BUNCOMBE COUNTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEETING

July 24, 2006

 

 

Present

 

                        George Keller                           Eric Gorney

Chuck Durand                          Mary Jane Westall                    

                   Sandra Bradbury                       Bill Lack               

                   Frank Kirkland                          Kathie Lack

                   Frances Cosgrove                                       

                  

Absent

 

          Nancy Day:  251-1988                        Michelle Cox:  683-4620

          Robin Ramsey:  628-3216                   Renee Russell:  684-0037

          Bill Porter:  252-4441                         Bob Long:  258-9987

          Frances Cosgrove: 254-1015              Matthew Hebb:  337-0728

          Ron Dayton:            258-0807                       Bill Reynolds:  686-9060

          Jennifer Styles:  667-8511          Daniel Rodriguez:  628-0804

          Jerry Orr:  669-9279                            Beki Taylor:  667-8119

          Alice Keller:  252-4423                        Bill Lack:  253-5709

         

 

         

Chairman George Keller called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. at Ryan’s Family Steak House.  Don Yelton gave the invocation and George led the pledge of allegiance.

 

Sandra Bradbury called the roll.  A quorum was present.

 

Minutes of the last meeting were approved as shown on the website.  The finance report is also on the website.  We are spending approximately $250 per month for headquarters expenses.

 

We will have no presence this year at Bele Chere or the Greek Festival.  There is no information yet on Festiva Latina.  Eric Gorny has paid for a booth at Goombay, August 25-27.  The Mountain State Fair is from September 8-17.

 

We are planning a picnic for poll workers and judges.  The Jarrett Farm has been reserved for Saturday, September 12.  Sunset on that day will be at 7:30 p.m., so we should start around 4:00 and end at 7:00 p.m.  The Gun Show will be held that weekend.  We plan to have people there to register voters and it was thought those people we register could be invited to the picnic.  BCGOP will provide the meat and others will bring a potluck.  Chuck Durand has put together a committee to make suggestions about food -  Mary Jane Westall, Don Yelton, Chuck Durand, Maureen Flagg-Weber, and Frank and Bev Kirkland.  All candidates should attend and invite their sponsors.  George will put this event on the NCGOP calendar. 

 

There was much discussion on how to set up booths.  R. L. Clark said the State GOP will be in the booth with local GOP at the Fair and he wanted to know if they will continue their campaign to get our money instead of giving contributions to local candidates.  Chuck said we plan to make cards showing our candidates that people can use at the polls.  We should have those in time for the Fair.  George said the State GOP wants us to use their cards that show none of our local candidates.  There was some discussion about a color for our cards.  We will print 5,000 and hand them out before elections and at the polls. 

 

We need to have representatives at Early Voting, which will be held downtown and at four libraries starting October 19.  George got 28 responses about the draft platform.  We still have no platform.  In George’s opinion, the Republican Party is being dragged down by Washington right now.  Don wants more debate on principles.  George said we should take Charles Taylor’s plan on immigration, which is on his website, and say we support it.  It is a well-defined stance. 

 

Ed Osada noted our meetings are not well attended.  We seem to be getting away from the personal touch.  He thought we should call people on the phone.  Eric said he tried that but did not get any better response.  George will ask Carl Mumpower why people do not respond and do not show up at our meetings.  Bill Lack suggested putting everyone on the postcard list.  Kathie Lack suggested firing those who do not participate. 

 

George asked if it was better to have an open job or someone who does not help.  Chuck said we have 75 Precinct Chairmen and generally 60% who do their jobs.  They usually do not come to meetings but do a good job otherwise.  Don thought those people and Precinct Judges needed to be recognized.  We could do that at the picnic.  Chuck said Steve Starnes is the best Precinct Chairman ever.  He is absolutely reliable, but will not speak in public. 

 

Mary Jane noted that volunteer participation is down all over the country.  People are tired of doing things all the time.  We need to go with what we  have and thank those who help.  The Bush campaign is recognizing a lot of people.  Eric said at the State Convention they ranked all categories and   Buncombe County is No. 7 in the state for registrations.  We are 23rd for voter turnout.

 

George said he has not entered us in the Five-Star Campaign because there is too much data to accumulate.  Kathie volunteered to have a home coffee for a candidate.  Suzanne Cole will do one for Eric on August 29. 

 

George noted that Carl Mumpower is in a terrible minority.  He wanted to know if Republicans would do a Top-A-Stop as a Republican activity.  George told Carl we are too busy.  Everybody who wants to be active is working hard right now.

 

Don read the motion regarding unaffiliated voters passed recently at the Action Club.  Ed Osada said there are supposed to be three Republican clerks, three Democrat clerks and one judge from each party at the polls.  If we have all the Republicans we need, where is there room for unaffiliated people to work?  Chuck replied he has used unaffiliated workers for the Republican party for years.  They would only work where we have vacancies. 

 

Chuck said there are 8,463 unaffiliated voters.  They had worked the polls  by exception only and will only do it that way in the future.  Chuck thought the resolution did not have strong enough language.  The idea is great, but we need a way to discriminate. 

 

Bill Lack said the situation today is that many precincts only have two or three Republicans on the list.  One might not show up, so the Chief Judge selects the replacement and will use a Democrat.  He felt it was better to have an  unaffiliated worker.

 

Don moved to accept the resolution and the motion passed.  George will read it to Matt Matan on his show.  Chuck said this is a non-binding situation.  We work from our charter and this is a resolution.  We are already doing it.  It will help us get workers for the next election.

 

Lori’s Pettit and her son, Aaron, spoke about the Republican Kids Club and said they need projects.  They have put together signs for one of the judge candidates and plan to work at the Fair and at the polls.  Kathie arranged to have them make “No Immigation” buttons.

 

Chuck said Tim Peck bought a great banner for the Action Club.  Chuck passed the hat to help pay for it. 

 

Eric said there would be a fundraiser tomorrow night at Lake Tomahawk at 6:00 p.m., with wine and chocolate.   

 

The meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Sandra Bradbury, Secretary

Buncombe County Republican Executive Committee