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Meeting Notes
CfD Business Meeting, March 15 , 2007
In Attendance: Colleen Blacklock, David Grodsky, Paddy Lane, Jack Maier, Alice Richardson,
Joe Richardson, Stef Seifried, Kristina Turechek
The meeting was called to
order at the First United Methodist Church at 7 pm by Paddy Lane.
1. Minutes
of February Meeting were approved “on faith”, in the absence
of individual copies for attendees.
2. Treasurer’s Report
Alice Richardson
reported that an amended tax return for 2005 and a return for 2006 have been
filed, using Form 1120-POL, the return specified for political organizations,
determined as the correct form via much telephone and personal interaction
with internal revenue personnel. As a political organization that is “not
a principal campaign committee” for any candidate, and also as an organization
that is not yet registered as a non-profit, CfD is taxed on its income at
the rate of 35%. Those present at the meeting expressed dismay and frustration
at this exorbitant rate of taxation; hopefully 2006 is the last year that
CfD will have its present IRS classification: Ed Lentz is working on having
CfD designated as a 501.C4 nonprofit.
Because of the enormous hassle of all
of this, Alice no longer wishes to be treasurer. She has just paid $282 from
her own personal account (which others have said must be reimbursed) to cover
the latest invoice from the IRS. $126.31 remains in the account.
3. March
23 Annual Meeting plans
Presentation of a draft flyer for the meeting generated
much discussion about specifics. The basic format is: reports from the active
working groups of the coalition, followed by refreshments and an opportunity
for attendees to visit tables where working group personnel can provide handouts
and information about joining their group. Suggestion boxes will be placed
at each table. Music and good cheer will leaven the occasion, and presumably
the CfD leadership will present an overview of the organization and a pitch
for financial support. Refreshments will be do-it-yourself, as in the past,
with drinks provided by CfD.
4. Meeting with Rep. Michael Arcuri
on Monday, April 9
CfD has an appointment to discuss national
policy issues with Rep. Arcuri between 2:30 and 3:30 on April 9. It was
agreed that a small delegation (6-12 people) would be recruited from active
work groups by Paddy Lane and David Grodsky for this meeting. Because the
meeting will take place in Cooperstown, they will reserve a few slots for
members of the Cooperstown Peace Corps, which is the activist group in
that area. The letter from CfD to Arcuri dated Feb. 19, 2007, drafted by
Ed Lentz and approved at the February business meeting would serve as the
basis of discussion.
5. Step it Up Oneonta
event on April 14
As part of a nationwide effort to promote awareness
of and response to the reality of global warming, CfD’s environmental
working group will co-sponsor with several other local entities a downtown
rally with talks, information “booths”, window displays, a bicycle
parade, films, and a workshop with a panel of experts. Colleen Blacklock
reported on the very active planning that is presently going on for this
major event.
6. Final discussion
There was not time to consider a list of
questions held over from prior meetings (see below) but because of their
considerable importance to the Coalition and to people at the meeting, we
decided to begin to address them at our next meeting without other items
on the agenda. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:15 pm.
Questions to consider:
a) Are we an umbrella
group or are we a leadership organization (which I take to mean--do we take
the lead on issues?
b) How is the leadership in our own group determined
and is it being run by the leadership? should our present arrangement change?
c) How do we select guest speakers?
d) Should we/do we make
our positions known to the community?
e) What is our relationship to our
politicians--do we work with them or confront them?
f) Are we truly non-partisan?
g) What tools shall we use to effect change--e.g. public
education, lobbying, demonstrating, nonviolent action, etc?
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