[Imc] steering group minutes 02/10/2002

[jacobs]

Steering Group Meeting Minutes
Sunday, 02/10/2002 12:10pm
Attending: Paul (facilitating), Sascha, Brian, Mike F. Mike L., Mark, Jenny, 
Avram, Brent, James (notes).

Group Reports:

Finance: There is mixed news regarding founding funders. Approximately 50% are 
about to finish or have finished their one-year commitment of funds and will 
not continue. This equates to @ $800/mo. Lost revenue. Finance and Outreach 
will work on a solution to this issue.

Librarians: Continue to work on the media archive. More books were added to 
the collection and a note was posted on the website about it. We’re still 
waiting on Zach to help with the new database for the library. It will be MUCH 
better than the current database!

Space: Progress is being made on the performance space. The dark room idea is 
gaining interest once again. The issue will be raised at the next space 
meeting.

Shows (a subset of space): Jenny reports that Eric (last name?), a local 
record producer with lots of band contact, will begin helping out with the 
booking of shows at the IMC. Thanks Eric!

Outreach: The IMC anniversary party/cabaret was well attended. Thanks everyone 
for a great first year!! Discussion will continue about the membership issue.

News: “Oil and War” show will air this Monday. There is talk of having the 
Independent Native News show (5 minutes) as part of the IMC ½ hour. WEFT 
budget committee is working on their finances with a possibility of giving 
some funds to the IMC for their work.

PublicI: The new issue is ready for delivery. Help is needed to distribute. 
There are currently 4 sponsors for underwriting of the newspaper and there is 
enough funding to produce through April or perhaps May!

Tech: The equipment policy has been approved and posted in the production 
room. Staffers be sure to read the policy and be aware of your 
responsibilities in checking out media kits TO IMC MEMBERS ONLY! Fines will be 
levied for late return of media kits. Be aware of your fellow IMCstas’ needs 
for media kits and return them ON TIME!

The first Global IMC monthly news reel has been received. Paul is looking for 
a venue to air the 30 minute video. It will be added to the library after 
viewing!

MP3 uploads ARE WORKING!

Old Business:

--WEFT/IMC benefit at the HighDive: this Saturday (February 16) from 4-10pm. A 
sliding scale donation of $5 to $15 is suggested. There are lots of bands so 
come on out and show your support for both organizations!  Jenny 
(jenny at ucimc.org) and Paul ( 
p-riism at uiuc.edu) have agreed to run the IMC information table. If anyone can 
help out, please contact them.

--Steering Group Structure: Mike L. thinks the document is fine, but had ideas 
about quorum and number of membership meetings per year. Quorum is sometimes a 
detriment to getting things done at the steering group. Speed of 
decision-making is a problem. Can structure be changed to allow for 
decision-making without quorum with the addition of some sort of recall 
structure?

Paul: there is a need for consistency of attendance from ALL working groups. 
Working group spokes should regularly attend these meetings. Quorum is 
necessary to uphold democratic decision-making structure. We should not change 
the document, but instead look for ways that quorum can be regularly attained. 
Suggestions: different days for steering group meetings, less meetings (every 
other week?). He suggests bringing this issue back to the working groups for 
discussion.

Another issue: having membership meetings twice per year is unnecessary. This 
was tabled for next week’s discussion.

--Performance space/back room: Building has begun. The sheet rock is 
installed. The door will be hung on Monday at 1pm. There is need for 
assistance in hanging the door. Please come by at 1pm. Last Saturday’s work 
party was a success. Next Saturday at 10am will be another gathering focusing 
on electrical system and taping and plastering of walls. Please contact Sascha 
if you can help out. The goal is to get the space usable by the second week in 
March!

Mike F. brought up a concern about food preparation in the space. If we do not 
have a permit, the fines for food-prep would be very steep.
Sascha: the coop has been dealing with this issue for over two years. Applying 
for a permit is a long and arduous process. There is a big gray area 
concerning organizations that do bake sales and the like. The IMC is firmly in 
this gray area because we will not actually be preparing foods, but only 
serving them/selling them.
Mike F. will look into this and get back to the steering group.

New Biz:

--equipment and security: Media kit #3 has been returned! Thank you returnee. 
Staffers need to be aware that ONLY IMC MEMBERS MAY CHECK OUT MEDIA KITS! Russ 
and Nancy will bring this message to staffers.

Safety issues: the production room door code will be changed. PLEASE DO NOT 
LOCK THE FRONT DOOR! The door cannot easily be fixed to allow those with keys 
to get in once the door is locked from the inside. If you feel uncomfortable 
working at the IMC after hours, LOCK THE PRODUCTION DOOR ONLY. Or bring a 
buddy with you. Space group will explore the front door issue, but until then, 
in the interest of everyone being able to have access to the space, please do 
not lock the front door from the inside.

--IMC Switzerland is being sued by a pro-Israeli group for publishing 
anti-Israeli stories. They want other IMCs to write letters of support ASAP. 
Paul would like some more background information before writing a letter from 
the steering group. Until then, individuals and working groups are encouraged 
to visit the site and write letters of support. This will be revisited next 
week.

--Reporting Africa Conference March 8. The organizers would like the IMC to 
co-sponsor. No objections pending more thorough information on the conference.

--Unit 1/Allen Hall residency: there was a cancellation and hence an opening 
for the IMC to step into that slot from February 25-28. The IMC will be paid 
$1000 for the week. Paul will coordinate in order to get participation on 
short notice. Ideas: working groups should hold their meetings at Allen hall 
that week. Paul will air the IMC newsreel and set up a media workstation. The 
programs run from 7pm-10 or 11pm Monday through Thursday. Programs can be any 
length. Others interested should contact Paul ASAP!!!

Agenda for next week:

--IMC phone number as hotline/contact for AWARE.
--Outreach is next facilitator

Meeting adjourned at 1:10pm.

Respectfully,

James Jacobs