The State Committee Meeting

9/19/2023

The video of tonight’s meeting can be found here: https://youtu.be/VvqRowJs-m4?si=NcyQiEq3FUsHoG-T

• Thursday Event
  • We spent a little bit of time discussing the event for Joe Rockey on Thursday
• October 16, General Meeting
  • The plan for this meeting is to have as many of our endorsed candidates introduce themselves at a general meeting.
  • Auto-Mute
• Robert (Bob) Hollister for Lancaster County Commissioner
  • There was a question as to whether or not we have a qurom.
    • This is a good opportunity to clean up & provide clarity as to who are voting members as
      • See Appendix A
    • We did indeed have a quorum.

A motion was made to formally endorse Robert Hollister for Lancaster County Commissioner. This motion was seconded followed by an overwhelming majority voting in favor of the endorsement with no objections.

• Christian gave an update on Jack’s work.
  • We should have a bank account open this week & we should continue to move our committees in step with the strategic plan.
• 2024 PA FWD State Convention
  • We didn’t make any decisions, but we needed to put this on our radar.
  • Things to consider:
    • National did confirm on Monday that they will not have a national convention which should give us even more flexibility in deciding what month to hold it.
    • We might want to see who our statewide candidate is before we decide on a location.
      • Also keep in mind that the candidate announcing their run should be an event in and of itself.
    • Our bylaws dictate that Christian as our State Chair is due to face re-election at our state convention next year.
  • One of the first things we should decide, however, is which month we want to hold our convention.
    • A big factor in this is whether or not we want it to be before or after the President Primary (whenever the General Assembly decides to put that).
  • The Communications team gave a report.
    • It has been tough coordinating with various members.
  • Secretary Valimont gave a report on the post-recruitment
    • All four, now five, of our endorsed candidates have been contacted.
    • In early October, Craig has been planning to have a statewide press release along with a focus on the local outlets announcing all of our endorsements.
      • This would also include Chris Woodward as a Forward Candidate.

Appendix A

A quorum of the State Committee shall consist of half of the current members.

• This is 50% & not 51% of the current members.
• Per our bylaws, The membership of the State Committee shall be composed of the following:
  • State Chair,
  • Regional Chairs,
  • State Secretary,
  • State Treasurer,
  • Head of Fundraising
  • The immediate past State Chair
  • The Chair of each County Committee that is officially organized;
  • Any at large members of the Executive Committee
  • The State Chair may appoint additional members to serve on the State Committee subject to approval by the remaining members of the State Committee.

We have not officially recognized any county committee yet. The interim county leads technically attend these meetings on a interim basis and are not officially on the state committee until the state committee recognizes the county organization.

The only people who the State Chair has officially appointed to the State Committee & approved by the State Committee are the ones recognized as the founding members at the Gettysburg Summit. (Jack, Rachel, & Gabe). Jack & Rachel are also now on the Executive Committee. Gabe is the only official at large member of the state committee.

As such the official members of the State Committee at this time consists of:

1) Christian Fyke (Chair)

2) Benjamin Valimont (Secretary)

3) Brian McMurray (S. West Chair)

4) Hector Torres Diaz (Capitol Chari)

5) Kyle DiMarriano (S. East Chair)

6) Bill Detweiler (N. East Chair)

7) Emily Korns (Central Highlands Chair)

8) Jack Merritt (Treasurer)

9) Timothy Snyder (Head of Fundraising)

10) Gust Tatlas (Executive Committee)

11) Rachel Shanok (Executive Committee at large)

12) Ethan Demme (Immediate Past Chair-SAM)

13) Gabe McGuire (at large)

Everyone else who attends these Leadership meetings, and gets these emails, do so as observers and guests until we officially make them a member of the committee as outlined by the bylaws.

At present half of the current members would be six and half (6.5) rounded up to seven. At the time of the meeting we had seven of the official members present (in bold). This is a quorum.

As a reminder at Gettysburg, we also passed Resolution 4 which requires every member of the State Committee to sign the Forward Party Pledge and also sign the Volunteer Code of Conduct.

At the next meeting I would recommend that to Christian that he officially appoint Jaz, Craig Snyder, or anybody else that should be on the State Committee & have the state committee approve.

The video of the meeting can be found here:

https://youtu.be/VvqRowJs-m4