendment 4: purpose – lays out that our purpose is to elect Libertarians to office.  Having elected representatives is the point of the Libertarian Party of Pinellas County
         7. Amendment 5 is loosening membership requirements. Some noted at least 2 prior meetings over a 6 month period, I would not be given a member the opportunity when we should be growing and inclusive in article 3 section 2 that is exclusionary.
         8. The removal of registered membership.  There are 31 states that do not have registration by party. Previously in Indiana and Georgia, but only a registered Libertarian for the first time.
         9. Amendment 7: language regarding “shall” only means should. It should be “must” have meetings, including what we are doing now with remote participation.
         10. Amendment 8 has to do with officers. Right now the committee has to have unanimous consent of the officers which seems ridiculous if you are being an obstructionist and can hold up business. I want to have 3/5ths or 60%.
         11. Amendment 9 talks about an odd number of officers which are 5. The immediate past president, if removed for malfeasance, is that something we want to have a vote?
         12. Amendment 10 has to do with election of officers. This gives a greater continuity so there is no greater turnover of officers with some continuation of one officer to the next.
         13. Amendment 11 deals with those at large instead of past president
         14. Officers can only be removed in convention. Having an officer in the middle of the year is impossible which should be done at any business meeting.
         15. Sandor Bath
             1. 2/3rd vote? 66% is that enough?
             2. Brett: “I think if we had 8 people incensed enough about the chair or any officers actions that they could be removed.”
             3. If we have a quorum with a virtual or a physical, to have a supermajority to remove chair members.
   5. Call to order Brett Bittner, move to adjourn – open floor
      1. Steve from the Pragmatic Constitutionalist who is interested in hosting an event on November 30th or December 1st. What is the date for next week that we’re meeting again?
      2. Brainstorm session next week. Going to poll that on Facebook.
      3. Lee McConaghy – small groups have to be concerned and turn the purpose of the party around. This happened in Wisconsin which they were concerned with other things rather than the political party. It is important that we know they are not speaking for us.
2. Brett Bittner moved to adjourn, Brett Bittner Seconded – 9:07pm