MERAKI NOTES - OCTOBER 2, 2018

DATE: 10.02.18, 7-9 pm
(Note: the original date of the this meeting was 9/25/18; it was postponed until 10/2)


LOCATION:  Ballroom Dance Portland, Westbrook (formerly Avant Dance and Event Center)


ATTENDEES: Judy, Martin, Lindy, Oracle, John, Blair, Kiara, Nicole

FACILATOR: Lindy

TIMEKEEPER: Martin

INVOCATION:  Martin


AUGUST MEETING NOTES RECAP: 15 min

NOMINATING COMMITTEE: 15 min

The date for the annual PCD Board meeting (where officers are elected) was originally set for November 4 (including space rental of the ballroom). However, there was agreement among officers and Meraki that more time was needed to prepare a slate of officers.

VOTE:  To change the annual meeting date from November 4th to December 9th.

Four people volunteered to identify and to ask qualified PCD members to consider officer positions for 2019.

VOTE:  The nominating committee (Oracle, Judy, Kiara and Martin) will present a slate of officer candidates for the annual meeting.

(Note:  Paulina, the Ballroom owner, was present and John asked her to change the reservation of space from 11/4 to 12/9.)

NEW YEAR’S EVE DANCE:  10 min

Blair has agreed to be the lead coordinator for the dance, with support from last year’s organizers and other PCD volunteers (Judy was lead for 2017).

• The cost to rent the ballroom is the same as 2017 ($1,200)
• The evening will end at 12:30 am instead of 1 am (feedback from DJs last year)
• 2 DJs instead of 3 (2-2 hour sets) (8:30pm -12:30 am)
• Lessons learned from last year:  volunteers at the end of the evening had a lot of food clean up, leftovers and waste
• 60 attended last year (80 was breakeven) - $20 ticket price in 2017
• It’s open to members, members’ family/friends and the public

VOTE:  Blair will develop ticket cost and oversee the coordination of setting up the event with support from last year’s NYE committee. Agreed to 2 DJs only and 8:30 pm-12:30 am time.

SPRING RETREAT  5 min

PCD has had several retreats at Camp Wavus in Jefferson but this site is no longer available. Kari and Kiara will do research on an alternate location but do not want to take the lead for organizing the retreat. Nicole volunteered to be lead and will have support from all those on the retreat committee who have organized past retreats.

Nicole/retreat committee will provide updates at future Meraki meetings on the progress.

SAFETY: 15 min

Near the close of Sunday dance, 9/30, a PCD member fell and was injured and taken by ambulance to the hospital. A debrief/discussion followed about PCD’s handling of the incident and lessons learned as well as existing protocols and any modifications/recommendations for future.  (Note:  the individual injured was released from the hospital the same day with no broken bones or spinal injury. He is convalescing from stretched neck & back ligaments/muscles.)

Highlights:

• Calling 911 ~ perspectives differed on who should make the decision to call for EMTs; the injured person (if he/she is able) or someone related or close to the injured person who is present, or anyone present can call. Also when to call. There was some chaos around this and need clarity around how to handle it going forward.
• The WIZ (operations committee) has developed safely protocols and it’s a good time to review them. Since PCD’s inception, for liability reasons, PCD does not designate a lead person who assumes responsibility at the time of an injury. Dancers sign waivers. WIZ maintains a basic first aid kit for member use; does it have everything we might need (like ice packs)?
• Should a emergency contact name be added to the waiver form?
• Other dance communities may be able to share their safety protocols.

VOTE:  WIZ will review the incident and report back with recommendations for safety protocols at the next Meraki meeting.

SOUND BOARD:  5 min

John reported the “mixer” at the Ballroom is broken and Paulina, the owner, does not plan to replace it. PCD DJs need a mixer on Sundays. The PCD sound system, with it’s own mixer, is stored at Jason’s studio but moving that system (or a part of it) back and forth each week is not ideal. John proposes that PCD purchase a dedicated mixer (with USB sound card) to be used at the Ballroom. Considerations as to how to keep the PCD owned mixer secure at the Ballroom were discussed. John will check details/specs with sound committee before the purchase.

VOTE:  Allow DJs/Sound Committee to purchase a mixer (estimate cost $3-400).


EVALUATION: 15 min

Oracle explained that he’s proposed bringing a more formal consensus process to PCD (one which the Alexander Technique organization uses). The process of “Evaluation” at the end of a meeting is for everyone to have the opportunity to speak ~ from a “process” point of view (and not the meeting content), about what worked and didn’t work for them.
It enables more voices to be heard; everyone gets respected, learn what might have gone better. Also, he would like to see things discussed and get moved quicker (i.e, allowing subcommittees to get things done/report back). He also feels uncomfortable talking about anyone who is not in attendance at the Meraki meeting.
Lindy appreciated Oracle’s speaking up about his experience of being uncomfortable. She felt that she did not want to be thought of as being critical about the handling of the injured person at Sunday dance; “they did what they needed to do” and to acknowledge that. She also thanked Oracle for the source for the formal consensus document he shared; it was very good.
Kiara was not sure she quite understood the evaluation process….but her feeling was that the meeting room was cold, she didn’t like the lights and there was no food! (John explained that we had to cancel the meeting which was to have been at Chloe’s and Neil’s due to illness and find a new date/location).
Nicole really appreciates the structure. She attended a meeting in spring which was more loose. But with time limits…she wanted to know more about a subject but did not  feel comfortable asking because of the time limits; maybe it could be more flexible, less pressured? (John responded that the time limits are really only guidelines to help cover what we needed to, but there is flexibility.)
Martin appreciates everyone’s patience because sometimes he has to work to get clear on what he wants to say; really loves being with everyone, the way each person responds and is patient! And thanks to Lindy for sharing being uncomfortable…
Oracle added that it is important to note divergences in perspectives as that’s where future good ideas come from. Agenda is contract with ourselves about what we will try to do; not sticking with agenda/what has been published to members is disrespectful/disenfranchises
John questioned “disrespectful” ~ certain things not on the agenda may be time sensitive  (of an emergency nature) and are not disrespectful.
Judy wishes she could remember what she said but she stopped taking notes….but it was something of the flavor of how Meraki meetings cannot go wrong if we hold to the values and intentions we bring with our body/mind/hearts each Sunday.

NEXT MEETING DATE:   Tuesday, October 30, at Kiara’s (Transformational Healing ~ Diane Archambault)  222 St. John’s Street, #117, 207 775-1416.

ADDENDUM TO EVALUATION: 10/2/18 MERAKI - ORACLE

Hi Judy, can you add this to notes on evaluation, please?

Oracle emails later to reflect on focusing discussion. There are reports that
come in from outside meraki, from various subcommittees and from membership.
Those might be discussed by Meraki generally.

However, where there are subommittees existing, such topics should /first/ be referred
to that committee - as we ultimately did with the "injury" issue, sending it
to Whiz to cook their reflections and considered opinions into a report to
Meraki for later.

If that is not done, Meraki ends up discussing something about which it doesn't
have big chunks of information and background.

Otherwise, discussions should be about "proposals".  For example, discussions
of a nominating committee, should be around such-and-such a proposal.  If not,
discussions ends up free ranging and unfocused.  There has to be a proposal
on the table.

Note, there are times, as John notes, when Meraki must take up something without
preparation.  That should be only the case in time-sensitive emergencies.

thx, O

ADDENDUM:  EVALUATION FROM THE 8/28/18 MERAKI - EMILY

Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2018 21:13:38 -0400
From: Emily Galli

Subject: Meraki Feedback

Hello!

Just wanted to share a few reflections from the Meraki meeting I attended last month. I shared this feedback with Oracle and he thought it might be of value..
What I am hearing is that it is important to the committee that PCD community members feel involved, included and that new people attend meetings.

Here is my feedback,
Most of the agenda items that were discussed I was nearly or completely clueless about.

I did not want to interrupt the carefully timed agenda and waste the committees time with my questions about the inner working of PCD. I was unaware of financial ins and outs, the committee positions and the Wiz, let alone the discussion that was happening…
While I want to become more involved, I am realizing that there is so much to know before I can even begin to participate..

Im left wondering,

Is there a way to get someone up to speed who wants to be more involved?
Because so much catch up is needed for a newbie, Is there a gateway to involvement that is perhaps less “all in”?
How can we gently make the community become more aware in the inner workings of PCD?

Hope this helps begin to cultivate a more involved and participatory energy for the coming shift in December.

love n thanks,

Emily
PCD Meraki meeting notes 10/2/18Meraki meeting notes - OCTOBER 2, 2018