Post by kim on Nov 28, 2011 20:16:50 GMT -7
Agenda and Minutes to GA of 11/20/2011
Agenda (passed by consensus, ≈30 people attending)
(Outline GA Consensus Process)
I. Announcements
II. Working Group Reports
III. Proposals from Working Groups
a. Financial Working Group
b. Facilitation Group
c. Encampment
d. Other?
IV. Other Discussion Topics
V. Other Business (none)
VI. Next GA: Set Times, Dates, & Places.
VII. Adjourn. Open Discussion & Soapbox
Minutes
I. Announcements.
[Note: The following is a brief overview of announcements. Please see the calendar at occupymissoula.org for more events & details. If your announcement is not here, or not clear, please email the details to the tech people to have it added to the calendar at occupymissoula@gmail.com. There is now a paper calendar at the GA for recording announcement events! Please state your events (what, when, where), then post details on the calendar. The website calendar is being updated regularly—you may send the dates and details of events to OM@gmail.com to have them added to the calendar (see it at occupymissoula.org, click on Calendar of Events in the right side menu).]
1. Nationwide GA in Philadelphia on 4th of July to redress government, it’s been suggested that 2 delegates from each Occupy attend. Start preparing now for that.
2. Occupy MT and Mass day of occupation: 10:30am Saturday, Dec. 3 through the GA at 2pm on Sunday, Dec. 4. Statewide GA on Saturday. Details will be posted.
3. Dec 10-International Human Rights Day. Many groups involved.
4. Consensus Study group meets Wednesdays at Union Hall, downstairs basement. Purpose is to become a working group on consensus to bring more formal structure tot eh GA.
5. Working group sign up sheets and a calendar for announcements is on the table by the door, will try to have it there each GA.
6. 11/29 7pm Missoula Postal Workers meeting, Sentinal High School Gymnasium
7. 12/2 6-8pm. Direct Action Higgins & Front (Free Speech Corner). What: Signs and informational handouts congratulating Missoula for passing Move to Amend (against corporate personhood)
II. Work Group Reports
a. Communications. We met and had an economic discussion first; still identifying our similarities in order to consider creating any outreach message to represent all! The focus of the remainder of the meeting was on internal communication & organization. A worksheet outlining the technology tools we have available for OM and informing people of what & how to use those communication tools is available and will be posted on the proboards. Next meeting: Sat 12/03 at the Break Espresso.
b. Encampment & Logistics: The encampment will have a proposal. Things are more peaceful. Another sign up sheet was passed around for security and info booth sign-up, since the first one was lost. Camp council meets every Tuesday and Thursday morning.
c. Direct Action: Met at the Break. Congratulations Missoula Action, see announcements. Future meetings Saturday, 4 pm at the Break.
d. Occupy & Houseless Work Group: No progress, see Curtis for phone list. Added as Discussion point.
e. Development/Teach-ins:
1. Wednesdays at 7pm Union Hall or Library downstairs, Consensus Workshop
Becoming a working group on consensus. Currently a philosophical discussion.
2. Free School Class: Thursdays at 5:30p UC Commons Area, Transition Towns.
See Kim or go the proboards thread at occupymissoula.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=dtw.
f. Facilitation: Meetings at noon prior to Sunday GAs. Discussion of agenda & facilitation team. Please join, everyone is welcome. Proposal will be made.
g. Finance: Will present a proposal. Information gathering stage still, exploring ways to accept money (bank account). Meetings Thursday 6pm at the Break.
h. University Work Group: Occupy the Oval’s University work group meets Mondays at 7pm at the UC. GAs are held on Fridays at noon. Planning direct action this Spring when a UM camp will be put up.
i. City Council Working Group: Meet right after this GA with Kevin to set a date for the first meeting of the work group. Purpose is to show that we are concerned and looking for social change. Next city council meeting is next week.
j. NEW WORK GROUPS: Look for more info at the proboards and the info booth soon or next GA!
i. Union Work Group was started and a sign up sheet passed around. Purpose of the group is teach about what unions are & to invite more union members to the movement.
III. Proposals
(Note: Proposals are taken down verbatim. Discussion is paraphrased. If I missed something important, please add your thoughts by replying to this posting on the proboards. )
Financial Working Group Proposal: A handout was prepared and given to the GA for review. [Note: The full proposal will be scanned & posted as an attachment to these minutes.] There was much discussion, and the Finance group accepted the following friendly amendments:
- In the line, “The Finance Working Group strongly suggests that all working groups solicit donations of goods…” Finance Working Group will be amended to say “General Assembly”
- In the line, “The Finance Working Group strongly encourages working groups to make all purchases of goods and services made at locally owned businesses.” “Finance Working Group” will be amended to say “General Assembly,” and after “locally owned businesses...” the phrase “…using Union labor when possible” will be added.
- In point #12, the phrase “…unless determined otherwise by the GA due to urgency or other necessary prioritization” will be added.
- A statement will added or another process created to address financial transparency in working groups.
The structure of the finance proposal with the stated amendments was passed by consensus under the understanding that it is necessary to have the structure in place and that it is a living document subject to further development.
Encampment Working Group Proposal: The encampment proposed that a $100 recurring expense fund be kept on hand at the camp, funded from the OM General Fund, for emergency purposes & disposables: batteries, sanitation items, sandbags, propane, heater repairs, etc. After discussion it was consensed that the Expense Fund would be established, but a system of transparency is needed to account for expenditures as well as for direct donations to the camp that are for the General Fund and not the camp, per se, and the camp will provide a working budget to the GA.
Facilitation Working Group Proposal: The facilitation work group put forth the following proposal. Friendly amendments accepted by the Working Group are incorporated into the statement, which was accepted by consensus.
Proposal: For the validity of a GA, the following minimum requirements must be met:
1. Someone must be taking minutes (notes), and agree to post those minutes.
2. Someone is facilitating consensus.
3. Times and places of GAs cannot be changed without GA consensus, leaving room for Emergency GAs to be called when needed.
4. Minutes will be posted to the proboards or website and at the encampment within 48 hours whenever possible.
IV. Discussion: Discussion was postponed until future GA times had been established. Topics identified for further discussion during the GA were: a perceived separation of GAs, establishing a quorum, Houseless/Homeless, Occupy the Oval Encampment, and encampment support. Two topics were determined best posted to the proboards: what is the Transition Towns movement and the Move to Amend Bill. Discussion mainly focused on the encampment and the UM occupation.
V. Next GAs:
Tuesday , 11/29: Library Downstairs Open Space, 5:30pm.
Sunday 12/04: Union Hall, 2pm.
Friday, 12/02: UC Atrium
An open forum will be held prior to every Sunday GA from 1pm to 2pm. Discussion will be open to all and focus on ideas and strategies for shaping the future of this movement. Everyone is welcome!
VI. Other Business (None)
VII. Adjourn. Open Discussion & Soapbox
Agenda (passed by consensus, ≈30 people attending)
(Outline GA Consensus Process)
I. Announcements
II. Working Group Reports
III. Proposals from Working Groups
a. Financial Working Group
b. Facilitation Group
c. Encampment
d. Other?
IV. Other Discussion Topics
V. Other Business (none)
VI. Next GA: Set Times, Dates, & Places.
VII. Adjourn. Open Discussion & Soapbox
Minutes
I. Announcements.
[Note: The following is a brief overview of announcements. Please see the calendar at occupymissoula.org for more events & details. If your announcement is not here, or not clear, please email the details to the tech people to have it added to the calendar at occupymissoula@gmail.com. There is now a paper calendar at the GA for recording announcement events! Please state your events (what, when, where), then post details on the calendar. The website calendar is being updated regularly—you may send the dates and details of events to OM@gmail.com to have them added to the calendar (see it at occupymissoula.org, click on Calendar of Events in the right side menu).]
1. Nationwide GA in Philadelphia on 4th of July to redress government, it’s been suggested that 2 delegates from each Occupy attend. Start preparing now for that.
2. Occupy MT and Mass day of occupation: 10:30am Saturday, Dec. 3 through the GA at 2pm on Sunday, Dec. 4. Statewide GA on Saturday. Details will be posted.
3. Dec 10-International Human Rights Day. Many groups involved.
4. Consensus Study group meets Wednesdays at Union Hall, downstairs basement. Purpose is to become a working group on consensus to bring more formal structure tot eh GA.
5. Working group sign up sheets and a calendar for announcements is on the table by the door, will try to have it there each GA.
6. 11/29 7pm Missoula Postal Workers meeting, Sentinal High School Gymnasium
7. 12/2 6-8pm. Direct Action Higgins & Front (Free Speech Corner). What: Signs and informational handouts congratulating Missoula for passing Move to Amend (against corporate personhood)
II. Work Group Reports
a. Communications. We met and had an economic discussion first; still identifying our similarities in order to consider creating any outreach message to represent all! The focus of the remainder of the meeting was on internal communication & organization. A worksheet outlining the technology tools we have available for OM and informing people of what & how to use those communication tools is available and will be posted on the proboards. Next meeting: Sat 12/03 at the Break Espresso.
b. Encampment & Logistics: The encampment will have a proposal. Things are more peaceful. Another sign up sheet was passed around for security and info booth sign-up, since the first one was lost. Camp council meets every Tuesday and Thursday morning.
c. Direct Action: Met at the Break. Congratulations Missoula Action, see announcements. Future meetings Saturday, 4 pm at the Break.
d. Occupy & Houseless Work Group: No progress, see Curtis for phone list. Added as Discussion point.
e. Development/Teach-ins:
1. Wednesdays at 7pm Union Hall or Library downstairs, Consensus Workshop
Becoming a working group on consensus. Currently a philosophical discussion.
2. Free School Class: Thursdays at 5:30p UC Commons Area, Transition Towns.
See Kim or go the proboards thread at occupymissoula.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=dtw.
f. Facilitation: Meetings at noon prior to Sunday GAs. Discussion of agenda & facilitation team. Please join, everyone is welcome. Proposal will be made.
g. Finance: Will present a proposal. Information gathering stage still, exploring ways to accept money (bank account). Meetings Thursday 6pm at the Break.
h. University Work Group: Occupy the Oval’s University work group meets Mondays at 7pm at the UC. GAs are held on Fridays at noon. Planning direct action this Spring when a UM camp will be put up.
i. City Council Working Group: Meet right after this GA with Kevin to set a date for the first meeting of the work group. Purpose is to show that we are concerned and looking for social change. Next city council meeting is next week.
j. NEW WORK GROUPS: Look for more info at the proboards and the info booth soon or next GA!
i. Union Work Group was started and a sign up sheet passed around. Purpose of the group is teach about what unions are & to invite more union members to the movement.
III. Proposals
(Note: Proposals are taken down verbatim. Discussion is paraphrased. If I missed something important, please add your thoughts by replying to this posting on the proboards. )
Financial Working Group Proposal: A handout was prepared and given to the GA for review. [Note: The full proposal will be scanned & posted as an attachment to these minutes.] There was much discussion, and the Finance group accepted the following friendly amendments:
- In the line, “The Finance Working Group strongly suggests that all working groups solicit donations of goods…” Finance Working Group will be amended to say “General Assembly”
- In the line, “The Finance Working Group strongly encourages working groups to make all purchases of goods and services made at locally owned businesses.” “Finance Working Group” will be amended to say “General Assembly,” and after “locally owned businesses...” the phrase “…using Union labor when possible” will be added.
- In point #12, the phrase “…unless determined otherwise by the GA due to urgency or other necessary prioritization” will be added.
- A statement will added or another process created to address financial transparency in working groups.
The structure of the finance proposal with the stated amendments was passed by consensus under the understanding that it is necessary to have the structure in place and that it is a living document subject to further development.
Encampment Working Group Proposal: The encampment proposed that a $100 recurring expense fund be kept on hand at the camp, funded from the OM General Fund, for emergency purposes & disposables: batteries, sanitation items, sandbags, propane, heater repairs, etc. After discussion it was consensed that the Expense Fund would be established, but a system of transparency is needed to account for expenditures as well as for direct donations to the camp that are for the General Fund and not the camp, per se, and the camp will provide a working budget to the GA.
Facilitation Working Group Proposal: The facilitation work group put forth the following proposal. Friendly amendments accepted by the Working Group are incorporated into the statement, which was accepted by consensus.
Proposal: For the validity of a GA, the following minimum requirements must be met:
1. Someone must be taking minutes (notes), and agree to post those minutes.
2. Someone is facilitating consensus.
3. Times and places of GAs cannot be changed without GA consensus, leaving room for Emergency GAs to be called when needed.
4. Minutes will be posted to the proboards or website and at the encampment within 48 hours whenever possible.
IV. Discussion: Discussion was postponed until future GA times had been established. Topics identified for further discussion during the GA were: a perceived separation of GAs, establishing a quorum, Houseless/Homeless, Occupy the Oval Encampment, and encampment support. Two topics were determined best posted to the proboards: what is the Transition Towns movement and the Move to Amend Bill. Discussion mainly focused on the encampment and the UM occupation.
V. Next GAs:
Tuesday , 11/29: Library Downstairs Open Space, 5:30pm.
Sunday 12/04: Union Hall, 2pm.
Friday, 12/02: UC Atrium
An open forum will be held prior to every Sunday GA from 1pm to 2pm. Discussion will be open to all and focus on ideas and strategies for shaping the future of this movement. Everyone is welcome!
VI. Other Business (None)
VII. Adjourn. Open Discussion & Soapbox
Attachments:
