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The LPB Executive Committee (ExComm) met at Choo Choo's B-B-Q and Lounge in Cocoa on
January 22, 1999. The meeting commenced at 6:30 PM. Members present were Lee McLamb
(Chair), Luke Setzer (Secretary), Ross Nordeen (Membership Chair), Richard Hall (Media
Chair), David Hobbs (Vice Chair), and John Cornett (Treasurer).
- Officer Reports:
- Chair: Lee McLamb reported on the Success '99 training seminar in
Orlando January 16-17. One of the central themes of the seminar was that if a local
party runs a candidate, the other desirable outcomes--visibility, publicity and increased
membership--will follow regardless of the candidate's success in the election. He
also stated that candidates usually need to be recruited--they seldom volunteer to run
without some external encouragement--and that they need education on how to campaign
properly.
- Vice-Chair: David Hobbs shared information regarding some local organizations
that sympathize with the LP positions on property rights. The Citizens for
Constitutional Property Rights (CCPR) meets regularly, and he will obtain their schedule
for inclusion in the LPB newlsetter. A new group called the "Leadership
Council" is also forming, appears to share the goals of the CCPR, and will hold its
first meeting on Monday, January 25, 7-9PM at Front Street Park in Melbourne. Dale
Young (951-8370) and Scott Ellis direct this group. Meanwhile, the Brevard Insider
(255-4737) is a local newspaper that also shows promise for getting the Libertarian
message to the public. Ed Clark owns this newspaper and charges $6.25 per month for
subscriptions.
- Treasurer: John Cornett voiced his opposition to the "run a candidate just
to get LP name recognition" thesis. He argued that the point of running a
candidate is to win, not just to engage in a publicity campaign or a membership
drive. He also confirmed the suspicion voiced at the last ExComm meeting that any
campaign funds must, by law, be established in a separate account from those of the LPB.
- Secretary: Luke Setzer submitted a draft of a guest column to Lee McLamb for
review. The column lays out some basic Libertarian principles and invites people to
the first LPB platform presentation February 23. Lee will polish it and submit it to
the Florida Today for publication in early February in his own name with Luke's
permission.
- Committee Reports:
- Membership: Some newsletters were returned to the LPB mailbox because the
addressees had moved. Ross Nordeen will remove these people from the database.
- Electoral Victory: The ExComm will begin researching filing deadlines and past
campaign expenditures to get an idea for what to expect when the LPB prepares to run a
candidate for office.
- Media: Luke Setzer will include information in the next newsletter soliciting
candidates for local elections and informing people that "The Naked Truth" has
moved to Mondays 10AM-Noon. He will also add meeting dates of local government
bodies to the newsletter "Calendar of Events" section. (The Brevard County
Commission meets the third Tuesday of every month at 5:30 PM at Building C in Viera.)
Lee McLamb and David Hobbs also mentioned that LPB speakers need to keep in mind
the issues important to the audience they are addressing, while staying away from
controversial items that have nothing to do with the group in question anyway.
Richard Hall presented some basic information on obtaining a bulk mail permit for
the LPB. Some quick calculations showed this could be a financially feasible and
productive undertaking. He will obtain more information for the next ExComm meeting.
Richard Hall also suggested that the LPB consider eventually finding a permanent
office somewhere in central Brevard County to establish itself as a tangible presence.
- Monthly LPB Meeting
- Plans for January Meeting: The next social will be held at the home of Ross
Nordeen on January 30 at 6:00 PM. The theme will be Mexican food.
- Plans for February Meeting: The ExComm agreed to hold the first of four
quarterly platform meetings at Choo Choo's B-B-Q and Lounge in Cocoa on Thursday, February
25. Dinner will begin at 5:30 PM, followed by a 90 minute presentation at 7:00
PM. There will be three distinct platform planks presented, each by a different
speaker. Richard Hall will speak on the LP foreign policy principle of
non-intervention, while John Cornett will speak against gun control. Foreign aid and
cigarette taxes may also be explored.
- Projects and Activities
- OPH Booth: No report.
- Adopt-A-Road: No report.
- New Projects: No report.
- Annual Budget: No report.
Meeting adjourned at 8:00 PM.
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