Upcoming Meetings

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 “People’s 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 People’s 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

     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.”
     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