[Imc] Meeting notes 11-12-00

[Peter Miller]

IMC Notes
11/12/00
at 1006 S. Garfield

Attending:  Molly Stentz, Sarah Carsey, Jim Eyman, Eric Hiltner, Ilan Eyman,
Sarah Kanouse (facilitator), Ellen Knutsen, Paul Riismandel, Mike Lehman, Ben
Harp, Pauline Bartolome, Danielle Chynoweth, Peter Miller, Sehvilla Mann,
Sascha Meinrath, Brian Hagy.  Later: Russel Dietrich-Rybicki, Nancy
Dietrich-Rybicki, Robert Dunn.

Ben wants to organize a viewing of the N30 Seattle video.  Paul R. may be able
to provide space; Ben may be able to get space in Physics.  

NEWS
The week in review:

Charter school--Sarah was there.  Few people showed up.  Will write a story for
the Octopus.
Dialogue on the illiniwek--Sehvilla.  The dialogue is pro-chief.  Judge
presented report, then discussion.  S.  left before discussion.  S. will write
an opinion piece for _____. 
Elections--Mike L. Exit polling at Parkland, issues = guns or
healthcare/education; Co-op; YMCA (clueless person).  Intended to go to
Brookens, but didn't.  Has 20 min on MD.  Sehvilla exit-polled 35 students at
U. YMCA.  People said voting facilities were fine.  Mike L. reported that
County Clerk cum Republican Activist Mark Shelden has banned exit polling due
to something that happened Ogden (Voter News Service).  ML believes Shelden
will try to convince other county clerks in Illinois to follow his lead.  Does
he have the right to do this?  Sehvilla will leave her exit poll materials in
the archive, maybe write an article with Mike L.  Paul R. was with the Greens,
picked up some video interviews.  Peter didn't go to the Republican HQ.  Greens
drew 4.7% in Champaign Co., 8%(?) in Urbana; and Dems took over Co. Board.
Eugene Debs Dinner--Mike L. attended. 100th anniversary of Debs' 1st run for
president.  Mike Sullivan of the sheetmetal workers' gave inspiring comments
about worker involvement; Anne Feeney debuted new songs.  Some really
interesting stuff, maybe good for a Friday Forum slot. 
Sustainable Devt in Chiapas--Danielle. Interviews from her trip to Mexico.  Was
broadcast on WEFT on Monday night.  Danielle will announce our new materials on
WEFTa.
Staley Trial--Peter attended and heard the verdict.  Chuck made some nice
drawings.  Peter and, perhaps, Mike will co-author a piece (perhaps a two-page
flyer) 

Assignments:

Tuesday, Springfield at the Capitol -- 85% Coalition rally to add sexual
orientation to the Illinois human rights code.  Sehvilla, Sarah, and Danielle
are going.  Many good actions (SDAS is working closely on it).  Minidisc,
photo's and video would be nice. Need a videographer.  Eric will try to get a
video camera for the event.
Springfield? Contact Ruth Wyman.  Illinois NOW rallies to not over-ride veto on
a bill, get congress to pass a measure allowing domestic violence victims to
sue their attackers.
Mon, 7:30 at Lincoln Hall Theatre.  Jared Diamond presents MillerComm, "Guns,
Germs and Steel:  The Fates of Human Societies."  Ben will tape it.
Jim Eiman will write a commentary on the nader campaign, from the perspective of
a camppaign insider.  
Durbin/LaHood Bill to change the electoral college.
Mon, noon at Afro-American Cultural Center.  Talk on critical race theory and
education.  Discussion of race, racism, and education, a topic which will be a
big issue.  Sascha will record it.
Herbert Brun story should be written and run in the News-Gazette.  Carol, Jeff,
Manni are writing.  Danielle will talk to Melissa Merli about writing something
for the Gazette.
Mon, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. the Mellon Building (New and Daniel).  Racial climate
survey will be released at the Champaign School Board meeting.  Danielle wants
to be a reporter.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Press Passes--Brian Hagy made them.
Friday Forum openings--WEFT has Monday 6 - 7 p.m. slots open in Dec. and Jan. 
DC/PM suggests that IMC try to do news programs during open slots.  WEFT
Programming Committee is accepting applications this Thursday.  DC will send a
proposal to the list and seek feedback.
Transportation Urban Planning activist group being planned.  Eric and Pauline
are working on it.

UPDATES

Tech:  Molly says that the website is almost up.  By the end of the week?
Fundraising:  Raised >$400 at last week's event.  We have about $2000 in the
account, now.  Sascha is accepting checks for November.  We need more $50/month
members (we currently have 12).  
Equipment:  We might be getting a digital still camera this week.  Mike Lehman
is considering buying a video recorder.  
Outreach: Sarah has list of people who might want to work on stuff.  Sascha
building contacts in African American community.
Radical Librarians: Ellen wants to have a meeting of archivists. 278-2274.
Danielle will send out an IMC phone list.

SPACE

Lengthy discussion about space (see below).  Two spaces discussed, Cinema Café
and Chub Connor's campaign space.  Price, scope of IMC operation (how important
are the businesses to the IMC?), core needs of IMC discussed.  After
discussion, straw poll shows indecision over which space is preferred, but
Cinema leads.

Decided that the space committee (Danielle, Sascha, Sarah, Molly, and, maybe,
Lori) will meet with Norm Baxley (Cinema landlord) and Connor space landlords
this week.  Try to hold IMC meeting at the Connor space in two weeks.  Take the
profit-sharing idea to Norm to see how he deals with it.  

Sascha will facilitate the next meeting.

Meeting ends 2:10 p.m.


Appendix: Detailed space discussion

Molly updates.  Chub's space is $700/month and will be available next Month. 
Small storefront but big space in back.  Cinema is expensive ($1400).  Idea
would be having IMC plus coffee house plus art gallery plus news stand plus
library.  Meeting with Norm needed to discuss possibilities for Cinema space. 
Question is whether we want to spend so much on the space.  Do we want to have
a big, open, public space; or a smaller, less-ambitious space.

(Robert, Russ, and Nancy arrive )  
DC thinks we shouldn't spend >$1000/month on the space.  Suggests
profit-sharing:  amount >$1000/month depends on how much the commercial
ventures make, thereby giving the land owner a stake in the operation.  Chub's
space will be renovated by the landlords who live above.  Possibly
custom-renovate for us?  (Added to rent?)  It is use-able as-is.  
Paul R:  We need a space to meet, produce, etc.  Big joint venture less
important to Paul.  
Peter:  Prefers the Chub Connor space.
Sarah:  Concerned about the Chub space because there aren't commercial
opportunities.  Price of space exceeds our monthly fundraising.
Ilan:  Cinema risk-sharing, profit-sharing risks losing autonomy to landlord. 
Be careful.
Molly:  Landlord shares some of our concerns--revitalizing downtown.  If just
space for production, then storefront retail not necessary; maybe just an
apartment.  Important to make it a community space, have a storefront.
Eric:  Think about what we really need to do, then buy a building and make
*real* independent medial.  
Mike L: Do the spaces meet our minimal needs?  Probably yes.  Concerned about
taking on unnecessary risk.  Willing to listen to Norm, but keep our concerns
in forefront.  Feels that practical matters lean more toward Connor space.
Jim Eiman: Hold next meeting at Connor space?  Share space with greens?
Ellen: Maybe we should focus on question of what we want the space to
accomplish for the IMC.
Eric: Why do we need the space?  What could we do with the space next week or
next month that we can't do now? 
Ellen: 1) allow bigger and more open meetings. 2) central storage of production
equipment would encourage story production, not just collection of raw
material.  
Sarah:  Make an institution that will out-last the initiators.  Necessary to
have a space for this.  Also gives us legitimacy with potential funders and
with existing media outlets.
Eric:  Can someone make a list of requirements for a production room?
Mike:  Easy access.  
Danielle:  Public face and a resource center for progressive organizations. 
Currently, groups are in need of meeting space, e.g.
Nancy:  Are these the only spaces we're considering?
DC: Yes, at the moment.
Eric:  Make a list of groups who are interested in using the space, and see if
they're willing to contribute to using it?  (Molly--we've already done much of
that.  We're not isolated from them.  We've been working on getting individual
support, not group support, since the groups don't have much $$.)
Ilan:  What would make our space different or better from renting out the Red
Herring?  Soundproofing, potentially offering video conferencing services.

Sarah: Where are we headed--smaller-scale at first, or go for broke?  

DC:  before proceeding, think about Molly and Sarah's roles.  Both willing to
commit greatly to the center, right?  Fear about cinema--too many things, too
big a challenge.  Only use cinema if it was someone's central focus.  Q to
Molly and Sarah:  how would your involvement depend on the choice of space?
Jim Eiman:  "I'm looking for a job!"  The cinema is a one-shot deal; Connor
space is a dime-a-dozen.  Wants the IMC to get the Cinema space.
Sarah: "My involvement would be less if it were a less-large project. 
Multi-project cinema is worth my time.  I probably wouldn't put in the 70-80
hours if connor space.  I'd be willing to make it my job."
Molly:  "I've been thinking about Norm's offer to manage it.  I feel like we'd
get more community support with the cinema space.  I have experience with
businesses without money.  Money would be a big issue--where is $$ coming from,
etc.  I'd definitely be interested, but I'm dependent on a salary."
Mike L.: I'd be more comfortable with the cinema if we had people with a
commitment.

DC: we need to move fast on both spaces because both landlords are hot to move.

Sascha:  Finances.  We're currently averaging $1000/month for the space, will
probably increase. Good to have the cinema as a flagship to get donations.  Has
written 3-year business plan that combines IMC/Businesses.  Donations at first,
but businesses take over later on.  Necessary to sustain on the 3-5 year
timeline.  Concern is how the space will pay for itself.  Cinema has the
potential to do better.

Straw poll--Cinema 7, Connor 4, Undecided 1

Next: DC: Meet with Norm, this week, and meet with Connor landlords this week,
too.  Meet at the Connor space in two weeks.  Take the profit-sharing idea to
Norm to see how he deals with it.  Danielle, Sascha, Sarah, Molly, and maybe
Lori are the space committee.

fin
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