Hi all,

My sincere apologies for not being present at last night's sudo room meeting to directly address these concerns - had I known it would be a topic of discussion, I would have been there!

As the Commons WG member who's been most directly involved with the onboarding and evolution of the SPAZ events over the course of this year, I would like to summarize how things have gone to date and exactly what transpired on Saturday night (which I'll be the first to admit was unexpectedly challenging and risky):

- SPAZ crew has stored a sound system in the basement since ~2014, and only this year did we finally collectively decide to experiment with the viability of hosting events in the basement on the monthly. Every subsequent event has been an iteration based on direct feedback from myself in communication with the Commons WG.

- As the SPAZ monthlies have evolved, we've instantiated two formal paid roles: that of a door person to ensure membership cards are shown or purchased, and a security person to keep an eye on the sidewalk for noise levels and overpopulation. Myself and/or Lukas (occasionally Robb, Joe, or other SPAZ bottomliners as well) do walkabouts around the block on the hourly to ensure that no noise is audible. This has been successful, for the most part. One improvement I could see here is keeping a formal log of sound checks (I use a decibel meter app on my phone when sound levels are questionable, but usually they aren't).

- These events have been quite successful, bringing in not only much needed $ for sudo (approx. $300/month on the average) which goes directly to Omni rent, but also introducing hundreds of new people to the building (the majority of whom are queer POC) and its projects (since 1/3 of all income received goes to a rotating charitable campaign often affiliated or directly linked to Omni collective projects).

These past 2 months or so, there has been a huge uptick in groups wanting to use the space and the SPAZ model to put on events of their own. Some confusion of communication occurred around SPAZ' role in mentoring these groups and setting up/running sound for them, and Omni's policies around outside groups working directly with the Commons WG. I had Life Events and didn't pay as much attention as I should, but once I was aware reiterated that _all_ events must go through the formal booking request process, that interested SPAZ folks should join the Commons WG, and proceeded to train Lukas on our booking process. Several attempts were made for him to attend a Commons WG meeting, but life (and work, in particular) intervened time and again.

This peaked in July with two outside events - Club Chai and STABLE Collective, the latter of which had full event insurance and an ABC permit. Any outside event must have both moving forward, and we should have done that with SKAST (we did genuinely believe it would be a small art show!).

The SKAST event had a contract directly with Omni, listing Lukas as point person which I mentored him through. I was present at the beginning of the SKAST setup in the afternoon, then returned at 10:30pm (as coordinated with Lukas) to help with point person responsibilities (unfortunately, just after Joe left). The turnout was huge - much larger than anticipated - and so we all agreed to make the door "No ins & outs" at 11:30pm as per the contract. The crowd thinned out hugely after that.

Quite a few erroneous statements made to the event so far that I'd like to clear up:

* Lukas and I spent most of the time on the sidewalk doing sound control, and the sidewalk dwindled to < 20 people by midnight thanks to collective enforcement of this.

* I made regular walks across the street and around the block between 11pm-4am to ensure no music was audible to our neighbors (it wasn't). Atop of that several folks including myself were shushing, asking folks to come inside or leave, and grabbing the odd kazoo right out of people's hands.

* We both supervised and assisted in cleanup until 6:30am with full awareness of the event at noon, and it would seem in our tired and overworked state did not do a good enough job of restoring the space for the 12pm event.

* The organizers came back at 4pm as we requested and finished a thorough cleanup of the space.

* There was no amplified sound in the entrance hall other than an art installation, which I heard turn up the volume around 1am and promptly got the steward to turn back down.

* Hourly log of sound levels recorded for the Commons WG.

* Purchase a clicker to formally keep track of attendee numbers, with no more than 100 (50 each in basement and entrance hall) allowed at any one time.

* Blocking off entry to the ballroom doors as well as sudo/CCL (unless sudo/CCL members present are willing to chaperone the oft-delighted wanderers-in)

* Enforce event insurance and permits for any outside group, even if seemingly small and affiliated.

* Begin process of formalizing a member collective role for SPAZ at Omni.

I have other ideas, but wish to keep this email as brief as possible. 

I'll be present at the Delegate's Meeting tonight to discuss further in-person.

Love and solidarity,