November 17th SignWave/March

[Solus Hospes]

Please note, I am posting this only to prompt productive action. I thought to make it easier by starting threads in appropriate groups with proposals that need work. Anyone can help with these; please, and thank you. -M.E.

Proposed at the 11-07-11 GA:
Novemeber 17th mass eviction of OWS, do we want to help/can we help?
(There is a proposal in the box to address an event on the same day, we can make this apart of it.)


Proposal: “The Super Committee is making budget cut decisions to reduce our deficit; MoveOn is helping to coordinate OWS and other Occupy sites nation wide as well as support groups through the US for a “We are the 99%” Day on November 17th. Would we like to do an event in solidarity?”
Concerns: The call is to occupy bridges and schools to draw attention to our broken economy. MoveOn will be helping with coordinating efforts, providing media and materials and we will decide where and when and what specifically we want to say. (Maybe we should be independent and not with any group like MoveOn.) MoveOn isn’t leading this event, just helping to coordinate via e-mail and texting multiple occupy sites, unions, and other support groups to take similar actions in tandem with each other for greater impact. (Some say MoveOn is run by the establishment.) True or not, we are the ones going to be out there and we all have free will so we can make these messages what we want them to be. (No matter what party you are, or who you’re ‘with’ you can choose to support the cause or not.) Support the cause, the issue, not the group. (Ultimately the choice is ours every step of the way.)
Consensus: PASSED- Direct Action will coordinate with Education, Issues, and Media to get fact sheets on the economy, appropriate signs, a location and time. Transportation will help with making sure everyone gets there and knows where to park.

Host's (Mandy) contact Information
Your Name: Mandy Elliott
Zip:32901
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]



(the red exclamation is where we will stand, the blue car is where we'll park)
Event Information
Event Name: We are the 99%
Venue: (Fire Station #1, on Palm Bay Rd)
Date: November 17th
Start Time: 4pm - 6pm

Event Address: 2144 Palm Bay Rd Melbourne, FL
City: Melbourne
State: Florida
Zip: 32901
Phone: [phone] or Automated Call Handler [phone]

Public description of the event: We are the 99%. We are no longer blinded by the shiny bobbles of misdirection, so easily manipulated by the half-truths, or delusioned by the lies. We are Occupying schools and bridges and public service buildings on November 17th to bring attention to the specific injustices of our education system, unions, and the ample opportunities each of our communities have to not only improve, but offer jobs for those improvements which will also improve our economy. You have a voice, let's hear it.

Message to attendees: TThis is a peaceful demonstration, we ask that interested individuals maintain the peace, stay on the public walkways and keep the roads and entrances clear for traffic. Also keep an eye out for non-protesters using the sidewalks and be sure to offer them a clear path. Feel free to bring your own signs though we will be bringing extras to choose from on first-come-first-serve basis.

Fact Sheet for Event:www.lookpastit.com/OccupyMelbourneFL/WE_ARE_THE_99_PBFR_Fact_Sheets.pdf
Source sheet for the facts:www.lookpastit.com/OccupyMelbourneFL/PBFR.html

Directions to event : On Palm Bay road, east of Babcock st. Here is an satmap to help with directions:



Suggested Slogans:
Firefighters are the 99%
Emergency Responders are the 1% of Heroes
Palm Bay Firefighters = the 99%: UNDERFUNDED
When my house burned down I realized...that's what TAXES are for!
STAND UP for local Firefighters!
Save those that Save Lives!
We Need Viable Funding Solutions to Save those that Save Lives.
People over Profit - No more budget cuts for Fire and Rescue!
Tell City Council Fire Rescue is a Funding Priority!
Palm Bay: The Perfect Place to Grow Fire Rescue Funding!
Fire Rescue saves us, let's save their funding!

Related Info:

The Palm Bay Fire Department has been working with an inadequate budget for years, they need more stations and newer equipment (some are 20 years old!) to properly serve the city.

Council Members Paccione, Greene and Capote are doing the responsible thing and looking at all funding options for the city.

Nothing has been decided yet, recently presented Prelim Study Results: www.palmbayflorida.org/citycouncil/resources/documents/fire_funding_study_draft_110311.pdf)

Poorly funded Fire Rescue services will cost the city and it's residents through increased insurance premiums and legal liabilities to the city.

Palm Bay has only 5 fire stations to serve 107,000 people and 100 square miles. Compare that to Melbourne that has 8 stations for 35 square miles and 78,000 people!


(source:www.spacecoastprogressivealliance.org/joomla/local-politics/1218-palm-bay-show-support-for-responsible-funding)

(source:www.palmbayflorida.org/fire/divisions/stations.html)

(source:www.palmbayflorida.org/citymanager/budget/documents/fy11_budget.pdf)

(source:www.firehouse.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121992)


(source:www.palmbayflorida.org/citymanager/budget/index.html)

[Solus Hospes]

MrLiberty suggested Melbourne BCC campus as a 24/7 occupation site. I thought it might be worth while to test the waters during this event. If anyone has any other location suggestions, please post them here! I want to have a location picked by Tomorrow so I can spend Friday making sure of all the legalities and planning are done. I'd like to ave a final plan by the next GA.

[Solus Hospes]

This is an overview of the campus, would anyone familiar with the campus please help in finding a location we'd like to set up? I want to be able to give them details when I call. I also wont be in town on Friday and maybe through the weekend so I can't be the only one working on this I wont have my computer or my phone available most of the time.

[evanne]

Who are we wanting to show our signs to? Jack attends that campus sometimes so I know it a bit. Sorry, I missed the GA and am not quite sure what we're calling attention to at BCC Melbourne, or whose attention we want.

[Solus Hospes]

BCC is just the location we're looking at using right now. The Event itself is just to draw attention to the schools injustices and spread information about the opportunities for jobs in the same motion of improving our communities. The suggestion was to occupy schools and bridges for that reason. I thought occupying a bridge would make a lot of people uncomfortable including myself so a School seemed the better option.

Unfortunately for me, I never went to college so I've been trying to do research on the specific problems the Education system faces so we can offer those facts and possible solutions at the event to make it more coherent and definitive. Like I said though, I'm brain dead and I'm reading but the information isn't sinking in. I thought I'd yell for help, go take a break and then try again.

[James]

Not sure how I feel about this MoveOn stuff... I mean I recognize that student loan debt is a huge issue, which I think is the main focus of this thing. There is also the issue about degrees being worth less in the "job market," but I also don't know much about MoveOn and their motivations for wanting to get involved with #Occupy. Quite a few people that attend BCC, from my observation, are older people who are trying to get a degree to make more money or high school students that are dual enrolled. So, I don't know if these issues are really locally relevant.

Either way, there is a really nice field thing full of pine trees right on the corner there, and plenty of squirrels. This would probably be a good place to set up and sign-wave. ;D

[evanne]

I read on another site that the 17th was about schools and bridges that needed improvements and showing the jobs that could be created fixing them. If that is the case then that particular BCC is probably not the best place. I think there are public schools that could use the attention. Signs like "Bonuses or better classrooms?" and "Don't let big business decide when we need new textbooks!" It would be cool to reach out to a teachers union.

If it is about the student loan system then I think that looking at the other colleges that seem more like 'for-profit' colleges...like Kaiser, I guess? Are there others in the area? We would need to get on researching that hardcore. James you are right about the student body of BCC, they are definitely non-traditional students who, while they may agree with us, probably don't have the time to volunteer much. It would be a good place to flyer.

[Solus Hospes]

I did try to forewarn that I wasn't feeling like anything I was reading today was sinking in and unfortunately don't already have the knowledge I needed so thank you for that clarification. That helps a lot.

Ultimately this is our event and we can make it about what ever we want and host it where ever we want.

As yet I haven't even agreed with MoveOn because I didn't have the information they're asking for (as seen in the first post here).

On a side note: Since I feel so utterly useless today because my brain is scrambled with various issues so similar I'm going to have to step away for a while. I really, really, really appreciate your guys help.

[evanne]

I am proposing FIT as site suggesting #2.
I have heard that they are considering getting rid of the 'jungle' which I think is terrible and I think the reason was not having the money to keep it going. Brings together student loan issues with education funding issues, possibly. Also it's more in downtown Melbourne and I think would have better visibility.

[Solus Hospes]

I love the FIT suggestion! Where on the campus would we want to set up? Right outside along the road in front of their parking or somewhere else? I think if we stayed on the edge of the campus we'd be seen both by students and the public going by.

I'd like to get some more information on those three specific concerns (the jungle which I assume is the garden? the loans and education funding issues) so if anyone has knowledge and can share that would be amazing. I'm not sure where to look for this information aside from googling phrases and seeing if I can find articles and such(this is what I normally do) but since we're so short on time I thought I'd ask if anyone knows any direct resources I could tap into or if there's a way for non-students to go to the school and ask questions and get information or who they should be contacting.

To answer your questions rwparkinson Yes, at this point I like FIT over BCC for the above mentioned reasons and we haven't had other suggestions and time is important so there's all day today and tomorrow for other suggestions otherwise it will be FIT on the announcement.

The Peace Corner every friday IS still in effect and the time did change with the time change to 4pm till dark I thought but we can make sure at the GA tomorrow if it would make everyone more comfortable.

[evanne]

I think lining up with our signs along Babcock sidewalk would be the best. Can we do that without a permit like we do at the peace corner? Where are people going to park at? There is not much visitor parking at FIT. Many of the neighborhoods around there are not necessarily considered 'safe'.

Any suggestions on time to do this? It is not too poorly lit so we could even do evening...

Info about the garden from FIT: facilities.fit.edu/botanical_gardens.php
Now that I am looking for it I can't find anything about the issue of it possibly being shut down bc of budget issues. I'll keep working on that...

Tuition and fees for the upcoming year: www.fit.edu/registrar/registration/tuitionchrgs.php
Has stats on borrowing at FIT: www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg03_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=882
Info about student debt and national numbers: www.finaid.org/loans/

My brain is now fried for the day, however, can somebody else do the math?

[evanne]

For the record I also think a library would be a great target if someone knows of one that is in need of repair. Perhaps we can encourage people to take a picture of something that is part of the public infrastructure that day and send it to local govt reps with the title: "I found a job to do." or something. All about alternative actions supporting the main idea.

[evanne]

Relevant signs:

• owsposters.tumblr.com/post/11968130119/student-loans-congress-must-restore-bankruptcy
  
• owsposters.tumblr.com/post/11983118993/u-s-social-mobility-were-here-to-get-a-bigger
  
• owsposters.tumblr.com/post/11855936204/student-loan-forgiveness-think-of-the-economy-on
  
• owsposters.tumblr.com/post/11852860619/student-loan-forgiveness-a-new-g-i-bill-for-a
  
• www.flickr.com/photos/66766796@N04/6324252398/in/pool-1761451@N24/
  
• www.flickr.com/photos/66766796@N04/6283965865/sizes/m/in/pool-1761451@N24/
  
• www.flickr.com/photos/66766796@N04/6264738514/sizes/m/in/pool-1761451@N24/
  
• www.flickr.com/photos/66766796@N04/6263923209/sizes/m/in/pool-1761451@N24/
  
• www.flickr.com/photos/66766796@N04/6259841412/sizes/m/in/pool-1761451@N24/
  
• www.flickr.com/photos/66766796@N04/6259841380/sizes/m/in/pool-1761451@N24/
  
• www.flickr.com/photos/66766796@N04/6263923209/sizes/m/in/pool-1761451@N24/
  

[evanne]

This is the new action site for We Are the 99% Day: Fire Station #1, 2144 Palm Bay Rd


Parking: I am suggesting that people park in the strip mall parking just passed the fire station. I marked it on the map graphic with a white car graphic. If you'd like to frequent local businesses Chekmarc's is a restaurant that seems to have decent reviews. Maybe a good place to grab a bite before or after the 'wave'?

Getting There: The sign-wave and recommended parking are both on the south side of Palm Bay Road, east of S. Babcock.

Suggested Slogans: Firefighters are the 99%, Emergency Responders are the 1% of Heroes, Palm Bay Firefighters = the 99%: UNDERFUNDED, When my house burned down I realized...that's what TAXES are for!, STAND UP for local Firefighters!

Now I'm just waiting for the time. If I get some spare time I will scare up some relevant poster designs or make some. Please post anything we're missing so I can copypasta from this thread to make the fb invite tomorrow afternoon.

[Solus Hospes]

I updated the top of the thread with the appropriate information so anyone looking can get the right information on top and then see how we got to it. Thanks for all your help Evan, I was lost without you. Bit off more than I could chew. Thank you again.

[evanne]

Glad to be helping, but the truth is that we are only gonne get through this 'meal' if we eat it all together. Glad to have such an awesome partner in...er....awesome!

[Solus Hospes]

Also, as a side note FYI, I sent the details of this event as follows to: Fire Station 1, Melbourne City Clerk, Melbourne Sergeant in charge of Special Events, Palm Bay Deputy City Clerk to forward to appropriate channels and provide direct contact info for future events.

Aloha and good Afternoon,

As mentioned on the phone, my name is Mandy and I'm a member of the Occupy Melbourne FL movement which has been including much of Palm Bay. Here are the details of the event and the event facilitator's(me) contact information should anyone have additional questions.

Press Release: Yes, 11/15 it was sent out to 20 news outlets.
Sent this info: Fire Station 1, Melbourne City Clerk, Melbourne Sergeant in charge of Special Events, Palm Bay Deputy City Clerk to forward to appropriate channels and provide direct contact info for future events.

Here are the details:
Event Name: We are the 99%
Date: 11-17-11
Time: 4pm-6pm
Approx Attendance: Uncertain, perhaps up to 200 people
Location: In front of your firehouse (Station 1) 2144 Palm Bay Road
Map: i.imgur.com/YdLHs.jpg (The red exclamation is where we plan to stand lined up on the sidewalk, the blue car is where we plan to park.)

Public description of the event: We are the 99%. We are no longer blinded by the shiny bobbles of misdirection, so easily manipulated by the half-truths, or delusioned by the lies. We are Occupying schools, bridges and public service buildings on November 17th to bring attention to the specific injustices of our education system, unions, service buildings and workers and the ample opportunities each of our communities have to not only improve, but offer jobs for those improvements which will also improve our economy. You have a voice, let's hear it.

Message to attendees: This is a peaceful demonstration, we ask that interested individuals maintain the peace, stay on the public walkways and keep the roads and entrances clear for traffic. Also keep an eye out for non-protesters using the sidewalks and be sure to offer them a clear path. Feel free to bring your own signs though we will be bringing extras to choose from on first-come-first-serve basis.

Facebook Event Invite: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=308844915809675
(Feel free to pass this around and invite friends and family to join us. This is a cause for the whole community.)

Facilitator: Mandy Elliott
Facilitator contact: [e-mail] or 407-952-6520
Our website: www.occupymelbournefl.wordpress.com

Cheers,

M.E.

[Solus Hospes]

I'm trying to make up a flyer for this event that can double as a fact sheet but I'm having trouble getting my thoughts in order today. For my benefit and those who might also be working on this, these are the facts I am trying to cover. I will update this post as I get the information and sources.

Palm Bay Fire Rescue home page: www.palmbayflorida.org/fire/index.html



Population of Palm Bay: 107,000
(Source:www.palmbayflorida.org/about/dem_aag.pdf)

Size of Palm Bay: 98 square miles
(Source:www.palmbayflorida.org/about/dem_aag.pdf)

# of fire stations: 5
(Source:www.palmbayflorida.org/fire/divisions/stations.html)

Service Population per station:(if split evenly) 21,400
(Source:doing the math)

Average response time per station? (Cannot find on the internet, called Emergency Services and spoke to Wyn who is sending my request for this information to her supervisor to try and obtain this information for us before tomorrow. On the budget report below there is an indication of response times under 6 minutes being 86% but I'm not sure if I'm reading that report right.)
(Source:.)

Reported incidents responded to in 2010: 10,975. (30 average incidents per day; 2 Service Workers injured, 3 Civilians injured, 0 deaths; $32,949,109 in property saved!)
(Source:www.palmbayflorida.org/fire/resources/stats.html)
(Source:www.palmbayflorida.org/fire/resources/documents/stat_2010frstatbrochure.pdf)

Budget allocated to Palm Bay Fire Rescue (PFR):
(Source:www.palmbayflorida.org/citymanager/budget/departments/documents/fire_budget.pdf)

Who is responsible for PBFR Budget and funding?
(Source:.)

How does this compare with Melbourne, FL?Melbourne has 8 stations servicing 78,427 people (split evenly: 9,803 people per station) reporting an average of 13,000 incidents a year (13,887 in 2010, This is an average of 38 requests for service each day) with response times averaging 4 minutes or less saving $153,981,850 in property.
(Source:www.melbourneflorida.org/fire/)
(Source:www.melbourneflorida.org/fire/annual/fireannualreport.pdf)
(Source:www.melbourneflorida.org/fire/stations.htm)


How does this compare with other cities in FL?

Additional Sources
www.palmbayflorida.org/fire/about/documents/strategic_plan.pdf
www.esri.com/library/whitepapers/pdfs/gis-for-fire.pdf

[Solus Hospes]

I just got off the phone with a Union Rep with the Fire Department who had some very interesting information to share. (i.e. Despite population booms, Palm Bay hasn't had any additional fire stations added since 1999. Some stations have been shut down for being in bad repair -mold, leaks, sewer back-ups, etc. They are borrowing a truck from the county just to try to be prepared, etc) I'm going to try and meet with him tomorrow morning to review my notes and verify the information before I put it on a flyer.

Additionally I'm trying to meet with one of the Assistant Fire Chiefs to verify the numbers so no one can accuse the Union of providing bad intel.

It's with the that in mind I'd like us (Occupy Melbourne FL) to take an active interest in following the funding issue. I don't mind taking point on it as I now have a fire under my butt because of these injustices.

For now though, I need a break.

[evanne]

This is firefighter pay:


Source: open.palmbayflorida.org/salaries/payroll/ShowPayrollTable.aspx
Downloaded info here:
docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ath0zbLJokK7dDBqX2d1WDJQRkxzMVhLMzhqQnVGVlE

[Solus Hospes]

I didn't want to make the fact sheet too long so this is what I have so far. I'm going to print it and bring it since I'm short on time and any adjustments or suggestions we want to make can be made later and implemented at future events. (I do want to do future events to follow-up on this and their funding issues.)

www.lookpastit.com/OccupyMelbourneFL/WE_ARE_THE_99_PBFR_Fact_Sheets.pdf

[Solus Hospes]

Happy to report success! About 16 people attended and a photographer from Florida Today took picture proof! A lot of support from the community and some signature smiles from the Firemen. A lot of good discussions went on and some interesting ideas were presented. We'll be making threads later to bring them to you.

This weekend I'll be going to local stores and shops around the fire stations neighborhoods and see if they will post the fact sheets we have left over in their stores to help keep this idea going. Additionally, I'll be following the funding issue as close as I can to keep us up to date and think how else/more we can get involved. I've been in contact with one of their Union reps and we're trying to work around our schedules to meet up and talk more in depth. Get to know the Firefighter's side of all this.

Anyhow, that's my update and my special thanks to everyone who came out and everyone who supported us. Peace, love and Jazz.

[evanne]

The photog said he didn't expect the story to run today.