Thanks for your hospitality, Nev!
Attending
Deb (facilitating), Nev, Kari, Chloe, Neil, Lindy, Mark, John (taking notes), Mellen, Jimmy, Kari, Blair, Elvis, Diane, Katie (Katherine), Deirdre, Eva, Liz, Martin, Natalie
Opening Invocation (Deb): Remember why we're here: to meet about the dance.
Mellen reviewed minutes from last meeting
Deb reviewed agenda
Thursday Night Dance
Chloe presented, researched - neither Falmouth Church nor Avant are available. She stopped there.
Comes around to: Do we keep looking?
Nev: could stay at Mechanics hall, address concerns
Eva: agree; is it still available? Lost April, but otherwise available
Mellen: concerns from last meeting: Storage space is available, floor cleaning has been changed, should be improved.
Eva: moving forward, let's keep status quo and do research before making a change,so we don't lose out.
Idea: Let's keep it going, create the environment we want.
Action Item: Neil will call State Street Church to see if 4th Thursday of April (28th) available
Challenges:
floor
sound
parking
chaos
talking (no entry way)
Idea: put greeter out in hallway
Could close front door, open bathroom door
Mellen: have a few signs about what we're about for the drunken sailors
Removing street shoes not just for us, but also for other people
Email Nev if you have ideas
Action Item: Deb to let Neil know if we can move it to 7 PM
Nev would like to not be as much a part
We need more people to contribute
Natural thing has happened with people arriving early
Deb: create designated storage area
Action Item: Lindy will get greeter stuff together.
Have first aid kit and whiteboard
Team: Nev, Deb, Cueva, Oracle, Elvis
Chloe: Neil & I can get speaker stands, which will help the sound.
Sound system
Idea for PCD to have its own sound system for Thursday night dances and other events
(We're currently renting Neil's system)
Main challenge: storage place
Initially, we could supplement Neil's PA with a powered subwoofer
Liz: propose that we shoot for sometime between now and May so we can use at the retreat
Nev: can we gain access to storage area in case we need the system? (Deb: if we have additional members for MCMA, those members could access. We previously decided to fund additional memberships. Those additional members will be: Nev & Cueva)
Diane: how safe is the storage there? Deb: It's a locked room
Deb proposes sooner than May for sound system purchase
Action Item: Sound system committee (Neil, Dave, John) to investigate and purchase a sound system, up to about $3000.00)
Spotify/iPad for DJs
Before discussing iPad and Spotify account, there are some initial sound equipment enhancements the DJs have discussed:
- Meter reader to check sound levels $30-$75
- USB Sound card makes sound better. $100.00
Neil: better sound system, then if people have poor quality files, will be more noticeable.
John: for whatever DJ equipment we acquire, how to secure? Action Item: Ask Avant for lockbox
John: let's not wait for lockbox. Make above purchases and handle how to transport/maintain.
Above sound equipment purchases approved
Regarding iPad and Spotify account, there are additional details to be determined.
iPad/Spotify account tabled until DJs have more details
Overflow space for Sunday Dance
John suggested booking the small studio for overflow space to alleviate overcrowding; got details on renting small studio in addition to main ballroom. $30/hour; would mean an additional $75.00 for each Sunday. We could either simply open it up and see who dances there, or perhaps have it be more focused on floor work. Safety was a concern last Sunday with trip hazards of dancers on the floor.
Decided: Let's try renting the extra room for the next two weeks. We won't create any specific rules about the space. No extra rules, just open up the space
Action Item: John to ask Kristin to reserve small studio for next 2 weeks
Action Item: Diane to let Cherie know about extra room for greeters
Safety dance
Chloe - Avant not available on the 28th (proposed date)
Idea was: 15 minute warmup + 45 minutes + 2 hours dance (extended dance)
Felt disruptive & strange to do it in the middle, and there's no way to reach everyone.
Came up with a different proposal, merging safety dance idea with Neil's salon idea of every 6-8 weeks, having potluck after dance, talk about different topics
So: have after-dance facilitated potluck opportunity in March. First one to be run (Action Item) by Deb, Nev. Neil, Chloe
Another idea for safety (Action Item): have a regular reminder announcement in closing circle
Voted Yes
Break
Financial Accountability
John has already instituted having a witness verify the cash count and sign the greeter's tally sheet at the end of dance, take a picture, and forward to witness and Secretary.
The other idea was to turn on paper bank statements from Bath Savings, which go to PCD World Dominion Headquarters at Mellen's address. Action Item: Mellen volunteers to open, verify, and save statements.
Approved
Action Item: John to contact Bath Savings and turn on paper statements
Equity
Nev notes that we're already paying DJs and giving 2 free dances to greeters.
Wants to establish a fair system of compensation based on hours or whatever fair basis makes sense going forward to avoid disparities.
Mellen: slippery slope when we start saying we're going to pay for such and so. We're an all-volunteer organization.
Committee to discuss further: Neil, Nev, Diane, Mellen, Lindy
Action Item: Equity committee to meet and make recommendations to Meraki at a future meeting.
Wizengamot (Operations Committee)
Wiz could not find a night to meet.
Summarize: everyone who's been on the current Wiz has been on it for a while.
Wondering about bringing in new people to get freshness.
Discussed relevance, purpose of meeting that didn't happen.
Many don't mind continuing, like being able to serve as needed.
Responsibilities:
- Communication/coordination around closings
- Safety issues
- Dance operations
Eva would feel weird about separating safety from operations
Neil/Chloe would like to rotate out.
Nev will have to rotate out in May
Are there people here who would like to rotate in?
Neil: Important component of Wizziness to make sure of close-up.
Mellen: great to have a list of Wiz responsibilies/duties
New Wizzers: Eva, Kari, Natalie (Yay! Thanks for volunteering)
Action Item: New Wizzers to meet with existing to work out transition plan and future meetings and task definitions
We decided not to separate safety. Safety will continue to be the Wiz's responsibility.
Retreat
The PCD Spring Retreat will be May 20-22 at Camp Wavus
Diane: we decided to have a standing retreat committee. Ongoing need. Minimum of 4 people.
Standing Retreat Committee: Diane, Blair, Parks & Cherie
Specifically for the spring dance, we now have a contract in hand to inspect, but there are some surprises in it:
- $55/participant/day + $250 kitchen use fee.
- Minimum event fee: $4000
Liz and Eva willing to be registrars
Should be simpler registration compared to last year:
- No roommate assignments because it's dorms.
- Not limited on how many attendees
Spring Retreat Committee: Eva, Liz, Chloe, Kari, Jimmie
Deb proposed and we decided: empower retreat committee to move it forward. If there's any question that might be needed for Meraki, refer to Board so we don't have to wait for next Meraki meeting.
Action Item: Diane to check back with facility about changes evident in contract as compared to verbal assurance.
Meraki Meetings
Great to solicit agenda items
Nev: suggests going through agenda items, asking how long they think they'll take
Neil: Liked soliciting for agenda items, but not having everyone's email address on the list.
Proposed "This is what we do" at the beginning of each meeting for new people, reminder for existing people
Code word if a new person brings up something that we've discussed a million times
Deb: always be review of previous minutes (already decided)
Mellen: Secretary should call out carry-forward items as Julie did
Diane: Not necessary to solicit for new agenda items, because folks can always bring to meeting
Nev: One problem is lack of follow-through. We agree to do something, but then follow through. Calling out action items in minutes would help this.
Agreed:
- Try for another month: publish agenda before meeting, ask for submissions, but hide email addresses.
- Have a 1-2 minute orientation at the beginning of the meeting, letting new people know how we handle "previously discussed" items
Have action items be clear in notes.
Deb: see how it goes with what we've decided
Diane: How to institutionalize/codify this in laminated copy?
Neil: review of minutes should include previous review of minutes (joking)
Facilitator: choose for next meeting?
Eva: suggest group of facilitators, have them meet to go over faciliation techniques/methods
Neil: not necessary to systematize. What we've done has worked.
Diane: Keep as simple/uncomplicated as possible
Do we want to choose facilitator for next meeting? No
Neil: add to list of beginning meeting things: encourage new facilitator to serve if he/she wants to
Eva: New facilitators should attend at least 3 meetings
Nev: Systematic holding is a feeling in the room. There would have to be a way for that to loosen to invite new facilitator
Action Items:
- Secretary (or note-taker) to call out action items as well as carry-forwards in minutes
- Secretary: Use BCC or MailChimp to hide recipient email addresses
- Going forward, facilitators to have 1-2 minute orientation at beginning of meeting, covering 1) what we're about; 2) for new people, how we handle business that's been addressed repeatedly; 3) encourage new facilitator to serve if he/she has interest.
Deb did a brief exercise to energetically loosen any barriers against new facilitators/contributors
Long-term planning (Neil)
Why do we need to keep $11,000 max in account? Could we think about larger projects?
Tabled, but don't table more than twice
Mediation
Interpersonal things that have come to Wiz and/or Meraki. Eva/Neil offer after-dance "processing."
Recent incident: conflict.
At dance camp, there is a committee to mediate if there are interpersonal conflict. Should we do that?
Suggest have more than just Neil and Eva
Liz: loves the idea of mediation body, have people with those skills
Tabled for future consideration
Going forward, 7-9 is the norm for meetings. We met 1/2 earlier this time because there was so much tabled business to address.
Next meeting: Tuesday March 8, 7-9PM, Natalie Hickey's, 39 Victory Ave. South Portland 207-775-4010
