Event:2018/06/21 Delegates Meeting

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Omni Delegates' Meeting - June 21 2018 7pm-9pm

for instructions on preparing and archiving these notes, please see the bottom

Agenda

  • Introductions, Meeting Roles, and Delegates Count [10 minutes]
  • Access Check-in [5 minutes]
  • Announcements [5 minutes]
  • Bans [5 minutes]
  • Working Group Report-Backs [15 minutes]
  • Member Collective Updates (10 minutes)
  • Proposal - Media Lab: [10 minutes]
  • Proposal - Fiscal Sponshorship: [10 minutes]
  • Discussion - Cleanup Responsibilities: [10 minutes]
  • Discussion - "Outsiders" using bathrooms: [10 minutes]


Introductions

Introduce yourself: Name; Preferred Pronoun; Affiliation; any brief announcements; say whether you're a delegate; let us know about any access needs you have†

  • Lynn, MaryAnn, Phil, Steve, Sierk, Ken, Almaz, Rachel and Robb and Julian on line

† Is everybody able to participate fully in this meeting? Do people have unmet needs or concerns?

Meeting Roles

  • Facilitator/s: Lynn
  • Explanation of hand signals: "deaf applause", "raised hand", "point of process", "direct response"(wildcard), etc.
  • Stacktaker: Almaz
  • Timekeeper:
  • Notetaker/s: Lynn
  • Vibe Reader:
  • Next meeting's facilitator(s):

Delegates

  • ABDC:
  • BAPS: Steve
  • CCL: Ken
  • CSC: MaryAnn
  • FNB: Phil
  • GWS: Rachel remote
  • LL: robb remote
  • Sudo: Sierk
  • TIL: inactive
  • GCEA:almaz
  • Quorum:

New Bans

Working Group Report-Backs

Building & permits

Meetings: currently on hiatus / 1st Wednesdays 6pm (kitchen)

Commons

Meetings: currently ad hoc

Communications

Meetings: currently on hiatus

Finance

Meetings: Currently conjoined with Fundraising, 2nd & 4th Mondays at 6pm

  • Laura has updated Member Collective Handbook: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lQrDIBz1zg5xUl2quCA3RBWvINBnABb6UkWHoVsq400/
  • in discussions with BAAM and Sudo Mesh about signing formal lease (since they are both 501c3s that use dedicated space in ccl and sudo)
  • discussions about hiring a bookkeeper, researching independent contractors in general (eg; how to go about fairly paying those community members bottomlining our books, event booking, cleaning/janitorial etc) - obv would be proposed to delegates to make final call
  • cafe lease still not signed - concerns over stipulation in contract that they be required to hold regular open hours

Fundraising

Meetings: Currently conjoined with Finance, 2nd & 4th Mondays at 6pm

Member Collective Updates

What is going on with your collective? What are you working on? What have you accomplished? Any events coming up? Any difficulties you are encountering that you need help with?

ABDC

  • transitioning to new space in e. oakland / helping to build screenprinting area in basement (if medialab approved)

BAPS

CCL

  • CCL hiatus for summer, planning 5th anniversary event in the fall.

CSC

  • Waffles and Zapatismo, getting ready for annual artfair August 11 1 to 5pm, free, got a grant $2000, may have artist doing t shirts. Intial announcement went out. Omni will get some of the funds.

FNB

  • FNB doing well financially per Phil, unhappy about the meal Sunday lack of proper cookhouse

GCEA

GWS

  • GWS want to do some organizing meetings at Omni. Also. continuing taking part in the Poor People's Campaign, had 2 speakers at the rally at Capitol on monday

LL

Sudo

  • Sudo, solarpunk meetups starting on Fridays - will have regular discussions/hacking on solar power, alternative energy, offgrid living
  • Last Sunday was first reboot of digital security workshops, more to come!

TIL


Media Lab Proposal

  • via Laura and Jenny on May 17th
    • Full proposal: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ebaHkaSeCWHKKEjbg6u-VvDzifF-eFuBX_b_HmdDv0E/edit#
    • We propose to build a community media laboratory for the production of propaganda and educational materials for campaigns and projects. Our mission is to transform the most neglected space in Omni Commons into a place for creative production available to Omni members, and, eventually, local artists, activists, organizers, and members of the general public (either supervised or trained), sustained through sliding-scale donations, grants, mutual aid, and creative reuse. A new working group will steward supplies, tools, and resources, as well as host educational hands-on workshops. Approval of this proposal means the formation of an official committee of the Board to manage a Media Lab, and acceptance of the following general plan.
    • To be voted on at this meeting (postponed from 6/7/2018

Discussion

    • Steve wants to know if there are question from BAPs.
    • CSC yes, CCL yes, Sudo yes, FNB yes,
    • Steve asks what is the general concept. Sierk and Ken describe pooling of resources to be a internal and externalcommunity resource with a volunteer work group overseeing the organization and maintenance. People would be trained to use the equipment and agree to help out. Sliding scale donation.
    • GWS yes LibLens yes, BAPS yes. Agreed!

Fiscal Sponsorship Proposal

  • Proposal is via Bill Budington, a longtime sudo room member and regular event organizer:

"This is a request for the Omni Commons to be the fiscal sponsor for the Grassroots Infrastructure Trust (http://site.www.umb.edu/faculty/salzman_g/Grass/Trust/index.htm) grant, given to the North American Anarchist Studies Network for the purpose of funding our annual conference. This conference, held this year in Montreal, QC, Canada, and next year in Atlanta, GA, USA, is to advance the study of topics concerning anarchist infrastructure, revolutionary potential, and non-hierarchical living. It features speakers from across so-called North America and indeed, around the world. The grant was rewarded in the sum of $2000.

  • Steve suggests we do this and don't need to keep a fee.
  • Sierk - or donate the fee back. MaryAnn - lets approve it and then have a second vote about how to handle the fee if .
    • BAPS yes, CSC: YES, CCL YES, Sudo, yes, FNB yes GWS yes LibLens yes. Approved

For more information, visit https://wiki.naasn.org/."


Discussion: Omni clean up and responsibilities

  • Steve: we are waiting for a concrete proposal to be floated - No information now.
  • Almaz: We need to share more responsibilities, many people do a lot of work, others don't. Phil is doing a lot of cleaning, others do some, others not enough. Maybe he could check on supplies as well? Maybe we should pay Phil a stipend to do this with a budget? Or ask for help from others?
  • Phil: the main thing is we need more bathroom checking several times a day. We also discussed how the cafe might be monitoring, and Capoeira is keeping the space clean 3 times a week. Almaz: the Commons group takes responsible for event group cleanup, but who is responsible for the rest of the facility.
  • Sierk: we could do this right now.
  • Almaz: slowly take more responsibility.
  • Phil: main point is sweeping, mopping, garbage is ongoing regular for him, but the bathroom thing is a the main really big problem and others have complained. This should be discussed in collectives.

== "Outsiders" using Omni Bathrooms == (15 minutes)

  • Ken: Breaking of toilet issue by an outsider coming in - how should this clean up and fix up be handled? Who should be responsible? It show disrespect to the place.
  • Phil: toilet situation has been very bad for awhile with ongoing frequent clean up needed, getting out of control. On the other hand, will taking away bathroom privileges cause worse responses.
  • Sierk - do we actually know if there is one particular person? Have never seen outsiders being worse than members, renters. Maybe we need a regular clean up plan like other businesses. Phil does a lot of the work.
  • MaryAnn - why do neighborhood people living here, have to use our bathroom.
  • Sierk, they are drinking. Otherwise more street and neighborhood used instead.
    • Sierk - also people living in cars and vans around here using Omni space and bathrooms.
  • Ken: people use public and other venue bathrooms in exactly those ways - it will be an onoing problem that we need to address.
  • Sierk: Does the 'clean up and responsibilities' proposal address any of this? Maybe we need to incent or pay people to clean up - or a donation box? So many people in the building these days.
  • Ken: A cleaning work group? Steve: in Europe, they have monitors and they get tips.
  • Steve: is there a role for the cafe in this toilet issue?
    • Phil thinks so.
    • Sierk says only that entrance level bathroom would be their concern and again agrees public use may be more than just volunteers can handle.

Discussion: Consensus Process

  • MaryAnn: last meeting a discussion about Helen's proposal about process. CSC discussed that proposal and agreed with Liz's statement that collectives should not come back to the board after a decision has been made in a timely proper method.
    • Sierk: Sudo discussed this also and how Sudo can make sure people get the information in time to discuss it before the Delegates meeting.
    • Steve: BAPS discussed Helen's proposal and felt there were other important issues along with it to still be considered. We should instruct all the collectives to discuss it, bring their questions to the Delegates Meeting, and then discuss again. Not in favor of moving quickly.
  • MaryAnn: one important question is: is the concensus of the delegates the same as the concensus of the collective members. Can a member block a delegate voting process?
    • Phil: LL brought up the issue of a collective blocking something because they didn't discuss it or send an informed delegate.
    • Almaz: MaryAnn's point is a good one - Can one person black a decision instead of a collective as someone did in the situation of approving Almaz as Secretary?
      • Steve: Agreeing with Almaz. We have 2 levels (collective level and general assembly level).which need to be kept separate. Each collective autonomously decides how to run their internal affairs (eg 80% to pass, then all are bound by that) Another collective may have a 100% percent process. Both are valid. Each delegate has to represent that collective's internal process.
    • Ken: There is no block on Almaz right now factually tho that doesn't change this discussion. The Omni is bound by its bylaws as a 501c3, as do those collectives that are 501cs. We do need to be clear about what is a block.It is not just what the 'founders' may think a block is and when they could block things.
    • Sierk: Sudo delegate can only approve what the collective decided but others think any member can block. We have to revisit this.
    • GWS discussed and had understood that only a delegate representing a collective could block a vote after the collective had discussed doing that.
    • Ken: sounds like we don't have a clearly agreed on process - Delegates have a majority vote can't block without a collective block.
    • Almaz: GCEA: can't do that.
    • Steve: I believe the Delegates represent the collectives and was the practice until Marc blocked Almaz when the collective had not made a decision to do so. We need to clarify that.
    • Almaz: works with many non profits and so person's history here should matter.
      • Ken: Not trying to imply any onus on you Almaz but this a history thing we have which is not in concert with current 501c3 bylaws and rules. Need to codify that, no longer allow the older thing or we codify the allowance. Thanks to MaryAnn.
    • MaryAnn: the burden is on us as delegates to make certain that we inform and discuss what the proposals are and then to come to the delegates meeting vote accoredingly.
      • Rachel agrees with MaryAnn
    • Sierk: will agree with that, that all can participate in a timely and informed way, Liz had some good suggestions, polling etc might help that.Ken: Send email of all proposals to all members. Sierk will work on that. Almaz would like to move this to the next meeting.

Meeting adjourned 9:01 pm

Last Meeting Notes

https://omnicommons.org/wiki/Event:2018/06/07_Delegates_Meeting

End of Meeting

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