Antrim County Republican Party Meeting Minutes for 11/16/15
Meeting convened at 7:35 p.m. Chairman Randy Bishop: Pledge: Invocation: Jim Gurr
Treasurer’s Report: Laura Bogdan absent: Co- Vice Chair Kim MacMaster, gave the report. $x,xxx.xx in Corporate Acct.: $ x,xxx.xx in State Acct.
Minutes from Oct. 19th. meeting were shown on the screen. Co-Vice- Chair Jim Gurr, read the minutes: Secretary Priscilla Miller, will correct the spelling of Christian Marcus’ name. Motion to approve: Bill Bailey: 2nd Greg Valerio
Chairman’s Report: Explained State Representative Coles’s Energy Bill: HB 4575 would connect the U.P. to lower Michigan’s power grid. HB 42 97 would re- regulate electric utilities. HB4298 according to ‘MI Votes,’ would give state electric utilities a monopoly on generation. Currently 10% of the market is capped, where people can choose. Under this bill 90% of that remaining10% will be eliminated, giving DTE and Consumers Energy a monopoly. Showed video: State Rep. Gary Glenn, challenging Energy Policy Committee Chair Aric Nesbitt, for ramming through a number of amendments without allowing enough time for committee members to read them.
Read article from Norm Huges, saying passage of bills could double electric bills. All three bills are tie barred together.
“Heated” discussion on energy package ensued: Members voiced their concern and displeasure, with possible passage of bills and the leadership in Lansing.
Bill Bailey made a motion: to ask State Representative Triston Cole, not to vote for Energy Bills 4297, 4298 and 4575. 2nd by Vicki Bishop. Discussion on motion followed: Discussion closed: vote taken by raise of hands: Carried unanimously: Resolution will be sent to Rep.Cole.
Photos of tally board showing how legislators voted on license plate registration fee. and the wholesale fuel tax increase. Raising taxes without a vote of the people is a direct violation of Headley Amendment. A Go Fund Me account to challenge these tax increases in court has been set up. MATH “Media Against Tax Hikes”. Law does not take effect until 2017, after the elections. May motivate judge to overturn, prior to law’s inception.
Two Congressional District Committees have already passed a resolutions, calling for the immediate removal of Senate Majority Leader, Arlan Meekof and MI Speaker of the House, Kevin Cotter. Jesse Osmer Chair of the 1st. Congressional Committee has reviewed the resolution and considering bring it up, at the next district committee meeting.
Chairman Bishop: Read the Resolution and submitted said resolution as a motion on behalf of the Antrim County Republican Party: 2nd: Myron Curtis If we do this at a county level and more counties also pass this resolution and it’s done at the district levels. Will send a message to legislators: they need to pass a vote of no confidence and remove these men. Discussion on resolution followed. Vote taken by a raise of hands: Passed unanimously. Resolutions will be posted on acrpmi.org web site.
Secretary: Priscilla Miller: questioned status of State Rep. Cole’s letter to Att. General – Bill Scheutte, regarding State Senate Office Building; We should reach out to Bill Scheutte: see if he received Triston’s letter dated October 6th. and what his position on it is.
Co-Chair: Kim MacMaster: Voiced concern over past resolutions being ignored by the legislature or executive branch. Would like to focus more on campaign finance reform. Have all districts support a ballot initiative. On a state level all the whining and dining, by special interests would stop. Wants to do more than just make a statement. Wants to change the way things are done: Cheri Hogan: made a motion to have state committee woman Kim MacMaster, pursue campaign finance reform at the state committee level. 2nd. Bill Bailey: vote take: passed unanimously.
Carla, from Mancelona, asked that per last month’s resolution to feature a charity each month on the ACRP web site, we feature Todd Steiner’s Go Fund Me Page, to build a Memorial Sports Park and Picnic Area, in honor of Ann and Dan Steiner’s son, who recently passed away. It will be posted.
Bill Bailey, made a motion: That in the future, the Antim County Republican Party, require any political candidate that we support, donate money to, or work on their behalf, sign a no tax pledge, that states they will uphold the 2012 Republican Party Platform and if elected, they will not sign the Caucus Loyalty Pledge”. If they violate this agreement, they will be asked to return any moneys donated by ACRP. 2nd. Vicki Bishop. Discussion followed. Vote taken: Motion passed.
Due to difficulty fining a location, there will not be a Christmas Party. Next meeting is Monday, January 18th.
Motion to adjourn: Vicki Bishop 2nd. Bill Bailey Meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.