I added some (ok, quite a few) comments after the fact tonight. I
apologize (kinda).
I'd really love for these conversations and decisions to be more
accessible, with perhaps a few domineering individuals recusing
themselves from time to time (come on, it's midsummer - take a
break!) so that others can feel more comfortable participating.
Notes recorded for posterity at:
https://omnicommons.org/wiki/Event:2021/07/02_Delegates
and below:
y Ann'''Omni Delegates' Meeting - July 1, 2021 7pm-9pm'''
=== Meeting Roles ===
* Facilitator/s: Patrik
* Stacktaker:
* Timekeeper:
* Notetaker/s: Rob
* Next meeting's facilitator(s):
=== Delegates ===
* ANV: inactive
* CCL: Patrik
* CSC: Arnoldo
* FNB: Joe
* FYE: AB
* GWS:
* LL: Anka
* Sudo Room:
* Sudo Mesh: inactive
* Quorum (2/3 of active groups): we have a quorum
= Agenda =
== intros == Mary Ann,Joe, Robb,Sarah L, Patrick Arnoldo, AB, Anka, Teslim
* We are front-loading most of the meeting into these
intros! Now is the time to put forward any of the following
things, many of which used to have their own meeting sections
** introduce yourself: name, pronoun, affiliation, if
you're a delegate
** do you have any unmet access needs at this meeting?
** what meeting roles you'd like to help with
** discussion topics or proposals you'd like to put on
tonight's agenda
** report-backs from any of your working groups
** updates from your collective
** any brief announcements
** updates on any conflict mediation
** if you've asked anybody to leave the building due to
safe space issues
* please be BRIEF! Less than 4 minutes per person!
Anything that might take longer must be put on the agenda as a
discussion item
* Arnoldo and several other were having trouble getting
into Google Meet. Someone with GSuite account needs to start up
meeting first? Rob has details
Quorum: Counting - Results: We do have a quorum
== Finances 10 min ==
* Need correct contact info for person at ANV who should
get invoices - Robb sent contact info to Sarah will reach out
* Robb want to resolve the problem of overdue rents
* Sarah Proposes that any collective that has fallen behind
in rent due to Covid have their overdue rent excused
* Partik asks if this has to be sent to consensus list; Robb confirms that procedure
* Patrik: It is not clear what thing Finance can dur by
themselves
* Robb: Finance can not forgive rent. It must be done as a
formal proposal.
** Jenny: Pretty sure you made that up.
* Mary Ann: We do have specific process for Rent. To have
rent weighed they must make a proposal to delegates and she
offered to send out that procedure's description.She states the
collective seeking rent relief should bring the proposal,
** Jenny: I would like to see where in our anything that
is formally outlined?
* Teslim: Where can we find the procedure described by Mary Ann
* Mary Ann: we really should have a policy doc. This has
been sent out to consensus list several times before
* Sarah: our previous policy did not account for Covid
though
** Jenny: exactly - we do have plenty of policy docs.
Specifically, this is not covered.
* Mary Ann: each collective has different situation. We
can definitely acomodate soem groups
* Sarah: proposes a blanket waiver to be put to a vote
* AB - thx Mary Ann for reminder of policy. would be good
to have policies documented.
* Joe - not good time to change protocols. Not a time sensitive issue. Reassuring we
* Partik: ANV has been having money coming in. He is not if
favor of blanket forgiveness of rent.
* Sarah: Not talking about blanket but wants those like ANV
to be considered. Also groups loke Sudo doing Building work
would be forgiven for their service. Aslo OC is not without
money due to our being excused from mortage
* AB: The Elcetricical work Sudo did has been brought out
many times. Its between Sudo and the finance committee. FYE has
been effected by the pandemic. Why aren't we being supported.
* Sarah: This is an informal proposition; something I
s\discussed informally with Jenny. She thinks FYE does deserve
to have rent forgiven
** jenny-remote: post-meeting edit, i suggested
sudo/FYE/liblens all have back rent waived (sudo hustling to
fundraise and have also completed what would have otherwise been
$7500+ in payments to electrical contractors - <3 to jake,
alex, yar and others who've helped with this project to upgrade
omni's electrical panels!)
* AB: He is open to doing work for rent, Don't
composre us to Sudo. Must condsider size, racial diversity etc.
Consider this alternative.He will go through to=he formal
process.OC made $70k.
* Robb: Mary Ann was just stating the policy that
are on the books. He is concerned with future rent collection.
OC needs to show that we have income to get our loan, He just
want OC to show that we have a stable income. We can forgive
and then get a
stable income.
* Patrik: Thinks everyone present wants to forgive FYE and Noma.. Can we do that now
* Robb all in attendance wantforgivness but we do need to
follow process as Mary Ann described.
* AB Agrees with Robb about stable income. Now that FYE can
host events they will stay current on rent but we do need
forgiveness.
* Anka Any collective who need relief should ask by anxt
meeting, Right?
* Robb Yes.
* Patrik We need to make sure every collective that owes
rent gets notified
* Sarah One proposal to delegates
* Mary Ann The time of rent forgiveness must be figured
out, What months the collective wants striken and when they
will begin paying again. We need to acknowledge that each one has a particular situation. Just state
the particulars of your collective.
* Robb I think Yar will oppose blanket relief.
** jenny: ..what does that even mean, "blanket relief"?
and why would you speak for her? i can say already: sudo, fye,
and liblens all depend on in-person activities for their
primary, scrappy income - 100% of which goes to Omni. other
collectives do not. this is not a hard problem (when
contemplated through a lens of empathy and striving for mutual
collective well-being).
* Parrik: Sudo does have n=money in their account
** jenny: what does that mean? all of sudo's money goes to
omni, and has since 2014... (including 2/3 of the $100K donation
received by sudoroom&sudomesh in 2016). we've been in the
process of converting some bitcoin savings, which will most all
go to omni. it would be nice to save a tiny bit of something for
once in these past 8 years to upgrade the floors at least... all
of omni uses sudo's resources (including CCL).
* Sarah: Sudo did pay a bunch of their back Rent.
** jenny: approx 1/3 of back rent paid a month or two ago.
another 1/3+ covered if electrical work-trade approved.
currently fundraising for remaining 1/3.
* AB:Our invoices are inaccurate. We need a better
accounting. AB saw several unexplained transfers in/out of FYE
subaccount - can we track who/what that was
** jenny: yes, it's all been tracked and the issues are
visible both in the memos of the bank transactions (in the memo
lines) as well as in quickbooks (so not sure where "unexplained"
comes from...). the fye paypal account was incorrectly linked to
sudo's paypal acct between june 2000 and jan 2021, and those
transactions were immediately reversed. the only income intended
for FYE via Paypal to date into FYE's Unify subaccount:
*** $332.28 on April 6 2021
*** $435.75 on April 19 2021
*** $741.31 on May 17, 2021
*** which equals $1,509.74, exactly the amount in FYE's
Unify/Omni subaccount (which remains in FYE's account, to date)
- FYE's balance is $0, having no deposits over the past year.
**** CORRECTION: These are, again, all sudo room paypal
transfers. I will be transferring them to sudo room's account.
will upload the statements to drive. FYE has had $0 in their
Unify account, ever
* Robb confirms quickbooks often inaccurate. Need forensic
investigation of FYE account - may have been used in error
** jnny: not really. mistakes happen, and are accounted
for by responsible finance folks (and verifiable by bank/paypal
statements). if you have questions you can always ask sarah or
myself.. or learn accounting! it's so fun!!
== Reopening for events + Free Store 8:24-8:42==
* Rob: Having permanent Free Store in entrance hall could
change officially designated Use for that space - would lose
grandfathering of all the code issues. poses existential threat
to Omni
* Sarah: Free Store discussion seems more complicated
issue. Believes we agreed it as a temporary pop-up, not a
permanent store. Suggest tabling this discussion. Free Store
cannot be in place during fire inspection
* Joe: could be explained as auxiliary activity of one of
our collective on a temporary basis. Remembers Vicky agreed she
would demonstrate Store could be removed on moment's notice
*Joe: proposal came in for very big event - could pay
$10K. Set off red flag with Jesse. Joe will do writeup with
coments from Jesse, and send to booking group
* Robb: Oakland Privacy (fiscally sponsored by Omni) wants
mtg w 15 ppl mid July, recurring monthly. Willing to pay $50/mo
to store some gear
* Patrik: not comfortable with certain events, Ok for
others. E.g. party in basement is bad idea
* Mary Ann Can we figure out a definite opening date.
* AB: need a time limit on this; when will we revisit
this?
* Sarah: if we have mask policy, is that enough?
* According to Ian (air quality expert), Ballroom has best
air flow, then disco, then entrance hall ; did some simple air
quality tests
* Anka: What are the definitions and limits of loud bands.
* Anka and AB Ask that we review our covid related
restrictions o events at each delegates meeting.
* Patrik:The course of the pandemic is not predictable.
= PROPOSAL: Opening for Events =
* Allow public events w 49 in ballroom, 24 in Disco and
entrance
* Exclude loud music, alcohol, strenuous physical activity,
singing/shouting
* Commit to vote on a more well-informed proposal next
delegates mtg
* votes: no objections; most people in favor by show of
hands
* Joe: need to think hard on how to improve morale
* Patrik: we'd been through a year and a half of trauma, and not being able to meet in person. What can we actively do to
improve morale. Hold reopening party? Meet in person for next
delegates mtg?
* AB: Agrees on meeting in person. Can project folks who
cannot attend IRL. Also hold monthly healing circle
== Main panel / electricity shutdown 10 min ==
*
== Morale issues at OC ==
*
== Fire Inspection ==
*
= End of Meeting =
* then please erase the contents of this pad