Tuesday May 17th, 2011
Pizza Ranch – Alexandria MN
7:00 – 9:00pm
Executive Committee Members Present: Craig Bishop, Barb Chervestad, John Nething, Scott Dutcher, Don Hoversten, Brandon Ronning, Mike Lokken, Raymond Rivera, Dennis Poppenhagen, Jim Bobier, Barbara Ulferts, Peter Balega
I. Call to Order – Craig Bishop
II. Invocation – Raymond Rivera
III. Pledge of Allegiance
IV Agenda
- Peter Balega asked to add discussion about the Castle Doctrine and the idea that is floating around at the federal level about adding GPS units on cars in order to tax mileage.
- Motion to accept agenda as amended by Brandon Ronning, 2nd by Barb Chervestad – motion carried.
V. Chairman’s Report – Craig Bishop
- For the next few months we will be working on voter ID, fundraising and College Republicans.
VI. Deputy Chair Report – Barb Chervestad
Barb has confirmation that Marve Kading is now the SD1 Chair.
VII. Executive Vice Chair Report – Scott Dutcher
1. Scott handed out a written report detailing the issues that he will raise at the May State Executive Meeting on Thursday, May 29th. In the report Scott outlined the following issues:
a) Caucuses are currently scheduled for February 5th. This is still open to change but most would like to keep it there.
b) Late Option 3 payment from the state – Scott will ask again but he has been assured that it will arrive in two or three weeks.
c) There is discussion about creating a finance committee and campaign committee at the state level. Tony Sutton wasn’t real receptive to the idea. There was some discussion as to how it would be implemented. Scott feels that without it the board is just rubber stamping things.
2. Scott also announced that Dan Severson announced his candidacy for US Senate against Amy Klobuchar.
VIII. Treasurer’s Report – John Nething
1. John handed out a written treasurer’s report.
2. In April John received the last of the receipts from the convention and membership drive totaling $4020.00.
3. Account Totals
a) State account $6598.82
b) Federal $80.00
- John needs to know where to put the next option check when and if we receive it.
- Rita Nething also mentioned that we don’t always get our website money transferred in a very quick manner with Wells Fargo. There is still $40.00 outstanding.
4. Motion to accept treasurer’s report by Scott Dutcher, 2nd Mike Lokken – motion carried.
IX. Secretary’s Report
- There was some discussion about peter’s comment about not having a candidate (Lee Byberg). As a point of clarification it was suggested that we amend the April meeting minutes to read as follows: “We note as a board that we at this time do not have any endorsed candidates in regard to any seat the 7th district is involved in because we haven’t gone through any endorsement and that any support that we would have is for any candidates that currently hold office.
- Motion to adopt the minutes as amended by Scott Dutcher, 2nd by Don Hoversten – motion carried. Meeting minutes will be sent out as amended.
X. Farm Fest
1. In the past we have had a booth at Farm Fest where we have had a drawing for gas cards as a way to get contact information.
2. We need to have out volunteers by mid-June so that we can get their passes, get candidate signs for the booth,
3. When all of the details are figured out then Don Hoversten will send out an email to the district asking for volunteer help.
4. Scott Dutcher mentioned that we should have the membership drive pins available at the booth.
5. Peter made a motion to purchase a $50 gas card for Farm Fest, 2nd by Dennis Poppenhagen – there was discussion about requiring an email, it was also suggested to announce the winner by email as an incentive – motion carried.
XI. Convention Arrangements – Raymond Rivera
1. A lot of the preliminary bids were high in cost so Raymond is looking at different avenues. All locations so far have had a caterer. Raymond is looking at the possibility of using the armory and then bringing in an outside caterer but the cost difference isn’t much; we still need to come up with cups, plates, etc...Raymond gave an example that the Rotary Club is $13.95 plus tax and tips.
2. Raymond’s goal is to try to get the food cost down to around $10.00 per plate.
3. Scott Dutcher negotiated room rates at the Hampton in Alexandria for $79.00.
XII. Finance Audit Committee – Brandon Ronning
1. Brandon passed out minutes from a Finance Audit Committee Meeting.
a) Discussed the possibility of selling membership drive pins to the BPOU’s at a discounted rate of 60% (%60 is a proposal) of the original price as a joint fundraiser. Peter Balega suggested revisiting the idea of making arrangements with the BPOU’s where they don’t have to buy the pins ahead of time but rather we would make the pins available to the BPOU’s, keep track of what they sell and then get a cut. Don Hoversten mentioned that it is difficult to track these so it will require a well organized plan. It was also discussed to send a set amount of pins with a deadline and bill for whatever pins they fail to send back.
- Craig Bishop and Brandon Ronning will come up with a proposal for the pin idea by July.
b) Brandon also discussed sending fundraising letters to delegates and alternates. Craig Bishop mentioned that letters work best if you follow up with phone calls (perhaps we could ask the College Republicans to do a phone bank).
- It was then suggested that we start with an email blast, follow up with phone calls and then, if need be, send letters.
2. Peter Balega made a motion that every voting member of the board would donate a recommended amount of $100.00 to the CD7 treasury, 2nd by Dennis Poppenhagen – motion carried 6-5.
XIII. Technology Committee – Don Hoversten
1. Don discussed an idea of putting together a directory to aid in the redistricting process.
2. We will do polls and surveys on the mncd7gop.com website but this time we will require an email address. Some ideas for polls would be: Presidential candidates, Gubernatorial poll, constitutional amendments poll, gambling expansion poll (probably won’t have time for this one), photo ID, marriage amendment. Any other ideas should be emailed to Don.
3. Don also discussed a contest idea where people submit email addresses and the one who submits the most wins a dinner with Tony Sutton.
- Don mentioned trying the survey, polls idea first and the email contest idea second.
- Scott Dutcher re-addressed the finance audit committee report and suggested to the committee that they formulate a prospect campaign directed toward businesses. We could look into getting prospecting lists from the NRA, Minnesota Majority, local Chambers of Commerce, etc…
XIV. BPOU Development – Arles Kumpula
- Arles was unable to make it to the meeting but Craig Bishop shared about how Arles has been working in the various counties to help develop them. Peter Balega mentioned the idea of matching less developed BPOU’s with other more developed ones.
XV. College Republicans and TAR’s Committee
1. Josh Anderson has been coming to their meetings and he is a real go-getter.
2. Craig Bishop showed a t-shirt that could be considered.
3. Some suggested using release time in the schools to get in there and teach about the
Constitution and other relevant subjects. We can have these meetings on school property only after school hours. We should see if there is some way to get teenagers (close to voting age) to the caucuses by perhaps seeing if they can get school credit.
XVI. Voter ID – Craig Bishop and Barb Chervestad
1. They have had conference calls every week and Craig has had a couple of Phoenix training sessions.
a) Craig has all of the Phoenix information organized and ready to send out to the BPOU’s. He wants to be sure that the process is working before sending it.
b) The goal is to get a group together at some point in each area that can sit down, look at the list of unknowns and identify whoever they can.
c) Web based training can be schedules through Joel Chavez at the state party @ 651-224-4122.
d) The lists should be done by the end of the summer and then perhaps the College Republicans and others can call through the lists.
XVII. Pat Anderson Gambling Expansion Issue
- Craig Bishop gave out phone numbers so that, if we want to, we could contact them on our own.
- Pat Anderson 612-850-9181
- Tony Sutton 612-868-2311
- Scott Dutcher 320-759-9000 and tell his assistant that you are from the CD7 Republicans.
XVIII. Castle Doctrine – Peter Balega
1. Peter testified in favor of the Castle Doctrine at a Senate Committee hearing. He pointed out the mischaracterizations of it surrounding statutes that specify an attempt to retreat and others such things. The Minnesota State law doesn’t give a full right to defend yourself wherever you and have a legal right to be - this is one thing that the Castle Doctrine would fix by providing immunity to a civil law suit. This goes back to Brown vs. US in 1921 where if you have a legal right to be someplace then you have the right to defend yourself.
2. Peter also gave info on a concealed carry class
XIX. GPS Tracking – Peter Balega
1. Green and hybrid has caused a movement to capture revenue by use of another tax because the gas tax doesn’t raise as much revenue anymore. The proposal floating around Washington is to put a GPS on each and every car.
- Motion to adjourn by Jim Bobier, 2nd by Don Hoversten – meeting adjourned.
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