PCD Organization Meeting - 12/17/2013

Present: Dave, Deb, Don, Eva, Jim Young, Mary Ellen, John


1. Mission Statement. We discussed the draft developed by Martin and John with additional suggestions by Xiknawi. We cut out a lot of repetitive and reactionary material, arriving at this document. The group recommends that we vote up or down at the next meeting to adopt what we hammered out.

2. Definition of names:

• (This wasn't really discussed during the meeting, but is given here for reference.) "Wizengamot" is a name that we're using for the 6-member board that begins its official functioning January 1. We don't know if or how long the name will survive the incorporation process, but so far we're still using it.
• "Meraki" is the name Don gave to the contact list of people involved and interested in these organizational meetings. It's a Greek word meaning to put your heart, mind and soul into an effort. The group liked this idea and name, and used the name for the rest of the meeting.

3. New Year's Eve dance:

• From Neil's email message: Here's my update in brief:
  1. Putting off incorporation - we can get insurance without it.
  2. Insurance is $250 for the night - it covers the entire event (i.e. even after midnight)
  3. we will have access to the State Street church from 8:30pm til 1am
  4. If someone wants to help me set up the pa on Monday or Tuesday during the day that would be great.
  5. I have given a $200 deposit for the church. I am also fronting a $250 check for insurance. 
  That's pretty much it!
• Suggested higher sliding scale: $15-$30
• The dance will be more like a dance party than our Sunday dances. We'll have multiple DJs each doing a set.
• Deb to discuss with DJs: free attendance for them, but no payment.
• Neil and Traca are the committee for this dance; Jim Young is also interested in contributing ideas and energy.
• We'll probably have money left over from this event. We agreed to distribute the excess to dear dancing friend Deirdre Sulka-Meister (who later agreed that we could mention her) to help with her medical/healing needs. We'll distribute anywhere from $250 to $1000. Proceeds in excess of $1000 would go back to the Wizengamot/board to decide what to do with.

4. Don reported briefly on finances. We have a balance of $1395, of which $550 is committed to reimbursing Neil and paying Chloe for website development.

5. Cancellations (in the wake of last Sunday's cancellation due to the big snow storm).

• Going forward, our goal is to have and announce a decision to cancel Sunday dance by 7AM the morning of the dance.
• In the future, it will fall on the Wizengamot to decide that we need to cancel. Until then, Don or another admin, consulting with the DJ and greeter coordinators will decide whether to cancel.
• A message to the MailChimp list and an announcement on the phone number will indicate cancellation.
• If we don't announce cancellation, dance is on.
• Dave suggested, and the group agreed, that we need to bias towards safety when considering whether to cancel dance.
• Also we need to check with Kristin, our facility contact, to see if a refund is available in case of cancellation.

6. Deb likes Raji's byline: "Come for the dance, come back for the community" Thumbs up all 'round.

7. The question of attendance by children came up again, and the group reaffirmed that Sunday dance is not the place for children under 13. We're sorry for anyone who feels isolated by this policy, but that's the way it is.

8. Incorporation:

• The Wizengamot should have incorporation materials ready to present to the first quarterly meeting, slated for early to middle of March. Will include bylaws that:
• are clear enough to define the organization
• describe the process for community involvement
• define what the Wizengamot and Meraki are going forward
• Until we're incorporated, we'll continue to have these smaller Meraki meetings
• An incorporation committee (with Neil, Mary Ellen, and John) will hammer out the details of incorporating and communicate through the Wizengamot.
• Decisions affecting PCD direction and organization will be not be made by the Wizengamot, but by the Meraki.
• We tabled further discussion of how long the Meraki would continue to meet.

9. Miscellaneous

• We're not going to vote by email. Votes will be taken at meetings.
• Please let us know if you wish to be taken off the Meraki list; that is if you no longer wish to receive emails about PCD organizational matters.

10. Next Meraki meeting

• Tuesday, 7 January 2014, 7:15-9:15PM at Parks' apartment in the back of the Portland Yoga Studio, 616 Congress St.
• Vote on adoption of the Mission Statement
• Incorporation status
• Wizengamot meeting/gathering status
• Address larger needs not addressed by incorporation and Wizengamot-forming