The Central Ohio Green Education Fund is reforming and reconfiguring
the 2007 Citizens’ Grassroots Congress (2007CGC). We believe the
progressive community of Columbus is growing, is more active than ever
and is accomplishing great things. The 2007CGC is an event to bring
together representatives of as many local community groups as possible
to put together a “Grassroots Agenda” for Central Ohio.
The date: Saturday, October 20, at the Columbus Institute for
Contemporary Journalism office, 1000 E. Main St., from 11am-5pm. We are
inviting you to come to the 2007CGC representing your organization and
be prepared to introduce a resolution to the Congress. At the end of
the day, we hope to have a Grassroots Agenda of resolutions ready to type
up, publish and present to our public officials, fall 2007 political
candidates, the media and the public.
Four categories: Below is a list of areas of focus and some
examples of proposals:
• Grassroots Democracy
Election and campaign finance reform
Alternative media/community radio
• Sustainability and the Environment
Public transportation
Recycling
• Social and Economic Justice
Health care
Housing
Living wage
• Peace and Non-Violence
City of Peace resolution
The event: Friday night, October 19, from 7-9pm, the office will
be open for a social gathering prior to the event. Doors will open at
9am Saturday morning. If groups need to use computers or copiers to
complete their resolutions or make copies for everyone, the resources
will be available Friday night and all day Saturday. We will use the
first half hour to introduce the Congress, each other, and go over the
procedures. The first session begins at 10:30am. At noon, lunch will
be provided: pizza, salad and drinks. During the afternoon, an hour
will be used for each resolution to be proposed, discussed, and voted
upon. There will have to be strict time constraints in order to keep
the agenda moving. The agenda is as follows:
Friday, October 19
7-9pm – Reception for participants, use of resources to type and copy
resolutions
Saturday, October 20
9am-all day – Resources available for participants to type and copy
resolutions
9:30-10am - Registration
10am-10-30am – Introductions
10:30-noon – Peace and Non-violence
noon-1pm – Lunch
1-2:30pm – Grassroots Democracy
2:30-4pm – Sustainability and the Environment
4-5:30pm – Social and Economic Justice
5:30pm – Brief wrap-up
Outcomes: After a report is published, the 2007CGC plans to
present it to Charleta Tavares personally, and the complete Columbus
City Council in general. If other public bodies are involved in our
resolutions, we will make sure it is presented to them as well. If
there are specific resolutions for Columbus City Council to adopt, such
as a “City for Peace” resolution, we will plan a date for members of
the 2007CGC to come to a Council meeting to participate in the request
in person.
The 2007CGC hopes that another outcome of this meeting is
coalition-building between community groups to discuss, plan, and carry
out the resolutions passed at the Congress. For instance, if a
resolution proposes a plan for development of the Whittier Peninsula, a
group of interested people could work together to carry it out.
The 2007CGC hopes you can participate in this event. There is
strength in numbers, and we have the people, the organizations, the
ideas and the power. We just need to work together to start making
things happen in Central Ohio!
How to write a resolution: The first part of the resolution, the
preamble, is motivational and explanatory on why we need the new policy
or procedure. This part must cite examples, i.e., noting that the
district of Washington, DC has excellent mass transit or recalling that
Columbus, Ohio had excellent mass transit at the turn of the century.
The second part can be as detailed or general as you wish, of what we
need. You should describe and make your proposal: “Be it resolved that
the 2007 Citizens’ Grassroots Congress endorse a light rail system for
central Ohio.”
RSVP to Doug Todd at
dougsftc@yahoo.com