Regular Meeting

May 16, 2019

Agenda

  1. Doors Open (6:15)
  2. Call To Order (6:30)
  3. Read Community Guidelines
  4. Membership and voting
  5. Approval of the minutes
  6. Officer Reports
      1. Chair (Dylan)
      2. Communications Director (Jessica)
      3. Treasurer (Allie)
  7. Fight For $15 June Strike Presentation
  8. New Business
      1. Local Election Committee Vote
      2. Discuss elections and candidacy timeline
      3. Discuss the qualifications to run for office (member in good standing)
      4. Discuss national convention re: delegate nomination process
      5. Have procedural votes re: general meeting
      6. Proposal to create Labor Subcommittee
  9. Debate Prep – Preparing for 2020 Presidential Endorsement Debate
  10. Miscellaneous
  11. Subcommittee Breakout (7:30)
  12. Adjourn

Meeting Minutes

  1. Doors Open (6:15)
  2. Call To Order (6:30)
  3. Read Community Guidelines
    1. Community agreement, explained as why am I talking, and respect for   other members
    2. Communication chair Jessica talked about upcoming elections and explained that you must be a dues paying member in good standing to vote
  4. Approval of the Minutes
  5. Reports
    1. Officer Reports
      1. Chair (Dylan)
        1. Dylan had nothing to report as chair but did the Treasurer report for the Treasurer Allie who was unable to make it. National (DSA) just released monthly dues to the chapter, so the chapter has a increased cash flow.  Members were reminded again to please switch to monthly dues, as they better support the chapter. Dylan then conceded the floor to James to give some information on the upcoming election
  6. Upcoming Steering committee Elections
    1. James gave some details about the upcoming elections for the LVDSA steering committee and Delegates for the national convention, here are those details
    2. With the May 17th meeting the nomination process for Steering committee is officially open, the nomination process runs till May 30th
    3. Anyone interested in running for Steering committee has until May 30th to email nominations.lasvegasDSA@gmail.com Any dues paying member in good standing can nominate themselves, candidates will have the opportunity to submit a written statement or video, which must be submitted before May 30th, while a statement or video is not required, it is strongly recommended
    4. Voting for steering committee will take place between May 31st-June 1st, dues paying members in good standing will be sent a email link to vote and have 48 hours to vote
    5. Group votes to approve of electronic voting, vote passes unanimously
    6. The nominations committee was announced, Alex, Jesser and Benjamin volunteered to run the committee
    7. A vote was had to approve the nominations committee, vote passed unanimously
  7. National Convention Delegation
    1. Jessica explained the process for nominating and electing local delegates to the DSA national convention.
    2. The DSA national convention will be held August 2nd-4th in Atlanta, Georgia
    3. Any dues paying member in good standing can nominate themselves to be a delegate for the convention, each chapter is designated delegates based on the size of the chapter and LVDSA has been given 4 delegate spots, anyone interested in being a delegate can email nominations.lasvegasDSA@gmail.com by May 30th
    4. Interested parties should be aware that the convention will come at a somewhat substantial personal cost. Any delegate must provide their own travel expenses, LVDSA may attempt some fundraising to raise some funds for the convention but can’t guarantee any financial support
    5. There is hotel sharing offered by national, where delegates  can split the cost of a hotel with delegates from other chapters
  8. New Business
    1. Representatives from the Local Fight for 15, an advocacy group for raising the minimum wage, spoke to the chapter about their efforts fighting for a higher minimum wage and for better working conditions for workers in the fast food industry and asked for help leafleting local McDonalds
    2. Some points that were mentioned that the locally in Las Vegas a fast food worker makes 8.50 an hour with no benefits and no raises
    3. Anyone interested or wanting more information on Fight for 15 is encouraged to visit their social media pages
    4. Dylan proposed the formation of a Labor subcommittee, a vote was held and the vote passed unanimously
    5. Some suggestions were heard from members about a potential ideas for the newly formed Labor Subcommittee
  9. LVDSA Presidential Nomination Debate announcement
    1. James gave some information about the upcoming LVDSA presidential nomination process
    2. While nationally DSA has voted on and approved a nomination of Bernie Sanders, locally each chapter votes to decide who that chapter will nominate
    3. At the June 20th meeting there will be a debate and vote on what presidential candidate to nominate locally
    4. Members will be given 2 minutes to argue for the candidate they would like to support, while other members will be given 30 seconds to debate or comment on that candidate
    5. only dues paying members in good standing will be able to vote for who the chapter will nominate
  10. Spotlight on Local members
    1. James spotlighted the work of local DSA and YDSA members, who outed FORMER president of Turning Points UNLV Riley Gasar, who was caught on video using racial slurs and giving white power symbols. The whole chapter gave those members a hearty round of applause
  11. Subcommittee Breakouts
    1. The chapter broke out into two groups, the Labor Subcommittee and Medicare4All committee
    2. Labor talked about ideas for the new committee
    3. Medicare4All wrote letters to Rep. Steven Horsford urging him to support Medicare4All
  12. Adjourn 8:01
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