GREEN FOCUS EDITORIAL BOARD TELECONFERENCE
10/29/03, 9pm - 10:30pm
MEETING MINUTES


Attendees: Jim Barton, Karine Megerdoomian, Laura Wells (note-taker), Magali Offerman, Michael Borenstein, Robyn Oetinger, Sharon Peterson, and Stuart Bechman (facilitator) 
(Not present: Evan B., Larry Cafiero, Russell Kilday-Hicks)

Agenda:
*Production Schedule
*Distribution
*Editorial Board Recruitment
*Newspaper Content

Action Items:
--AAA Everyone will read the articles and rank in order of preference, or classify as to which are "must have", "could drop if needed" or "I would drop". Other input is welcome: header, subtitle, pull quotes, graphics, most interesting (or drop-able) parts if we need to shorten, what articles are missing? Due date: Sunday November 2, 6:00 pm, email to greenfocus@cagreens.org.
--AAA Someone will update the website with Fall 2003 articles, and/or become webmaster
--Jim and Ali and helpers will get the premiums to new subscribers (interesting word sub-scribe)
--Jim and Laura and others will set a date for the subscription mailing of Winter 2004 issue
--Jim will give Karine the list of subscribers
--Karine and Jim (I believe) will work on letter to enclose, related to renewal letters needed now 
--Karine and Robyn will draft/send an Editorial Board recruitment memo asking for volunteers
--Karine will check out setting up a list-serve on rise-up; for now REPLY if to an individual, or REPLY ALL
--Laura will create a word version of the Excel chart of articles
--Laura will email the remaining articles (including part 2 of Kevin McKeown's) as they come in
--Laura will put an ad in this issue for Editorial Board volunteers
--Laura will transcribe key statements from Peter Camejo's in the debates
--Robyn will follow up on getting the Campus Greens news clip/article.
--Robyn will pick up the other 5,000 to keep for local counties, or she and Laura will find someone else to do it
--Sharon and Craig will pick up 15,000 newspapers for delivery to Orange County plenary
--Sharon might be able to help with layout at Russell's on Monday, October 17
--Sharon will find out if she could possibly proof the paper at Alonzo Printing if it is not ready by the time Laura leaves for vacation (11/20 to 12/3)
--Stuart is tracking finances
--Stuart will write a news clip/article on the CA presidential ballot


Other Notes (not covered in Action Items above):
Meetings will probably be 3-4 per issue (3-4 issues per year) on a cyclical basis with more meetings during the six weeks before plenaries. 

Production schedule:
--DUE DATE for submissions is now, but some are coming in late
--GRAPHICS need to be determined
--LAYOUT is scheduled for November 10 and November 17
--PRINTING will happen November 18-25 approximately
--PROOFING at the printer around November 20
--PLENARY is December 6-7, SUBSCRIPTIONS mailed out ???)

Alonzo Printing information: 
--Virginia Perez is our rep for quotes and initial scheduling vperez@alonzoprinting.com, (510) 293-0522
--Cindy Koller helps once it's underway (510) 293-3940, ckoller@alonzoprinting.com. Basic hours are 8-5. 3266 Investment Blvd, Hayward 94545 near San Mateo Bridge.

Prospective Editorial Board members: Ideas presented included
--requesting bios so that we can achieve diversity in geography, sex, ethnicity, and age
--maximum is 11, and the defined members number 6: co-editors (2); layout editor; GROW co-coordinators (2); GPCA Coordinating Committee liaison. Could have distribution editor, graphics editor, website editor
--choosing among people already volunteering with the newspaper
--having the General Assembly decide on Board membership, to avoid any future problems that can arise in Boards that self-select and develop self-perpetuating agenda
--planning for the next possibility which is Spring 2004

Articles that need to be coordinated, e.g. with Working Groups such as Campaigns and Candidates, will be coordinated prior to submission, or outside of the newspaper functions

Explanation of why Camejo/Recall election wasn't more prominent on front page of last issue: The paper is focused on elections, issues, and grassroots organizing not only campaigns; the newspaper needed to "not be out-of-date" for two month after October 7; and there was only one layout session rather than two and so when the half Recall and half The Rest were initially laid out bottom and top rather than side-by-side, there was not time to change it; then the newspaper got an additional fold this time which hid it even further.

Suggestions/future discussions:
--Obtain and review GPUS newspaper 
--Mail to all GPCA donors?
--Should we have location in Southern California for storing bundles?
--Have another issue before the March 2004 primary?
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