The GPUS National Annual Meeting in Reading, PA ran from July 12 – 15 with workshops, meetings, presentations and plenary of delegates from each state. The Plenary began Friday, July 13 and held 4 sessions through Sunday. Each session had a packed agenda, including presentations from GPUS staff, from committees, from states and caucuses, and from delegates presenting issues and proposals for discussion and vote. We also held Steering Committee Elections to elect four new GPUS Co-Chairs. A big focus of this year’s agenda items also centered around the 2008 presidential elections and ballot access.
We normally have tables for the delegates with official nameplates for each state during plenary sessions. There were some logistical difficulties, however, and we ended up with only chairs resulting in not being able to use our nameplates – but we made do!
Each plenary session began with a roll call of states to make sure there was quorum. Each session had at least two facilitators. A group of folks with orange armbands served as peacekeepers. Each presentor and each person who joined the stack for questions were timed to ensure the sessions flowed smoothly. Overall, it did!
This year we welcomed two new state parties: Montana and West Virginia.
Friday, July 13 – Ballroom of the Historic Abraham Lincoln Wyndham Hotel in downtown Reading, PA:
Saturday, July 14 – Sovereign Performing Arts Center, Downtown Reading, PA:
GPUS Delegates:
Jennaro Pullano, Berks County, PA Green running for Mayor of Reading, PA:
Plenary Room:
Delegates step up to the mic to ask questions and/or offer opinions/positions on issues and proposals:
The afternoon plenary consisted of breakout sessions on GPUS Finances, Fundraising, and Strategizing:
Delegates get a little time to collaborate with each other:
Sunday, July 15 – Ballroom of the Historic Abraham Lincoln Wyndham Hotel in downtown Reading, PA:
Deanna Dee-Dee Taylor 