Meeting Minutes, Annual Meeting of the Progressive Populist Caucus
February 26th, 2005

Meeting was called to order by Stan Merriman at 12pm.

Adoption of agenda

• David Van Os motioned to adopt the agenda, seconded , motion carried

Keynote Address

• Ronnie Dugger was this year's guest speaker confronting / discussing many of the issues we are facing in this country today. A DVD of his talk will be available soon.

Chair's Award - Remarks

• David Van Os was presented with the Chair's Shoe Leather award - "To be retained by honoree for one year in honor of valiant service to our reform work".

Adoption of Minutes from January Meeting

• Ray Driskol made a motion to accept minutes from January 2005 PPC meeting, seconded, motion carried

Treasurer's Report

• Motion was made to wave treasury report due to time constraints. Mr. Fran motioned and Kris Graham seconded, motion carried

Nominations and elections of 2005 Steering Committee members

Stan Merriman introduced nominees for the 2005 Steering Committee of the PPC

PPC Chairman - Mike Boyette
Responsible for organizing, growing, and managing the PPC statewide; serves as the focal point for the PPC; recruites new leadership; sets goals, objectives and strategy for the state; works with the Texas Democratic Party to promote p-p issues; serves as resource to the SC and the regional chairs; gathers input; liasion with the leadership in other organizations.

Diversity - Linda Foley
This chair will work closely with the membership chair to increase and improve / further diversity within the PPC, particularly among Latinos, African Americans, Asian and youth.

Membership - Nata Koerber
The role of this chair is to grow the PPC membership and coordinate with PPC regional chairs who require assistance in their respective regions. The membership chairman will devise ideas / plans for how to increase membership while working closely with the secretary, regional, and diversity chairs.

Parliamentarian - Terrence Shanks
Parliamentarian is responsible for ensuring that meetings are run based on Robert's Rules of Order, ensure that the PPC operates according to parliamentary rules and procedures and provide resolution conflict should any arise. The parliamentarian shall also be our resource for TDP rules and regulations, as well as various operational considerations. The parliamentarian will work closely with the strategy chair.

Regional Chairs include:

• Karen Hadden - Austin / Central
• John Kelley - Corpus Christi / South Texas
• Ann Marie Schroeder - San Antonio / South
• Bob Turney, Houston / Southeast
• Dallas / Fort Worth - currently OPEN
• West Texas - currently OPEN

The regional chairs are responsible for organizing regional PPC members, working with the membership chair to increase memmbership, facilitating regular local PPC meetings and coordinating events, data gathering consistant with SC needs and standards, working closely with other regional chairs, assisting the tresurer with the budget, and advising the state chair on any special local needs/issues.

Secretary / technology - Sarah Gonzales
The secretary will record meeting discussions / decisions and distribute to PPC members. Secretary will also be responsible for implementing additional communication needs (conference calling, internet based contact, etc...) and work closely with the state chair regarding data gathering and management.

On the technology front, the secretary will be responsible for providing internet based technology for the PPC website and to facilitate communication and discussion with statewide PPC regions. Technologist will work closely with other chairs to ensure that their technology needs are met.

Sergeant at Arms - Linda Perez
The Sergeant at Arms is the chief security officer who will help to preserve order within the PPC and be responsible for PPC meeting registration and attendence; assist the state chair with special projects.

Strategy - Lesley Ramsey
Is responsible, along with the state chair, for contact and relations with the TDP (state and local), elected officials, and other organizations; also, for helping to define overall strategy and tactics, and external communications; make sure that the PPC,the SC and regions are presenting a unified, clear, and consistant message.

It was decided and agreed to that over the short run any and all official external PPC correspondence will be generated by or in coordination with Lesley, unless otherwise pre-approved, with final approval from the state chair.

Treasurer - Sheril Smith
Manage / report information regarding PPC monetary account status as well as define / manage the annual budget for the PPC. Sheril will require input from the regional and other SC chairs in order to establish a pro forma budget.

Stan then thanked outgoing SC committee for all their effort and hard work and asked for nominations from the floor. There were no nominations from the floor.

John Behrman motioned for nominations to close, Barbara Ashley seconded, motion was voted on and carried for election by acclamation.

Sheril Smith made a motion to create a Chair Emeritus position to be held by the outgoing PPC chairman. The Chair Emeritus position will be a non voting member of the Steering Committee. Barbara Ashley seconded, motion carried.

Incoming Chair's Statement

• Michael Boyette provided a rousing statement of the PPC's continued mission and efforts to rebuild the Democratic party in Texas.
• Michael Boyette then presented the outgoing chair - Stan Merriman with a gift for his years of service.

New Business

There was no new business

Adjourn Meeting

Stan Merriman motioned to adjourn, Aimee Turney seconded, meeting was adjourned at 3pm.