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Saint Paul DFL Central Committee Meeting Minutes, Tuesday, July 11, 6PM

  1. Call to order
  2. Introductions
    1. Name, where in the City you live, your role
  • Elections
    1. Secretary
    2. 2 female at-large directors
    3. 1 male at-large director
  1. Directors’ Reports
    1. Chair
      1. Endorsement cycle:
        1. Great endorsement cycle—high turnout, great engagement
        2. Tried new things, had great volunteer support
        3. Feedback on the process- first here and how we solicit?
          1. Survey of delegates
            1. Did they like the new process better?
            2. Would you attend a convention again?
  • Noel, Andrea, Ben, Rick, Matt help craft survey questions
  1. Pros:
    1. Quick balloting
  2. Cons:
    1. Still a lot of confusion
    2. Campaigns turn out people- can give false or lacking information
  • Need additional outreach to party build
    1. Do not have capacity
    2. Do we ask the State Party?
  1. Next time:
    1. Could we have job descriptions on different party roles (ward chair, etc.)
    2. Email sent out before that lays out the process—handouts that explain
  • Would be good to do better messaging—
    1. Convention not just about endorsing
    2. Not a failure if there is no endorsement
    3. Bigger events
  1. First thing is to get the endorsement process down—and then we can add other things
  1. New Executive Committee Members
    1. Welcome
    2. Happy to grab coffee to talk about your role
    3. Large part of work will be organizing caucuses and conventions in two years
  • Website updates
    1. Looking for social media guru
    2. Looking for blog posts
  1. Vice Chair
  2. Outreach Director
  3. Treasurer: St. Paul DFL Party 2017 Executive Committee Meeting Treasurer’s Report

 

Good evening everyone! First, let me apologize that I am unable to be present with you all this evening. I had a business dinner that I was unable to get out of. Unless, of course, I am currently at the meeting in which case disregard. Anyway, I want to thank all of our members for continuing to kick so much butt with their hard work and dedication. I am relatively new to the Executive Committee, but I have been so impressed and so encouraged by everyone’s continued engagement and excitement about bringing change to our community.

 

Currently we have $45,355.32 in our checking account at Associated Bank. We still have outstanding bills to be paid totaling roughly $5,000 so it is more accurate to say that we have about $40,000 in our coffers. Ideally, as we continue to march in parades and do various community events we will add to this number.

 

If you recall, our budget for the Ward Caucus and Ward Conventions, as well as our City Convention was $21,700. That number, admittedly, was an over-estimation of our budgetary needs. Generally speaking, when crafting a budget you do want to over-estimate your expenses so that you don’t run short on funds and you also would much rather have excess money than less. That said our total cost for the caucuses and conventions was around $18,600. I am still determining where we saved the most money and where we spent the most money, however, we still came in nearly $3,100 under the proposed budget.  This is great news! And it means that we will have additional funds to help our endorsed candidates get elected and promote the St. Paul DFL Party and our values.

 

In sum: $45,355.32 in our account currently; number is closer to $40,000 once accounts payable is taken into consideration.  Our total cost for the caucuses and conventions was around $18,600 which brought us under budget by about $3,100!

 

  1. 2017 Coordinated Campaign
    1. Overview:
      1. Coordinate mail, event outreach, phonebanks and doorknocks
      2. Candidates handle their lawnsigns—lawnsign phone bank at the end of August
  • No staffer
  1. Mail: 4 pieces- $35,000
    1. Flush out universe some more
    2. Ask SB candidates for funds? $5K?
  2. Small costs for events, office supplies
  1. Approve budget and fundraising plan
    1. Budget: $36,000
    2. And any other funds she raised from endorsed campaigns
  • Keep an eye on what candidates enter the race
  1. Reminder to ask the SPFT
  1. Motion: The chair has the discretion to spend up to $36,000 on the Coordinated campaign (mailings and incidentals), in addition to what is raised from candidates to expand mail universe.
  2. Responsibility to push the turnout
    1. Chris, Noel, Ben, Tony meet and discuss ideas for creative turnout
    2. Unregistered voters doors? Add to list or apartments
  3. Potential Ballot Question
    1. Rick explains endorsement process
    2. Add the question to a survey?
    3. Options:
      1. Do nothing
      2. Put it on agenda- do nothing
  • Put it on agenda- endorse or oppose
  1. Need to check in with folks
  2. Motion: The chair has the authority to survey, provided that it is certified.
    1. Passed
  • Old Business
  • New Business
    1. Matt proposes a grant that would help do outreach to new caucuses goers—stressed the need for more buy in from the State Party
    2. Stronger representation of the municipal
      1. Theresa and Ben
    3. Announcements
      1. Unity Fundraiser for Dave Pinto, Thursday, 5:30-7:30, 740 Mississippi River Blvd
      2. Filing Fundraiser, Tuesday, August 1st, 7:30-9AM, West Side Flats
    4. Adjourn

 

Upcoming Events

  • Wednesday, July 12th, White Bear Avenue Parade, line up at 6:30PM at Hawthorne and White Bear Avenue, parade at 7PM, Unit 60
  • Saturday, July 15th, Rondo Days Parade, line up at 9AM at Oxford and Fuller, Unit 25
  • Sunday, July 30, Rice Street Parade—more info to come
  • Tuesday, August 1st, 7:30AM-9AM—Filing fundraiser

 

2017 DFL Meetings

  • Tuesday, July 11th, 6PM- Central Committee
  • Tuesday, August 8th, 6PM- Executive Committee
  • Tuesday, September 12, 6PM- Central Committee
  • Tuesday, October 10 6PM- Executive Committee
  • Tuesday, November 14, 6PM Central Committee

 

All meetings located at DFL Headquarters, 255 Plato Blvd E., Saint Paul DFL