Interior GLOBE - Meeting Notes 11/8/2000

C.	Each year at the November general meeting, DOI GLOBE will form an Elections Committee for the purpose of ensuring democratic principles for the nomination and election of officers, and overseeing the election process.
	1.	All DOI GLOBE members are eligible to run for office and may nominate themselves or other members willing to serve.
	2.	The Elections Committee will:
		a.	Solicit and/or receive from DOI GLOBE members nominations for officers;
		b.	Certify candidate qualifications and prepare and present election ballots at the time of the December general meeting;
		c.	Receive additional nominations from the floor at the December general meeting;
		d.	Within one week after the December meeting all members shall receive email ballots.
		e.	All email ballots shall be returned no later than one week prior to the January general meeting.
		f.	The Elections Committee shall meet prior to the January meeting for the purpose of counting the ballots and certifying the count.
		g.	The ballots shall be brought to the January general meeting and be made available to members present for review.

Jerry Bock, Ike Kelley, and Brian Forist volunteered to oversee Elections Committee activities. They will be contacting the membership as outlined above. Nominations are open now and should be sent to Ike Kelley (Mkelley@USGS.gov) as soon as possible. Nomination may also be made at the December 13th monthly meeting. Ballots will be sent out by December 12.

Jim Gasser proposed that Interior GLOBE present an award to John Berry at the Holiday Party to commemorate his many significant accomplishments while working in Interior that have so positively impacted the work lives of all Interior employees. It was also proposed that after we make this award, it also be known as the "John Berry Human Rights Award" and be given by Interior GLOBE to outstanding leaders inside or outside of government who have made a significant positive impact on the lives of federal Gay and Lesbian employees. Jerry Bock has volunteered to work on the criteria and language during the next month prior to presenting John with the award.

Jay was contacted by GSA’s Meyer Persow to see if Interior GLOBE was interested in participating with GSA in a World AIDS Day event. The event would have Susan Kidd or John Nolan as a presenter. Maria agreed to contact Melodee Stith to see what Interior was doing about World AIDS Day.

Jim Gasser was contacted by Terrie Fajardo, NPS Personnel Manager, regarding an e-mail message from the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Personnel requesting that the NPS post position announcements for the two Fire Island positions in the Advocate. Jim and Terrie discussed this request and rejected it. It was felt that by only advertising the positions in the Advocate the NPS was sending the wrong message. It was decided that the positions would be announced in gay and lesbian newspapers, provided by Interior GLOBE to the NPS, and the usual other avenues for position announcement.

Jay shared some recent newspaper articles. An article praising John Berry appeared in the Washington Post, and is attached to these minutes. Another appeared in a BLM publication and was written by Cori Cooper, an open lesbian employee of the BLM Medford District office. Copies of the Cooper article can be obtained by contacting Jay Douglas, or can be seen in DOI GLOBE’s current newsletter.

Ike Kelley, Interior GLOBE’s member of the Interior Diversity Council, announced that the Council had modified its charter to add, "advocating and monitoring Executive Order 13807," which provides gay and lesbian employees a non-discriminatory policy in federal employment. The membership was very pleased that the Diversity Council had taken this action.