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