December 1, 2019
Present: Isabelle Haines, clerk, Liseli Haines, Alexander Haines-Stephan, Ami Corleto-Bales, Mary Ellen Blakey, Mark Hemendiger, and David Corleto-Bales, recording clerk.
The business meeting began with a gathered silence.
There was an acknowledgement of the original Haudenosaunee ownership of the land where the meeting house sits.
The minutes from the Sunday, November 3rd business meeting were read and approved.
The treasurer’s report was given by Alexander Haines-Stephan. The breakdown of the meeting’s finances are as follows:
a) Checking account, 633.62
b) Savings account, 2785.99
c) Peaceweek, 3,265.19
Expenses:
a) NYSEG, 28.67
b) Mirabito Propane pre-pay, 100.00
Donations: 320.00
The outstanding annual expenses for the rest of the year are as follows:
a) Mirabito, 100.00
b) NYSEG, 40.00
c) Covenant Donation, 800.00
d) Peace Prize, 500.00
Total: $1,440. The $500 was borrowed from the Peaceweek account and was approved to be used for the annual Peace Prize only once.
The treasurer presented the proposed 2020 budget which was for $4,400, and it was approved and will be attached. It has not yet been decided how much of the covenant donation the meeting will be able to contribute this year.
A building and grounds committee report was given by Mark Hemendiger. He reported that the meeting house was used four times in November, other than for meeting for worship.Three of the four times were not Quaker related, and one was.
An advocacy team report was submitted by Mary Ellen Blakey, and is as follows:
“The Advocacy Team: Mary Ellen Blakey and J.B. Riffle from Mohawk Valley FriendsMeeting, and John Bailey and Sue McVaugh from Hamilton monthly Meeting. – Four members of the Mohawk Valley Advocacy Team traveled to Washington, D.C. to attend the FCNL’s (Friends Committee on National Legislation) Advocacy Team Summit and Public Policy Institute from November 13th through 15th. We met with an increasing number of advocacy team members, (100+) from across the country on Wednesday afternoon. New York senator Kirsten Gillibrand addressed the group and presented legislation recently introduced in the Senate to further specify conditions in the War Powers Act in light of the repeals of the 2001 and 2001 AUMF, (Authorization for Use of Military Force). The AUMFs gave the president the power to enter another country and use military force if deemed a “threat.” This legislation has been invoked 30 times by three presidents in the past 18 years. We currently have [become involved] action in 17 countries.
On Thursday, November 14th, the team met with Connor Jeffers, military affairs staffer, and Rep. Anthony Brindisi to thank him for his support of the repeal of the 2001 and 2002 AUMF. We asked him to contact other representatives on the House committee reviewing the NDAA–National Defense Authorization Act–to ensure that the 2002 Iraq AUMF remain attached to the bill.
On Friday we met with Senator Gillibrand’s staffer along with 39 other FCNL lobbyists from New York. Our team member Sue McVaugh was able to procure a copy of Gillibrand’s bill and we delivered it to Connor Jeffers. We were unable to meet with Sen. Schumer’s Washington staffer.
There were 400 Quakers lobbying Congress during the event.”
The Clearness Committee of November 21st for Ami Corleto-Bales recommended, with joy, that she be enrolled as a member of the meeting, and that her son, Samuel, be enrolled in the meeting as an associate member.
1.5.2019.1 Friends approved membership for Ami Corleto-Bales.
1.5.2019.2 Friends approved associate membership for Samuel Corleto-Bales.
The Vision Statement Ad Hoc committee reported that they are making progress but are not ready to present anything at this time.
The Christmas potluck and carol singing will be Sunday, December 15th.
The next meeting for business was set for Sunday, January 5th, 2020.
The meeting ended in a gathered silence.
Approved January 5, 2020