Event:2024/04/18 Delegates

Omni Delegates' Meeting - Day Month 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
• Someone should go check incoming mail RIGHT NOW.

Roles

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

Delegates

• CCL: Patrik
• FNB: Toan
• LL: Inactive
• SMAC: Pallavi
• SM:
• SR: William
• DG: Dominic
• 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

Check for mail for Omni

Who volunteers to go check if there's mail for Omni right now? This agenda item is part of the meeting notes template.

events fans being left on

• all the fans left on. Think it is an event on wednesdays and being left on all day thursday.
• Pallavi: need events onboarding package for lights, heater, AC, etc.

Statement of Information - paperwork for christina

• Needs to be filed yearly. Pallavi will follow up and loop in Myan
• need to do officer elections. Have done a call but not applicants
• Pallavi - board chair? could be good to have as a more stable position
• Patrik - board chair, low number of duties, pretty much facilitate board meetings
• Pallavi - we should try and formalize by next week, or bring this to CAST. Could be folks we havent identified yet, but CAST might be able to bring on new person. right now we only have delegates, but might want to be open to idea of adding additional board members, or requirements to join. For example, if the bookkeeper wanted to be on board (not treasurer) [entirely okay to be both paid bookkeeper and treasurer, fyi ---sarah L has said thats a red flag], or event steward. And once they join the board we could ask them to have officer positions
• patrik - some nonprofits have community board members. but need to have elections for those board positions, can get hairy
• pallavi - lets save this for CAST meeting. as someone who has been scoping grants, much easier if the board is majority marginalized population. if our board reflects constituency we have. also need to collect data of who uses building so the board is reflective of those demographics. saying we are "Restructuring our board" opens up avenues for funding. especially if there are people who dont want to commit as much, hope in next few months we can have fewer board meetings.
• Pallavi: let's take a vote on Secretary and Treasurer positions, then file Statement of Information with updated info
• Patrik: is Omni still paying for Directors & Officers insurance? -
  • pallavi - sarah put me in contact with our insurance agent. brignole and ghiri (traci). i expect them to send me some information about renewal of our insurance. Not sure if all insurances up for renewal now or staggered
  • Patrik - given situation, very important
  • Pallavi - also required for certain types of grants. some nonprofits opt to not pay until they get grant, but some ask for certificate beforehand. thinking about what kind of requirements they need for a loan.

CAST Meetings

• 2nd meeting will be open to BIQTPOC delegates and members
• Pallavi - urgent to reach out to people.
• What day? Wednesday, May 1st or Thursday, 2nd
• Does order matter? probably done for a reason
• Plan:
  • Wed April 24 6:00-8:00PM - delegates meeting with CAST in PERSON
    • Confirmed delegates, LL/John, SMAC/Pallavi, CCL/Patrik, FNB/Toan, SR/William
    • To be confirmed: Marc (emailed, said will provide alternate) Dom (emailed, said Myeshi can join as alternate)
  • Wed, May 1, 6:30-8PM - BIQTPOC Collective Members
    • Pallavi - we need to have specifics about what this meeting is such that we can invite people. I want it to be as productive as possible, previous community meetings, lots of random people talking about things they didnt have any prior knowledge of. Should be an intentional group we are inviting.
  • Thurs, May 2, 5:30-7PM - Omni Collective Activators, Organizers, Programmers - big umbrella meeting, whoever does any kind of organizing at Omni
    • Aim to do delegates meeting after this one (assuming the big meeting doesn't run over too far)

Wood Street would like more space

• Currently renting small office for $200, but don't fit. Want to use Den for $250, but often used for events for meetings. Philip suggests $40/hr, which may be out of their budget.
• Paige: Maybe keep renting space to store gear, but use basement?
• Pallavi - this conference room could be rented, could do at a cheaper rate. If they have set schedule so we can block off that time. I know my collective sometimes moves into conference room. As long as we know its a set time.
  • Patrik - need to know how often they are meeting.
  • Paige - rental agreement does say they can use "common space within reason" or something like that. Could designate the basement office room as a common space
  • Pallavi - will need space for omni leadership meetings. Maybe setting aside this space makes sense, but the room on the far left is also not being rented. Depending who rents that room could change the dynamic.
    • Patrik - at one point this whole suite was rented
  • Pallavi - ProArts is paying rent, but may want to offer their room in basement to someone who needs space.
    • Paige - yes Sarah offered that to woodshop when i was trying to do that. Currently room is $300, but might be some worktrade involved.

Finance

• Did the mortgage payment get made?
  • yes, John/LL confirmed
• Still need Sarah to do the 990 tax form by May 15. Sarah suggested postponing. CAST might require it to be by the 15th - need to check w CAST next week
• Christina recommends having a point person for welfare exemption:
  • "Who will get educated on the parameters for keeping and increasing the welfare exemption and then monitor the various organizational users of the space, document their use, make sure that Omni's practices synch with Omni's goals with regards to the property tax welfare exemption, and confer with me as needed, etc? "
  • Pallavi - should be someone in an operations position. I was going to suggest operations into rapid response grant. any ideas of someone who would be a good fit? At very least, need to keep track of organizational users of space. And gatekeep who gets to rent to keep us in line with property tax requirements
    • Patrik good to be someone involved with in events?
    • Pallavi - Dom, Anka, and Philip Bell.
    • Paige - Philip Bell does seem to be taking lead.
    • Pallavi - would like to be paid, so can ask to do more. But if no capacity can put request outside. This past Monday went to Oakland Arts and Culture Commission. I advocated for Omni there, to speak to some of things we are looking to do with the building. A few commissioners interested, producer and artist interested, knows people in venue management, even in nonprofit world. Also Youth Speaks ED. They really expressed interest in seeing how it could be used. A lot more interest now, in terms of people who are interesting in stewarding space. Committee more geared towards curation. If events put on by Omni, its exempt. As opposed to private renters

Questions for CAST at meeting w delegates next week

• Planning to postpone our 990 filing - do they need it to be filed by May 15?
• Events management - anybody in mind? Role for CityInMotion? Youth Speaks ED
• Is CityInMotion's proposal on shared ownership of the building compatible with CAST?
  • Pallavi - they would need some info on demographics of that group

Appoint Pallavi as active interim ED for interactions with CAST

• Pallavi - they said they wanted a point person, doesnt need to be an ED title. Can ask for clarity on what that person should be responsible for. We should determine that before we meet with them. I would be reluctant to take position as ED, but word "interim" give leeway for me to step down and get someone to work with building with long-term vision. Christina also emphasized needing a stable point of contact. I think interim would be on term of 3-6 months. 27hours left in my development contract. Idea to fundraise to extend the contract. I know that from meetings I have had with other arts nonprofits partners, is that its easier to engage with an org if they have one representative. Having a title, even if not something is the same type of responsibilities that other more standard non profit have, its
  • Patrik - my understanding is they just need a single contact person. Not listing responsibilities. If that's what they want, would only need to exist until we create joint management with CAST
  • Pallavi - so no label of job title until we solidify co-ownership model
  • Patrik - yes I think they just need security that whoever they talk to will pass on info on that needs to be passed on
  • Pallavi - need more clarity, also for engaging with their partners
  • Patrik - they may insist later down for ED, but this I think is just a contact person for these negotiations
  • Pallavi - Ok I think then we just take a vote on that contact person, and in meeting we can bring up potential ED position.
  • Patrik - last meeting, there was an ask to copy delegates groups. I think no harm there.
• Paige - in SR meeting, people were saying "do we even need a point person right now?"
  • Patrik - I think CAST would say "if you can't even appoint a point person, then maybe there is no hope"
  • Toan - that's on top of not being able to schedule the first meeting

• Pallavi to be point person for discussions with CAST, and will include omni delegates list in email communications
  • yes: FNB/Toan, CCL/Patrik, SR/William, DG/Dominic
  • abstain: SMAC/Pallavi
  • no:

passes!

Collaboration Tools and Technology

Task manager

• William - would like to switch to a task manager. For keeping track of recurring and new initiatives. Making sure others are working on it, or allowing others to join and contribute. Goal to have less things fall through the cracks. [shows Trello to everyone]. Anyone opposed to this?
  • https://trello.com/w/ocmoney
  • https://jennyryan.net/using-integrations-and-webhooks-for-project-collaboration-organizational-coordination/
  • Pallavi - looks very similar to google keep. can assign tasks and check them off, deadlines with alarms. just within gsuite so easier to link things, but overall trying to be less reliant on google.
  • Patrik - how are we in terms of open software +1
  • William - i think we need to prioritize on organization than keeping it open source. This is part of a bigger thing, of keeping track when things are done and who did things.

Emails

• William - emails. Anyone interested in creating omni emails?
  • Pallavi - yes I definitely need one for development, and applying for grants
• William - could be custom handle for board delegates, i.e. "sudo-delegate@" and overall omni delegates. Allows for emails to still get to someone, in case of emergency and a delegate is not available.
• Patrik - I think also helpful as a wiki editor, for delegates. Like when edits shown. I.e. right now shows me as editing the bylaws. Also for ban list
  • Paige - that seems like useful info to me
  • Patrik - should be part of a secretary role.

consensus@lists.omnicommons.org also works accounts@omnicommons or finance@, also

https://omnicommons.org/webmail/ board@omnicommons.org exists point of contact yar

• Patrik - We are currently using omnidelegates@googlegroups.com

...ok, weird...

• Paige - using @omnicommons.org is more legit
• Patrik - googlegroups easy to control

Slack

• William - I would like to use Slack more but I know history of using email

Zero Waste Event next saturday 12PM-5PM

• Volunteers asked to come at 11
• Stop Waste will be visiting the space. Hopefully funding opportunity there

• Patrik - we have some folks using mushrooms for coloring cloth/dyeing. I think some of the folks may want to do something at event, not yet worked out
  • Pallavi - can that be finalized ASAP so we can make a flyer? Ideally out by Monday
• Paige - Im trying to get a fixit clinic group, Peter is not available unfortunately

Safety Working Group

• Paige - collectives should call out. William did a respond
• William - idea, send an email, and that triggers a slack notification
• Patrik - what is this for, for asap response, or reporting?. Before we set up a phone tree of people who live close to Omni
• William - reporting for harmful or dangerous behaivior. But can only be asap if someone is there. I think this is just a line, i.e. for creating immediate safe space ban
• William - if we get more volunteers we can form them into a list.
  • existing email groups - cdc@ and mediation@

End of Meeting

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