<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Thank you Wes, the spreadsheet is very helpful! I was afraid that when I did finally receive information on this, it might be incomplete, expenses lumped together in broad catch-all categories, difficult to read, or otherwise requiring more follow-up, but this chart looks pretty clean and straightforward for the time period covered (2011 to 2014), although it does appear that a couple meetings which took place in 2013 are not included, as only one meeting is listed for that year. Nevertheless, this is substantially what I was looking for. It does raise a question in my mind though of why Robert couldn't have sent me this document when I first asked him about meeting expense data, since it is several years old and not I presume something that was just created recently. But I won't dwell on that at this point. </div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>More of interest, <b>the total per meeting costs are higher than I had been led to believe. The average cost of an LNC meeting is listed as $4,844, whereas the number Robert previously mentioned to me was $2,500 per meeting.</b> Admittedly, he may not have been including some elements of the total cost, such as staff travel, in that lower figure. But not having any better data, I subsequently cited the $2500 number repeatedly as an overall per meeting cost estimate, I'm pretty sure both in meetings and via email, without him or anybody else correcting me (I do have a vague recollection of at least one person telling me in conversation not during a meeting that they thought the cost was higher, but that might have been somebody not on the LNC). It appears that either the rest of the LNC has been as ignorant as myself of the real costs, or the misinformation of that incorrect lower number was simply allowed to go unchallenged.</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I am glad to hear you say that staff has no requirement for expensive meetings. I've repeatedly gotten the sense that Robert prefers them, although I don't recall that he's ever said so in so many words. My own view more than ever is that there is definite room for savings in these numbers, both on the LNC side (pay for our own food and beverages, meet in less posh venues than hotel conference rooms), and on the staff side (it seems to me that we shouldn't need to take more than one staff member, at most, away from the Alexandria office to fly them to a meeting and put them up in a hotel for the weekend, when the LNC can always have a staff member call in to the meeting if needed, as we often do with our attorney, our FEC consultant, and other individuals. Even if we paid a staff member two day's wages just to be "on call" for the weekend for when we might want to reach them by phone, the cost to the party would be considerably less than flying the person across the country and paying for a hotel room.</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Also glad to hear you say that there's nothing particularly secret about the venue meeting contracts, although it's really more the cost data than the contracts that I'm after with regard to meeting room contracts. A hotel's "request" for "confidentiality" certainly doesn't sound like a legally binding condition of secrecy imposed upon us however (if they're <i>demanding</i> secrecy as a contract clause, we should be informed of that before signing, but that seems unlikely, and I think our standard negotiating position should be "we don't do secrecy"). In any case, contracts have sometimes been sent out to this public email list or disclosed during regular LNC meetings that are open to the public, so shouldn't normally require any kind of written contract to pass along. If a majority of the LNC feels a particular contract, or parts of it, should be kept secret, as with the 2016 contract with the Johnson/Weld campaign has been (until this September, if I recall correctly), it seems to me we can address that on a case-by-case basis. I do appreciate you sending the contracts (which I have yet to review) for our two upcoming meetings.</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Regarding other past meeting room costs (from 2014-2017) I'm not in a particular rush to see that data, although I would like to see it at some point in the next few months. Going further back, I'd also like to know if there are records of free meeting spaces that have been used for LNC meetings, and if so where they were. Of course originally there was David Nolan's living room, and if it was good enough for our founders, well! But even after the LNC got started and had like 25 people showing up to meetings, I'll bet they sometimes met in spaces they didn't pay for. Going forward, the important thing to me is that we see prior to each meeting the estimated costs for various proposed sites, broken down as they are in the spreadsheet, before we make any final decision on where to meet. </div><div><br></div><div>Love & Liberty,</div><div> </div><div> ((( starchild )))</div><div><div>At-Large Representative, Libertarian National Committee</div><div> <a href="mailto:RealReform@earthlink.net">RealReform@earthlink.net</a><br></div><div> (415) 625-FREE<br></div><div> @StarchildSF<br></div></div><div><br></div><div>P.S. – Someone gave me an excellent suggestion recently, which is that we look into renting a whole house on AirBnB or another homesharing service for LNC meetings. In Kansas City, for instance, we could have rented this place, which I found in just a few minutes:</div><div><br></div><div><img height="664" width="1000" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" id="a59732b1-a574-4774-9075-640a526a8a9e" src="cid:E97B24E6-80BD-4950-8063-432AE08FF742@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/19641293?location=Kansas%20City&check_in=2017-08-19&check_out=2017-08-20&s=UkpxykRA">https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/19641293?location=Kansas%20City&check_in=2017-08-19&check_out=2017-08-20&s=UkpxykRA</a></div><div><br></div><div>At $419 per night and 8 beds, we could have 8 people sleeping there at the affordable price of around $50 per person, and it would basically cover the meeting space with a cost of $0 to the LP. Now it does say "no parties/events" but I suspect if we'd told them what we had in mind, they'd be fine with it. I think we should look for options like this before spending thousands to be at a hotel.</div><div><br></div><div><img height="534" width="834" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" id="245e7da0-e9d8-47e3-b94e-e312dc9d9277" src="cid:AE5FC9F5-6459-4E42-8CBC-DBCE5727A8FC@hsd1.ca.comcast.net."></div><div> </div><br><div><div>On Jul 13, 2017, at 1:51 PM, Wes Benedict wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div>Starchild,<br><br>If I thought this information would be useful for an upcoming decision, I'd make sure we bumped other things back and moved this forward.<br><br>Robert has kept a spreadsheet detailing the LNC meeting costs. It's significantly out of date and will take time to update.<br><br>If I get a sense from a significant number on the LNC that it is important enough for us to stop other work and get that spreadsheet updated, we could certainly do that.<br><br>Or, if the LNC would be satisfied to get a list of meetings from the past just to get a sense of the costs, Robert has provided that and it's attached.<br><br>I don't personally see much coming from providing that information urgently, but again, we could certainly get it done if it was a top priority.<br><br>In general, staff has usually included in our suggestions and research low-cost options like Oklahoma and Alexandria, and the LNC has chosen places that were not the lowest cost options staff has provided. I point that out, because I want to make it clear that, if the costs of LNC meetings is your concern, I don't want our membership or the LNC to think that staff requires expensive meetings. We go with the flow of the LNC. Of the 5 to 10 times I've suggested a specific location for an LNC meeting, I don't think the LNC has taken my suggestion. I don't mind. I've thought most of the places we've had meetings were reasonably decided.<br><br>I think Robert has shown many of the contracts to you in person when you've visited LPHQ.<br><br>I believe Robert has offered to email all the contracts to you if you sign the standard Non-Disclosure Agreement. I believe you have so far chosen not to sign the non-disclosure agreement for certain reasons that you're in a better situation to explain than me. It's not a big deal to me personally, just has been our practice related to contracts.<br><br>I don't think there's anything especially interesting or "secret" in any of the contracts we've had with hotels to have LNC meetings. Payments to hotels can be found in detail on the FEC website.<br><br>I think sometimes vendors offer "discounts" and sometimes put in their contracts terms requesting confidentiality, but I'm not going to go through and dig up a bunch of contracts to see for myself unless I get a sense from the LNC that that is what they want staff to spend time on.<br><br>If the LNC could pass a motion requesting staff to provide all the LNC meeting contracts to Starchild and other LNC members without requiring an NDA, I'd feel more comfortable stopping other work and doing that, and not requiring an NDA.<br><br>We did not find the word "Confidential" in the upcoming LNC meeting in Kansas City and New Orleans. Those contract are attached.<br><br><br>Wes Benedict, Executive Director<br>Libertarian National Committee, Inc.<br>1444 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314<br>(202) 333-0008 ext. 232, <a href="mailto:wes.benedict@lp.org">wes.benedict@lp.org</a><br><a href="http://facebook.com/libertarians">facebook.com/libertarians</a> @LPNational<br>Join the Libertarian Party at: <a href="http://lp.org/membership">http://lp.org/membership</a><br><br>On 7/13/2017 10:03 AM, Aaron Starr wrote:<br><blockquote type="cite">"Do you agree with Alicia and I that the LNC should be provided with data on<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">our meeting costs as I've been requesting? Going forward, I would like to<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">see those costs disclosed upfront, before a meeting site is selected, and I<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">would also like to see the our past costs for each meeting this term, within<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">some reasonable frame of time."<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">While I am not personally fixated on the costs of meetings, I do believe<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">that it is perfectly reasonable for a member of this committee to request<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">past data on our meeting costs and copies of contracts. That information was<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">requested on June 6 and should have been provided by now.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Aaron Starr<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">(805) 583-3308 Home<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">(805) 404-8693 Mobile<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><a href="mailto:starrcpa@gmail.com">starrcpa@gmail.com</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">-----Original Message-----<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">From: Lnc-business [mailto:lnc-business-bounces@hq.lp.org] On Behalf Of<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Starchild<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2017 1:22 AM<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">To: Nick Sarwark<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Cc: Libertarian National Committee list<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Subject: Re: [Lnc-business] The Libertarian Party only has 2 full-time<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">staffers?!<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Thanks Nick. So I guess the question remains, who is answering the<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">phones and handling routine office tasks? Austin Petersen says that during<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">his time in the office, he developed a strong intern program. If so, I'm<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">wondering what happened to that program. Do we have any written records of<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">it, and if so, can those records be sent to the LNC?<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>My understanding - correct me if I'm wrong - is that we don't<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">currently have any interns, but if we have names and contact info of past<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">interns, I'd volunteer to call them and ask about their experience working<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">as interns for the LP. That could help us rebuild a program and start<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">getting more bodies in the office getting stuff done, including routine<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">tasks.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Do you agree with Alicia and I that the LNC should be provided with<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">data on our meeting costs as I've been requesting? Going forward, I would<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">like to see those costs disclosed upfront, before a meeting site is<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">selected, and I would also like to see the our past costs for each meeting<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">this term, within some reasonable frame of time. Do you have any objection<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">to this, and if not, what time frames seem reasonable to you?<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Love & Liberty,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> ((( starchild ))) At-Large<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Representative, Libertarian National Committee<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> <a href="mailto:RealReform@earthlink.net">RealReform@earthlink.net</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> (415) 625-FREE<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> @StarchildSF<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">On Jul 12, 2017, at 9:08 PM, Nicholas Sarwark wrote:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Starchild,<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">At present, the LNC has Wes Benedict, Eric Dixon, and Robert Kraus<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">full-time and based out of the Alexandria office. My understanding is<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">that Nick Dunbar and Mat Thexton are also based out of that office,<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">though not full-time. We also have a number of contractors working<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">remotely, including Andy Burns, Lauren Daugherty, Jess Mears, Denise<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Luckey, Bob Johnston, and Elizabeth Brierly.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Wes and I are in the midst of interviewing candidates for Press<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Secretary, which is anticipated to be full-time, and will be moving on<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">to interviewing candidates for a Candidate Support Specialist shortly.<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Yours in liberty,<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Nick<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">On Wed, Jun 7, 2017 at 8:05 PM, Starchild <<a href="mailto:sfdreamer@earthlink.net">sfdreamer@earthlink.net</a>> wrote:<br></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Thank you, Alicia. Coupled with the Convention Oversight Committee<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">experience you mention, this does raise questions. But beyond the<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">issue of getting the requested information, I was honestly shocked to<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">hear that only Wes and Robert are usually in the office full time. If<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">their time is valuable enough to justify what we're paying them,<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">surely we should not be having them routinely spend that time on<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">tasks that lower-paid staffers, or volunteers, could be handling.<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">I would like to hear what Nick Sarwark as chair thinks about both the<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">data request compliance and how staff hours are apparently being<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">allocated.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Love & Liberty,<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> ((( starchild ))) At-Large<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Representative, Libertarian National Committee<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> <a href="mailto:RealReform@earthlink.net">RealReform@earthlink.net</a><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> (415) 625-FREE<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> @StarchildSF<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">On Jun 7, 2017, at 3:02 PM, Alicia Mattson wrote:<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Starchild,<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">I have a lot of disagreements with your other ideas about how we<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">should find meeting locations and what arrangements are workable.<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">However, I do agree with you that it should not take so long to<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">provide the LNC with basic data about the routine costs of our<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">meetings, and provide copies of the meeting space contracts showing<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">which of those expenses are required performance. You've been asking<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">for some time, and it's not that large of a data request.<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Recently, the Convention Oversight Committee was not in agreement<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">about whether to again use an outside professional to assist with the<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">2020 site search, or whether to do it in-house with Robert Kraus as the<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">point person.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">When the issue of asking a staff member to take on such a<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">time-consuming job was discussed, the COC was told that when Wes<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">tells the LNC that staff is overloaded, that characterization does<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">not necessarily include Robert Kraus, and he was willing and able to<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">add such a large project to his plate. If that's the case, then I<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">don't see why there isn't time to fulfill this data request of yours in a<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">more timely manner.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">-Alicia<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">On Tue, Jun 6, 2017 at 4:34 PM, Starchild <<a href="mailto:sfdreamer@earthlink.net">sfdreamer@earthlink.net</a>><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">wrote:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Maybe I just haven't been paying attention. That's what LP<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">operations manager Robert Kraus suggested when I spoke with him<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">today and expressed surprise at his statement that he and Wes<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Benedict are the only paid staff working full time at our office. He<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">said that if I'd read the report Wes presented at the last LNC meeting,<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">I would have been aware of the situation.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Robert told me this by way of explaining why he has not yet sent the<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">LNC the details of how much we are paying for hotel meeting space,<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">food and beverage obligations, staff airline flights, shipping<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">costs, etc., in connection with LNC meetings. At the last LNC<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">meeting in Pittsburgh in April, he told me in response to my asking<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">him for this information that he would send it within a week or so.<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">When I spoke with him today, he said that if I wanted him to stop<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">what he was doing and send the information now, he would have to<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">stop working on updating donor information to help us raise money,<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">because he was the only person in the office right now. When I asked<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">whether he could get us the meeting information prior to the next<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">LNC meeting on August 19 (over 2 months from now, and 4 months from when<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">he originally said he'd provide it), his response was "possibly".<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">We have 11 people listed on our staff page<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">(<a href="https://www.lp.org/staff/">https://www.lp.org/staff/</a>), not even counting individuals like our<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">legal counsel and our FEC consultant who are kind of "on call", and<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">although political director Carla Howell's contract wasn't renewed,<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">the chair recently proposed adding an additional lower-level<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">staffer. With that many folks on the roster, I don't understand why<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">the two highest-paid individuals on staff are the only ones who are<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">being paid full-time salaries and asked to staff the office largely<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">by themselves. If this is true, it means that our highest-paid<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">staffers are likely spending a significant part of their time doing<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">routine office tasks like answering phone calls which could be handled<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">by lower-paid staffers or even by volunteers.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Robert did say he agreed with me that staff should not be asked to<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">monitor or be involved in the party's social media outreach, which<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">would potentially take a lot of their time away from other tasks. I<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">also suggested that volunteers, instead of staff, could be the ones<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">to research LNC meeting locations and present options to the LNC.<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Local activists in the cities where we're considering holding<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">meetings would be the logical people to do this. If we don't have<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">any local activists in a particular area able to help us find free<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">or low-cost meeting venues there and help with details such as<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">coordinating local transportation and folks able to host out-of-town<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">visitors, it would beg the question of why we are meeting in that<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">location instead of somewhere there is an active local Libertarian<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">organization that can support us and which we in turn can support by<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">seeking to arrange to have visiting LNC members make press appearances,<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">attend local campaign events, do fundraising, etc., while in town.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">But if what Robert says is correct, it seems to me that we are not<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">running our office efficiently. It also seems to me that LNC members<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">being made to wait months and months after an LNC meeting to see<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">what the actual expenses were for that meeting is unreasonable.<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Actually, we should be seeing such expenses listed before each<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">meeting, since expenses like hotel meeting space fees, food and<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">beverage obligations, staff airline flights, and shipping costs are<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">in most cases known in advance. And we should be seeing estimates of<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">these costs prior to even making a decision on where to meet, since such<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">costs ought to factor into our decisions.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Love & Liberty,<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> ((( starchild )))</blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">At-Large Representative, Libertarian National Committee</blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> <a href="mailto:RealReform@earthlink.net">RealReform@earthlink.net</a><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> (415) 625-FREE<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">_______________________________________________<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Lnc-business mailing list<br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><a href="mailto:Lnc-business@hq.lp.org">Lnc-business@hq.lp.org</a><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><a href="http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org">http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org</a><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">_____________________________________________</blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><br><span><LNC_NDA_STARCHILD-0717.pdf></span><span><lnc-meeting-exp-2011-2014.pdf></span><span><LNC - Dec 2017.pdf></span><span><0817-Libertarian National Committee.pdf></span>_______________________________________________<br>Lnc-business mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Lnc-business@hq.lp.org">Lnc-business@hq.lp.org</a><br>http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org<br></div></blockquote></div><br></body></html>