As a refresher, here is what’s happening:

• We are electing a new Steering Committee this October.

• The Steering Committee facilitates the work of the BGP in between its quarterly General Membership Meetings. They also fulfill the legal roles of “Chairperson” and “Treasurer” of the Baltimore Green Party. They also may speak to the press on behalf of the Baltimore Green Party.

• This year, as a result of a bylaws change, we are able to elect 5 to 7 BGP members to the new Steering Committee.

• The official nomination period concludes at the end of our meeting on Sept. 12, 2021.

• So far, these members have been nominated: Dana Polson, Andrew Eneim, Andy Ellis, Jeremy Collins, Craig Collins-Young, Ashley Esposito, and Owen Andrews (declined).

• We will have a Working Meeting on October 3, 2021, to hear from the nominees.

• Each BGP Member will get to vote YES or NO on each of the nominees. This will conclude by October 17, 2021.

In the meantime, each member should verify that they are, in fact, dues-paying members of the BGP.

• You must be a registered Green to be a BGP Decision-Making Member. You can check your voter registration online. 

• You should also check to see that you are paying monthly dues by sending an email to Vincent Tola.

• Do you still live in Baltimore City? or state district 44? If not, you can be an ally or guest of the BGP, but you would not be considered a BGP Member.

We look forward to seeing everyone on Sept. 12, 2021, where you will hear about several initiatives that are in the works.

*Only BGP Decision-Making Members may be nominated to run to be on the Steering Committee and only BGP Decision-Making Members may vote in this upcoming, internal election for the new Steering Committee. To nominate yourself or someone else to run in our Steering Committee election, simply email the listserv with your nomination or post it on our BGP Slack, under #announcements. It may also be done verbally at our Sept. 12, 2021, meeting.

Steering Committee Information from the Baltimore City Green Party Bylaws

3.7 Steering Committee

A. Powers and Duties

The Steering Committee (SC) of the Baltimore City Green Party shall facilitate work between General Membership meetings, oversee press and media activities and serve as a primary liaison body with other organizations. The Steering Committee shall make endorsements and statements only in keeping with policies set forth by the Decision-Making Members at General Membership meetings. When necessary, the SC shall serve as the legal board of the organization. All SC decisions are subject to review and revision by the Decision-Making Members.  

In all matters, the Steering Committee members must bear in mind that they are merely elected to serve the membership, and therefore must act in accordance with the Ten Key Values. No member shall be placed in a position of unqualified authority over others. In all actions, the Steering Committee shall be answerable to the general membership as a whole.

B. Steering Committee Meetings and Decision Making

These meetings are held as needed, at the call of a majority of the current Steering Committee. They are open to all Decision-Making Members of the BGP and to invited guests of the Steering Committee. Only current members of the Steering Committee have decision-making privileges at these meetings. Consensus decisions are encouraged, but in the event that a vote is required, a two-thirds majority of Steering Committee members is sufficient to decide the issue at hand.

Reasonable advance notice of the time, date, and place of each SC meeting should be provided to each Decision-Making Member via agreed-upon communication channels.

The Steering Committee may make decisions outside of a formal meeting (i.e. – using email), but the Steering Committee shall keep a record of its decisions and make that record available to Decision-Making Members upon request.

C. Composition of the Steering Committee

The steering committee shall be made up of 5 to 7 members who are elected by the membership. Upon the first meeting of any newly elected steering committee, one member should be appointed to the role of “chair” and one member should be appointed to the role of “treasurer” as required by the state of Maryland. All other roles and tasks should be split among the steering committee and communicated to the membership. At the one-year mark in any term, there will be a roll-on, roll-off period in which existing members of the steering committee can roll off and new members up to 7 can roll on by being elected by the membership. 

D. Steering Committee Terms of Service

The Steering Committee shall serve a term that encompasses the remainder of the election cycle, but not to exceed 2 years, and then must seek re-election at a designated meeting. The Co-Chairs, Treasurer, and Secretary shall serve a maximum of 2 consecutive terms.

Outgoing Steering Committee members are expected to be available to provide training and relevant materials to incoming Steering Committee Members.