Event:2014/10/09 Weekly Delegate's Meeting
- Facilitator: mia
- Stack: mary
- Timekeeper: zach
- Notes: yar
- Delegates: yar (sudo), mary (ccl), mia (baps), abby (od), danny (pa), kathleen (camo), joel (til), sarah (backspace), david b (la commune)
- Quorum: eh?
- Vibe Reader: abby
- explain hand signals and share the URL of this pad!
- hurry it up, irrelevant elephant
intros
intro: fav animal
- mia baps platypus
- frasier otter
- abby omnidance buck
- danny pa french dog
- zach black hole zebra
- emji til/cps cuttlefish
- joel til/cps
- ian baps/cps humans
- alejandro humans
- kathleen baps/camo hummingbird
- yar sudo
- mary ccl
announcements
- First annual Bay Area Consortium of Hackerspaces (BACH) Unconference Sat-Sun 10/11-10/12, doors open at 10am
- LA COMMUNE BRUNCH & BOOKSTORE POPUP : SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 10AM ON !
- Ask your members to join fundraising working group:
- http://doodle.com/dak8z3b8yyn6en3g
- meeting 7pm monday
- Can we do a quick "match your extra Naomi Klein ticket to an Interested Individual"? Given that a lot of folks want to go to this event, and each collective group has been given 2 free tickets, it'd be great to see if any collectives won't use there tickets and would be willing to give them to interested individuals who can't afford/get a ticket.
- Contact Niki
- My understanding is that this is not the full event, but a special portion as a "teach in" for omni organizers, but check with Niki.
message from david
After basically a nonstop year, I (david) need a break from organizing and getting things done at Omni generally. I am starting to be far far too cranky and that is a sign I need to step away. So I am going to take some time off from actively working on Omni projects which so mamy people have requested me to do. How much time, I am not sure.. weeks, probably not months, but who knows.
To do that responsibly I am requesting several individuals with a minimum of 10hr/week each to transition areas of focus for which I have been primarily responsible. The difficulty here is relationships and literacy in the material need to be transitioned, not just 'information'.
The following roles need to be transitioned:
- I am asking Korl to work with me on Health dept issues, plumbing, etc.
- I am asking two people to work with me on Building/Fire and Use permits which will require making trips downtown: Jake and Matt Senate. Much work has been done here, but this is a critical period and relationships need to be transitioned.
- I am asking Patrik and Hol to work with me on all construction stuff, ie documenting and implementing still-needed fixes to the building in order to comply with our permits and codes. This would be, construction stuff.
- I am asking Joel (aka Otis) to work with me on the ventilation system for the basement specifically (non-kitchen area). The first step in this is electrical.
- I am asking Joe Lisner to work with me and Korl on Health and Fire with regards the basement kitchen specifically.
- I am asking Yar to coordinate with me on all ADA compliance stuff generally.
- I am asking Scott to coordinate the remaining soundproofing and Fire compliance work in the ballroom, which must happen before the weekend of the 26th.
- I am asking Mia to coordinate with our lawyers with regards land use issues (Jesse and Kenny), as well as the political forces - District 1, BID, neighbors, etc.
- I am asking Jeremy Entwhistle to be the liason for all other miscellaneous stuffs.
discussion
- discussion of the many things they've been doing, the many jobs available for excited volunteers :)
- more people need to know how to deposit checks
wg report-backs
Commons
a conglomeration of groups asking, among other Q's, "How much time is optimal for getting notice, consent, and/or blocks for use of space?"
Facilitating Collectivity
Ballroom/Events
We are folding into the new "commons" working group. All events get submitted to the "booking" mailing list. To object or consent to events, please join that list.
Communications
October newsletter might require other input before simply going to our growing email list. Thoughts? Any writer/editor volunteers?
Community & Fundraising
Fantastic filming day last Sunday! Next meeting Monday at 7pm to get clear on all paths and participation to raise $70k or more
CDC
Finance
kitchen
Meeting 2-3pm Saturday
building
safer space & conflict resolution policies
- 8/30 Proposal from the CDC to approve the safer space and conflict resolution policies, with the understanding that both are living documents that will continue to evolve as we learn and grow as a collective.
- Safer space policy: http://wiki.omni-oakland.org/w/Safe_Space_Policy
- Conflict resolution policy: http://wiki.omni-oakland.org/w/Conflict_Resolution_Policy
- delegates ready to vote yes: 9/10
- helen blocks on behalf of FNB
Rise Above
PROPOSAL: Rise Above moves into the utility room adjacent to the front room/cafe area.
- Sudo Room needs until next week. Every group, please be prepared to consent on this next week.
Moving the Kitchen
Proposed on behalf of Rise Above, 10/7/2014
The ad hoc upstairs kitchen needs to be removed for Rise Above to proceed with its buildout. This is less a proposal than a placeholder for the necessary conversation about the dismantling & relocation of the stoves, refrigerators, and other equipment in this kitchen.
- informal consensus that we don't need to formally consent on this since it's mandatory and well-known. talk about moving things after the weekend since lots of weekend events need to use the kitchen.
Upstairs Shower as Washout Room
Proposed on behalf of Rise Above, 10/7/2014
Rise Above would like (potentially) to use the upstairs shower room for washout. This is less a proposal than a placeholder for the conversation about this possibility.
- Note that having a shower for individual use is in fact a documented design pattern for hackerspaces: http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/The_Shower_Pattern
- If the room stays clean after each use, there shouldn't be a problem, right? Is that possible? (This would certainly save everyone headaches if we don't have to set up a new wash room right now).
- Something like this would be perfect so individuals can still easily and cleanly use the shower, just remove it before washing out silkscreens and other things: amazon link
- yar thinks no consensus needed because no reversible infrastructure changes being made, safe to assume shower is already being used for way worse things, will she need consensus to wash her dishes in the sink too?
- emji: will need a new kind of showerhead actually
- but still easily reversible so no big deal
print studio & TIL
discussion
- we're proposing to split til into 2 member collectives. til upstairs, cps downstairs.
- question about til subletting the space but it wasn't part of the proposal
- til is currently 6 people, totally separate from cps.
- sudo is still blocking. matt had a counterproposal. not satisfied with the proposal.
- joel: culture of micromanagement making it hard to move forward. doesn't see need to have internal group structures proposed. happy to speak to value of group.
- yar feels terrible this has dragged on for so long, it's eating me up having to go back and forth week after week, would really like if people met face to face over this.
- cps meets at 6-10 every sunday
- collectives ready to vote yes: 9/10, with sudo still blocking
Proposal from CDC
- Given the need for more time to creatively imagine the Omni, one hour of the first delegates' meeting of every month should be dedicated to an in-depth discussion of some topic (to be determined in advance) that is pressing for the community. For example, the first meeting in October was partially dedicated to discussing safer space policy.
- Perhaps less than an hour is more reasonable? E.g. 20 min - 60 min, depending on topic and balance of agenda?
- Can also use the "break-out discussion" model to let groups of 2-4 discuss among themselves (more natural for conversation), then come back together and share what folks had to say, distill to actionable results.
- We propose that one hour of the first meeting in November be dedicated to a conversation about Omni finances, co-facilitated by the CDC and Finances working groups.
- +1
"one hour of the first delegates' meeting of every month should be dedicated to an in-depth discussion of some topic (to be determined in advance) that is pressing for the community."
- 9 yes, 1 abstain
Discussion of the commons
- Let's take 20 minutes to discuss what the commons means to us!
- +1
- Why is maintaining a commons important?
- What are your dreams for the commons in the Omni?
- How can we all steward the Omni commons together?
this did not happen.
very extremely old proposals
can we please follow our own process and vote on these very old 1-2-month-old proposals, if nothing else to consent they be removed from the pad? thanks.
flag
We propose that the Omni raises a flag from the main tower of the Omni, over the 48th & Shattuck entrance. It could be a red flag. Or it could say "Omni". Whatever the collective decides. Perhaps it could be the Omni logo?
- Alternatively, a big "OMNI" sign above the entrance, with each of the letters made by a different group (dibs on the "I" for CCL). Can be lit up from battery powered by small solar panel on the roof.
- sudoroom proposes we build a shed. we could store bikes in it?
- sudomesh proposes we put a node on the roof and blast some free wifi to the neighborhood!
- Flag? Bat-signal equivalent for hippies: http://infolass.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/img_2592.jpg
taking it to communications working group
PROPOSAL: Let's only meet every OTHER Thursday!
- yar's counterproposal: let's all do more work throughout the week so there's less to say at meetings
- danny suggests: WG's/committees leave each meeting recognizing decisions made & action to take
no objections to taking it off. clearly too much to do.
splitting allocations
- PROPOSAL (Sept. 2): To split equally between financially contributing collectives and tenants, expenditures which delegates have voted to allocate to projects. Finance WG will send funding request proposals to member collectives for an equal share of any non-invoiceable costs
- brendan will champion this cause at the finance wg. taking it off the pad.
PROPOSAL : KIDS ROOM & KIDS WORKING GROUP
Brought by La Commune, 9/24/2014 La Commune would like to spearhead an initiative to transform the present Timeless Infinite Light office (vacant as of October 1) into a Omni Kids room. La Commune would like to stock this room with used books available for children to read. We would like to call on our community to convene a Kids Working Group and figure out what the best way would be to create free or low-cost childcare at the Omni and to navigate the relevant bureaucratic hurdles. This proposal would reserve the present TIL office for such use, and would reflect our collective desire to have such a childcare space there -- further details to be developed by a nascent Kids Working Group.
- PROPOSAL: Is it possible to simply agree not to use this room for other purposes except as an open, kid-friendly/family-friendly space available for the Omni Commons community to use until a more formal expression takes place? Meaning, say an event in the ballroom needs a kid-friendly zone for some reason, this space may be afforded to that end, under appropriate supervision and responsibility solely on the part of the user(s).
- waiting for someone to step up at this point. taking off the pad.
PROPOSAL: Mandate rotation of facilitator, stacktaker, each Delegates meeting
- While "the problem" seems to be that we do not require rotation, it rather may be that we are in a deficit of willing volunteers who are also in a position to step-up to perform these difficult roles at the on-set of the delegates meeting. So the task falls on a small group of willing parties who have voice and are often prepared to opt-in.
- PROPOSAL: Instead, perhaps our approach could be:
- Hold a "preparatory meeting" 30 min - 1 hr before the actual meeting, inviting all potential facilitators, stack-takers, note-takers, and new folks who want to learn to participate in and improve the delegates meeting.
- Use this time to review and sort the agenda, share tips / approaches, and plan to implement facilitation techniques so the meeting can begin smoothly and endure.
- Maintain list of willing "Facilitators" who are able to act in a facilitator role, or help others gain experience in facilitation:
- At the end of each meeting, tentatively select folks for facilitator and other roles for the next meeting.
- Facilitator for next meeting could be responsible to send "gentle reminders" to folks in other roles, and vice-versa.
- Hold a "preparatory meeting" 30 min - 1 hr before the actual meeting, inviting all potential facilitators, stack-takers, note-takers, and new folks who want to learn to participate in and improve the delegates meeting.
informal non-binding discussion. i ask if i can take this off the pad. people yell "take it off!"
Proposal for Proposals
Suggestion for how to do proposals:
- Before submitting: Write out your idea. Show it to as many people as you can who have a stake in your idea and consider their feedback on your proposal. Revise. Don't submit it until the folks you have talked to think it's fully fleshed out, clear, and acceptable.
- When submitting on the pad, please include: the date you put it on the pad; your name, or the name of the working group that developed the proposal; the name of the person who will be at the meeting to present and take questions.
- Does anyone have any other suggestions?
- yar: now that we have consensus@, as long as you send a mail to that, the metadata can stand in for a timestamp and indentify you
- emji doesn't see the need to send an email when they can just look at the pad
- let's not fall into the trap of elective democratic voting
- yar: recommendation only; this is still an experiment; nuclear option
- concern about what happened with RLL - runaway email threads
- brendan: track successful proposals
- things get lost in the shuffle
building modifications & bans
- since these now must be considered at meetings, let's always keep a section here to remind us
LA COMMUNE LOCKABILITY PROPOSAL
this problem is being solved outside meetings. taking off the pad.
BAPS Proposal carried over from last week
http://wiki.omni-oakland.org/w/Event:2014/10/02_Weekly_Delegate%27s_Meeting#dedicated_BAPS_space
baps is working on a more comprehensive proposal for next week. taking off the pad.