National War Tax Resistance
Coordinating Committee Meeting Minutes
May, 7 2023 * North Manchester, Indiana
Materials for meeting: https://nwtrcc.org/may-2023-coordinating-committee-meeting/
Check in/Intros: Lincoln Rice (Wisconsin), Chrissy Kirchhoefer (Missouri), Byron Clemens (Missouri), Lucia van Diepen (Connecticut), Paula Rogge (Wisconsin), Peter Smith (Indiana), Cathy Deppe (California) ONLINE: Sue Barnhart (Oregon), Rick Bickhart (Virginia), Ruth Benn (New York), Sarah Weber (Kansas); Susan Miller (Miller), Ginny Schneider (New Mexico); Lindsey Britt (Vermont); Eleanor Forman (New York), Anne Barron (California); Erica Leigh (Washington)
Consensus Overview: Peter Smith from (https://nwtrcc.org/PDFs/NWTRCC_Handbook.pdf)
Cards Announcements: Lincoln will send out tomorrow to online folks.
Consultant Reports
Lincoln – Peter: are affiliate dues being paid when invoices sent out? Yes, by those who regularly pay, not by those who haven’t. I reached out to those folks without success a couple years ago. Ruth: what was in Robert’s boxes sent to the office? His list-serve documentation from the 1990s and his collection of NWTRCC conference meeting materials and notes; Sarah Weber: privacy of Robert’s people mentioned in papers? Other than list-serve info and conference info, which are public already, there is not any private info.
Chrissy – Paula, can you talk more about Pace e Bene and Midwest CW resistance gathering? Chrissy talked more about Pace e Bene’s new WTR affinity group, which meets monthly. The CW gathering in Madison featured resistance to new F-35 fighter jets there. Cathy: CK has done a wonderful job with blog, Ukraine discussion group, etc. Lincoln: someone complained to the office that there was not an article by Chrissy in the February newsletter. Cathy: thanks for Cathy’s help with Zoom for the War Crimes Tribunal. Sue: thanks to both of you! Susan: You both deserve raises.
Review 2022 Objectives (set in Nov. 2022)
Cathy – when she’s in a march with a QR code, many folks will put their phones on their signs.
Finances – Sue: glad to see we are doing about the same. Rick: thanks for having this report makes sense. Peter: travel expenses to this meeting should be low since AdComm could not come.
Proposal 1 on Joining CPTI: Peter: talked to Murtaza and he wanted to it to be clear of what was expected of us. H. A. was supportive. Cathy: we should apply and see what happens. Ruth: kind of a toss up. Really founded for legal aspect of the Peace Tax campaigns, but our involvement adds WTR to their conversation. Give it 6 months to a year and bring it up. Paula would like to hear more from Eleanor. In favor of it. Not opposed to waiting. Lincoln: we don’t know dues. Lucia: collaboration is always a plus, so we should join. Bryon: wait six month and resubmit. Susan doesn’t want to wait six months. How many delegates can we send? Decision: Ask for more info and reassess in six months.
Proposal 2 on Opinion Platform before meetings: In discussion with Joshua, the AdComm recommends passing the proposal with the following change: If someone volunteers to create a discussion platform for the couple weeks leading up to the conference, the Coordinator will advertise the discussion with links in emails about the conference and in the newsletter. It would be up to the creator of the discussion platform to choose which platform they would like to use.
Joshua happy with proposal. Wants an option way for folks to share information before a conference. Ruth suggested a list-serve. Peter uses list-serve and believes it needs to be better advertised. There are robust debates there. Sue suggested the list-serve… and the meetings are so packed, it can be difficult to have a broad discussion during sessions, but it’s easier during in-person meals, etc. Paula – sounds like a way to get people better. The in-person meetings are the best way to do that. Perhaps a Zoom meeting three times a year that is less formal. Rick: why wouldn’t the list-serve work? Doesn’t want more work for consultants. Susan: how about the blog? Joshua: seems willing to try the list-serve. Lindsey: try list-serve and come back if it’s not working. Decision: Will try list-serve and set up Zoom meet-ups between meetings. If this seem in adequate, we will bring the proposal up at a future meeting.
AdComm Nominees – Greg & Paula approved with full consensus
Next Meeting Location / 40th Anniversary
AdComm recommends online. Cathy and Lucia would meet online. Sarah sad we won’t meet in Nov. Rick there is cost & accessibility. Better to have on Zoom. Hybrid not as good for online online folks as a totally online meeting. Ruth: Zoom attendance has decreased bit from first all-Zoom meeting. Perhaps have special guests. Paula: worth doing in person. Cathy: we were near students, but no one showed up. Joshua: why no college students, should look into it. Susan: regional meetings as an option. Leaving up to AdComm (please submit any proposals in next 6 weeks)
Suggestion from Sue to move the Nov meeting to second weekend in 2024 so it’s after the presidential election.
Review of Conference
In person: Paula – gorgeous setting, great hosts, Chrissy doing cooking instead of local folks was bad; Peter – great environment, Fri with local folks was good, but more introductions would have been nice. Sat discussion good. Cathy – lovely place, missed students; Bryon – beautiful place; Chrissy – beauty of nature and people in person and online; Lucia – living the dream, should have come long ago; hearing news (Ukraine) that is not in the news); Lincoln – the hosts were wonderful and made the conference. Thanks to Chrissy, AdComm, and Outreach for making the conference happen.
Online: Sue – appreciate you all; Joshua – appreciate work, easy to attend, need to discuss future of NWTRCC; Rick – experience with hybrid, this is better than others. great to hear hosts’ stories and Ukraine; Ruth – good food at home. worked well. On FB, good to see farm; Susan – finances, everyone should get a raise. loved the Sat hosts; Erica – not on Saturday, but had a great Friday social hour. can always improve hybrid. perhaps another exclusive online session. Sarah – invigorating, great Saturday session. wanted access on Friday to watch Pacifist. Anne – thanks for all the work. wants to be in person.
Announcement: A chance for people who like to travel to get together. Juanita Nelson would have been 100 in Aug 17. Gathering at Woolman Hill, Massachusetts https://www.nelsonhomestead.org/gathering
