Green Party of Camden County

New Jersey

The Green Party of the United States was formed in 2001 as a reincarnation of the older Association of State Green Parties (1996-2001). The initial goal of the national organization was to help existing state parties grow and to promote the formation of parties throughout the United States.

A Green Party National Committee devotes attention to establishing a national Green presence in politics and policy debate while continuing to facilitate party growth and action at the state and local level.

Green Party growth has been rapid since our founding in 2001, and Green candidates are winning elections throughout the nation. In 2004, the Green Party National Convention nominated David Cobb and Pat LaMarche for the Green Presidential ticket.

Here in New Jersey ...

Mike Gellman

The Green Party of Camden County has energetic leadership. Michael Gellman of Cherry Hill and Mark Heacock of Collingswood are the party's Co-Coordinators. Both ran campaigns for public office in 2007. Another member, Richard Giovanomi also ran for office. Mark Heacock

Our meetings are open to the public and are held monthly at the Collingswood Public Library. The meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month.

By-Laws (approved by consensus April 21, 2001)

ARTICLE I
PURPOSE AND VALUES

The Camden/Gloucester Green Party holds the following ten key values as our purpose for organization and action:

1. Ecological Wisdom
2. Nonviolence
3. Decentralization
4. Community-based Economics
5. Respect for Diversity
6. Grassroots Democracy
7. Global Responsibility
8. Post-patriarchal Values
9. Future Focus/Sustainability
10. Personal and Social Responsibility

These values will be clarified and promoted through discussions and educational activities, involvement in local electoral politics, research, information sharing, and group projects. This organization will work with other regional, state and national Green groups.

The Camden County Greens will promote democratic principles through leadership turnover whenever possible. It is the policy of the Camden/Gloucester Greens to use recycled materials and other environmentally-sustaining products and union labor whenever appropriate.

ARTICLE II
MEMBERS

Section 2.1. Definition of Membership

Membership application is open to anyone. Members agree to abide by the bylaws of the Camden/Gloucester Green Party, and agree in principle with the ten Key Values. Active members are members who have paid their local dues. Local dues will be determined or waived by the membership based upon recommendation by the Coordinating Committee.

Section 2.2. General Rights and Responsibilities

(1) The members have the right to:

(a) Serve on committees;
(b) Vote;
(c) Fully authorize and control the actions of the officers and committees;
(d) Approve and amend the charter, bylaws and political platform of the Green Party of Camden County;
(e) Elect and/or remove officers and committee chairs;
(f) Receive an annual financial report covering the prior calendar year and showing the income, expenses and balance sheet of the organization. This report shall be made available to the general membership prior to the annual meeting together with a proposed budget for the current calendar year;

(2) In reference to the public image of the Camden/Gloucester Greens:

(a) No individual member or members may make public statements or take public action on behalf of the membership except through a decision reached at a properly called meeting; and
(b) The spokesperson for all public announcements or comment about the group and its business shall be the Co-Coordinators, unless the Co-Coordinators and the Coordinating Committee shall decide otherwise and appoint a proxy.

(3) Each member has the responsibility to adhere to the stated Green values.

Section 2.3. Removal and Resignation

Any member may be removed, with stated cause, and their dues for the year's remaining quarters refunded, by a three-quarters majority vote of the Coordinating Committee. Acceptable cause for removal may include (but is not limited to): misrepresenting the views of the Camden/ Gloucester Green Party in public statements or actions; representing oneself as a spokesperson of the C/G Greens if one is not; substantiated abuse of another member of the C/G Greens; willful misuse of C/G Green funds. All avenues of reconciliation should be explored before the removal process is begun. Any member so voted to be removed shall have the right to require the question to go before a vote of the membership at the next general meeting. In such case, a three-quarters majority vote to support the Coordinating Committee's decision would be required for the removal to take place.

Any member can resign his or her membership by informing the Secretary of his/her desire to do so, whether verbally, in writing, or via electronic communication.

ARTICLE III
COORDINATING COMMITTEE

Section 3.1. General Powers

The Coordinating Committee shall:

1. Accept applicants into membership;
2. Coordinate the committees;
3. Approve or create new committees;
4. Provide the agenda for business and general meetings;
5. Approve co-sponsorship of projects with other organizations;
6. Develop liaisons with other groups;
7. Develop and propose a budget;
8. Serve as representative to state and national meetings, and have voting authority for the Camden/Gloucester Greens when relevant;
9. Develop new leadership for the organization;
10. Recruit and screen candidates for public office, and present them for nomination

Section 3.2. Membership of Coordinating Committee

In addition to the Co-Coordinators, secretary and treasurer, one committee chair from each committee shall serve as a representative to the Coordinating Committee. Each committee shall determine the tenure and method of selection for its committee chair. In addition to attending Coordinating Committee meetings, the committee chair will be responsible for coordinating that committee. It is the responsibility of any committee chair that is unable to attend a Coordinating Committee meeting to select a replacement from the committee to be represented to attend the meeting as the committee's representative.

Section 3.3. Removal or Resignation of Coordinating Committee

Any or all of the Coordinating Committee members may be removed by a three-quarters majority vote of the members. A CC member may resign from that position at any time by giving written notice, clearly stating the effective date of resignation, to the secretary or to the committee that s/he represents.

ARTICLE IV
COMMITTEES & LIASIONS

Section 4.1. Committee Criteria

All members of the Camden/Gloucester Green Party are encouraged to serve on at least one committee. Committees are the vehicles for development of policy at the local level, and for encouraging broad participation by the membership.

(1) Standing Committees

(a) Research
(b) Elections
(c) Fundraising
(d) Outreach/Events
(e) Communications/Publicity

(2) New Committees

The Coordinating Committee may recognize new committees as long as the following guidelines are met:

(a) There shall be a minimum of three members proposing creation of the committee on which they agree to serve;
(b) The proposal presented to the Coordinating Committee shall define the purpose and activities of the committee. Such proposal shall be in writing; and
(c) The committee shall not significantly overlap the functions of an existing or viable committee.

(3) Continued Existence of Committees

Committees remain in existence once the Coordinating Committee has approved their formation as long as they meet the following criteria:

(a) Maintain a membership of at least three members;
(b) Regularly participate in Coordinating Committee meetings; and
(c) Adhere to the bylaws and charter of the Camden/Gloucester Greens.

(4) Committee Chairs

Each committee shall select its own committee chair, who shall become a member of the Coordinating Committee, and whose length of term the committee shall determine.

(5) Informing Coordinating Committee

Any public programs or projects planned by any committee must be communicated to the Coordinators so they as spokespersons are kept fully apprised and can effectively represent the general membership.

Section 4.2. Liaisons

It is the policy of the C/G Greens to encourage active participation with like-minded groups. Individual members who are active in other grassroots or labor organizations may ask to be appointed Camden/Gloucester Green Party Liaison to that group, and must be approved by a majority vote of the Coordinating Committee. Liaisons will be expected to promote the interests of the C/G Greens within the group they liaise with, and to report on their activity as liaison at general membership meetings.

ARTICLE V
MEETINGS

Section 5.1. General Meetings and Coordinating Committee Meetings

The members shall hold at least one regular meeting per month. These shall be designated General Meetings. An annual General Meeting for conducting business and electing officers will be held in January of each year. The Coordinating Committee shall meet at least once per month apart from the General Meeting.

Section 5.2. Special General and Coordinating Committee Meetings

The members may hold special meetings at the request of the Co-Coordinators and one half of the Coordinating Committee or one-fifth of the members. For all special meetings, written notice must be given to all members no later than seven days before the meeting, and a quorum must be present for decision-making to take place. Twenty-five percent (25%) of dues-paying membership constitutes a quorum for membership meetings, and a majority represents a quorum for Coordinating Committee meetings.

Section 5.3. Voting

In Coordinating Committee and General Meetings, members will strive to reach decisions by consensus. If consensus fails, a majority may call for a vote. Any decision by vote must have a two-thirds majority of those present to pass. Membership meetings must have three-quarters majority for the approval or amendment to the charter, bylaws, or policies of the Camden/ Gloucester Greens. Committees may set their own policies on voting and consensus.

ARTICLE VI
OFFICERS

Section 6.1. Description of Officers

The Camden Greens will have a treasurer, secretary, and two Co-Coordinators, who will serve one-year terms beginning February 1 and ending January 31. There will be an exception to this rule in the year 2001 (year of bylaw adoption). In 2001 only, election for Co- Coordinators and Secretary shall be held in April, and the term shall expire on January 31, 2002. Treasurer has been elected in February 2001, and shall serve until January 31, 2002.

Officers may run for re-election, but the preference of the Camden County Greens is to experience leadership turnover when possible.

Section 6.2. Removal and Resignation

The same process applied to members as instituted in Section 2.3 may remove any or all of the officers. An officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to any other officer, specifying the effective date of the resignation.

Section 6.3. Vacancy

A vacancy for any office may be filled by a vote of the Coordinating Committee for the unexpired portion of the term.

Section 6.4. Duties of the Co-Coordinators

The two Co-Coordinators, subject to the direction and control of the members, shall:

(a) Establish the agenda and chair Coordinating Committee meetings; (b) Serve as spokespersons for the organization; (c) Approve and sign financial reports.

Section 6.5. Duties of the Secretary

The Secretary shall:

(a) Oversee the administrative procedures of applications and renewals of membership
(b) Take and prepare minutes of General and Coordinating Committee Meetings;
(c) Be custodian of the membership records and non-financial records, and
make these available at meetings and other times of reasonable request;
(d) Approve and sign financial reports

Section 6.6. Duties of the Treasurer

The Treasurer shall:

(a) Have custody of and be responsible for all funds;
(b) Prepare a quarterly financial report for the Coordinating Committee;
(c) Prepare a financial report for the annual meeting.