[Bookstoprisoners] Feb 15 Steering Committee notes

[wmullins at insightbb.com]

 NOTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 15TH STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING
I reported on our upcoming 3/31 benefit, on the dates of the book sale (including inviting anyone interested in helping out to contact Susan Bruce), and on the plans for an RSO affiliated with Books To Prisoners. The response to the RSO was positive, and Dan Blah suggested contacting Sascha Meinrath if B2P had any questions about setting up an RSO.
WRFU. Dan reported that they are working on a membership and scheduling database to fit within the WRFU web site. There is an upcoming benefit show to raise money for the new WRFU tower. (See below.)
TECH. There are a variety of ongoing projects and improvements in progress, including upcoming increased connectivity for the IMC web site. 
SHOWS. Rory passed on a reminder that all of our public events need to be compliant with Urbana’s indoor smoking ban, so please ask smokers to step outside at any events we host. Bill Taylor of the Primary Communications Project is organizing a Lenca Radio/WRFU benefit concert Sunday February 25th to raise money both for the WRFU tower and for a tower for our sister indymedia station in Honduras.  The benefit will feature an informational presentation starting at 2:30, followed by Fandaguero’s Mexican music and other entertainment. No info on the cover charge or recommended donations yet. Please see the IMC calendar for more info.
PUBLIC I. Bob reported that the March issue will focus on Women’s History month. There are approximately 2 weeks left before the layout is set. If anyone wishes to contribute articles, there should be space available. Someone at B2P should arrange ads for our 3/31 benefit and for our book sale while space is still available.
STAFF. There is an ongoing need for volunteers to staff the office/building during open hours, particularly weekday afternoons. There was general discussion of a desire to post and staff regular "Hey, we’re open in here!" hours, but the IMC needs regular volunteers to show up, mostly for meet-and-greet and Q & A with anyone who walks into the building and wants to know more about the IMC. If interested, send an e-mail to IMC-staff at ucimc.org.
FINANCE. The 2005 audit is still in progress, but nearly complete. A membership funding mailing will be going out at the end of February to encourage people to renew their IMC membership. 
PAYMENT DISCUSS LIST. Dan Blah encouraged everyone to check out an on-going, sometimes heated on-line debate about 501.3.c status for IMCs, the practice of hiring employees, how IMC finances ought ideally to work, and how that fits with the broader Indymedia philosophy. You can find the postings in the Payment-Discuss archive here: http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/payment-discuss/. You can find Dan Blah’s wiki on the topic here: www.ucimc.org/wiki/index.php/Payment_Discuss. 
COALITION OF IMMOKALEE WORKERS. A new IMC member and CIW activist, Mandy, reported on upcoming CIW events here in Urbana-Champaign and in Chicago. They are organizing to pressure corporate fast food—particularly McDonald’s—into paying immigrant workers fairer wages. See the CIW homepage for more info: http://www.ciw-online.org/. There will be local events April 9th and 10th, and they are organizing volunteers for a protest at the McDonald’s headquarters in Oak Park, IL on April 13th and 14th. There will be a general informational/mobilization meeting Thursday, February 22nd at the University YMCA (7:30 pm in the board room). You can also e-mail Brent at sfalliance.org for more info or to participate.  Rides to the Chicago event may be available.
P.S. I couldn’t figure out how to make the B2P calendar work to list my name as one of the Steering Committee attendees. I will be there March 1st. I cannot attend on March 15th—it’s my daughter’s 9th birthday, and even though I joked that she could have a party in the Kid’s Art Space during the meeting, she rolled her eyes at me and said she’d rather go to Ants in their Pants.  Can someone else go on 3/15?
Bill
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.chambana.net/mailman/archive/bookstoprisoners/attachments/20070217/7279d0de/attachment.html