[Imc-web] STEERING Minutes, June 2009

[Stephen Fonzo]

*IMC Steering Meeting, 6/4/09*
Hosting Group: None
Facilitator: Nicole Pion
Note-taker: Stephen Fonzo

*Present:*
Ed Hawkes, Larry Keller - SHOWS
William Mullins - BOOKS TO PRISONERS
Tom Garza, Andrew O Baoill - WRFU
Stephen Fonzo - PRODUCTION & VISTA
Nicole Pion - VISTA
Jason Keist - PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
Joy Davis, Jason Turner, Michelle Shumate - FINANCE
Josh King - TECH & WEB
Bob Illyes, Niloofar Shambayati, Glynn Davis, Brian Dolinar - PRINT
Chera Kowalski - LIBRARIANS
Beth Simpson - COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
Chris Hampson - MURALIST & TENANT

*TOPICS:
*
I. Chris Hampson, IMC Muralist (Summer 2009), presented plans for signage
and building ornamentation.
--- Sign on front of building: large letters (I, M, C) cut from wood and
arranged vertically along the north edge of the west facade; light will
project onto these at night.
--- Birds: Extending Chris Evans' design, birds of varying sizes will be cut
from wood, and IMC members and volunteers will have the option of painting
these however they would like before they are mounted to the east and north
faces of the building.
--- Movie Projection Screen: along the south exterior wall of the Sun Room
there will be mounted 2x4 pieces of wood, on which will be stretched a sheet
or large wood surface for projecting films (Bike-In Movie Nights) in the
alley behind the IMC.
--- Concrete Retaining Wall Painting and Wind Chimes: A mural will be
painted on the east-side concrete retaining wall, and along the metal rails
will be mounted metal pipes to create a series of wind chimes.

Discussion:
--- Does City approve these types of improvements?
------ 1) The signs are made on wood panels, so they may be removed or
repaired, and do not alter the historic character of the building.
------ 2) Chris H. is getting permits completed.
--- Will these projects dominate Chris Hampson's summer work tasks?
------ 1) Yes - these projects will together take all summer, and may
require assistance from IMC members.
--- What will the volume of the wind chimes be?
------ 1) We will have to hear, once they are installed; if a nuissance,
they can be changed or removed.
--- Will the chimes hit nearby parked cars?
------ 1) They will be sut short enough that this does not occur.
--- What will the cost be to the IMC of these projects?
------ 1) Free, with exception of any tools not already owned by IMC.
Materials will be scavenged, and wood is already plentiful in the building.

Support and consensus were expressed by all in attendance after this
discussion.

II. Graduation Party and Art Show (Saturday, 6/6/09 2-6pm) requested to
serve alcohol for private event, no sales, no underage - approved by
Steering.

III. Nicole Pion presented a sign-up sheet for all working groups to host
Steering for one month in the next year.  Please note the date for your
working group and be aware of the following responsibilities: a)
facilitator; b) note-taker; c) gather working group updates in advance of
the meeting; d) create the agenda and post to the mailing lists in advance
of the meeting.

2009
July 2: Librarians
Aug 6: Print
Sept 3: Finance
Oct 1: WRFU
Nov 5: Production
Dec 3: Shows
2010
Jan 7: Books to Prisoners
March 4: Community Connections
April 1: Open
May 6: Open

IV. Financial Picture of the IMC - Presented by Finance Group.  Included
working group balances.
--- All but 3 rooms are now leased.
--- There is now a projected profit for 2009.
--- Production balance still needs correction.
--- Steering discussed the possibility of exploring more grant
opportunities, such as capital and environmental grants (potentially for
heating/AC renovations), and grants already in progress.  It is important
for working groups to explore their own grant opprtunities, too.

V. Draw Down the Debt Campaign - tabled for future discussion.

VI. Membership Drive
--- Membership is at an all-time low, in large part because volunteers are
not submitting membership forms, paying annual dues, or renewing their
inactive memberships.
--- Nicole will soon begin the Membership Drive to build and organize a more
consistent membership base, which helps everyone at the IMC by increasing
volunteerism, income, grants, and activities and events.
--- Andrew explained that WRFU's Membership is renewed and updated annually
during September, which will also build IMC membership since WRFU members
must join the IMC.
--- IMC presence at Farmer's Market(s) and local festivals is needed.  This
is not a staff or VISTA duty, but something that requires anyone's and
everyone's help.

VII. IMC Beyond Business Meeting
--- The first meeting took place last week, to discuss vision and ideas,
open houses and skillshares, and was a great success.
--- There will be another, Wednedsay, 6/10 @ 6pm with food.  Please RSVP the
Community Connections group (community at lists.chambana.net) if you plan to
attend and eat.

VIII. Indy Media and Arts Lab Summer Program update, presented by Jason
Keist.
--- Jason has been organizing a summer program, described here:
The IndyMedia and Arts Lab is a dynamic space where youth receive
individualized attention from top local artistic talent producing works in
instrumentation, audio/radio production, painting, poetry, and horticulture.
This summer program will serve 45 people with low-incomes in Urbana and
Champaign, including youth, their caregivers, and artists/educators.  This
program aims to fill the gap in services to area youth left by the
dissolving of the Urbana Boys & Girls Club (Lakeside Terrace), and the Urban
League.
--- Jason distributed program outlines to Steering for discussion.
--- The IMC will likely be funded $7000 for this project, meaning that the
program may have to scale down to 20 youth.

IX. How to Deal with Loitering and Behavior that Opposes IMC Mission and
Ethics
--- The group agreed that alcohol is absolutely not permitted for public use
in the building unless Steering approval has been granted.  Visitors
drinking in the building without approval will be asked to leave.
--- The group agreed that sleeping over night in the building is also not
permitted.
--- The group agreed that the last KEY HOLDER to leave should clear out the
building and lock it, if it is open and in use by others at the time.
--- The group agreed that there should be a longer emergency contact list,
and that no individual should feel they cannot respond to threatening
behavior by visitors or other members - calling emergency contacts, asking
people to leave, and calling police are all acceptable responses, up to the
judgment of each person.
--- The group agreed to table further discussion about the specific language
that we should use in writing or in person to deal with other unwelcome
behaviors, not listed above.

X. IMC Open Houses
--- There is a proposal from Community Connections and Librarians that the
IMC hold quarterly open houses, to welcome and introduce new volunteers,
staff, and visitors.
--- Representatives from every working group should attend these open
houses.
--- The first is scheduled for a Saturday TBA; please respond with dates of
interest.

XI. Facilitation Training
--- Community Connections has proposed offering training sessions on how to
facilitate meetings, and many at Steering have expressed interest in this
training.
--- Sessions would take 1-3 hours.
--- The first is being tentatively discussed as occurring in the late
summer, early fall, though there may need to be one in the summer to orient
new Consortium employees.

XII. Summer Skillshare
--- Librarians have planned regular Skillshares for the IMC.  These will be
day-events in which IMC members come to teach others about their own areas
of expertise and to learn from others.
--- The last and culminating Skillshare is scheduled for 8/29.
--- There will be mini-workshops offered by every working group, on
different topics.
--- Steering agreed that rent will not be required to host and reserve this
event; donations will be acceptable.
--- Shows and Finance need to clarify the process of using the main space
for events and programs hosted by IMC working groups; there is not a
consistent policy.
--- Community Connections and Librarians would like to reserve a regular
Saturday spot, just for the summer, with the 8/29 event being the last.
--- These would occur mid-day and will not conflict with Shows.

XIII. WRFU/Production Disputed Expenses
--- Production and WRFU presented an explanation of the miscommunications
that led to the groups being asked to pay for charges that were purchased in
2007 without Steering or WRFU approval (Production did not exist and could
not approve purchases).  Last month's Steering meeting resulted in a flawed
decision to authorize these charges to WRFU and Production, due to
incomplete information provided to Steering attendees and WRFU members.
WRFU challenged the decision, bringing it to this month's Steering for
reconsideration.
--- Production and WRFU proposed that funds come from money generated by the
2009 IMC Fest, since these were not allocated to any working group and the
expenses rightly ought to be charged to either the individuals who made
purchases or to Gen Ops.  Gen Ops is preferable, since the money did pay for
equipment still being used by multiple groups and members.
--- Steering agreed that the funds should come from IMC Fest funds.

XIV. Broken Front Door
--- A final estimate is needed on what it will cost to replace the glass in
the broken vestibule door.
--- There was consensus to replace the glass.

XV. Media Training Advisor position
--- Stephen Fonzo's year of VISTA service ends July 11.
--- The IMC recruited and hired a new Media Training Advisor, submitting
final paperwork on the date of the deadline (May 15) to CTC VISTA.
--- CTC VISTA accepted more positions than it could fund, and informed the
IMC that its application arrived 3 hours after all positions had been
filled.
--- The IMC will not be funded a Media Training Advisor, and it seems there
is little that CTC VISTA can do to fix this problem, whether or not the IMC
responds officially (which it has not done yet).

Discussion:
--- The importance of this position for program development, capacity
building, WRFU, Production, and staff requires the IMC to consider other
ways to fund it:
------ State AmeriCorps
------ Fundraising
------ University internships
--- There will need to be continued brainstorming at future meetings, to
attempt to maintain someone as a Media Training Advisor.

*Next Meeting: Thursday, July 2nd @ 8PM.  Host: LIBRARIANS.*

*
*Suggestion:  Steering minutes like these are long and complicated.  Perhaps
each topic should be sent as its own discussion thread over mailing lists.
Otherwise important topics get lost in formal reports.

-- 
Stephen Fonzo
Media Training Advisor
AmeriCorps CTC VISTA
Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.chambana.net/mailman/archive/imc-web/attachments/20090609/b29ac842/attachment.html