Minutes
Libertarian Party of Florida
Executive Committee Meeting
Sunday, February 19, 2023
7:30 PM/Eastern 6:30 PM/Central
https://zoom.us/j/98465468002?pwd=ZmliZXBZdi9EcWlQcW5hWnl4dlZKUT09
Meeting ID: 984 6546 8002
Passcode: 268097
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THIS CALL WAS RECORDED
Began Recording
Announced Recording
- Mr. Nekhaila called the meeting to order at 7:36 PM EST.
- Roll Call and Introduction of Guests
|
1 |
Steven Nekhaila, Chair |
Present |
|
2 |
Josh Hlavka, Vice Chair |
Present |
|
3 |
Edward Appler, Secretary |
Present |
|
4 |
Richard Perez, Treasurer |
Present |
|
5 |
Suzanne Gilmore, At Large 1 |
Present |
|
6 |
Hector Roos, At Large 2 |
Present |
|
7 |
John Thompson, At Large 3 |
Present |
|
8 |
Robert Vinson, Region 1 |
Present |
|
9 |
Patrick Leistner, Region 2 |
Present |
|
10 |
Vacant, Region 3 |
N/A |
|
11 |
Matt Johnson, Region 4 |
Present |
|
12 |
Rachel Danner, Region 5 |
Present |
|
13 |
Vacant, Region 6 |
N/A |
|
14 |
Krystina Baxter, Region 7 |
Present |
|
15 |
Edin Veladzic, Region 8 |
Absent |
|
16 |
Brian Fleming, Region 9 |
Heffelfinger (2nd Alt) Present |
|
17 |
Adam Whitworth, Region 10 |
Present |
|
18 |
Michael Rufo, Region 11 |
Present (Arrived 7:48 PM) |
|
19 |
John Paff, Region 12 |
Present |
|
20 |
James Pinkosky, Region 13 |
Present |
|
21 |
Tony Sellers, Region 14 |
Present |
Invited Guests:
Dave Benner, LNC Region 2 Representative
Martin Cowen, LNC Region 2 Alternate
- Determination of Quorum (a majority of its seated members per LPF Constitution, Art. III, Sect. 5C, as amended 2021-03-21). 10 with 19 of 21 EC positions filled. 17 present at roll call; quorum determined.
- Public Comment (< 10 Minutes)
None
- Approval of Agenda
Mr. Roos moved to approve; Mr. Hlavka seconded. Mr. Nekhaila moved to amend the agenda to include at
the end of New Business an Executive Session for the purpose of discussing Convention speakers; Mr. Roos seconded. Motion passed. Mr. Hlavka moved to amend the agenda to strike all reports but LNC and LPF Chair; Mr. Paff seconded. Motion passed. Amended agenda passed.
- Approval of LPF EC Meeting Minutes – January 22, 2023
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GE3FLVA7j2vgUxjxROhIpHWcIYc5oWn7rbhmtX-Qq1g/edit?usp=sharing
Mr. Johnson moved to approve; Mr. Thompson seconded. Motion to approve the minutes passed.
- LNC Report: Dave Benner/Martin Cowen
Mr. Benner and Mr. Cowen both presented reports.
- Committee Reports (< 5 Minutes Each)
- Rules – Greg Peele
- Affiliate Support – Krystina Baxter
- Audit – Suzanne Gilmore
- Candidates – Hector Roos
- Communications – Matt Johnson
- Convention – Brian Fleming
- Fundraising – Mitchell Wiecek
- Legislative Action – Vacant
- Membership – Ricardo Mejias
- Platform – Vacant
- Events – Vacant
- Officer Reports and Comments (< 2 Minutes Each)
- Treasurer Report: Richard Perez
- Secretary Report: Edward Appler
- Vice-Chair Report: Josh Hlavka
- Chair Report: Steven Nekhaila
- Directors At Large and Region Reports (< 2 Minutes Each)
- Suzanne Gilmore, At Large 1
- Hector Roos, At Large 2
- John Thompson, At Large 3
- Robert Vinson, Region 1
- Patrick Leistner, Region 2
- Vacant, Region 3
- Matt Johnson, Region 4
- Rachel Danner, Region 5
- Vacant, Region 6
- Krystina Baxter, Region 7
- Edin Veladzic, Region 8
- Brian Fleming, Region 9
- Adam Whitworth, Region 10
- Michael Rufo, Region 11
- John Paff, Region 12
- James Pinkosky, Region 13
- Tony Sellers, Region 14
- Unfinished Business
Motion No. 798 (E-mail Ballot)
Title: Motion to Authorize a Campaign Contribution in the Amount of $1,300 to Each of the Following Candidates with the Intention to Purchase a Billboard, in Order to Promote the Three Candidates: Jerry Rorabaugh, Ronald Tracy Robison, and Eric Parker
Mover: Richard Perez
Motion: I move to authorize a campaign contribution in the amount of $1,300 to each of the following candidates with the intention to purchase a billboard, in order to promote the three candidates: Jerry Rorabaugh, Ronald Tracy Robison, and Eric Parker.
Discussion: As a political party our duties can only boil down to 2 things: 1, education of libertarian principles and why liberty is the only way forward. 2, to support good Libertarian candidates get elected to office.
The three candidates listed above are model Libertarians, bring us great publicity, and deserve the support of the party to any capacity we can help. As we have a fiduciary duty with our donor’s money, given that this EC is going into February with an un-budgeted funds balance of approximately $36,992.54, and given that we have a unique opportunity to help out 3 candidates at the same time
with one billboard, bringing even more publicity to their campaigns as well as to our political party
and philosophy, I believe it would be a huge mistake to not take advantage of this opportunity we
have before us.
Total funds spent by the EC will be $3,900, to be distributed as 3 separate campaign donations,
$1,300 to each of the candidates listed above. The candidates have already procured quotes for
the art work and billboard and are all in agreement that this would be beneficial to their campaigns.
The billboard will feature all three candidates, and will be up for 6 weeks. Given the timing of their elections in March I am requesting an email ballot so that we do not have to wait until February 19th
to vote at our next monthly business meeting, maximizing time before the election that the candidates will be featured on the billboard.
Disposition: E-mail voting began on January 30; final e-mail ballot was submitted on February 5.
Motion passed with 14 ayes (Hlavka, Perez, Roos, Thompson, Vinson, Leistner, Johnson, Danner,
Baxter, Whitworth, Rufo, Paff, Pinkosky, and Sellers); 0 nays; and 5 did not vote (Nekhaila, Appler, Gilmore, Veladzic, and Fleming).
- New Business
- Election of Region 3 Representative
No nominations were submitted.
- Election of Region 6 Representative
No nominations were submitted.
- Motion No. 799
Title: Motion to Strike Standing Rules Article V Section 4
Mover: Josh Hlavka (on Behalf of Rules Committee)
Motion: I move to strike out the entirety of Standing Rules Article V Section 4 and renumber the following sections accordingly.
Rationale: Standing Rules Article V Section 4 redundantly prescribes suspension of members, affiliates, and officers. Suspension of members and officers is already prescribed by Bylaws Article II Section 3
and suspension of affiliates is already prescribed by Bylaws Article I Section 8. Therefore this section
is overridden due to subordination and currently has no effect.
Disposition: Motion passed unanimously.
- Motion No. 800
Title: Motion to Strike Standing Rules Article V Section 5
Mover: Josh Hlavka (on Behalf of Rules Committee)
Motion: I move to strike out the entirety of Standing Rules Article V Section 5 and renumber the following sections accordingly.
Rationale: Standing Rules Article V Section 5 specifies that the immediately preceding chair is entitled
to serve on the EC, but then immediately states this does not entitle them to a vote. Since EC meetings are already public and any LPF member may be recognized to speak, it is thus unclear what additional duties or responsibilities are implied by “serve on the EC.” Since all notice is public, there is no additional notice such a person would receive. It is also unclear and left unspecified whether this would entitle such a person to be included in executive session. While involving the prior chair for advice is typically prudent, this rule does not actually accomplish anything and does not need to be codified.
Disposition: Motion passed by voice vote (Gilmore voted nay).
- Motion No. 801
Title: Motion to Strike Standing Rules Article V Section 7
Mover: Josh Hlavka (on Behalf of Rules Committee)
Motion: I move to strike out the entirety of Standing Rules Article V Section 7 and renumber the following sections accordingly.
Rationale: Standing Rules Article V Section 7 redundantly prescribes suspension of officers and
executive committee members, which is already prescribed by Bylaws Article II Section 3 and
therefore this section is overridden due to subordination and currently has no effect.
Disposition: Motion passed unanimously.
- Executive Session (Added)
Mr. Nekhaila moved to enter executive session; Mr. Hlavka seconded. Executive session began at 8:12 PM. Open session resumed at 8:31 PM.
- Notice
The next Executive Committee meeting will be held on Mar 19 , 2023.
- Announcements (<10 Minutes)
- Mr. Hlavka mentioned interest in the open contractor position previously held by Mr. Welty.
- Mr. Roos announced the Ron Paul Reunion, a Sarasota county event scheduled for Sat, Mar 11.
Details are available on http://foreverfree.com.
- Ms. Baxter noted the School Choice Bill she has posted on the LPF website.
- Ms. Gilmore noted that the fundraiser contract mentioned by Mr. Hlavka cannot be transferred once it has been terminated, and would need a new contract.
- Adjourn
Mr. Rufo moved to adjourn; Mr. Johnson seconded. Motion to adjourn passed and the meeting adjourned at 8:37 PM EST.
