By Bill Hall, Chair
Link to December 2018 Michigan Libertarian
Now that the 2018 general election is behind us, two tasks the Libertarian Executive Committee (LEC) is taking off the table and pursuing are forming a special project committee to prepare an LEC Policy Manual and activating a Libertarian Party of Michigan (LPM) Historical Committee. In past meetings, the LEC discussed and recognized the value each can provide to the LPM.
Often the LEC finds itself considering matters addressed by past LECs, but may not realize it. For example, many years ago a past LEC adopted a policy for how news releases are prepared and distributed, but the only reason the current LEC knew of that policy was because I was also Chair at the time the past LEC approved it. The current LEC has also considered, debated and adopted a number of policies, including policies for legislative committee procedures and financial reporting.
Policy Manual
The solution the Libertarian National Committee and some state LPs have used to address this problem is to assemble a “policy manual” that collects standing resolutions and policies. This allows them to be easily consulted and avoids the problem of having to “reinvent the wheel” whenever the same issue arises in the future. Once created by the committee, the policy manual becomes a living document, updated by the LPM Secretary as new policies are adopted by the LEC. LEC members believe it will save time and provide value to future LECs.
For the Policy Manual Committee, we are seeking a chair and volunteers with strong organizational and writing skills and an attention to detail to research past LEC minutes and assemble adopted policies into a policy manual. If you have served on the LEC in the past, then your memory of past policies may help in this effort. Please email LPM Chair Bill Hall at chair@michiganlp.org if you are willing to volunteer for any of these roles, or have copies of past LEC policies to contribute to the manual. We expect to announce initial appointments to the Policy Manual Committee at our next LEC meeting on January 13.
Historical Committee
The LEC appointed Greg Stempfle as chair of a new LPM Historical Committee, the mission of which is to preserve the history of the LPM. Specifically, the committee will work to digitize older party archives, collect modern party archives, and encourage party members to donate materials to the party archives. If you are interested in political history, enjoy organizing materials and/or have the skills to digitize materials, this committee would be a good way for you to help the LPM. Please email LP 2nd Vice Chair Greg Stempfle at vcpoliticaldirector@michiganlp.org if you are willing to volunteer for any of these roles, or have any questions or comments concerning the LPM Historical Committee.
Link to December 2018 Michigan Libertarian
