Business Meeting Minutes

MAY 19TH, 2020

Opening

The regular meeting of the Libertarian Party of Orange County, Fl. was called to order at 6:39pm on May 19th, 2020 at Winter Garden Pizza Company by Chair – Ralph Groves.

Present

Executive Committee: Chair – Ralph Groves, Mari Peele – Secretary, Greg Peele – Treasurer

Voting Members: None

Regular Members: None

Determination of Quorum (75% of Executive Committee or 25% of all voting members)

Quorum was established.

Approval and Adoption of Agenda

Greg Peele made a motion to adopt the agenda. The motion was seconded by Mari Peele and passed unanimously.

Approval of the Minutes

Greg Peele moved to approve the minutes from the March 24th, 2020 business meeting. The motion was seconded by Mari Peele and motion carried without objection.

Guest Speaker – Scott Billue, founder of Matthew’s Hope of Winter Garden

LNC Region 2 Caucus

Chair Report – Ralph Groves

Vice-Chair Report – No Report

Secretary Report – Mari Peele

Treasurer Report – Greg Peele

By-Laws Report – No Report

Finance Report – No Report

Communications Report – Greg Peele

Membership Report – No Report       

Platform Report – No Report

Old Business

  • Vice-Chair Election – Chair Ralph Groves called for nominations for the position of Vice-Chair. No nominations were offered therefore None of the Above (NOTA) won by default. The Chair will make a new temporary appointment before the next meeting at which time nominations will be held again.

New Business

Adjournment

Mari Peele made a motion to adjourn. The motion was seconded by Greg Peele and passed unanimously.

Meeting was adjourned at 8:30pm by Chair – Ralph Groves. The next business meeting will be at 7:00pm on June 23rd, 2020, at Orlando Brewing.

Minutes submitted by:     Mari Peele

Historic LP Online Convention Nominates Jorgensen, Cohen

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 25, 2020
Contact: Steven Nekhaila,
Chairman, Libertarian Party of Florida
chair@lpf.org

KEY WEST, Fla. – The Libertarian Party of Florida congratulates Libertarian presidential running team Jo Jorgensen and Spike Cohen in the first-ever national political convention conducted solely online.

More than a thousand Libertarian Party delegates attended the two-day Convention this past weekend. The gathering ended Sunday but will be reconvened in in-person in Orlando for business meetings this July. Party veteran Jo Jorgensen was nominated as the Libertarian presidential nominee following four rounds of elimination voting. Jeremy “Spike” Cohen was chosen as her running mate after three rounds.

Steven Nekhaila

“This was a historic event that will go down in history as the combination of forward thinking and ingenuity to elect a Presidential and Vice-Presidential nominee in the age of COVID-19,” said LPF Chair Steven Nekhaila. “I am very proud of our Florida delegation and team for doing our part. I am also pleased with the support of the Libertarian National Committee staff for helping to make this a reality. We are excited to support our nominee’s and bring a third real option to constituents in all 50 States including Florida this November!”

A total of 54 Florida delegates and 16 alternates participated in the voting. Nationwide, 1,026 delegates voted to elect Jorgensen, a senior lecturer in psychology at Clemson University. Jorgensen, 63, was Harry Browne’s running mate in 1996. Florida delegates favored Georgia neighbor John Monds in early rounds, they supported party stalwart Vermin Supreme in the final round.

Floridians favored Cohen throughout the three vice-president ballots. Cohen, 37, was initially slated with presidential candidate Vermin Supreme. Supreme fell off the rounds and Cohen went on to the vice-presidential win.

For the most part, the two-day online event went smoothly. Some technical issues and confusion about participation persisted, but failed to prevent the thousands of votes.

“I think overall things went well for a first-time event,” said delegate Chris Jones, vice chair of the LPF Alachua County affiliate. “I think the Florida delegation did a phenomenal job using a separate app for communication and coordination. The Zoom interface definitely did leave much of the delegation somewhat out of the process.”

– By J. Mark Barfield, Staff Writer

— xxx —

Business Meeting Minutes

FEBRUARY 18TH, 2020

Opening

The regular meeting of the Libertarian Party of Orange County, Fl. was called to order at 7:38pm on January 18th, 2020 at Orlando Brewing by Chair – Ralph Groves.

Present

Executive Committee: Chair – Ralph Groves, Mari Peele – Secretary, Greg Peele – Treasurer, Wayne Jackman – Membership Chair        

Voting Members: Pedro Geliga

Regular Members: None

Determination of Quorum (75% of Executive Committee or 25% of all voting members)

Quorum of voting members was established.

Approval and Adoption of Agenda

Wayne Jackman made a motion to adopt the agenda. The motion was seconded by Greg Peele and passed unanimously.

Approval of the Minutes

Wayne Jackman moved to approve the minutes from the January 21st, 2020 business meeting. The motion was seconded by Greg Peele and motion carried without objection.

Guest Speaker – Deacon Fred Molina: Diocese of Orlando Human Trafficking Task Force

Chair Report – Ralph Groves

Vice-Chair Report – No Report

Secretary Report – Mari Peele

Treasurer Report – Greg Peele

By-Laws Report – No Report

Finance Report – No Report

Communications Report – Greg Peele

Membership Report – Wayne Jackman            

Candidates Report – No Report

Platform Report – No Report

Old Business

  • None

New Business

  • Motion 2020-09 – Acceptance of Resignation
    • Mover: Mari Peele
    • Second: Pedro Geliga
    • Disposition: passed unanimously  
    • Text: I move to accept the resignation of Derek Ryan as Vice-Chair.

Adjournment

Wayne Jackman made a motion to adjourn. The motion was seconded by Pedro Geliga and passed unanimously.

Meeting was adjourned at 9:39pm by Chair – Ralph Groves. The next business meeting will be at 7:00pm on March 24th, 2020, at Orlando Brewing.

Minutes submitted by:     Mari Peele

Agenda for May 19th, 2020 Business Meeting

 DRAFT AGENDA – SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Join the Libertarian Party of Orange County, FL for our regular business meeting on Tuesday, May 19th, 2019.

Everyone is welcome to attend, regardless of political affiliation (or lack of). Our focus is the advancement of liberty within our local communities through activism, events, and Libertarian political candidates. Can’t make it and want to support the party? Follow our Livestream during the event and please consider contributing to our success by making a Donation.

IMPORTANT: Our meeting will be starting early this month at 6pm. The Libertarian National Committee Region 2 Caucus will occur electronically during our business meeting. The Caucus is called to choose our Region 2 Representative and Alternate for the next two years. Our business meeting will occur around the caucus so we can participate together.

Location:    Winter Garden Pizza Company   42 W Plant St, Winter Garden, Florida 34787

6:00 – Meet and Greet

6:30 – Call to Order

Determination of Quorum – 75% of Executive Committee or 25% of all voting members

Declaration of Proxy

Approval and Adoption of Agenda

Review and Approval of Minutes – Minutes for March 24th, 2020 Business Meeting

6:40 – Guest Speaker – Scott Billue, founder of Matthew’s Hope of Winter Garden.

7:00 – LNC Region 2 Caucus

8:00 – Officer Reports

Chair Report – Ralph Groves

Vice-Chair Report – Pedro Geliga

Secretary Report – Mari Peele

Treasurer Report – Greg Peele

8:15 – Committee Reports

Bylaws Report

Finance Report

Communications Report

Membership Report

Platform Report

8:25 – Old Business

  • Vice-Chair Election

8:30 – New Business 

9:00 – Adjourn for Social Hour

11:00 – Venues Close

Libertarian Party of Orange County will hold its May business meeting at a new temporary location and time:

Come join us for our May 2020 Business Meeting at the Winter Garden Pizza Company.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, our meeting has temporarily changed locations.

We will be meeting on May 19th, 2020 at the Winter Garden Pizza Company, 42 W Plant St, Winter Garden, Fl 34787.

IMPORTANT: Our meeting will be starting early this month at 6pm. The Libertarian National Committee Region 2 Caucus will occur electronically during our business meeting. The Caucus is called to choose our Region 2 Representative and Alternate for the next two years. Our business meeting will occur around the caucus so we can participate together.

It’s time to Reopen Florida


Floridians call for an end to DeSantis’ Shutdown

A growing number of responsible Floridians will join together to call for an end to the Gov. Ron DeSantis mandated damage to the Florida economy. The first of these events is in Orlando tomorrow seeking to let Orange County and lawmakers statewide know that the people have had enough and they want to go back to work. We expect more to follow as Americans come to realize the irresponsible “cure” is already worse than the “illness” for most.

In a recent open letter to DeSantis, Re-Open Florida: Orange County organizer Tara Hill wrote “Governor DeSantis, your constituents are emphatically compelling you to honor your oath to uphold The Constitution of the United States of America and re-open Florida so that we may not only preserve the lives of Floridians, but so we may preserve our right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness as well.”

The Libertarian Party of Florida, since it was founded in 1974, supports the free will of every person to make responsible choices for themselves and on behalf of those around them. If being responsible means social distancing and wearing masks and gloves to protect ourselves and others, we encourage it based on medical evidence. But personal security does not mean shutting down our economy. Summarily closing society: businesses, schools, free commerce, will produce damage to our society long after the medical concerns have been addressed. A growing number of businesses are permanently shuttering, their owners and employees joining the millions already left to fend for themselves in this dystopian landscape mandated by President Trump, DeSantis and most governors. Billions of illusionary dollars in “stimulus checks” will do nothing to replenish the damage done.

We encourage each of you to join together with your fellow freedom friends and let Orange County, Florida and the world know enough is enough. Let us be responsible again.

In Orlando, the rally will be in front of the Orange County Administration Building, 201 S Rosalind Ave, from 3:30 pm to 5 pm.

For more information, please see Re-Open Florida: Orange County’s Facebook page: Re-Open Florida: Orange County

** This event is not hosted by the Libertarian Party of Orange County. Please check out the host’s event page for full information.

On January 21st, 2020 The Libertarian Party of Orange County passed the following resolution:

The LPOC endorses the Commemoration of the Centennial of the tragic massacre of Black Ocoee Citizens that occurred in 1920. The LPOC opposes racism in any form and supports harmony among all citizens.

This resolution was delivered by Chairman Ralph Groves on February 4th, 2020 to Mayor Johnson and the City of Ocoee Commission Members.

For those interested in learning more about the tragic events of Election Day 1920, there is an exhibit on display at the Orange County Regional History Center that runs though January 3rd, 2021. Information on the exhibit can be found below.

Libertarian Party of Orange County presents:

Come join us for our February 2020 Business Meeting featuring Deacon Fred Molina.

Deacon Fred Molina was the first director of the Diocese of Orlando Human Trafficking Task Force, which began in 2014.  The task force educates the community to detect human trafficking victims and empowers the community to end trafficking and support survivors for their recovery. The task force has 80 members who train people in parishes and schools to recognize labor and sexually trafficked people and how to help them.  The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops uses the diocesan model nationwide to set up other task forces.

Check out the Diocese of Orlando Human Trafficking Task Force at: https://www.facebook.com/DOHTTF/

We will be meeting on February 18th, 2020 at the Orlando Brewing at 1301 Atlanta Ave, Orlando, Fl 32806

All are welcome to the social and to hear our Featured Speaker as well to attend the Business Meeting which will follow.

Agenda for February 18th, 2020 Business Meeting

 DRAFT AGENDA – SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Join the Libertarian Party of Orange County, FL for our regular business meeting on Tuesday, February 18th, 2019.

Everyone is welcome to attend, regardless of political affiliation (or lack of). Our focus is the advancement of liberty within our local communities through activism, events, and Libertarian political candidates. Can’t make it and want to support the party? Follow our Livestream during the event and please consider contributing to our success by making a Donation.

The meeting will start with a meet and greet at 7:00 PM. The official call to order for conducting party business is at 7:30 PM. If you can’t make it then, feel free to join us for some social time after!

Location:    Orlando Brewing   1301 Atlanta Ave, Orlando, Fl 32806

7:00 – Meet and Greet

7:30 – Call to Order

Determination of Quorum – 75% of Executive Committee or 25% of all voting members

Declaration of Proxy

Approval and Adoption of Agenda

Review and Approval of Minutes – Minutes for January 21st, 2019 Business Meeting

7:35 – Guest Speaker – Deacon Fred Molina: Diocese of Orlando Human Trafficking Task Force

Deacon Fred Molina was the first director of the Diocese of Orlando Human Trafficking Task Force, which began in 2014.  The task force educates the community to detect human trafficking victims and empowers the community to end trafficking and support survivors for their recovery. The task force has 80 members who train people in parishes and schools to recognize labor and sexually trafficked people and how to help them.  The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops uses the diocesan model nationwide to set up other task forces.

Learn more at: https://www.facebook.com/DOHTTF

7:55 – Officer Reports

Chair Report – Ralph Groves

Vice-Chair Report – N/A

Secretary Report – Mari Peele

Treasurer Report – Greg Peele

8:15 – Committee Reports

Bylaws Report

Finance Report

Communications Report

Membership Report

Platform Report

8:25 – Old Business

8:30 – New Business 

  • Motion 2020-09
    • Mover: Mari Peele
    • Motion: I move to accept the resignation of Derek Ryan as Vice-Chair.
  • Floor motions
  • Open discussion

9:00 – Adjourn for Social Hour

11:00 – Venues Close

Business Meeting Minutes

JANUARY 21ST, 2020

Opening

The regular meeting of the Libertarian Party of Orange County, Fl. was called to order at 7:23pm on January 21st, 2020 at Orlando Brewing by Chair – Ralph Groves.

Present

Executive Committee: Chair – Ralph Groves, Mari Peele – Secretary, Greg Peele – Treasurer        

Voting Members: Wayne Jackman, Rob Casterline

Regular Members: None

Determination of Quorum (75% of Executive Committee or 25% of all voting members)

Quorum of voting members was established.

Approval and Adoption of Agenda

Wayne Jackman made a motion to adopt the agenda. The motion was seconded by Greg Peele and passed unanimously.

Approval of the Minutes

Wayne Jackman moved to approve the minutes from the December 17th, 2019 business meeting. The motion was seconded by Greg Peele and motion carried without objection.

Guest Speaker – Frank Blanco – Candidate for Florida House District 44

Chair Report – Ralph Groves

Vice-Chair Report – No Report

Secretary Report – Mari Peele

Treasurer Report – Greg Peele

By-Laws Report – No Report

Finance Report – No Report

Communications Report – Greg Peele

Membership Report – Wayne Jackman            

Candidates Report – No Report

Platform Report – No Report

Old Business

  • None

New Business

  • Motion 2020-07 – Expenditure for LPF Convention table
    • Mover: Greg Peele
    • Second: Wayne Jackman
    • Disposition: passed unanimously  

Text: I move to authorize the expenditure of up to $100 to the Libertarian Party of Florida for the purpose of reserving a vendor table at the Libertarian Party of Florida Convention for use by the non-profit organization Operation: Blazing Sword.

  • Motion 2020-08: Resolution
    • Mover: Ralph Groves
    • Second: Greg Peele
    • Disposition: passed unanimously  

Text: The LPOC endorses the Commemoration of the Centennial of the tragic massacre of Black Ocoee Citizens that occurred in 1920. The LPOC opposes racism in any form and supports harmony among all citizens.

Open Discussion

  • Speaker: Greg Peele
    • Topic: Branded state and national party materials such as brochures, rack cards, posters, bumper stickers, clothing, etc.
  • Speaker: Greg Peele
    • Topic: Potential commission of designs for branded LPOC t-shirts, polo shirts, and/or neckties for members.
  • Speaker: Greg Peele
    • LPF 2020 Convention and LPOC’s level of support as host affiliate.

Adjournment

Greg Peele made a motion to adjourn. The motion was seconded by Wayne Jackman and passed unanimously.

Meeting was adjourned at 9:02pm by Chair – Ralph Groves. The next business meeting will be at 7:00pm on February 18th, 2020, at Orlando Brewing.

Minutes submitted by:     Mari Peele

Libertarian Party of Orange County presents:

Come join us for our January 2020 Business Meeting featuring Frank Blanco for Florida House District 44.

Check out his website at: https://www.blancoforhouse.com/

We will be meeting on January 21st, 2020 at the Orlando Brewing at 1301 Atlanta Ave, Orlando, Fl 32806

All are welcome to the social and to hear our Featured Speaker as well to attend the Business Meeting which will follow.

Agenda for January 21st, 2020 Business Meeting

 DRAFT AGENDA – SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Join the Libertarian Party of Orange County, FL for our regular business meeting on Tuesday, January 21st, 2019.

Everyone is welcome to attend, regardless of political affiliation (or lack of). Our focus is the advancement of liberty within our local communities through activism, events, and Libertarian political candidates. Can’t make it and want to support the party? Follow our Livestream during the event and please consider contributing to our success by making a Donation.

The meeting will start with a meet and greet at 7:00 PM. The official call to order for conducting party business is at 7:30 PM. If you can’t make it then, feel free to join us for some social time after!

Location:    Orlando Brewing   1301 Atlanta Ave, Orlando, Fl 32806

7:00 – Meet and Greet

7:30 – Call to Order

Determination of Quorum – 75% of Executive Committee or 25% of all voting members

Declaration of Proxy

Approval and Adoption of Agenda

Review and Approval of Minutes – Minutes for December 17th, 2019 Business Meeting

7:35 – Guest Speaker – Frank Blanco – Candidate for Florida House District 44

Visit his website at – https://www.blancoforhouse.com/

7:55 – Officer Reports

Chair Report – Ralph Groves

Vice-Chair Report – Derek Ryan

Secretary Report – Mari Peele

Treasurer Report – Greg Peele

8:15 – Committee Reports

Bylaws Report

Finance Report

Communications Report

Membership Report

Candidates Report

Platform Report

8:25 – Old Business

8:30 – New Business 

  • Motion 2020-07
    • Mover: Greg Peele
    • Motion: I move to authorize the expenditure of up to $100 to the Libertarian Party of Florida for the purpose of reserving a vendor table at the Libertarian Party of Florida Convention for use by the non-profit organization Operation: Blazing Sword.
  • Discussion
    • Speaker: Greg Peele
      • Topic: Branded state and national party materials such as brochures, rack cards, posters, bumper stickers, clothing, etc.
    • Speaker: Greg Peele
      • Topic: Potential commission of designs for branded LPOC t-shirts, polo shirts, and/or neckties for members.
    • Speaker: Greg Peele
      • LPF 2020 Convention and LPOC’s level of support as host affiliate.

9:00 – Adjourn for Social Hour

11:00 – Venues Close