Event:2016/05/05 Delegates Meeting

Weekly Omni Delegates' Meeting - 5 May, 2016

Who's Here?

Meeting Roles

• Facilitator/s: Lori
• Explanation of hand signals: "deaf applause", "raised hand", "point of process", "direct response"(wildcard), etc.
• Stacktaker: Thunder, Anka
• Timekeeper: anthony
• Notetaker/s: matt, lori, laura, liz, y tu??? jenny
  • URL of this pad: https://pad.riseup.net/p/omninom
• Vibe Reader: everybody
• Next meeting's facilitator(s): steve

Delegates

• BAPS: Steve
• BH: Maggie
• BS: Thunder (leaving)
• CCL: Ken
• CSC:
• FNB: Anka
• GWS:Lori
• HNJ: (inactive)
• LL: Liz
• Mess: (leaving)
• Sudo: Matt
• TIL: (inactive)
• Quorum: 8 out of 10 active (minus 2 who are leaving)?

Introductions

Introduce yourself: Name; Preferred Pronoun; Affiliation

• Laura

Thunder Marcus Anka - FNB Liz Matt - Anthony Michelle - interested in doing an art and music show here Maggie Troy

• Steve
• Jenny
• Ken
• Kazoo
• Robb

Announcements

• Lori: looking for groups to endorse opposition to sex worker languarge in a CA drug diversion bill
• (See discussion below) Buried Seeds is dis-membering (leaving Omni Commons)
• (See discussion below) Anka -- video for kitchen renovation fundraiser
• Troy: Book Zoo is closing, selling books for a dollar. Passes out flyer
• Free kids' craft day Sunday the 15th @ 4529 MLK Jr Way from 1-4pm
• Update on Annual Temescal BID meeting [move to discussion]
• Buried Seeds missing keys - please return to the secret spot
• Tales of the Grim Sleeper - film about the murder of black women in South LA in the mid-80s-2007. Person arrested has been put on trial and today was arrested on all counts.

Working Group Report-Backs

Building & permits

Meetings: Not currently meeting

• This group needs help; https://omnicommons.org/lists/listinfo/building
• Had our final electrical inspection on South Wall electrical - first building project completely done and finalized!
• Rough inspection for the entrance hall building permit - please leave it super clean - scheduling it for Monday, after then work can begin
• Need help with ballroom bar window removal, let Matt know if you can help. Hose connected to sink which helps with outside cleanup.
  • Thanks to Angel, Francisco, Shawn, Jeremy, and many more for cleaning up the snack bar in the ballroom. t
• Working on cleaning up books. They will be in the front room, and you can take them from the table.

Commons

Meetings: 2nd and 4th Thursdays, 7pm

• Film festival for Land Action 4 on the 14th & 15th. They are still fundaising for legal costs. FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/298157150516256/
• Weekend of the 21st: another fundraiser for a non-profit. Omni calendar event here: https://omnicommons.org/calendar/events/youth-fundraiser-eventyes-event/
• 27th - 29th: Big capoeira festival again, building will be busier/louder than usual. Omni calendar event here: https://omnicommons.org/calendar/events/capoeira-mandinga-batizado-and-womens-event/

Communications

• We have someone who's going to help with social media communications - let us know if you're interested in helping out with social media - contact comms@lists.omnicommons.org
• Omni Newsletter -- send updates / reports for monthly activity to comms@lists.omnicommons.org Deadline: May 12th (2nd Thursday)

Finance

Meetings: Every other Thursday at 7pm (before Delegates Meetings)

• We paid May rent! oh my god!
• Still running a deficit and it is growing.
• What if we raise the rent for everybody, cuz we don't have enough money? Talk to your collectives about it.
• Need some more folks to do Quickbooks, come learn at the working group.
• Monthly expenses: $17,000
• New Treasurer: Jose Placencia, replacing Matt Griffin (g2g bee a surf bum in mexico)
  • Jose is an accountant w/ lots of non-profit experience, great!

Buy the Building

Meetings: Mondays at 6pm

• We're in communication with several banks - as well as our landlord about an owner-financed sale (though that could be a long road)...
• Talk to groups / projects that may be interested in renting space in the building or being fiscally-sponsored by the Omni

Discussion: Fundraising Video for Kitchen

• There was an idea to a fundraising video for the kitchen, great resouce if we make it a commercial venture for Omni and rent it out.
  • Liberated Lens is willing to make this video, seeking to have a meeting with people who are interested in raising money for the kitchen.
  • Contact: Anka at epikurewicz@gmail.com

Discussion: Buried Seeds leaving

Thunder said BS is paid up for June, we are trying to figure out if we can sublease our space. It has nothing to do with Omni or even the rent so we are dissolving the collective. laura..do you want to set up a time to talk about wraping up.

• Thunder..spoke to Matt and they want to set up this kind of meeting.

Proposal: Fiscally-Sponsored Projects

• Jenny we're applying for 501c3 status, 30% of our income needs to be charitable income, rentals will now be converted to fiscally sponsored projects. This means you can use 501c3 for applying for grants, tax deductions. Includes 6 groups. There's also unincorporated orgs who can also be covered.That income is considered charitable income for the Omni. Omni has to consent to these groups being under this formulation. The groups are BAPS, Birdhouse, Sudo Mesh, GWS, Real Vegan Cheese. Still working on terms for Sudo Mesh and Real Vegan Cheese.
• Laura clarifing questions??
• Maggie, 30% of money from a charitable?
• Laura all of this would show up as charitable income under Omni.
• Jenny if you have a bank account, you have check signers, debt cards, it would be a subaccount of Omni, Omni would do our taxes because of this connection.
• Steve, if bank account for fiscal sponsored group is theirs, how does Omni claim it as a charitble contribution.

In favor: Buried Seeds, CCL< BAPS, Birdhouse, Liberated Lens, Global Womens Strike Opposed: None Abstaining: Sudo Room, Food Not Bombs

Bay Area Public School

• https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NWxOcbXDozxgsWsWnwgEztgJePknjuZFneG4c5kBwTU/edit

Birdhouse Art Collective

• https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EwVD7ZrbFoQ2eCuz0BG5TuPwpCO0M1FRGoms87agEzo/edit

Global Womens Strike - Omni Collective

• https://docs.google.com/document/d/1145-9muuwnm5xNMQ_AC_8zLmdlrAj5ZwP8CubkmWCkI/edit?ts=57255079

Liberated Lens

• https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NtI1995CP0WRYAAz2k-_Fmk6bizQggbkpleMSyjkVnQ/edit

Sudo Mesh

• https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oOF6aPPPfJ9GX89Xf2kiTuT3DSV9RLpcZxRfgNeY1nM/edit

Real Vegan Cheese

• https://docs.google.com/document/d/13fHBiaAqanlKPLG12Fc1fUgAiTVXJhCzgl84dyFqBTM/edit

Activity: Sign New Subleases!

• https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HTJrWupMrDPMez7GmrLkSwTSJTyehvN6M9-gHcyfhI8/edit?usp=sharing
• Sudo, CCL, TIL, CSC, Buried Seeds, FNB, Phat Beets

Proposal: ABDC

• Currently have a space in SF, been solid there for so long, reluctant to move - but want to set up a satellite. Approx. 12x20 feet space desired - floor plan for 3 spaces in the cafe, the den, and the basement. Several frequent printers who are in chairs or unable to easily climb stairs. Knows people would like them to be in the basement - happy to be there once the air quality down there can be improved.
  • Cafe Space
    • Pros: ADA accessible, high ceiling, attraction to new visitors/customers, easier to display omni merchandise, will be kid-ready sooner
    • Cons: not the largest, may not work well during training/classes, noise/activity could be distracting, water access through a high-traffic footprint
  • Mezzanine / Den:
    • Pros: Natural sunlight and airflow, cheapest to build out
    • Cons: Inaccessible, water access requires crossing high-traffic pathway, people who use that space currently would be displaced, smallest footprint
  • Basement:
    • Pros: Largest space available, classes less impacted by activity
    • Cons: 10 steps - difficult for disabled acces, low ceilings, bad air quality (requiring air filters), no natural sunlight - willing to work on air quality

Discussion

• What about Buried Seeds? Sink incoming
• Pretty much open space - but would build a half wall between the cafe and ourselves
• Matt: Electrical inspector grilled us on the lights - embedded LED filters etc;... use of serving food & doing printing is contestatory for the state
  • Would be great if things could be mobile, wheeled out for activities / use, etc;
• Laura: Unclear about drawings - what amount of space within the space would you want to take up?
• Steve: Were you going to use the space as a production area or are there classes?
  • Kazoo: Classes on the regular - Monday night open studios, several regular classes, looking to expand that to here, teens as interns, week out of the year we do an intensive w/ Gateway High School... I teach at a Middle School, want to set up a feeder program... want to set it up for kids in the space. Would like to have kids come over here.
    • Steve: Seems like classes in those areas would be disruptive.. however the area in the basement, you could have serious classes there. From that perspective, just seems like it would be less disruptive and able to accommodate
      • Kazoo: Is the goal a quiet space? If so, then it's not really a community space.
• Matt: Feeling positive about ground floor - either cafe or Buried Seeds room (ADA accessible), if you get to a point in this satellite experiment where the distraction is real, then you're doing something big, should consider moving to the basement... can take time to improve air quality, but we can get there
  • Robb: Pulling out about 2 gallons of water on the regular from the basement... dealing with it, but it kinda snuck up on us, is gonna take some time
    • Kazoo: Fine with doing some remediation, but it's gonna be a process.
      • Robb: Would you mind if we put a curtain over the stuff for events in the entrance hall for events and such?
        • Kazoo: Yeah totally, and we can put everything on wheels to make it modular
• Ken: Not in favor of having it in the mezzanine or the front hall... basement seems ideal - would prefer in Buried Seeds
• Laura: My reservation about that room is that we could get a lot more than $200 for that space
  • Kazoo: We want to be out there, visible, not closed off. We're an activist group
• Thunder: Compound gallery, tall ceilings, print equipment, think having something artistic and engaged in there would be great for the Omni... basement not conducive for ADA
  • Matt: Sudo can't make a decision about this, would need to have a discussion at our next party/meeting, the following third thursday. Let's make the proposal more succinct - modular use of the entrance hall space, with the understanding that expansion would take place in a remediated basement.
    • Steve: Timeframe?
      • Matt: Early as the third Thursday of this month for the satellite... remediation over 6-12 months..

Proposal: The Omni Commons Delegates aim to hear a complete proposal for Art Bison to move into the entrance hall with all modular furniture with up to a 12x21' footprint, with the condition that we revisit in 6 months to assess the viability of moving into the basement.

Consensus:

• Aye: Food Not Bombs, Buried Seeds, CCL, GWS, BAPS, Birdhouse, Sudo
• Abstain: Liberated Lens

Lingering questions:

• What would stuff look like stored?
• Frequency of use
• What would your move to the basement look like?

Discussion on BID annual meeting

Updates from the Temescal Telegraph BID Annual Board Meeting

1. BID Updated Requirements for Board Members in the ByLaws -- making it easier and more clear on how to become a board member as well as to take on an officer position while on the board. 2. Peralta has improved it's cleaning service, but TTBID is still pursuing alternative proposals to replace them by May 2016. Executive Committee heard proposal from JC Professional Services (JC Pro) for $180,000. Also, the Executive Committee will be hearing a proposal from Block by Block in May at the same rate (or more?). TTBID is seeking to select a different contractor for cleaning starting in July 2016. 3. McGrath Properties and Boston Properties developers seeking to increase "density" at MacArthur Transit Village (Parcel B) 4. BID power-washed "Pocket Park" behind the post office on Shattuck. 5. TTBID wants to create a pedestrian plaza at shattuck, telegraph, and 45th ave. Working with the city. First step is planters & barricades to start to design the plaza and invoke some complains in order to hear who is going to be upset about the issue. 6. Landscaping at 40th Street is scheduled in 2016 7. Pedestrian lights installed by the district -- about 85% complete 8. 4 board members were renewed, 2 were added, and 3 retired. 9. "You have one reason to pay attention to this organization -- these volunteers have proved that they can do anything to raise the perspective of the city about this neighborhood." "The City of Oakland owes this board a great amount of gratitude" - Don Laundry 10. "Two Dons are Better Than One" - Don Laundry 11. "We came into the neighborhood and bought property because of all of the hard work that these folks put in." - Nautilus Group 12. Accomplishments:

       * $880,000 loan to install 83 LED pedestrian lights
       * Total Income: $516,064
       * Total Expenses: $355,793
       * Net: $160,294 (budget anticipated a $80,000 surplus)

13. Future Plans:

       * Want to keep a reserve (~$40,000 / mo benchmark or $80,000)
       * 56th St Underpass / Friends of Idora Park / Clars Auction House --  development w/ CalTrans
       ** Two murals are going up -- of an amusement park. 
       * Lighting on trees in core commercial areas
       * 40th St Landscaping
       * Temescal Street Flicks

14. In previous years, hired an ex-cop to do a research project in affordable improving crime rates. Increase security is by increasing your lighting -- hence all the lighting projects. 15. Trial of Park @ Shattuck, Telegraph & 45th is Temescal Street Flicks location plan. 16. TTBID is anticipating ~1,242+ new units from these developers:

       * MacArthur Transit Village
       * Kingfish Development
       * 4801 Shattuck, 4700 Telegraph, 51st and Telegraph - Nautilus
       * 387-391 40th St
       * 364 40th St
       * 330 & 332 40th St

17. New Businesses:

       * Blackwater Station
       * Chef Yu Chinese Restaurant
       * Mai Banh Mi
       * Shangri-la Vegan
       * Antidote Juicery
       * Broken Guitars
       * Rosamunde Sausage Grill
       * Dandelion Post
       * Temescal Wash & Dry
       * Homeroom-to-go
       * Harper Paige Salon
       * Preserved Goods
       * Roses' Taproom
       * Temescal Brewing

18. Claim that Genova wants to close -- don't want to talk to BID, Kalb, or Landlord, etc 19. Attendee asks about recruiting a Bank. 20. Creating process for Kasper's park idea still, for community involvement, no plan, just going to do "outreach" -- First meeting this summer, you should join the Design & Economic Development Committee in order to be in on the development of the park 21. To participate in Nautilus Project at 51st and Telegraph is undergoing 18th of May is Planning Hearing - near final step of approval. 22. Without a bank, we should get cash machines. 23. Shifra "We have a wonderful CRO who is very responsive." 24. Aubyn Merie - Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council chair - 3rd Weds on odd months at Faith Presbyterian. yahoo group - weds may 18th at 7pm 25. Executive Committee meetings are open to the public -- and they will hear a bid from other cleaning companies for the neighborhood contract RFP.

Discussion Omni Finance Reform

actionable items:

• Create a Delegate's term that lasts 1 year.
• Raise rent to incorporate both a reasonable rate for use of space as well as pro-rated share of operating expenses.
• New Proposed Sub-Lease

may need further modification:

• Schedule regular Open Houses for coordinating communication and tours with prospective member-collectives, renters, and event renters
• Add new item to delegate's meeting agenda: Collective Report-Backs, where the delegate from each collective shares:
  • Financial Status (ability to pay invoices, balance sheet)
  • Membership Status (health of collective)
  • Outline of any other updates / items of business
• Create Communications consultant position to ensure each delegate, and each collective are in regular communication about Omni's health (especially financial) as well as each collective's health are communicated in order to ensure information is flowing between all collectives.
  • Gerald (from Liberated Lens) was interested in this position

End of Meeting

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