Final Post!
Our stickers have been printed (a whopping 500), we are delivering them to Gwen and the VNE groups this week. They have all been paid for through Elisa so are all good to go!
Our group is sending Gwen an email explaining more why we thought the stickers would be a great help for their organization in the future and thanking them for working with us this semester.

LAST PICTURE!

April 10th Weekly Report

We emailed with Gwen about our proposal of printing up stickers and making buttons and pamphlets with our $200. She was very enthusiastic about it.
We also talked with Gwen about implementing the logo we provided them with and sent it over to her to begin use on their website and facebook page.

Deliverable 2:
Apply the logo to the website and facebook page
Create facebook banner with logo
Create and distribute buttons and stickers
Create an info card to give out with the stickers and buttons to inform people.

$200:
Use the logo we created to print stickers and make buttons to distribute to supporters of VNE and supporters of the creation of the Public Bank. On May 5th they will have a meeting on many contributors to the cause so having buttons and stickers to distribute by then.

Interview with Senator Anthony Pollina (D-Washington)

Q: From what I have seen, it looks like some members of the legislature grumble when they see champions of public banking make yet another push. What points will you try to highlight to make the concept of public banking appeal to those who are currently indifferent or opposed to the idea?

A: Talk about need for increased capital investment to accomplish needs alt to raising taxes

            Source of capital – infrastructure, other investments, housing,

Lower costs of infrastructure investments, ex.. renovate school, borrow from banks at high rate (save money on investment à local communities would borrow money at lower rate from state than on commercial market,

Scott admin creates efficiency…. Couple agency VIDA and Vermont housing agency, VSAC, bring them together to do efficient lending

Q: What are the biggest struggles you think you and your fellow sponsors will face when trying to pass legislation to create a commission on exploring the suitability for public banking in Vermont?

A: Seems to be a lot of opposition from banking community and From State treasurer, financial regulation testified against idea, “state bank bad” … “would hurt local banks” à FALSE, … state bank lends money to municipalities, participates with local banks, both kinds of banks could coexists,

Q: Let’s say the legislation passes and the commission gets created. What will the structure of the commission look like, and what will the commission's plan of action/agenda look like?

A: Independent commission of state bureaucrats, understanding finance, (look at bill) VNE, community foundation, trust company of Vermont are candidates (INDEPENDANTLY), treasurer making decision about how money is spent, look at if state bank could fulfil number one, also whether there could be efficiencies, and whether state could access federal reserve money at lower rates

Q: How can we feasibly compete with private banks in this state i.e. TD Bank, while trying to foster the idea of public banking?

(five) no intention to compete public banks à support community, municipalities, infrastructures, private banks, to make money, profit, and serve consumers directly

Parting thought: shouldn’t be this hard, Bill is about the study, should not be so hard to just have the study, resistance in just having the idea, lot of sway from power of banks

1)     DATE:2/13/17

2) MEETING TIME
(beginning and ending): 5:46-

3) LOCATION: Kalkin 003

4) CAT MEMBERS PRESENT: (include CAT group selfie)

5) CAT MEMBER ROLES (W suggests switching these roles for each meeting):

A) FACILITATOR (1 person) - "steers" conversation and runs meeting. (Caroline)
B) NOTE KEEPER/PUBLISHER (1 person) - records and publishes notes at CAT blog. (Caroline)
C) TIME KEEPER (1 person) - sets meeting length of time and watches clock. (Mario)
D) AGENDA CREATOR (1 person) - writes out and shares agenda with CAT just prior to meeting. (Brendan)

6) CAT WORK UPDATE:

A) What CAT tasks have you accomplished to date? (use previous minutes)

Finish grading Checklist, Email Contacts, set up slackteam, reviewed website and social media

B) What immediate and long-term CAT tasks lie ahead for the week, and who will execute?

This week: communicate about rebranding, ask questions about website

Long Term: Finish Mapping Asset, Plan deliverable #2,  

C) What was the most CHALLENGING element re: the past week's CAT work?

Getting in contact with our interviewees.

D) What was the most REWARDING element re: about the past week's CAT work?

Looking through current media and seeing what we could do better.

E) What is your CAT doing really well right now?

Communicating about what we want as a group and delegating tasks

F) What is your CAT needing to work on right now?
Communicating with our partners. Asking what exacting they want done. 

Grading Checklist

1. Every group member contributes full effort and energy into meetings.
2. All group members communicate with our CATS partners.
3. Project is professionally designed and presented.
4. Every step of the process is on time.
5. Create compelling material to rebrand their website and the organization.
6. Meet the goals set by the CATS partner fulfilling what they hoped to get out of the partnership.

1) DATE: 2/6/17

2) MEETING TIME
(7:40-8:00):

3) LOCATION: Kalkin?

4) CAT MEMBERS PRESENT: 

5) CAT MEMBER ROLES : 

A) FACILITATOR (1 person) - "steers" conversation and runs meeting.(Sam)
B) NOTE KEEPER/PUBLISHER (1 person) - records and publishes notes at CAT blog.(Sam
C) TIME KEEPER (1 person) - sets meeting length of time and watches clock.(Brenden)
D) AGENDA CREATOR (1 person) - writes out and shares agenda with CAT just prior to meeting. (N/A)

6) CAT WORK UPDATE:

A) What CAT tasks have you accomplished to date? Started a VNE CAT Slack Group, initial interview with Gwen, 

B) What immediate and long-term CAT tasks lie ahead for the week, and who will execute? Short Term: Wednesday's press conference, client communications asset mapping report More communication with Gwen (to figure out what the hell we all want), Long term: web site revamp/rebrand, 

C) What was the most CHALLENGING element re: the past week's CAT work?: Motivation, clear heading on goals, (and time)

D) What was the most REWARDING element re: about the past week's CAT work? Exposure to a new, helpful, social media/organizational tool

E) What is your CAT doing really well right now? Working towards streamlining communication via Slack

F) What is your CAT needing to work on right now? Proactivity, communication among team members and with partners, 

Q and A Meeting with Gwen, Mike, and Eli from VNE

Overview:

Gwen & Michael – Board members: Grassroots economic issues i.e. got 10% temporary legislation

5 pillars: ownership, money, markets, management, metrics,

Eli - intern

started as coalition

Feb 8^th event in cedar creek room – press conference

May 6^th/7^th event à public banking system à example (North Dakota)

à not linked to oil and fracking companies ?    (500 million coming through public banking revenue)

Only states running in the “black”

Public banking not a partisan issue (tea party libertarian repubs in NH, prog dems in VT

Owners – coops, worker owned

Money – pub. Banking, comm currencies (sovereign money)

Markets – how are they working/rigged/ working for gen pop? à

Mgmt. – what companies can do to institute working environment health

Metrics – mgmt. economic progress -> Gund, gross happiness

*credit unions – non-profit, benefits go to customers – don’t get taxed like banks do

illegal for treasurer to deposit money into credit unions

Q/A:

1. What specific policy changes are you working on during this legislative term in order to help small businesses grow and be more sustainable?

-Time bank – trading for time – trading services (“everybody’s time has the same value since we all have the same amount of time per day”)

-Public Banking (Brian Cina, Andy Pallito) to build a commission to figure out with Germans…

study done with Gund institute – Public bank would create 3500 jobs, 340millions from a state bank revenue

-        10% temp legislation -

2. The title "New Economy" seems like a complete change from the system that we have now. Is the organization mainly trying to enact new policies to help businesses and communities or trying to alter existing policies and regulations so that coincide with the ideals of the organization?

(See Question 1)

3. Are you working more with banks and larger organizations to address the problems or focussing on the small businesses and working from the bottom up?

-TD Bank only bank big enough

4. Are there disagreements with what you’re doing with any major group or organization in Vermont?

5. While working towards fostering a "New Economy", what steps are the organizations in the coalition taking to protect jobs/employers that are already here so that job creators remain able to attract new investment?

- Vermont leading country in new economy areas… ex. Gardner Supply Co. Implemented program to worker owned business

- Co-op

- Vermont laying out path that supports people and planet

-lots of creativity

6. What ideas does the VNE coalition have to aggressively market Vermont as not only a premier destination for tourism and recreation, but also as an investment and business-friendly state?

-areas of growth: organic food sector, alternative healing practice, affordable housing, generators/maker space

-more concerned with structure of

7. Thoughts/strategies to address Vermont's crisis?

- eco village in Cabot, community land trust/condominium

- Burlington: Lake Champlain community housing trust

- Creating housing and keeping it affordable à public banks can help this

8. What are some key organizational characteristics? What is the “feel” of Vermonters for a New Economy?

-Priorities: People, planet, health à looking to get students involved

-10% impacted VSAC

9. What do you hope to get out of new communication materials? Is there a certain target audience we are trying to reach?

Student, business, legislatures

-positive money UK

-

10. Is it more important to attract new members or promote current members with our communication pieces?

-Looking to rebrand

-“Infrastructure bank”