Meraki Meeting 1/5/2016
John Boynton Facilitating
Present:
Mary Ellen
Julie V
Diane A
Genevieve
Jim Young
Liz Farmer
John Boynton
Desiree
Elvis
Neil
Chloe
Agenda:
Mechanics Hall - continue night dances? How many months?
Safety dance
DJ review system
Ecstatic Dance website still up
Equity
Retreat
Meraki meetings after dance
Setting meeting agendas
Ipad/spoitfy for DJs
Financial range for free dances
Jim Young DNE report
Wizengamot duties and rotation
Compensation for financial person
Financial security recommendations
Jim’s comment about New Years
John read minutes of last meeting
Agenda Topic: New Years comments from Jim
Jim commented that it would have been helpful if feedback about the LED lights being too bright last year had been communicated before the evening of set up.
Diane discussed having PCD purchase its own lights. and having a streamlined system next year to avoid problems with set-up.
Nev requested that we not use LED lights in the future as they induce migraines. Also
Action: suggested that we buy lights now when they’re cheap.
Topic: Retreat:
Update on retreat dates -
Discussion:
May 20 thru 22nd, has been selected but not confirmed by Camp Wavus.
Question of can we book 2017 now?
Question about having a fall retreat since Spring retreat is so late. (we have a date held)
Item: Standing retreat committee. Do we want to create a committee of 4 people who would be empowered to make retreat decisions for PCD overall (taking out of meraki’s hands…)?
Action: Create surveys to gauge interest in serving on committees for: Spring Retreat, Fall Retreat, Standing committee.
Standing committee will be readdressed at our next meeting if we have enough members interested in serving? 4 people for committee
Carried Forward: Decision about standing committee, selection of October retreat committee
Agenda Topic: Continue Thursday dances -
Discussion about people’s feelings about the dance.
Issues brought up were
• issues w/ sound system,
• parking
• Dirty Floor
• Lugging equipment
• lack of storage space
• Large number of people coming because of it’s location in Portland
It was decided that the dances are successful, but group would like to try a new venue.
Venues to explore:
• Avant is preferred
• The Falmouth Church where Jobani’s service was held was mentioned.
Dance time: We will continue to do the 4th Thursday of every month to not conflict with Deb’s class.
Actions:
• Chloe will check out Falmouth Church
• Neil will check with Avant.
Carried Forward: Thursday night Venue decision.
Vote: We will go ahead with the January 28 dance at Mechanics Hall.
Vote: We will change time to 7 pm from 7:30 pm
Item: Create a ride board to address people who need to get to dance.
Discussion: This was tried and never worked.
Item:
If we are going to continue using Neil’s sound system it was suggested that we pay him a rental charge. (This will not be an issue if we end up having Thursdays at Avant.)
Vote: For the January dance we will pay Neil $50 to use his system.
Agenda Topic: Wizengamot
Question? Is the Wiz still needed?
Discussion:
• As part of their Wiz duties Chloe and Neil stay until the very end and lock up.
Wiz members in the room reported that they don’t have to do much, but what they do do is important.
Duties:
• locking up,
• handling safety/security/sensitive issues.
• Calling snow days,
• Communicating with Avant.
Wiz is 4 or 5 point people.
• Rotation has not happened the way we had planned (half rotation every 6 months)
• Chloe/Neil would possibly like to rotate out.
Questions: Do we want to create a safety/sensitivity board and remove that responsibility from the wiz - or do we just need to create an new operation committee for getting people to lock up similar to the greeter sign up?
How do we decide who is qualified to be on the wiz?
Vote:
Wiz was requested to have a meeting before next Meraki and bring vision and scope for wiz, length of term, criteria for serving.
Wiz was empowered to propose a new system for locking up.
Action: Put out notice for for new wiz members
list duties: job description
Announce on Sundays and put out in email
Carried Forward: decision for splitting wizengamot duties to the next meeting (based on Wiz’s suggestions)
Agenda Topic: Financial range for hosting free dances - 7K to 10K range
Agenda Topic: Safety dance:
Issue: Our previously scheduled date in January no longer works because of DJ scheduling. There is concern that we should warn people it will be happening and that the format of that dance will be different.
Proposal: Tentative date of 2/28 on Chloe’s next DJ date.
Action: Neil check w/avant about availability.
Carried Forward: Nev, Chloe & Deb will meet & bring a proposal to February Meraki.
Vote: yes to proposal
Agenda Topic: DJ Review form is ready to put up on website (Kelly has it).
Discussion: How to integrate it into community.
Suggestions:
• Put notice in our weekly emails.
• Give the website option to people who have feedback about the DJ
• Do we want to do an announcement at dance? Could be part of DJ’s end of dance script.
• Put a sign up at greeter table
Proposal: Put form on website and refer question of how/should we create broader awareness of it’s existence to the DJ committee for consideration.
Vote yes
Carried Forward: DJ Committee’s response
Agenda Topic: DNE synopsis -
Jim gave a report on the DNE meeting in December. PCD received a lot of compliments. The hidden agenda for the meeting was a new location for DNE dance camp. Jim gathered info about how much other dances kept as a bank balance. Anywhere from 15K to 35K.
Agenda Topic: Tightening up of financial security -
Committee met and decided that 2 people will count cash at end of each dance and enter totals into a log book.
They discussed having a separate person who writes checks form person who reconciles the account. Further discussion on this point is still needed.
Carried Forward: Committee is still working on how we will structure the system to reduce liability.
Agenda Topic: Compensation for treasurer
Carried Forward
Agenda Topic: spotify and Ipad for DJ’s
Carried Forward
Agenda Topic: How we set agenda and Priorities for our meetings:
Discussion:
•Ask for agenda items ahead - set priorities
•go thru agenda items - assign time, have time keeper.
• have the board curate the agenda
• Have a Longer meeting.
• Have a longer vision meeting on a weekend
Action: February’s meeting will start 1/2 hr earlier.
Date for next meraki -
Feb 2nd, 7 pm at Genevieve 24 Pitt Street. 6:30 - 9 w/earlier meet up for
optional potluck 5:30.
Votes:
Vote: We will go ahead with the January 28 dance at Mechanics Hall.
Vote: We will change Thursday night dance time to 7 pm from 7:30 pm
Vote: For the January dance we will pay Neil $50 to use his system.
Vote: Safety Dance tentative date is 2/28 on Chloe’s next DJ date.
Vote: Wiz will have a meeting before next Meraki and bring vision and scope for wiz, length of term, criteria for serving and was empowered to propose a new system for locking up.
Vote: Put form on website and give question of how/should we create broader awareness of it’s existence to the DJ committee for consideration.
Items carried forward:
Carried Forward: Decision about standing committee, selection of October retreat committee
Carried Forward: Thursday night Venue decision.
Carried Forward: Decision for splitting wizengamot duties to the next meeting (based on Wiz’s suggestions)
Carried Forward: Safety Dance Decisions - Nev, Chloe & Deb will meet & bring a proposal to February Meraki.
Carried Forward: DJ Committee’s reply re: would they consider creating broader publication of the feedback form beyond it’s existence on the website?
Carried Forward: Financial Committee is still working on how we will structure the system to reduce liability.
Carried Forward compensation for treasurer
Carried Forward: spotify and Ipad for DJ’s
