Event:2018/07/19 Delegates Meeting

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Omni Delegates' Meeting - 19 July 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 X: [15 minutes]
  • Proposal Y: [15 minutes]
  • Discussion Z: [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†

  • Anka
  • Julian
  • Joel
  • Almaz
  • Sierk
  • Philip
  • Emji
  • Rachel
  • Laura
  • Helen

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

Meeting Roles

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

Delegates

  • ABDC: inactive
  • BAPS: Julian
  • CCL: absent
  • CSC: absent
  • FNB: Philip
  • GWS: Rachel
  • LL: Anka
  • Sudo: Sierk
  • TIL: inactive
  • GCEA: Almaz
  • Quorum: 6/8

New Bans

  • Philip - some people use the computers and are disruptive
  • [these notes are partial and will be reconstructed by julian later, because at time
    • Julian -
    • Sierk - practicaly, this is limited. ideally its nice but we don't have that many people
    • Alma
    • Almaz - Stephanie will be a member of our collective
    • Laura - we have a longstanding policy on this front
    • Anka - we have a policy one way or another, but people end up here one way or another -
      • make clear signs - please don't use the internet longer than an hour if others are waiting. please use the sound at a reasonable volume
      • ask people to clean up after themselves
      • If people are cool with it, I can make the signs
    • Rachel what was the issue?
      • Philip - there are a variety of people who stay, some who sleep sometimes, people giving a lot of
    • Sierk - there are a variety of people who use the computers, but some are who attracted where problems regularly happen. we are a commons and we should be. but practically, there are . very few people actually have responsibiliy.
  • Laura - signs can only make it easier to deal with that area. perhaps add something about 10pm - at 10 if youre not a collective member.
  • Julian - its not as if the computer area attracts problems. some people need
  • Sierk - the common space, if you're not part of a collective, then the computers are a thing. the computers are architecturally obscured, and so people "hide in plain sight." "a few people who cause problems" - probably something we could do there
  • Add to list of people asked to leave

Working Group Report-Backs

Building & permits

Meetings: 1st & 3rd Mondays @ 6pm

  • Laura: What can we do about the trash situation? Too much compost; trash and recycling full 2-3 days before pickup; poor sorting.
    • What about additional pickups? Every additional pick up cost the same addtional amount.
  • Sierk - info on electricity/capoeira
  • Almaz - Mama Habiba. "what are you doing with the money, when is the kitchen going to be fixed." people are waiting for that.
  • Laura - I sent an email about the trash situation. there was a discussion about FNB not bringing in so much fruit this time of year.
    • generally, are people interested in adding an extra pick-up. I know that we will when the cafe is started.
    • Helen - we're trying to work on source reduction, we hope we can reduce the problem on our end
    • Sierk - after Sunday there's some that Phat Beets generates. on Sunday, compost is basically full; we're at low capacity somehow.
    • Philip - we are beyond trash everytime, no matter.
    • Laura - I'm hearing that our capacity with 1 pickup just isnt' enough period. will bring this to Finance to figure out how feasible this is.
    • Anka - could we reduce?
      • Julian - we have difficulty coordinating and this seems especially difficult to coordinate.
  • This group needs help; https://omnicommons.org/lists/listinfo/building

Commons

Meetings: First and Third Thursdays at 6pm

Communications

Meetings: Second and Fourth Wednesdays at 6pm

  • Julian - none

Finance

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

  • Cafe lease update
    • they have agreed to all the details of the lease, they have 2 copis to sign & return to Brian. lease should commense in August
  • All tenant leases have been updated.
  • We need new Proof of Insurance from GCEA (exp 4/18), FNB (exp 7/18), Phat Beets (exp 3/18)

Fundraising

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

  • Laura - a timeconsuming task that needs to happen for folx donated$250+
    • Laura - an IRS thing notifying big donors
    • any takers?
      • Anka and Sierk

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

  • Can we have an update on ABDC move-out of Ticket Booth Room and moveing of equipment into the basement?
    • Almaz - there stuff is still there
    • Laura - behind on rent
  • Sierk - much ABDC stuff has been moved down to the basement for the medialab, nand some to the other place
  • Laura - two folx said they would bottomline

BAPS

  • Julian - same classes running

CCL

CSC

FNB

  • Helen - no reports
  • Philip - we want to get the downstairs freezer repaired, this will use more electricity

GCEA

  • Almaz - we have an Immigrant Rights event involving ACLU. know your rights (legal rights)
    • Train the Trainers on July 28th, all in English - for folx to then put it on the following day
    • Know Your Rights on July 29th. this will ben happening in 8 languages.
    • a number of other organizations, Bay Area Legal Aid


GWS

  • Rachel - planning meeting on Saturday

LL

  • Anka - screening of Albatross this Sunday. gearing up for a November film festival. direct folx to 2nd annual Films to the People Film Festival

Sudo

  • Sierk - its quiet; much more happening in August

TIL

Proposal: Timeless, Infinite Light moves out of Upstairs Corner Space by Aug 15, 2018 . Discussed 7/6/2018

Timeless, Infinite Light is in the process of dissolving as a collective. We will need to move out of our space into Omni as we transition out and we found a smaller space that will better suit our current needs. We would like to put in 30-days notice and be fully moved out of our space by August 15th. We would like to terminate our lease with Omni early. We are currently on a year lease. It would have been better for us to sign a month-to-month lease, but we came to this decision very recently and it wasn't in our minds when we signed the last lease. We would like to pay a pro-rated rate of $150 for our final 15 days in August. We will remove our belongings from the space and clean it out so that it is ready for another collective to move into the space. We would like to have our security deposit of $1000 (which we paid in 2014) returned to us within 30 days of cleaning out the space. We will clean fully with the exception of any materials that the collectives we currently share the space with wish to have remain in the space. We currently share our space with Chiapas Support Committee and Womens’ Global Strike and will stay in communication with them during this process to make sure the space continues to be usable for them. We're sad to leave the Omni as we've been a part of it since the beginning, and we're amazed by how far it's come in such a short time. We feel really honored to have been part of so many inspiring events and projects here, and we hope to continue participating in other ways in the future.

Discussion

  • Laura - any concerns since the last meeting?
  • Almaz - none reall
  • Laura - the offset preinter?
    • Emji - twas material print machines, belonged to someone else

Consensus

    • abstain Sudo & FNB

In favor: GWS, FNB, GCEA, BAPS Passes

  • Joel - we'll coordinate move out w/ the other groups GWS & CSC

Proposal: Community Statement to Endorse OneFam’s Last Stand on Historic 7th Street: Maintain community control of historic neighborhood space. Discussed 7.6.2018

Statement: We stand with OneFam against eviction! OneFam is a space operated by working class mostly people of color, where folks feel welcomed and included. The displacement of black and brown residents and businesses by more affluent white residents is now the norm everywhere, including the once vibrant 7th Street. OneFam is the last pre-gentrification business in this area, and is being illegally and unjustly evicted. OneFam/Bikes 4 Life and 7th St Rev Cafe are important to the local community. We want the eviction process to be stopped and for landlord Arnold Fields to sit down with OneFam to work out a plan so they can stay in their space and business and so he can be compensated for his investment. We want OneFam to stay and continue to operate. Sincerely, the undersigned,

Discussion

  • Anka - is it too late?
    • Julian - basically no, even tho we already delivered the petitions. the endorsement serves two other purposes - 1) moblizing 2) legitimacy
  • Almaz - I've been sharing this!

Consensus - Abstain: Sudo In Favor: FNB, GCEA, GWS, LL, BAPS


Proposal to endorse/support the National Prison Strike, 8/21-9/9/2018 . NEW, not yet discussed

Proposed by Sierk, 7/19/18 "In April 2018, Jailhouse Lawyers Speak, a network of inside prison organizers, put out a press release calling for a two-week national strike beginning on August 21, the anniversary of George Jackson’s assassination, and extending until September 9, the anniversary of the Attica Prison Rebellion in 1971. The call has been taken up inside from coast to coast, and across at least 17 different states. Through a coordinated series of work strikes, hunger strikes, sit-ins, and boycotts, prisoners will demand an end to prison slavery." ("Endorsements [matter] because visibility & awareness directly protects against repression & retaliation.") More info online: - Press release / endorsement form: http://sawarimi.org/national-prison-strike - Oakland IWOC event: https://www.facebook.com/events/398893970603091/

Discussion

  • Sierk - overviews the various materials emailed out, to introduce what is being proposed, and summarizes some of the context linked here.
    • I will also want to do an event here
  • Laura - part of the discussion delegates could have with members would be how to help make this visible
    • creative ideas to bring more visibility
  • Almaz - this is a good idea to show our solidarity concretely. perhaps each collective could make a banner of some kind, and then
    • perhaps we could also attend the demonstration together as Omni collective members.
  • Sierk - a banner up outside
    • there will be carpools to the Noise Demonstration at San Quentin on 25th
    • phone zaps we can call our folks onto. every minute someone spends on the phone leads to less time in folx on solitary
    • some limitations on what we can do -
      • only their language: its mainly supposed to be promoting language on the inside. the goal is to not promote external messaging
      • strict no fundraising ask
  • Julian and Sierk will coordinate around print needs
  • Julian - we should narrow the meaning of the endorsement - perhaps interpretting this as the right for prisoners to strike and make demands
    • Sierk - the language here isn't about "prison abolition" per se. the demands per se are relatively conservative.
  • Anka - would it be better for each collective
  • Rachel - GWS we supported the hunger strike
    • Sierk, Julian - IWOC is IWW
      • Laura - they've done stuff here before
      • Julian - they were part of doing solidarity work for 2016 strike
      • Sierk - they haven't put out the call, they are boosting the call

Discussion Items

  • From Laura: We received this email today. I have replied and requested that the person tell me how much they are offering, but they haven't gotten back. Are we inclined to do his and what is the minimum compensation we want?
    • "I'm writing from the Shotgun Players nearby on Ashby Ave. We're looking to purchase or borrow 7 church pews for a show that will be running November - January. (4 @ 9', 1 @ 11.5', and 2 @ 15').

One of our company members mentioned to me a while back that you may have some in storage that aren't used often. Please let me know if that's the case and if you'd be interested in selling or lending them to us."

  • Anka - we use the pews, they are effective and efficient to set up
    • they could fall apart?
  • Rachel - we've used them in events, they are comfortable, make the room comfortable
  • Sierk - there are also a bunch downstairs
    • reading the email I assumed they need them only temporarily.
    • for people that don't know this performance company - Shotgun Players; they charge No One Turned Away for Lack of Funds
      • they are somewhat socially conscious
  • Almaz - I know people are attached to them. they are a pain in the neck. we need to space to hold.
    • its about time for the to be used for big events
  • Julian - I could be persuaded,
  • Laura- I'm generally anti-pew, but I do understand the utility of them. liberated lens uses them probably more than any other collective. what would an optimal number for Liberated Lens to use
    • Anka - for any collective that uses the stage, they are more convenient
      • perhaps as compromise we could rid of approximately half
      • for the films, we use maybe 3 double rows of pews
      • the smaller ones are more convenient
      • maybe if they took the longer ones.
  • Laura - getting rid of some of the pews on a permanent basis?
    • what about renting some number of them as a trial basis
  • Laura - they must pick them up and return them
  • Philip - the ones in the basement, there is a cleanliness issue.
    • Laura - we have a steamcleaner
    • Philip - during food not
  • Almaz - maybe bring the downstairs ones upstairs
  • Helen - the ones up here are mainly in use, but the ones
    • we need something to replace the pews presumably?
  • Laura - I think we have enough replacement chairs
  • Sierk - getting rid of some of them, we can see how we feel about it
    • we could make some of them easier to move perhaps
  • Laura - the pews downstairs are used because they are there
  • Anka - eventually, the kitchen and media lab will take more basement space, and moving the downstairs pews
  • Helen - does the cafe want pews?
    • Laura - no
  • Laura - I'll take all this under advisement
  • From Laura

With the departure of TIL, ABDC, we should consider actively recruiting new collectives. Part of that recruitment should include stating what the requirements are to be a member collective with delegate representation on the board (as opposed to a tenant or project). After review of past discussion and proposals, these are the criteria I was able to identify. I would like feedback on them before publicizing, or making a proposal to clarify the requirements, if we think that is needed.

    • Criteria to become and remain an Omni Commons Member Collective

Have a minimum of 5 active members (note: should we require collectives to state what are their membership criteria and process?) Have a horizontal, participatory decision-making process (note: we also do not ask about this in the member collective questions) Comply with requirements for members to serve on Omni working groups: Each member collective should have a minimum of 2 members in working groups, with an additional WG participant for every 10 members. (This is in the member collective handbook but I can’t find the proposal) Previously: Each Member Group of the Omni will be required to populate at least 3 seats in at least 3 committees. Member Groups with more than 12 members will be required to populate at least 5 seats in at least 3 committees. (Passed 2014/08/28 Delegates Assembly) Endorse the Omni Commons statement of solidarity, statement of purpose, and safer space policy, and demonstrate how the activities of the collective contribute to them. Be either a tenant or a fiscally sponsored project of Omni Commons

  • Laura - send me an email with thoughts
  • Philip - these are relatively stiff requirements, and they are few and far between, and some collectives
  • Julian - two questions here. criteria, and how to recruit. the criteria mainly seem good tho the member #s is a bit high
  • Anka - what's the ask?
    • Laura - not to ask for more member collectives yet
  • Laura - we might have an influx of new collecive applications, such as the capoeira group - so running it by us would be good
  • Sierk - are we interested in more member collectives or more tenants (or both)? these seem like good guidelines. we want member collectives to join to aid in decision-making structure. we also need more to be involved in the cooperative work of the Omni as a whole. but we could give some collectives waivers, etc based on how active.
  • Helen - we want to have member collectives and we mainly don't want to be a landlord with tenants. the requirements to have certain numbers and the . the groups that we want to have are collectives. you can't have collectives of one person. somehow you want the collective to have some members to it.
  • Almaz - we should have more collectives, sure, but more diverse collectives. before introducing new collectives we need to review our policy with respect to internal social divisons and harm to one another. a few people are doing a lot of work, and they are burning out. reviewing these policies shouldn't block us from brining new collectives, but we need to assure that our division of labor and our mutual accountability be best.
  • Rachel - its hard to have collectives these days. you have to have some money to pay the rent
    • Julian - not all collectives are rent-paying tenants. BAPS for example
  • Anka - we probably don't
    • a separate meeting? to prepare what
    • Almaz - a separate meeting to respond to unsolved issues in the past. how do we bring the statement of solidarity into effect. an omni-wide retreat
      • I don't think it would be hard to bring collectives in here
  • Julian - I'm hearing these as two proposals - one broader (Almaz), one more specific (Laura(
  • Laura - dealing with this whole question of making the Omni more welcome is definitely part of inviting new member collective
  • Rachel - my experience of becoming a member collective is that it's quite a process already; we don't met all the criteria as it is. it's already a rigorous process
  • Laura - at this point, I do feel that we have a sense of what the needs are
    • Helen - the document here has not spoken to a number of the other qualities - there does need to be some guidance. what characteristics in the past have made for successful
    • Anka - I think these elements are interconnected - and we should make a date
  • Almaz - we could maybe use the delegates meeting in two weeks perhaps as a retreat instead- go over our policies and requirements as a whole
    • Laura - maybe when we get back in september
  • Julian - my point wasn't that these two things aren't related but that they are literally two different meetings - one which is the retreat as a whole, and one which focuses on the member criteria
    • Laura - Monday the 30th
  • Laura - I would like to schedule a meeting to discuss this specifically as an ad hoc committee - criteria for member collectives - make it more smooth and inclusive
  • Almaz - I think that these shouldn't be two meetings but that they should be dealing with everything at once
  • Laura - I would like to schedule this ad hoc meeting
  • Julian - I am hearing that Almaz's concern is that if we don't prioritize an Omni-wide retreat over this, then it will get pushed off again and we'll bring new member collectives into a problematic atmosphere
  • Laura - I don't think this is practical to put off because it's a near term reality that new member collectives may be on their way in, and to delay, but the meeting is over already

Last Meeting Notes

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

End of Meeting

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