The Omni/2014-02-27

Check-in

• Present: David (BAPS), David B. (Bookstore Cafe & BAPS human rights observer status), Andrew (Hacker Spa), Olive (SALTA/Dancers), Niki (Bookstore Cafe), Mara (SALTA/Dancers), Jeremy (ONL), Yar (Sudo Room)
• Missing, presumed eaten by narwhals: Otis, Lauren

Values

• David Keenan reads: Public School vision
• Mara reads mission: Dancers vision
• Andrew reads: Hacker Spa vision
• Niki reads: Bookstore/Cafe vision
• Jeremy speaks: "ONL highlights local culture & passion"
• Yar reads: Sudoroom vision
• Niki suggests: That the Building Bloc cobbles together one statement from all the delegates' statements
  • Andrew: And there's already omnicollective.org. Let's make a running list of alternative names.
  • David suggests not bikeshedding now (vis-a-vis names)
• digesting our divers visions into one vision
  • Mara: who wants to work on it?
  • Niki: lets put this together (synthesize visions into one) BEFORE next omni meeting so we can vote on it next time
  • David says we should keep promotion/marketing in mind. succinct byline to agree on.
• David Brazil suggests we formally consent on his writeup of our raison-detat
  • we should modify the list of groups present/recognized
• Niki suggests we also start thinking about drafting:
  • Safe space policy
  • Code of conduct
  • Conflict resolution process
  • DK suggests we refer to Sudoroom's

Outreach

• AK Press is maybe in?
• buying is a lot more attractive narrative than renting
  • if you're buying it: we're taking it off the market! radical ownership enclave!
  • if you're renting it: "help us pay our rent"
• is it ok to post pictures publically yet?
  • DK is wary of tying publicity to the omni, that one building
  • Niki suggests we not be officially called Omni Collective
    • but make it clear our current primary project is acquiring that building

Legal

• Incorporation
  • donors will ask about this. they can't give you money unless you exist.
  • needs to be resolved before fundraising starts
  • Disambiguation of incorporation vs 501c3
  • we need to write bylaws
• Lawyer friend is not available for the next 2 meetings

Money

• many anonymous donors have offered support already, in particular with "getting over the hump" of first/last/deposit etc
  • some might have agendas / strings attached
  • they tend to not want to be the only one with "skin in the game"
    • need a pool of donors sharing the risk.
    • some might not like our politics...
  • "i'm really wary of depending on anonymous donors"
    • fundraising should be done in the open
    • perception of backroom deals
    • "if you want strings attached, maybe this isn't the project for you"
  • there are two fundraising approaches, maybe they are both valid. two paths.
    • private anonymous donors are compatible with the public ones
  • DB says if someone can give us 20k to get us in the space in a few months, that's worth it
  • andrew thinks we should just try to fundraise for the 700k
  • Niki thinks that will be a lot easier once we're in the space

Goals for next meeting

• pare down our visions into one page that is appropriate as corporate bylaws
  • this enables incorporating in sacramento, which enables a bank account
• decide a name so we can register a domain name and web presence
• next meeting in or around BAPS at 7pm march 6 (tentatively)