Event:2016/08/18 Delegates Meeting

Weekly Omni Delegates' Meeting - 18 August, 2016

Introductions
Introduce yourself: Name; Preferred Pronoun; Affiliation

Meeting Roles

 * Facilitator/s: Jose
 * Explanation of hand signals: "deaf applause", "raised hand", "point of process", "direct response"(wildcard), etc.
 * Stacktaker: Joe
 * Timekeeper: Marcus
 * Notetaker/s: Jenny
 * URL of this pad: https://pad.riseup.net/p/omninom
 * Vibe Reader: Marcus
 * Next meeting's facilitator(s): Joe!

Delegates

 * ABDC: Marcus
 * BAPS: Steve
 * BH: inactive
 * CCL: Ken
 * CSC: Mary Ann
 * FNB: Joe
 * GWS:
 * LL:
 * Sudo: Robb/Jenny
 * TIL: inactive
 * YES:
 * Quorum: 6/9 - yes!

Introductions
Introduce yourself: Name; Preferred Pronoun; Affiliation
 * Jose, Chiapas
 * Mary Ann, Chiapas
 * Steve, BAPS
 * Jenny, Sudo/Agua Viva
 * Ellen, has a proposal
 * Joe, FNB
 * Ken, CCL
 * Robb, Sudo
 * Marcus, ABDC
 * Judith, FNB

Announcements

 * Omni Re-Use Sale & Open House this Saturday, August 20, from 10am-5pm - please spread the word and invite FB friends to the event! https://www.facebook.com/events/630815713750856/
 * Looking for volunteers to help organize stuff Friday night, starting at 7pm!
 * Keep a lookout for several thousand dollars of Matt Dodt's that was probably hidden somewhere in the building
 * Art Bison will be printing Omni shirts and having a class on screenprinting
 * Live performances by TURFinc (hopefully), Mother and the Boards, and Khafre Jay
 * Someone attempted to rob Jeremy in sudo room today, need to fix the front door handle
 * Judith pulled a temporary restraining order against Ranetter Ivery (currently banned from Omni) until August 31st

Bans

 * James Moon asked to leave by Laura
 * Dag (FNB) asked to leave by Robb for repeated domestic use of space
 * Arif Shaikh banned from CCL (ban reciprocity with BioCurious)

Building & permits

 * This group needs help; https://omnicommons.org/lists/listinfo/building
 * Joe's been working on the cafe drywall, just needs sanding and painting. Robb's going to take over. May need a little more mud.
 * May need additional electrical, but not sure. Matt has dropped out of communications.
 * Laura and Lynn abated the exterior graffiti
 * BID no longer abates graffiti on private property. We pay them $3K+/year (part of property taxes), though we'll be exempt from property taxes once we have our 501c3 and apply for welfare exemption.
 * Ask why our streetlights aren't on
 * Since we're in a 'Benefit Zone 1' area, they're technically supposed to clean our streets 5-6 times a week

Commons
Meetings: Second and Fourth Thursdays at 7pm
 * Brought in over $4000 this month \o/
 * We haven't had events on Friday nights in months! Ideas?
 * Steve: We are having an art show next Friday

Communications

 * Share the August newsletter: http://us9.campaign-archive2.com/?u=7b3df74e35ed3cfc94d1f7fcd&id=be97280f05
 * No hard copies printed this month, as our printer needs ink and the cheapest quote I could find was $85 for 50 copies or $48 for 25 :(
 * We should buy a refill kit

Finance
Meetings: Currently conjoined with Fundraising (Mondays at 6)
 * Currently in account: $6,631.68
 * Upcoming September Expenses: $17,336
 * Jenny made a new spreadsheet entitled, Will Omni Make It Next Month: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PU2CZbjRDOccfu9drVvU52xYbLl640ahbPornJkTqAs/edit
 * the short answer is, yes, if everyone pays their invoices in time!!
 * FNB will pay to fix & secure the door.
 * Robb will make a post on discuss list regarding what needs to be done with the door

Fundraising/Buy the Building
Meetings: Mondays at 6:00pm
 * Currently getting our books reviewed by a pro CPA friend of Jose's
 * Frustrating experience with the consultant from NCCLF, she was using completely wrong numbers
 * Mary Ann and Marcus are applying for a $15K startup grant from Sparkplug Foundation
 * Marcus and Brian went to the SF Foundation today and found more grant leads
 * Jose's friend is going to start volunteering, very familiar with grants and has strong relationships with foundations, applying for grants for general funds

Proposal: Productions Working Group (10 mins)
via robb 8/7:

Establish a productions working group to coordinate common space event needs, including but not limited to cleaning, a/v checkout/setup/operation, event security, creating a/v rental procedures, facilitate rehearsal space rentals, etc.

active members of said group will be able to trade use of a recording/rehearsal space in the two rooms adjacent to Liberated Lens' of which they shall steward for such use to generate revenue for Omni Commons and promote the art of musickal expression.

Commons WG would handle booking, scheduling, contracts and invoices in tandem with Productions

Discussion

 * Marcus: I like that, committment to doing the work in exchange for use of unused space
 * Ken: Do you have everything you need to make it viable?
 * Robb: Yes, but need to do more acoustic / soundproofing measures
 * Ken: How soon could you start?
 * Robb: Probably within a month. Some folks already using it, so we already have some labor out of it
 * Joe: Have you talked to Liberated Lens?
 * Robb: LibLens already stated they were cool with this, were down to facilitate scheduling
 * Robb (tangent): Got a visit from a super-experienced guy in the industry, who's helping to set up the studio at the Marcus Garvey building. Asked if he could help, and he said he would do it. Just happened today. Could possibly turn the Disco Room into a video production studio, could rent that out for a couple hundred dollars an hour. Big equipment would be stored in the DJ booth in there, locking away expensive equipment. Could make a lot of money if we have a full setup.
 * Joe: SO this group will do the backend for all ballroom events?
 * Robb: Except for events using the Meyers sound system
 * Jenny: This is just to approve the creation of the working group to steward those two rooms
 * Joe: So you're renting those two rooms?
 * Robb: The rooms will still be open and scheduled by the Commons WG
 * Steve: But the equipment is off the stage.
 * Robb: In one of the rooms we'll have some equipment, and used for recording. Other room for drums/bass/loud stuff
 * Steve: Two separate proposals
 * Robb: Well, there's a lot of work that doesn't happen because there are no incentives
 * Ken: Paid by trade. Barter system not capital!
 * Some tension ensues
 * Steve: Again, why not two separate proposals?
 * Robb: People who run A/V know sound, having access to a rehearsal studio in exchange for
 * Mary Ann: Who is "they"?
 * Robb: Angel, Dragon, Ryan, Robb

Decision: Return to this at next meeting?

Proposal from Ellen (10 mins)
Ellen O'Donnell
 * Mission: East Bay Trauma Recovery Network is a peer-led, donation-based support group and safe space for trauma survivors to....
 * Referrals for connecting to mental health and substance abuse treatment
 * Resource for low-income trauma survivors in the East Bay
 * Been working in trauma and therapy since 2010, treatment modality that seeks to address substance abuse and trauma at the same time
 * Created a group format: CHeckin, Topic of day (grounding exercise, coping skill), end with meditation.
 * Group is therapeutic, but not a therapy group - hence giving referalls to people seeking additional help in their recovery
 * Would need a med sized room with a closing door for 1 hr a week
 * Same day and time so it can be consistent
 * Members? Going to public health clinics that serve low-income communities in Oakland, giving presentation, getting referrals from them of people to work with (not people just off the street - safety is important in doing this kind of work)
 * Marcus: How many people?
 * Ellen: This is brand new, 6-8 people per groups... seek grant money to pay for somebody's therapy for a year who can't afford it.
 * Marcus: Will ask Art Bison about hosting you in the ticket booth room
 * Ellen: Been trying so hard to find a place to meet... nothing affordable in SF
 * Robb: Also the Treatment Room upstairs, typically used for healing-type events/meetings
 * Robb and Steve suggest coordinating through BAPS
 * Ellen: Chose people diagnosed with PTSD... sticky area of self-diagnosing

Decision: Refer to Commons WG / Art Bison / BAPS

Proposal: Member Space Access Policy (10 mins)
via Marc 8/9:

I'm going to propose that we institute an Omni policy that if your collective hasn't given you an access card or a key then you are not considered to be entrusted with 24/7 Omni access and will not be allowed in the Omni after 10 pm unless you're there with a member who has an access card / key.

We have clear policies around members and non-members but some organizations have very loose definitions of what constitutes a member, and that's perfectly fine, but it makes it difficult to enforce policies, so I'm proposing that we reclassify what constitutes a member in the eyes of Omni access policy as "someone has been given an access card or key by their collective". This also makes it easy to check if someone is lying about being a member by asking "do you have you key / access card".

Comments?

Discussion

 * Jenny: Context: this is in reply to the thread about Dag, saying he was both a FNB and a LibLens member
 * Judith: FNB definition of membership is very looose. My feeling that qualifying as a member for purposes of attending meetings / have a voice should not automatically confer membership to the collective wrt Omni. May be too restrictive, would want to come up with something that clarifies it a bit more
 * Joe and Steve concor. Joe: seems we would end up being more particular but would start giving away more cards/keys
 * Joe: *reflects concerns about FNB activity*
 * Judith: Usually enough people with keys/cards to get in
 * Judith: Whole issue has been so problematic for me for so long... look at our ban list... doing something minor, eg falling asleep while sitting up at a computer seems to have the same consequences as theft or assault. Feel some of the problems we've had have been that we've elevated the crim of being in the building to a crazy extent
 * Robb: Delegates are firm on no sleeping in the building.
 * Joe: I agree with Judith that someone who casually falls asleep should not be banned
 * Jenny: Can you name one person that's happened to?
 * Joe: No, i don't think it's happened
 * Ellen: Do you direct people to shelters?
 * Robb: We are security, and we're not doing our jobs
 * Judith: Proposes rescheduling
 * Robb: Fights break out, other collectives just look the other way. Should be some sort of consequence... sick of picking up other peoples mess

Decision: Pushed to next meeting

Discussion: Issues with Ranette
Prince stood up for me, which I appreciate, he was very brave. Someone else needs to serve her the papers, been told this could really set her off. She must be 100 yards away from me at all times, my daughter is also named as protected.
 * Judith: Got a temporary restraining order and court date to file charges against Ranette Ivery for extensive harassment and abusive/threatening behavior. When in close range we're pretty good at avoiding each other in close proximity, but recently followed me all the way down Telegraph after I returned to the building to make sure the door was shut - that set her off. Saw Jackson and asked him to watch what happened... she followed me down to 45th repeating how she was going to slap me, calling me an old bitch and a whore, said "I hope you die of a heart attack just like that old dude you were whoring with"
 * Joe: Do you think it's appropriate or fair that she's aware that you're in the building or not. If she wanted to call to one of her friends, how would she know if you're here or not?
 * Judith: I'm not going to go after her or anything if I see her, but if she approaches me in a threatening way, I'm going to call the cops. She must also stay away from any vehicle that I drive (including FNB trucks), and any place I work or volunteer. Included a request that she be excluded from any building used by FNB or the Omni. Want the freedom to go places without fear. Having a discussion at the next FNB  meeting about whether she should or shouldn't be part of FNB.

Previously
Weekly Omni Delegates Meeting - 4 Aug 2016 - 7pm