Meraki Monday February 9, 2026 on ZOOM
Meeting Format
- Choose roles
- In-gathering
- Briefly review How We Roll
- Summarize previous meeting notes
- Gather new agenda items : sound equipment sharing, update on review of castle, sound quality issues,
- Set order and time for items
- Attend to agenda items
- Schedule future meeting(s)
- Out-gathering
Published Agenda
- Spring Retreat update - Kiara, Nate (changed to Kiara, Deb)
- PCD sponsored Workshops - Brian.
- Reinvigorate Search Committee - Tasja
- Update on Boys & Girls Club - Tasja
- Attendance Counting Support Proposal
- Proposal: Attendance support at dance opening - Brian
-
Have one designated person help count attendance at the beginning of dance. This person would receive free entry in exchange for counting attendees from 12:45–1:15. After 1:15, the responsibility for tracking attendance would transition to the greeter. This approach ensures accurate early counts without adding ongoing workload or cost, and supports a smoother start to the event.The purpose of this counting is to give us an accurate idea of how many people are coming to each dance. With this information we can make a better informed decisions around future planning.Added Agenda Items:
-
- Sharing Sound System: John B
- Code of Conduct: Emily G
- Problems with Sound System recently: Emily G
Spring Retreat update - Kiara/Deb
The committee is Nate, Elise and Kiara. No Contract signed yet (due 3/9). Committee is meeting weekly, currently considering whether to have Ferry Beach do the registration process or use our pre-existing registration process. Likely they will not use Ferry Beach's registration process and opt for use ours.
Three DJs are committed. Several options for the 4th set: Nev is considering, Mark will offer a pre-made set but not attend. They are not considering the DJ trainees for the retreat. They will consider another option for the 4th set: contact jam, guided movement, pre-recorded set, talent show etc. Group solicited for ideas for the 4th set which Deb collected
John: can we schedule multi year contract for annual retreats with a set rate at Ferry?
Kiara: we can discuss this now or she can gather information about what possible dates would be available
Devin: would we get better dates if we signed a multi year contract? Consider that the campground is open in May
Kiara: consider that warmer dates could mean less attendance as people are often busier in later Spring, she will check with Ferry about availability and report back
PCD sponsored Workshops - Brian
TABLED
Reinvigorate Search Committee - Tasja
Tasja: Given the recent discussion about issues holding dance at Temple Beth El, there was some general questions about whether to have a new, active official search committee. The former committee (Mellon, Lori H, Kari) still has the spreadsheet with at least 60 venues that have been explored. Kari is willing to serve as a consultant to a new committee. Karl L has been a significant help with assessing spaces as well. How should we go about starting a new committee?
Devin: Is attendance committee's report relevant to this decision? What are the other reasons to change location?
Tasja: more space, decrease the accessibility issue raised by the location in a temple, and to find a more permanent home. Will need to address whether to continue to look for sublease space vs owning a space
Emily: offers to join Search committee,
Devin: offers to join Search Committee
John: how about Tasja?
Tasja: willing, but not available this summer
Brian: Kari has offered to be a consultant
Deb: there may be value to an adjunct committee--others who would be willing to go look at locations with the committee.
Tasja: This raises the question of who to reach out to if we want to go look at a place? In the past, we have contacted a group of regular Meraki attendees, most people at this meeting have agreed to be available.
Rebecca: could the new Search Committee gather together the names of those interested in looking at places.
Shelagh: what about lease/own options? The Vision Committee was considering how to guide PCD's growth perhaps in that direction
John: PCD doesn't have the current capacity to consider a lease for a larger space that involves renovations/subleasing etc. This larger endeavor would increase our scope/purpose beyond what our scope currently is.
Rebecca: agreed, looking at lease/own is beyond the scope of this volunteer organization
Kiara: agreed, that is beyond PCD scope
Devin: This new search committee (Devin, Emily, Tasja) will focus on rental options, they will reach out to the previous Search Committee for starters.
Update on Boys & Girls Club/Castle - Tasja
Tasja: Several folks were going to go to Boys&Girls Club (BGC), but ICE was active in the area and the BGC couldn't coordinate a time to meet at this point. Tasja has seen it before. General description: Big gym, tall ceilings, light coming through windows above, sprung hardwood floor created by Maine Celtics, their logo on the floor, bleachers. No HVAC or ventilation, no a/c. Heated, but "can be chilly". Very affordable: $62/hour Parking: Sunday morning downtown, unknown how difficult that would be. She suggests we do a trial dance on a Sunday morning and see.
Devin: churches may take up parking in the area. Would we change the time, afternoon dance might mean better parking and some people prefer the afternoon time.
Rebecca: do bleachers move up (prob not). Prior to Avant, we danced in 2-3 gymnasiums in the Portland area and it was a good experience
John: Castle is only a lease option, do we want to even talk any further about this?
Beck: let's add it to the Search Committee's list with the caveat that it requires renovation and a lease
Tasja: Note that it's a rectangular space, needs some buildout, zoning likely won't allow for dance.
Rebecca: if zoning is the limit, we could potentially figure out how we could comply with zoning regulations,e.g. there is a way for us to make a case that we do skill training/education
Jen D: She works below and is familiar with the space, the owner wants tenants and would readily work with us, it could be a useable space if we did some renovations.
Tasja: loved the space
Shelagh: encourages others who are interested in space to look through past meeting notes for more background/info
Proposal: Attendance support at dance opening - Brian
See proposal above. Brian has done the vast majority of the counting since June, 2025 and is looking for approval of the proposal to help increase participation in counting attendance.
Tasja: Lori had the clicker and let people in at the door which helped decrease cold air coming in, nice way to greet people and keep track of numbers.
Shelagh: how long are you going to do this for?
Brian: count until June for a years worth of numbers
Emily: would it work to have two greeters instead?
Rebecca: do you still want to count closing circle?
Kiara: Here's another type of proposal, if we did preregistration, we would automatically take care of counting the numbers.
Brian: Good idea, but that's not what we're doing now. He will cont to count closing circle.
Tasja: let's do two greeters
Devin: it might be nice to get two greeters, they could cover for each other
Shelagh: supports two greeters
Brian: Let's vote on the current proposal which is just for one counter. That's a different proposal if we increase to two greeters
Jen D: love the two greeter idea. Let's tell the community that we're growing as a community and need more support.
Brian/ John: Let's vote on this proposal, and add another proposal later about increasing to two greeters.
Proposal as it exists was voted on: passed unanimously!
Rebecca: Regarding increasing the number of greeters, please include Lil if there is a proposal to change to two greeters. She has been the Greeter Coordinator for a long time and this decision needs to include her.
Sharing Sound System
IntownContra uses the same space once/month on Sunday evenings. Alex, who coordinates the group, is interested in sharing our sound system, they have to lug their sound system in every time.
Beck: how does it benefit us?
Tasja/Emily: Benefit is community collaboration
Kiara: how much does our equipment cost ($800 each). Should they use their own cables?
John will bring proposal next time
Code of Conduct (CoC)
The committee met: Emily, Alex, Mellon, Dave S, Jess and created a rough draft
Emily presented the rationale for a CoC: We don't have a document that says don't harass each other, there is no formal protocol for holding others accountable to a code of conduct. With a CoC, every participant reads it and signs it. Our community as a whole agrees to and supports these expectations of conduct.
They are editing and reviewing their first draft, then will send it to the Wiz since it involves the Wiz's participation. Emily will also include anyone else who wants to see the draft, Emily has the names of those who would like to review it and will send the rough draft out via email for feedback from Wiz and others.
Devin: will a lawyer look at it?
Emily: a Code of Conduct doesn't have any legal weight, but it could help
Devin: it's like a waiver, people could read it and sign it.
PROBLEMS WITH SOUND SYSTEM
Emily noticed treble sounds that were audibly uncomfortable, especially with this last dance and also other dances.
John: Dina asked John to attend next DJ meeting. Every DJ has a different set up and there is some info that exists about how to interface, but there are varying degrees of expertise and setup systems. John will assist them
Emily: is there a way to do a sound check to verify the sound system is working well
Brian: can help with the basics, happy to learn more.
Jen D: as a DJ in training, she saw a tech message in the DJ Chat that was offering a Sound Engineering training, Gary G and Mark could help with this as well
John: could there be a daylong workshop where every DJ learns how to interface with our system
Devin: could there be other sound back up support positions besides John
John: Brian has been learning to do sound support
Evaluations done!
Outgathering: Andrew read The Sacred Dance of Life by Hafiz
