Minutes from 10-25-11 GA

[mikerancourt]

Minutes for GA Oct 25
Early this morning there was a raid in Oakland, and there was a use of teargas to forcibly remove the occupiers. There have been reports of up to 700 injured. We are observing a moment of prayer/silence in solidarity.
1. WG report-backs
a. Humane Resources – The Crowne Plaza bathrooms are no longer available to us, but the plaza bathrooms are open 24 hours per day.
b. Outreach – the calendar on the forum needs to be kept up to date so that the website and facebook administrators can announce events in their spaces.
c. Tech – the money allocated yesterday for Live stream equipment is being put to good use. The Facebook page is being over-used so people are using it so much that it can be overwhelming to readers and folks who see it on their wall
d. Legal – met at 4:30, and there will be another Leagal Observer training at 7:30 PM on Wednesday
e. PR – Most of the press has been pretty positive. Recent news is that the police have refused to arrest us. You don’t have to talk to reporters. Times Union has offered us a blog. See Hezzie to get your name on the list for contributing to the blog. The Fox News affiliate has offered to give a teach-in on talking to the media.
f. Nonviolent Civil Disobedience – On Thursday at 3PM there will be a discussion
g. Food – We now have a more streamline donations working process. They now have a binder for book-keeping.
h. Coalition – there will be a labor community march to support us around 6:30 on Friday.
2. WG proposals
a. Finance – Bringing back a proposal from a few days ago re: donation funds and their distribution.
1. Drop boxes are used to receive donations
2. There is a flexible fund for WG’s purchasing small items (up o $25)
3. WGs are encouraged to try to raise their own cash, but they can fill out a form to request funds from the treasury, but that will go to the GA for approval.
4. Some groups have a faster process for petty cash:
a. Outreach
b. Legal
c. Media
d. Food/comfort
e. finance
5. When things get coordinated with the 501C3 sponsor (Social Justice Center), the money will be moved off site more regularly, with only a little on site for petty cash. Then we can write large checks.
6. SEFCU will likely be where the account will be set up
7. We have a WePay account to allow online donations *=(charge 3.5% service charge). With a fiscal sponsorship, we can give people tax exemption status on donations.
8. Victorio from the Social Justice Center – We’re an activist resource center that’s been in Albany for 30 years (he’s been the director for 7 years). It’s mission is to support grass roots organizations – they’ve done this a lot as fiscal sponsors for organizations. The board of directors agreed to be the fiscal sponsor of Occupy Albany. They take 10% service fee, which mostly helps poay their book-keeper and insurance. Also will enable us to make tax deductible purchases.
ii. CLARIFYING QUESTIONS:
1. What is the tax filing status? 501C3, b/c they exist for the charitable purpose of supporting radical organizers
2. What facilities does sponsorship cover? Only covers ability to provide tax deductable donations (not facilities). Other sponsored groups pay $25 per month and are entitled to have access to facilities.
iii. CONCERNS
1. I am concerned that this is a small GA to make this decision
iv. ADVOCACY
1. Let’s stop talking about it and get this done.
v.


b. Music and musicians WG Proposal . Point of info: there is already and arts and music WG working on some things.
3. Other BUSINESS
a. Justin – announcements of proposed WGs:
i. Safety – there have been incidents in the middle of the night. “Bodhisatva WG” is coming together but will try to coordinate with the Peaceful Facilitation
ii. Winter WG – figuring out a way to make this place livable when snow and really cold weather arrives. They are looking into getting EMTs to give trainings.
iii. WG Working Group – to work on getting a standardized format for archiving, daily updates, and accountability, etc…
b. Jan – Took a survey and got a list of stuff to go to the governor
c. Dan – People should be encouraged to bring resusable
d. Doug – The employees of Verizon are having a roast the pig event and want Occupy Albany to join them at 5PM tomorrow
i. There is actually no pig being roasted
e. Mark –
i. A solution to sort of making demands without officially making demands is to make a statement that says “there will be a march from Occupy Albany to______________”
ii. I do think we should be making demands eventually, so let’s start working on them online and off
f. Events soon:
i. There are events on Thursday at noon (gathering at the occupation at 11:30) – March to Gov’s office with student groups, labor groups, and occupiers with a rally
ii. Friday – labor vigil on Friday evening for a candlelight vigil, and they request they have an opportunity to address us
g. Steve – tomorrow at 10:30 the higher education committee in the Legislative Office Building in the State Assembly is having a hearing about affordavbility and accessibility in public edu in SUNY and CUNY
h. Dylan – Saturday, Occupy the Capital – we’ll have a coup0loe events. WGs should be prepared for a big group.

Attachments:

[hz]

Thanks mike!
Very much appreciate you are doing this.
I am wondering if it is possible to clarify what each working group proposed succinctly, and then write: consensed, blocked, tabled or returned to group. (or whatever the appropriate language may be)

ie Financial Working Group Proposal:
1.)Social Justice Center as Fiscal Sponsor
2.) SEFCU as OA bank
3.)Groups with over $25 request to bring treasury form to GA
4.)Outreach, Media, Comfort/Food & Finance can bypass this procedure for pressing needs

Outcome: Consensed

This is helpful to PR (and others too), because I am not always able to be at all the meetings and I want to be clear about what exactly ended up being decided. It is also great for future reference reasons.

-Hezzie

[mikerancourt]

Hezzie,
You're absolutely right. I didn't realize how hard this is to read. It's a little easier in the attachment because there is a subordinating cascade structure, but I'll definitely try to do a better job in the future.
Mike

[chrisz]

AWESOME!!! Thank you very much!!!!!!