Members present: Nancy Bernard, Matthea Little Smith, Atom Robinson, Tim Bonham, Andy Hauer, Del Jenkins, Alan Hooker, Dyna Sluyter 
            Members absent: Joe Carlile, Paul Skrbec 
 

1. Associate Chair Bernard called the meeting to order at 1:01 pm

2. Reading of the Affirmative Action Statement by Sluyter.

3. Approval of Agenda – Motion to allow guest speakers to speak and move Standing Committee Reports before Officer Reports. Agenda approved as amended.

4. Approval of Minutes – Approved unanimously.

5. Guest speakers – U.S. Senate candidate Jack Nelson Pallmeyer, U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken, Matt Pelikan (Ciresi for Senate campaign representative)

 

Standing Committee Reports

Political Support Committee (Del Jenkins)

Jenkins reminded board and guests that only directors are eligible to vote on rankings and endorsements, and that endorsements must meet a minimum 60% approval threshold.  Contested offices would be considered in order of rank (US Senate, then Congressional races beginning with CD3, then 6) 

 

U.S. Senate

Associate Chair Bernard asked guests to speak on behalf of which candidate they believe Stonewall DFL should endorse (Al Franken, Mike Ciresi or Jack Nelson Pallmeyer), or whether there should be no endorsement.

Speakers:

State Senator Scott Dibble urged endorsement of Al Franken

Phil and Randi Reitan urged endorsement of Al Franken

Leslie Sandberg urged endorsement of Mike Ciresi

Mary Breitenstein urged endorsement of Al Franken

Matt Pelikan urged endorsement of Mike Ciresi 

Associate Chair Bernard asked Stonewall DFL directors to speak on behalf of the candidate of their choice, or whether there should be no endorsement.

Board Members: Bonham stated his preference for no endorsement. Little Smith stated her preference for no endorsement. Sluyter stated her preference for endorsement of Ciresi. Bernard read two statements by absent members Skrbec and Carlile stating their desire to endorse Ciresi. Bernard stated her preference for endorsement of Franken. Hauer stated his preference for endorsement of Ciresi. Jenkins stated his preference for endorsement of Franken. Hooker stated his preference for endorsement of Franken. Robinson stated his preference for no endorsement. 

Bernard asked directors to state their vote for the record for the following:

Endorsement of Jack Nelson Pallmeyer – 0 votes

Endorsement of Al Franken – Bernard, Hooker, Jenkins

Endorsement of Mike Ciresi – Sluyter, Skrbec, Carlile, Hauer

No Endorsement – Bonham, Little Smith, Robinson 

Bernard announced that no candidate obtained the 60% required for endorsement. Moved by Jenkins, seconded by Hauer, to not endorse any DFL candidate for U.S. Senate until after the DFL State Convention. Approved (Aye: 6; Nay: 1; Abstain: 1) 

Moved by Jenkins, seconded by Hauer, to ratify the screening committee’s “A” ratings for all three U.S. Senate candidates. Unanimously approved. 
 

CD 3

Associate Chair Bernard asked guests to speak on behalf of which candidate they believe Stonewall DFL should endorse (Terri Bonoff, Ashwin Madia or Jim Hovland), or whether there should be no endorsement.

Speakers:

State Senator Scott Dibble urged endorsement of Terri Bonoff 

 

Associate Chair Bernard asked Stonewall DFL directors to speak on behalf of the candidate of their choice, or whether there should be no endorsement.

Board Members: Robinson stated his preference for endorsement of Madia. Hooker stated his preference for endorsement of Bonoff. Jenkins stated his preference for no endorsement. Hauer stated his preference for no endorsement. Bernard stated her preference for endorsement of Bonoff. Bernard read two statements by absent members Skrbec and Carlile stating their preference for endorsement of Madia. Sluyter stated her preference for endorsement of Madia. Little Smith stated her preference for endorsement of Madia. Bonham stated his preference for no endorsement. 

Moved by Bonham, seconded by Jenkins, to change Bonoff’s rating from “B” to “A”. Approved (Abstain: 3) 

Moved by Sluyter, seconded by Hooker for discussion purposes, to change Hovland’s rating from “B” to “A”. Failed (Aye: 1; Nay: 5; Abstain: 2) 
 

Bernard asked directors to state their vote for the record for the following:

Endorsement of Madia – Carlile, Skrbec, Robinson. Little Smith

Endorsement of Bonoff – Bernard, Hooker

No Endorsement – Hauer, Jenkins, Bonham 

Bernard announced that no candidate obtained the 60% required for endorsement. Moved by Hauer, seconded by Little Smith, to not endorse any DFL candidate for CD 3 until after the CD Convention. Unanimously approved. 
 

CD6

Moved by Bonham, seconded by Jenkins, to ratify the screening committee’s recommendations in this race. Unanimously approved. 

Associate Chair Bernard asked guests to speak on behalf of which candidate they believe Stonewall DFL should endorse, or whether there should be no endorsement. No guests spoke. 

Associate Chair Bernard asked Stonewall DFL directors to state their vote for the record for to endorse either Bob Olson or Elwin Tinklenberg, or whether there should be no endorsement.

Board Members: Tim Bonham stated he was undecided. Little Smith stated her preference endorsement of Olson. Sluyter stated her preference for endorsement of Olson. Bernard read two statements by absent members Skrbec and Carlile stating their desire to endorse Olson. Bernard stated her preference for endorsement of Olson. Hauer stated his preference for endorsement of Olson. Jenkins stated his preference for endorsement of Olson. Hooker stated his preference for endorsement of Olson. Robinson stated his preference for no endorsement. 

Bernard announced that Olson received 80% of board support and therefore was endorsed. 

CD 5 

Moved by Hooker, seconded by Hauer, to ratify the screening committee’s “A” rating of Keith Ellison and to endorse him for reelection by acclamation. Unanimously approved. 
 

CD 4 

Moved by Jenkins, seconded by Bonham, to ratify the screening committee’s “A” rating of Betty McCollum and to endorse her for reelection. Unanimously approved. 

Discussion of ranking and endorsement usage agreement language.  Moved by Bonham, seconded by Robinson, to approve as revised. Unanimous.

         Communications Committee – No report. 
 

         Fundraising Committee – No report. 
 

         Membership Committee – No report. 
 

6. Officer’s Reports

1. Chair – Absent; no report.

2. Associate Chair – no report

3. Treasurer – announced current balance is $5,474.33.

4. Secretary – no report.

5. AAO – no report

7. Old Business

None 
 

8. New Business

1. Resignation of Stonewall DFL Board Chair

Moved by Hooker, seconded by Jenkins, to accept, with great regret, the resignation of Chair Carlile. Unanimously approved. 

2. Transition of Board Chair responsibilities to Nancy Bernard. Board acknowledged the transition and wished Bernard well.

3. Discussion of election of Interim Associate Chair until General Membership meeting. Board agreed to leave the position of Associate Chair vacant until the General Membership meeting in April.

4. Moved by Hooker, seconded by Hauer, to approve the replacement of the 2005 Allan Spear Award dedicated to Rick Stafford which never was received by Mr. Stafford.  Friend amendment by Bonham to allocate up to $250 for this award. Unanimously approved.

5. Moved by Jenkins, seconded by Bonham, for Stonewall DFL to allocate the funds to purchase a table for the HHH Day Dinner, understanding that a table consists of ten seats at a cost of $125 per seat.
   Passed unanimously.

9. Announcements

1. February 5 – DFL Precinct Caucus Night

2. Bonham introduced two resolutions for possible introduction at precinct caucuses.  They are:

   1. Resolved that benefits extended by state to state employees be extended to the same sex partners of state employees in the next state contract

   2. Reaffirm support for the 1982 DFL party plank supporting marriage between 2 consenting, non-related adults.

3. Moved by Bonham, seconded by Jenkins, to cancel Stonewall DFL’s board meeting of February 24 and move the March 16 meeting to March 2. Unanimously approved. 

4. HHH Day Dinner scheduled for March 15 at Hilton Hotel, downtown Minneapolis. 
    

Meeting adjourned at 3:40 p.m.