Event:2024/03/07 Delegates

Omni Delegates' Meeting - 7 March 2024 7pm-9pm

Meeting Details

• Talk at https://omnicommons.org/meet or 515-428-1108 (PIN: 465814905)
• Type at https://omnicommons.org/notes
• Send proposals to consensus@lists.omnicommons.org prior to the meeting

Roles

• Facilitator/s: Pallavi
• Stacktaker:
• Timekeeper:
• Notetaker/s: Patrik
• Next meeting's facilitator(s):

Delegates

• CCL: Patrik
• FNB: Toan
• LL: John
• SMAC: Pallavi
• SM: Marc
• SR: Alex
• DG: Dom
• Quorum (2/3 of active groups):

intros

BRIEF INTROS MAY INCLUDE: name, pronouns, groups you're in, land you're on, if you're a delegate, unmet access needs, meeting roles you'd like to help with, discussion topics or proposals to add to agenda, announcements/updates/report-backs from your groups, safe space issues or updates PROMPT people to share contact info in the chat, so we can stay in touch

Wheelchair ramp

• Falling hazard for people coming out of ballroom, when ramp is down. Needs some sort of door or fence. Was not an issue for fire inspection
  • Marc: Jake's solution also made it impossible for someone in a wheelchair to use (but they should not be using it by themselves anyway).

Partnership with CAST *plus* PP or CityInMotion?

• Would CAST be willing to bring in PP or CityInMotion as well?
  • Pallavi: PP would be crucial to bring in underrepresented groups
  • Patrik: but CityInMotion may be easier to get approved
  • Pallavi: Temescal Art Center on 48th could also bring in a lot of events

Recycling, especially washing out containers

• Joe: inordinate amount of time washing out not-quite-empty food containers. Misunderstanding that you don't have to clean containers. Post signs?
  • Pallavi: Media lab folks can come up with some screen prints for posters?
  • John: "Containers need to be CLEAN to be recycled. Do not feed the rats."
  • Marc: water flow in sink near CCL/Sudo is very low - get it fixed?

Powers and responsibilities for an ED position

• Pallavi draft contract: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hEJuEHY7fWBzhLAI2E2bfpt3iDXwqQUbA7TwA7mNQxk/edit

1. Capital Improvements Funding and Manpower Acquisition: Lead efforts to secure necessary funds and workforce for vital capital improvements at Omni Commons.
2. Community Partnerships and Awareness / Outreach: Actively engage in building and strengthening community partnerships with land trusts, organizations, funders, and potential donors. Elevate Omni Commons’ presence and role within the community.
3. Grant Writing and Emergency Funding: Spearhead grant writing initiatives and emergency funding appeals to secure financial support for Omni Commons.
4. Task Delegation and Leadership: Efficiently delegate responsibilities related to working groups, fundraising, and building maintenance to volunteers and paid staff (Marketing, Operations, Development, Events). Ensure smooth operational flow and effective task completion.
5. Leadership Infrastructure Development: Focus on building a leadership framework to present to land trusts and potential funders, aiming to secure long-term support and stability, as well as a shared covenant between Omni collectives.

• Jamal draft contract: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a-RGXcZ0Is-uz0a3k8mUV-Nm7-9Mcx9O/edit

1. Fundraising, in collaboration with the Company’s existing fundraising staff and volunteers.
2. Manage collections from tenants that owe rent and event clients; serving as mediator if there is a dispute between event clients and the Events working group about deposits and refunds
3. Managing permits and compliance, tenants, and building functionality. Making sure people have leases that are accurate, hiring contractors/repair people, dealing with inspections and the City, renewing/renegotiating insurance
4. Managing payables - making sure bills get paid, making sure people get paid, making sure there is money to pay them. The Interim Executive Director can authorize payments up to $500 without prior approval with the Company’s board, but must coordinate with the Company’s bookkeeper, treasurer, and finance working group to make sure there are enough funds available.
5. Conflict mediation - Identify conflicts when they happen; initiate investigation when necessary; de-escalate when possible; start and track conflict mediation process; recommend people for banning from the building by the Company’s board if conflicts cannot be resolved.
6. Facilitating negotiations
7. Hire staff (with board approval)
8. Manage the day-to-day operations
9. Engage stakeholders
10. Enforce decisions of the board
11. Take necessary steps to protect the organization.

• Open issues:
  • What kind of title would CAST require for point of contact?
  • Can that person make independent decisions?

• point person for incoming grants
• Signing for contracts
• Limitation on spending - $500?
  • Marc: should probably also have a limit on accepting or soliciting funds, or selling things above a certain amount, without board approval -
• John: ED should have signature authority on behalf of Omni.
  • Patrik: Decision authority is likely the stickier point

• Pallavi and Patrik will try to integrate some of the contents from Jamal and Pallavi's draft contracts

Bookkeeper, and filing taxes (incl prop tax!)

• Pallavi: Silver, Paige and I interviewed three different candidates for the bookkeeping position. Have identified a top candidate
  • Everyone agrees to move forward!

• Yar, from slack: So are there any plans to pay property taxes in a few weeks or are we just yoloing it
  • Pallavi will check in with Sarah, and copy delegates

• Need to file form RRF-1 (registration renewal) together with a Form 990 with the AG every year - https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/rrf1_form.pdf
• Need to file SI-100 Statement of Information with Secretary of State.

Can be filed online here: https://businessfilings.sos.ca.gov/ May need to file Certificate of Amendment of Articles of Incorporation https://bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/corp/pdf/amendments/corp-amdtnp.pdf

Media Lab expansion in basement

• Should stripe off hallway to ballroom stairs
• Stairs from basement to Sudo is not an official fire egress route. But would still be useful to keep it accessible.
  • In non-fire emergency such as active shooter, people may want to use other routes. Also useful to foster crossover between media lab and Sudo.
• Don't have exact new square footage - approve proposal at $1/sqft?
• Approved by general consensus

Bylaw changes

• Rules for recusal of delegates?
• Can delegates have leadership role or blocking vote in another collective? FNB had concern about overlap between Sudo Mesh and Sudo Room
  • Alex: different orgs, little overlap in members.

CAST

Availability for meetings?

Fundraising progress

• Pallavi needs some help with SF Foundation proposal - https://sff.org/what-we-do/funding/rrf
• Pallavi needs input from Events Working Group, as well as input from collectives on list of activities related to organizing around indigeneity, cultural genocide, erasure, displacement, and movement building for marginalized groups
  • CCL has done some grant writing to get a handhelp measurement tool to detect lead pollution in soil - environmental justice. Also outreach to local schools and teachers for science education
  • Would Sudo Room or Sudo Mesh be interested in partnering with hacker spaces in Palestine?