Green Party of Rhode Island
Spring 2009 State Meeting
Official Minutes
Submitted by Kathy Rourke, GPRI Secretary & Co-chair, Coordinating Committee
- April 27, 2009.
Former Republican United States Senator Lincoln Chafee answers a question from an attendee at the GPRI's Spring 2009 State Meeting on April 18, 2009.
The Green Party of Rhode Island held a state meeting on April 18, 2009. Lincoln Chafee, former Republican US Senator from Rhode Island addressed the meeting, announcing his intention to run for the office of Governor of Rhode Island as an Independent, and seeking GPRI support for his candidacy.
He focused on his record while in the US Senate, mentioning his anti-war stance and his pro-environment record in support of the Clean Air and Endangered Species Acts. Previous to this meeting, Chafee met with Eric Siegel, co-chair of the GPRI Coordinating Committee and also with Greg Gerritt. GPRI members present at the meeting generally viewed Chafee's candidacy in a positive light.
Elections were held and Tony Affigne and Richard Walton were re-affirmed as members of the International Committee. Lynn Schultz was elected unanimously as a new GPRI representative to the International Committee to replace Richard Lobban.
Green Party Co-Chair Eric Siegel with former U.S. Senator Lincoln Chafee at the GPRI Spring 2009 State Meeting.Liz Marsis was elected unanimously to fill a vacancy on the Coordinating Committee. Eric Siegel was re-elected unanimously as co-chair of the GPRI Coordinating Committee. Kathy Rourke, currently serving as secretary of the Coordinating Committee, was unanimously elected as the second co-chair. She will also continue to perform the duties of secretary. Nick Schmader and Paula Moran were also re-elected as members of the GPRI Coordinating Committee. Tony Affigne and Nick Schmader were re-affirmed unanimously as GPRI delegates to the National Committee. Richard Walton was re-affirmed as an alternate delegate to the National Committee.
After the business meeting was adjourned, a dinner followed to honor the contributions made by Greg Gerritt to the Green Party of Maine, GPRI and to the US Green Party. Richard Walton, Tony Affigne and David Segal, former Providence City Council member (who was elected as a Green), spoke acknowledging Greg for his many contributions and accomplishments.
RI Greens Honor Greg Gerritt's Service to the Green Party!
Immediately following the State Meeting, members gathered for dinner and fellowship in honor of Greg Gerritt's 25 years of service to both the Rhode Island and the national Green Party.
Eric Siegel, GPRI Co-Chair, leads a toast in honor of Greg Gerritt at a dinner in his honor following the State Meeting on April 18, 2009.Known to many Rhode Islanders as “the Face of the RI Green Party”, Greg decided to step away from his several Green Party leadership roles after the November 2008 elections.
"If the Green Party ever becomes the kind of political force we hope it will be, no one, absolutely no one, will be more responsible than Greg Gerritt."
- Richard Walton, GPRI.
Learn more about Greg as he reflects on his life as a Green in an article he wrote for the Green Pages, the national newspaper of the Green Party here.
