Meraki Meeting Notes for April 11 2023

Meraki (PCD Steering Committee) met at Mellen's home on April 11, 2023

Attending

Kari P (facilitating), Jimmie P, Shelagh R, Mellen D, John B (notes), Lori H, Blair F, Rebecca B

Agenda

• 2023 Retreat updates (Retreat committee)
• Where can we dance update (Lori)
• Sound system loudness update (Kari, Jason?)
• Capacity committee updates (Kari, Jimmie?)
• In-person Hosting suggestion (Mellen)
• PCD 10th Birthday celebration

Retreat update (Retreat committee)

• Last registration day: Sunday
• John and Lily researched the sauna trailer idea with a Saco provider; after discussion Sauna trailer: vetoed due to logistics, cost, management
• People slotted for checkin, may need more
• Covid: Masks required in lunch line area
• Ask people to test beforehand
• Will ask at checkin
• Will have some tests available
• Money: We have $800ish surplus
• Received $205 in scholarship donations - Refund excess
• Mellen: spaces
• To add to email blast (after registration closes):
• Musical instruments
• Specialty activities like yoga, etc.
• Whiteboard for activities/announcements (Blair will bring)
• Don't announce availability of tests

Where can we dance?

• A group of us visited 317 Main in Yarmouth
• Beautiful space, about the size of Waldorf
• Sound check with bluetooth: subwoofer probably needed
• We're not on the same page about price (they mentioned $2-300/hour)
• Can do Waldorf ad infinitum, except for blocked out spaces
• Is Mechanics Hall a possibility? No: it's a wedding venue, frequently booked on Sundays
• Kari: Schools - only available is Westbrook
•   Middle school - need to have staffer, need to make application
• Christian School:
  
• Bigger, storage not secure
• Not pretty - narrow walkin, dark corridor, no loungy-type space
• Big windows
• Echo a problem
• Smells like a gym
• We can do a test dance there
• Mellen to check Waynefleet school
• Add to capacity committee discussion: Do we want a space that fits 100 people?
• DJ juice still lacking. Weekly dance is pipe-dreamy
• Jimmie - what about a different standard for DJs? Pre-recorded playlist
• Beck seconds the idea
• Mellen: even so, there's tech, flow needed. It's more about how you craft a set than the equipment.
• Shelagh: We've gone way out on the DJ track
• -- break --
• Mellen: Paradigm shift in DJ land. The passion around ownership has diminished.
• We need to make room for people to not feel the way they used to about control of the set.
• John: Concerns about Urban Farm Fermentory (UFF):
• Hard, dirty cement floor
• The place is kind of run-down
• Chem-free dance is a little inconsistent with the venue, which serves beverages that contain alcohol.
• Blair/Beck: Support variety of places
• Mellen: We need majority of places with a decent, danceable wood floor. UFF not great.
• UFF held June 4 for us. Despite concerns, we plan to dance there June 4.

Volume/loudness

• Mellen: 80 dB seems to be where we want to stay. Mark was high 70s.
• Beck: 80 db was a good limit. Above that over time, can get hearing damage.
• Spot checking is hit-or-miss. Research devices that can consistently monitor with a large readout or one that is easily visible to DJ with remote sensing location.

PCD 10th Anniversary

John: October will mark the 10th anniversary of PCD's first dance as PCD. Let's do something special.

In-person Meetings

• Mellen: Please text if you're coming.
• John will publish number in announcements.

Next Meetings

• May 2 not needed for Meraki; can be for Retreat Committee
• May 23 on Zoom
• June 20 at Kari and Jimmie's 

Meraki Meeting Notes for March 21 2023

The PCD Steering Committee (Meraki) met on March 21, 2023, on Zoom

Attendees: Lily N (notes), Lori H, Rudy G (timekeeping), Kari P (ingathering), Jimmie P, Jason A, Mellen D, John B (facilitation), Shelagh R

Proposal: Eliminate free entry first dance

Jimmie proposed to eliminate free dance for first timers discussed and unanimously affirmed. No more free first dance. John asked: Is this really about a too-crowded dance floor? Yes; we'll discuss more later if we have time.

Retreat update (John/Lily)

• 41 registrants
• Gross sales $7650.
• Donations $185
• Platform tent requests 12
• All DJs have registered already
• Rudy would like to offer open music jam and will liaise with Ferry Beach about offering in the Rose Pavillion. Rose Pavillion has a wood stove according to Rudy.
• Lily to contact Ferry Beach about reserving all 12 platform tent sites.

Where can we dance update (John/Lily)

• 318 Main in Yarmouth: Kari and Lori trying to set up meeting with Yarmouth to determine what barriers Yarmouth has with contracting with us.
• Waldorf is available indefinitely but not every weekend.
• Urban Farm Fermentory open to having us but has cement floor.
• Vote to hold occasional dances at Urban Farm Fermentory unanimously affirmed.
• Kari to confirm with UFF and contact Mark to be DJ

Sound levels update (Jason)

• Jason measured at previous dance from 15 feet away from DJ table, estimates that 75% of  measurements decibel level was at 85 dB or less, 15% of time 90 dB, 10% of time 93dB.
• Shelagh asks if current meter could be on DJ table for DJs to use and if meter could be calibrated to reflect volume that listeners are actually experiencing.
• Issue was not resolved.
• Some ideas proposed were use of smartphone dB app, having more than 1 meter so volume could be measured at different locations.
• Goal to keep volume at or below 83 dB affirmed to prevent hearing damage.

Crowd size discussion (group)

• Unanimous concern for crowd size.
• Discussion of whether to limit crowd size or not.
• Suggestions to limit are to allow members only to dance or members have priority,  increase cost to dance, having to pre register to dance.
• No resolution on this.
• Kari, Jimmie volunteer to spearhead new "capacity committee" 

Next meetings

• April 11th at Mellen's
• May 2 so we have Meraki before the retreat
• May 23

Evaluation

We all agree that we're awesome and caring and really appreciate each other  : )