[Imc] Steering Notes 10-14-01

[Paul Riismandel]

IMC Steering Group Notes, Oct. 14, 2001

Present: James J., Ellen K., Mark E. (facilitating) , Aaron K., Mike L.,
Mike, Sascha M., Russ D-R., Brian H., Pauline B., Mike F., Paul R.
(recording), 

GROUP REPORTS

Librarians:
(James and Ellen)
Met, working on collection development and organization.  Want to take over
a drawer in the wood filing cabinet for a vertical file of newletters and
other random things they'd like to make accessible.  Group consents that the
Librarians can use it.  Terrorism resource site is up, linked from home
page.  Measured for new shelves with Eric H. -- shouldn't be too long til we
have new shelves that are uniform.

Print (Aaron K):
Working on next issue.  Took two week break to rethink the way the group
puts together the issue.  Are putting out letters to groups and
organizations soliciting writers to relieve the editors some.

Space (Mike L):
Discussed front window issue (business) and bookshelves.  Librarians will
have to come up with some money based on space recommendations.  Working
with Dave J. this week to get minidisc shelves built.  Another issue is the
problems with the performance last Monday--discussed need for an alcohol
policy of some sort, make sure all laws are observed, although alchohol did
not seem to play a direct role.  Brian H. notes that the rental contract
makes it clear that alcohol may not be sold here.  James says that it
smelled like old beer and bleach for a few days afterwards.  Brian assures
cleaning went on after the concert.

Finance (Sascha):
Hasn't heard back from Amy F. who had agreed to help out, so Sascha hadn't
done it for a while waiting for her help.  Sascha got caught up, just made a
$5k deposit, so finances are pretty good so far.  Most founding funders
whose term ends this month have not indicated that they plan to stop.  Mark
asks how many people are in the finance group?  Sascha says 4 regular with 2
or 3 who help out.  Still need people to make a commitment with basic
finance and accounting jobs --especially people who aren't committed to
other groups.  Finance has systems set up, so things go easily, are not so
daunting as in the past.  James J. ordered the Slingshot activist organizers
for sale that were mentioned last steering meeting. Everyone should note
that Mike can also write checks.

An important letter went missing (501c3 notification from the IRS), which is
why all documents are now locked down tight.  About three months ago Sascha
came into the IMC and found financial documents strewn about the place.  If
anyone has seen it please return it -- if someone needs a document for some
reason please see Sascha.

Tech (Paul and Brian):
Started work on new back-up webserver and fileserver.  Looking into future
Internet bandwidth issues--having greater bandwidth, future needs, the
ability to serve other organizations through the IMC.  Brian has been
working hard to fix the new audio machine which is still mysteriously
locking up.  He will be redoing the whole machine -- if you have something
important on it you should back it up.

Outreach (Brian):
Big event this weekend is the IMC Regional Gathering.  27 people are
registered, we're probably expecting more.  Local Urbana-IMCistas should
register ASAP.  An emergency Outreach meeting will be Wed. at 7:00pm to
organize workshops and sessions.  Anyone who wants to be involved should be
there.  Friday night will be focused on hands-on workshops in audio, video
and print, with the end result being short segments produced in each of
these ares for radio, Free Speech TV and the public i.  Brian request that
someone from news/radio group be at the Wed. group.  Request that all
equipment be back at the IMC by Friday because they'll be needed for the
gathering workshops.

Saturday will be a fundraiser for the Nigerian IMC -- no outside publicity
has yet been done, the public is invited.  Scheduled is a video by an
independent videographer from NY on Oregon Tree Sits.  Paul R. said he will
make a PSA for WEFT and put it on the website.  Pauline will make a press
release.  Ellen will contact Al Kagan (African Studies Librarian) and her
neighbor, who is an active African Studies student.   

Persons who volunteered housing will be notified this week.  

Socialist forum will still be able to meet Saturday afternoon -- gathering
will be active in back room.  Mark asks if this will affect the Steering
Meeting. Brian answers that the steering meeting will be incorporated into
the schedule.  Pauline will be here for the day and Paul R. will be here in
the afternoon, too, to welcome people arriving from out of town.

OLD BUSINESS
School of Americas (Nov. 16) protest in Georgia (Aaron K)-- Amnesty Int'l
has moved forward with organizing and there is a plan to hold a teach about
two weeks ahead of time.  Perhaps experienced IMCistas could give protest
and reporting tips and hints.  This is not just for Amnesty folks, it'll be
open. Looking for volunteers to speak at this teach-in.  Meetings happening
Mondays, 7pm at Y.

WEBSITE USE POLICY
(Mike L): some fall-out from instituting policy resulted in a spam onslaught
from "Bobby Meade," which was short lived and hidden by tech per last week's
decision.  Mike notes that we've received some critical posts that seems as
though they might actually be "Bobby" acting under aliases, since they all
repeat the same erroneous fact. 

NEW BUSINESS

Change of permanent address and registering agent (Sascha):
We need a new permanent address for the non-profit org & registering agent.
Brian H. will be the new agent and the address is the IMC.  We need to pass
a resolution in order for this to happen -- to change registering agent from
Molly Stentz, at OJC, to Brian Hagy, here.  Sascha proposes this resolution.
No objections, therefore the resolution passes by consensus.

Board of Directors and Officers term ending (Sascha):
We have BOD created when we incorporated, as required by laws, which lasts
until Nov. 30. In our case the BOD is an advisory panel, that helps out,
meeting twice yearly.  We also have officers, a president, sec'y and
treasurer, which are as disempowered as legally possible, therefore the
majority power stands with the steering group, although the officers are
still needed to sign certain documents.  We need to  either reaffirm or
modify this approach--we need to file new paperwork when these people
change.  Sascha proposes that we re-elect everyone, if they want to remain.
There are no objections, passes by consensus.

Window Policy (Sascha):
A few days ago one of our members wanted to hang an American flag in the
window, was uncomfortable with the "wage peace" flag. Space made an ad hoc
decision to have neither until the steering meeting.  One rationale for the
US flag is so that people would not see the IMC as "anti-american," the
member who asked to hang the flag said he was getting pressure from friends
and acquaintances that the IMC was "un-american."  Should we hang nothing or
hang everything?  We still have unresolved the issue of Sarah's quilt
project and if it should hang in the window.

Mike L. advocates that the storefront be neutral--the outside public view of
things.  He has no problem with the "wage peace" sign, feels that as a media
organization, we should seem open to other points of view.  Russ notes that
the American flag can stand for American pacifists as well -- there is no
single interpretation of the flag.  Sascha suggest that a flag with peace
symbols instead of stars might be put up. Russ says that this still sparks
debate. Paul R. agrees with Mike.

Mark E. asks if Space is otherwise responsible for the window.  Sascha said
it was an ad hoc decision, which is why it was brought to this group.  Paul
R. proposes that any working group be allowed to put things in the window by
democratic consensus, and Space be responsible for functionality and
aesthetics (can you see in and out?).  Mark E. is less happy with the
neutrality, that a "wage peace" sign says we are a safe haven for those who
feel assaulted by all the flags,  but given the controversy, is willing to
allow for it.  Ellen would prefer the window was clean, and that having no
flag is statement in and of itself.  Brian notes that when we had the
newspaper in the window it interested people and brought them in--if we
don't have a flag maybe we should have a statement why not.  Ellen says that
statement cannot speak for the IMC, given that at least one member requested
a flag to be placed up.

Paul has two notes about the proposal: we are best off letting our media
speak for us, like putting the public i in the window, which can speak more
articulately than a symbol like a flag.  Second, 

The proposal is restated: "any working group be allowed to put things in the
window by democratic consensus, and Space be responsible for functionality
and aesthetics (can you see in and out?)"  Russ says that this does not
solve the problem, Finance could decide to put a flag in the window.  Ellen
suggests a friendly amendment:  If the event of a concern over something
placed in the window that the steering group for resolving this concern.
Paul accepts that amendment, strongly noting that 

Pauline is still concerned that the proposal does not solve the problem.
Whenever any group tries to put up a sign that represents an entire
organization there is a risk of alienating some members.

Brian suggests that working groups only put up things that direct relate to
the business of that group at the IMC.  Paul accepts the amendment and
Pauline says it addresses her concern mostly.

New propsal: "any working group be allowed to put things in the window that
directly concern their business by democratic consensus, and Space is
responsible for functionality and aesthetics (can you see in and out?),
Steering will resolve any conflicts over things posted in the window or make
decisions about more general postings."  There are no objections, passed by
consensus.

REQUEST FROM DANIELLE C.:
That the IMC be a clearing house for information for AWARE -- a place where
people could come for information, could the IMC be a place people could
call (a phone number).  Right now the school is that place.  Ellen's concern
is practical about phone--too many people answer it to give out accurate
info.  With regard to printed matter Ellen suggests that Danielle talk to
the Librarians to locate and file this information there.  

Issue is tabled until next week with regard to the the IMC being the phone
contact for AWARE.


Adjourned at 1:15pm.