11-28-2011 GA Minutes

[Solus Hospes]

First and foremost I apologize for the delay. Helping to get our visiting OWS Musician settled for the night and plans to assist his travel to Saint Augustine tomorrow (11-29) and anyone who might be able to help with that is urged to call Gio at 305-338-2489 as soon as possible. Barring other offers, he will be left at the rest stop on I-95 just south of Malabar rd just after 8am on 11-29 where he'll be looking for a ride up I-95 to Saint Augustine.

Additionally, I'd like to apologize if I missed anyone's comments. The GA was a little different and I was the only minute taker so I tried to type as fast as I could and remember as much as I could to include it all. If I missed anything you feel is vital, please message me and I'll update right away.

www.occupymelbournefl.wordpress.com (website- for static info)
www.occupymelbournefl.proboards.com (forum-for discussions)
www.facebook.com/groups/occupymelbournefl (FB group page-for sharing)

Occupy Melbourne 11-28-11 GA Minutes
“Occupy Melbourne Florida’s (OMF) eighth General Assembly met successfully, with twenty to twenty-five people in attendance, on November 28th at 7pm at the Sun Shoppe and Cafe in downtown Melbourne. An anonymous donation has given OMF the domain www.occupymelbournefl.org and the webteam is working to get a table of contents to our established website, forum and facebook available in the next day or so. Volunteers signed up to start facebooking our politicians on issues that affect The People, To write Newt Gingrich for his insulting remark about occupiers needing to ‘get a job right after they take a shower’ and even add a new page to our site to include foreclosure facts and resources. Open Floor discussions gave way to testing a Peoples Mic or Soap Box before next weeks GA from 6pm till 7pm so interested individuals can share and discuss their opinions and ideas openly.”

Date: 11-28-11
Time: 7pm-9pm
Location: The Sun Shoppe Café (540 E New Haven –aka 192- in Downtown Melbourne, FL)
Facilitator: Randy-THANK YOU!
Minute Takers: 1 (Mandy)-THANK YOU!
Moderators: 2 (James and Gary)-THANK YOU!
Attendance: 20-25

Introduction to the GA: [7:15pm-7:45pm]
(Review of the GA process -see hand out, select minute takers and moderators)


General Announcements

• Occupy Teleconference Flyer handout (www.lookpastit.com/OccupyMelbourneFL/OccupyTeleconferenceFlyer.pdf)
  
• Gio Andollo from Occupy Wallstreet came to play music for us before and after our GA. If you’d like to see Gio in your Occupation site, buy his CD or say hello, please call (305-338-2489)or e-mail ([e-mail]) him.
  
• Occupy Congress in DC from Dec 5 to the 9th say they have plans/hopes to have a tent for every state and working on bussing some people in. (www.peoplesworld.org/occupy-congress-to-feature-tent-city-of-the-unemployed-in-d-c/)
  
• James is starting an online and physical library to encourage education and share knowledge; he’d like anyone with anything to contribute to get in touch with him through the forum (occupymelbournefl.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=mediateam&action=display&thread=124)
  
• I’m surprised more people aren’t tuning into youtube (I do a video every day). We might want to utilize youtube and share our videos and channels to open communication more.
  
• We need to convert ideas into action through our proposal system but thank you for that idea.
  

Local Occupy Updates:

• The Peoples Convention of Florida hosted by Occupy Orlando has some new information to report. The working group hashing out the details for the convention beginning December 9th and running through the 11th has been working on getting a conference room at the Double Tree across the street from their 24/7 site which would allow visitors to book a room or just stay on site. It would also allow for wifi access to update those who can’t attend and outlets to charge batteries.
  
• The current idea is for visitors to arrive on the 9th, for proposals to be drafted and discussed on the 10th and refined and approved on the 11th. There will be a GA to propose/approve issues that we agree to advocate for. They'd also like to deliver it directly to Speaker of the House Dean Cannon, there in Orlando before the trip to the capitol.
  
• Their food team is attempting to be able to provide lunches during the convention but donations and anything we can bring would of course be appreciated and helpful! For more, go to: www.occupyorlando.org
  
• Occupy Space Coast is holding their General Assembly tomorrow, Tuesday 11-29-11 at Cafe Unique (607 Florida Aveue Cocoa, FL 32922) starting at 6pm. (Here is a copy of their last weeks minutes:docs.google.com/open?id=0B9baMe91PSaaYWFjZjBjYjUtZjEwNi00ZWE2LWE1NGMtYWQyNTViZjJiYTY3 )
  
• Occupy Space Coast will also have their “1st and 3rd Saturdays” Sign Wave changed to Sunday December 4rd on the corner of SR 520 and Courtenay Pkwy. (Bank of America corner) on Merritt Island from 11am till 2pm due to a Parade on the Saturday. So again, the sign wave is shifted to Sunday! For more info visit: www.occupyspacecoast.com
  
• Occupy Tampa is organizing the liberation of public spaces starting December 1st with the occupation of Curtis Hixon Park (located at 600 N. Ashley Street Tampa FL). Free street parking is available on weekends and after 6:00pm, and there are parking garages adjacent to Curtis Hixon Park to the north and south. They have a schedule for the things that will be going on at camp. For more information please visit their event page: www.facebook.com/events/181594891931916/

Working Group Reports/Updates:
Direct Action:

• Successful Black Friday March with a dozen marching, a couple holding down the park and a couple more driving our media team ahead and preparing water stops. We spoke to many local business owners, shopped with cash, spoke to other customers and spread awareness all day long.
  
• We learned a lot during the March Event and are applying those lessons for future planning of future events.
  
• We will be hosting our usual Peace Corner Friday event this Friday December 2nd at 4pm until dark and hope to see everyone there. Any ideas for sprucing up the event are welcome! Please e-mail us at [e-mail]
  
• Marches are less plausible for our future and our group and we’d like to look at doing food drives and teach-ins during and at collection sites throughout our area consecutively and during scheduled times. We could use this as an opportunity to educate and help the public so if anyone would like to join in and contribute ideas on that please contact that direct action team.

Issues:

• New Facilitator, Ron! Welcome and thank you! Going to be working on a process for facebooking politicians as passed in a prior GA and seeking more volunteers in this one (check proposals).

Legal:

• Been tracking the Commissioners meetings and agenda to look for any other updates on Policy BCC 54 and 55 that we protested on October 15th and nothing new has come up nor any additional points of concern.
  
• For any interested in attending their meetings anyway (a good way to get educated on the system and some of the thing they’re dealing with making decisions on) the next meeting is Tomorrow November 29th at 9am at the Government Center Commission Room, Building C 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way Viera, Florida

Materials:

• New members! Thank you for those who volunteered to pitch in. The Facilitator will be working with the new members to arrange some sign making parties in the near future and double as an opportunity for us to get to know one another and discuss the issues that concern us. Anyone will be welcome and details will follow once we get them worked out.

Media:

• Pictures of Black Friday March are now available under the thread on our message board here: occupymelbournefl.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=directaction&thread=89
  
• Working with the web-team on new website for one location for all visitors to filter to where we post our info, more updates in web updates below:
  
• Working on general Occupy Movement pamphlet for Melbourne, will have prelim available for approval next GA.

PeaceKeepers:

• Making adjustable arm bands for members to wear during events.
  
• Finalizing action plans, guidelines and such for PeaceKeeper Conduct for events and such.

Web:

• We’ve been donated the domain name www.occupymelbournefl.org and are working on setting it up to include links to the wordpress website, the forum, and the facebook group page so we can offer this one link to anyone interested and they can decided their level of interest and where they want to look.
  
• For example, when someone goes to this web address they will see a page with our mission statement. On the left there will be four links, WEBSITE, FORUM, FACEBOOK, and CONTACT. When the visitor clicks on one of the first three they will view a brief summary of what can be found there and offering that if that was the information the visitor was looking for to click through to that site.
  
• This way we can continue doing what we’re doing but have that ONE location to direct people, www.occupymelbournefl.org We will send out an e-mail to those signed up for updates once it’s up and running.
  
• Suggestions welcome, please e-mail [e-mail]

Facilitator then asked a question: "In a few words, short sentences; What are you here for? Specific to this meeting, the GA's I mean... "

• I want to know how to vent my frustration through action. I come here to hope to hear about events we can participate in.
  
• I came to be a part of a community of people, each of actively working to make change in the world.
  
• To build a community of global changes from the ground up.
  
• The same as above. I’m also trying to see what other people think about and see how we are going to deal with our constitutional crisis and if we’re going to make up a new amendment to fix the way our government doesn’t work.
  
• I’m here because I want to take out business back from big business through political action.
  
• I want competing currency. I want your neighbor to mean more than what the dollar is. What is the meaning of the word dollar? Everyone looks at me like I’m crazy. Ask yourself what is the true definition of the word dollar.
  
• I’m here tonight because I notice facebook has a lot of congressmen and politicians and they don’t understand/care or want occupy to be here. I want to organize a group that will go to those politicians locally a few minutes to contact them about issues that effect us.
  
• Veterans for Peace Chapter 136 in central FL (Need additional references-?) So far what everyone has said is agreeable. The corruption of the politicians and corporations that don’t care about the people. That’s why I’m here.
  
• I just want to send a message to all politicians that we’re not happy with the status quo.
  
• Foreclosure defense activist who’d like to help people to the extent I can in regards to foreclosures. I’d like to see this group stay relevant and that’s why I’m here. You seem to be doing alright so far from what I can see.
  
• I'm traveling to other occupation sites playing music to be among like minded people.
  
• Looking for a group of people who are interested in ending the Federal Reserve. If we’re not here to do that than what are we really here for? It’s not just wallstreet it’s a lot more than that. I want out liberties restored and I think Ron Paul has the right idea.
  
• I’m tired of the corruption and no matter who you vote for they always represent the special interests that pay for them. We need to get rid of the fed and our nation will be strong again.
  
• I’m here to change the world and have been waiting for this to happen since I was 18. I agree and I think politics are corrupt and business is corrupt and I think it’s a cultural problem. A system of corruption; it’s taught to us in our education system and media. I’m tired of being abused and exploited.
  
• I’m a part of a spiritual awaking that realizes the government is deriving their power from public consent and the moment we stop giving it is the moment they stop having it.
  
• I was a teenager and took part in civil rights in Alabama and Mississippi and put in jail for doing this same thing. Our rights are being eroded and eliminated and our children aren’t learning these things. We need to talk to the people and remind them of their rights to speak up and protest these things. We got to just band together and make people more aware.
  
• I’m here because I want to do whatever I can do for myself and my future grand-kids so that we can have an environment that gives our society a chance and not some weird sci-fi smog city.
  
• What he said.
  
• People have come here to share and collaborate our ideas and our common goals into actions. We need to make actions that get attention and make changes. I’m hoping that in our future meetings we get closer to these personal goals.
  
• When we post events and things happening, take a personal direct action to take thirty seconds and share that information and invite more participation.
  
• I’ve been coming here since we first came together and I’ve seen various people coming in with different information and articles to share. What Randy is up here asking, we need to ask every night because this is giving us excitement.

Old Business [7:45pm-7:55pm]
Old Proposals:Passed last GA was a DA to coordinate and plan a showing of “THRIVE” in the future. We implemented new Volunteer Worksheets to help facilitators help those willing to help out…help. And finally, we moved announcements to the beginning.

1. Tabled last meeting: “We should make professional signs and t-shirts so we are easily recognized and professional manner.”
a. Still researching the costs and possible funding and benefit analysis in Materials, anyone is still welcome to do this on their own. Originator of this proposal was not in attendance to add.

2. Tabled last meeting: “Training class from Socionet.us”
a. Consensus was to allow people time to research the hand out and idea behind sociocracy, dynamic government and occupy. (What say the people now?) The gentleman who first proposed this was not in attendance to filter questions so it was kept on the table. Again, here is the flyer offered by the writer of the proposal: Occupy Teleconference Flyer handout (www.lookpastit.com/OccupyMelbourneFL/OccupyTeleconferenceFlyer.pdf)

New Business [7:55pm-8:34pm]
Proposal: “Volunteer to Facebook Politicians within the Issues Group”
Concerns:: I’d like to get at least 5 people and their e-mail addresses who are willing to do this so we can get started on this with some uniformity. 10-30 minutes a week or so. Hopefully we can get this idea to expand outside this group.

• Does that include state reps? (Absolutely)
  
• I’ve written to governors both past and present and senators in both party’s on many issues even before occupy for many years so I know how politicians are. It’s going to be a waste of time. They are bought and paid for by lobbyists. You need to write these people to tell them to resign or be impeached. We can do that, it is in our constitution and laws that we can do that. Politicians lie, we’ve seen it, I’ve seen it every election. Specifics offered about Specific politicians and asked to stop for point of process back to this proposal.

Consensus: PASSED- Chris from the ACLU offered a brochure of our reps to anyone interested in getting involved in this and a sign-up sheet was passed around. (six volunteers, please expect to be contacted in the near future regarding this and thank you so much for volunteering!)

Proposal: “to call out Newt Gingrich for his statement about occupy protesters needing ‘a job right after they take a shower’”
Concerns: : I just found his statement outrageous. To tell someone to get a job. Why not tell someone with cancer to go run a marathon and I was insulted. I imagined anyone unemployed would feel that insult as well. I’ve written a letter (www.lookpastit.com/OccupyMelbourneFL/GetPerspectiveLetterbySteven.pdf) to explain my offense and included my resume and I’d like others to do the same. I’d like it if people could just send him a letter to the address provided which is for their contributions. They’d have to be opened, every single one of them because they might have a check or money in it.

• I would suggest posting this on the forum and draft a letter people can copy and paste
  
• When we write this guy, realize this guy left his third wife while she was being treated for cancer.
  
• This is like them saying “The people are hungry give them bread, let them eat cake.”
  
• Question in regards to who works on making proposals that pass actually happen? (Both work groups and individuals depending on what the proposal calls for. This one would require individuals to either write their own letter or copy parts of Stevens and mail them with their resume’s to: Newt Gingrich Presidential Headquarters PO Box 550769 Atlanta, GA 30355)
  
• There was a comment that Bill O'Riley made that the banks haven’t committed any crimes and that’s why they weren’t arrested but the occupiers have.

Consensus: PASSED- Interested individuals may post their letters or read other individuals letters here: occupymelbournefl.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=politics&thread=128

Proposal: “Educate people to know why Foreclosures are unlawful by adding a page to the website for foreclosure resource links.”
Concerns: Millions of people are losing their home and we can take a collective action to offer a space on our website for resources to this effect.

• Just briefly, I want to add that foreclosures are unlawful because the bank never signs the contract. There’s no contract on a mortgage. The person that thinks that they are borrowing money from a bank is really offering a negotiable instrument for the banks to play with. They are unlawful under common law. We can educate people by offering resources online so people can learn at their own paces.
  
• As a point of interests, the web team is soliciting such resources as this.
  
• Admiralty law(?) rather than common law within courts as noted by the Admirals fringe on their flags.
  
• It’s important that we understand that courts only have power over the Stawman. What are the strawmen? Your name in capitols. We have ways and resources to educate and offer processes on how to take actions against these unlawful deeds.
  
• Would the resources cited represent actual facts, as opposed to just the gold fringe on the flags within the courts, and verifiable through acceptable sources? (Yes)
  
• Maybe we should have a teach-in to offer this knowledge in a clear and concise manner with interactive?
  
• So are we trying to form a working group to educate or just to add a link to the website for resources? (A subpage on the website to offer these links.)
  
• We can offer these types of suggestions to the working groups rather than as a proposal because we don’t necessarily need approval from the group to offer resources (a page of links) regarding foreclosures and their unlawfulness.

Consensus: PASSED- Web team will work on this and legal for lawful clarifications.

Proposal: “Helping with events: Have designated locations for protesting in large numbers”
Concerns:We need large numbers to make more awareness to the seriousness of the situations we’re planning events for.

• This is why I came down here. I could go on for hours. I’m here to help and form some kind of strategy to offer large scale events. It’s out on the streets we have to go; out there, not in here. Free speech zones, member lists, how do you get people out on the streets, what are your processes? I’m here to help and this is what I’d like to help with say once a week or twice a month; to help coordinate events like this. (We have a direct action team, so please join us if you’d like to help us with these things.)
  
• I like that idea and I know I’ve spoken of it before. I know I’ve suggested having our GA at a park because people come in and actually talk to you. An event at the park gives people the freedom and comfort to ask and join in right then. When you’re waving in corner people just drive by, in a business they mind their business, but in a park they come and ask questions and socialize with you so I think that would be a great idea.
  
• So what you’re proposing is just coming to help us collaboratively from Occupy Orlando to make events so we don’t really need to vote on this. Please join our DA and coordinate that way, we look forward to the ideas and input you could offer from experience in Orlando!

Consensus: Not voted, anyone interested in helping with coordinating events, please join the Direct Action work group on the forum or by e-mail [e-mail]

Proposal: “People are grandstanding in the GA, we’re not here to lecture each other so I propose that in OWS that we define Point of Interest as a fact to add and point of clarification as a question for clarification on the proposal –check the form handed out with process hand signals-”
Concerns:GA’s are not for discussions, GA’s are for getting information out, proposals posed for group consent. Please share your ideas and discussions outside before, after, or during the recess and not at the GA. Point of Interest relates to a fact, point of clarification relates to a question that will clarify the proposal. Neither of them include your opinion and these discussions are why the GA takes so long some times.

• Clarifying the how: When people have strong opinions, we should just direct them to the appropriate places in the forums. (The reason we have a recess so that any strong opinions to proposals being offered can discuss them then with the writer of the proposal to seek compromise and resolution and then readdress the proposal when we come back)
  
• You have to cut people a little bit of slack. Maybe once we’ve solved a lot of the world’s problems we might be able to consider something so defined but I think we need these discussions and voicing our opinions.
  
• OWS also has people’s mic and soap-boxes to allow people to say their piece.
  
• In the last two months it seems we spend a ton of time on stuff we want to do but this is the most I’ve seen the blood running in here. It’s good.
  
• Yes, but I don’t want to hear people ranting about their opinion on issues the whole time.
  
• We have already approved this GA process. We’re all here for the same reason so lets’ get to the action.
  
• I wanted to make the comment that we passed very quickly three proposals and this one we have a bit of conflict so we might not be ready for it.
  
• This was already passed in another GA. It’s more of a reminder that we should try to be mindful of our process and limit our input to the proposal and facts to support or questions to clarify and if you just flat disagree you can say so and ask for a specific thing to amend the proposal and if the individual who wrote it agrees so be it. If not, it can be tabled until recess where you can discuss it and hopefully come to terms.

Consensus: No vote, talk of GA Process training video or teach-in.

Proposal: “Provide financial assistance to have a volunteer go to an alternate energy class offered by BCC so they can teach the rest of us how to go off grid. ”
Concerns: BCC is having a class next semester on Wednesdays to teach people about alternative energy. This proposal is to see if we want to get one person into that class so they can teach us about that information later for our own homes and potential occupation site. We can work together to do that sort of thing.

• Do they teach these alternative technologies? (The synopsis says methods, technology, soldering, installation, etc. Basically from theory to putting the wires together.)
  
• How much does it cost( $300)
  
• Do they have to be a registered student at BCC? (No, not a credited course)
  
• Can we send out a notice to ask if someone would be able/willing to offer this knowledge to us for free before we try to vote on spending money on it?
  
• James has a card of someone who was on the bike ride on Black Friday and he will offer that information to the Work Group who will work on this.

Consensus: TABLED- no clear majority, will discuss at recess with those who disagree.

Recess [15 min]

New Business cont. [8:49pm-8:51pm]
Proposal: “Provide financial assistance to have a volunteer go to an alt energy class so they can teach the rest of us how to go off grid.”
Amendments: The start up cost of doing it (going off grid) to someone’s house is like 40K and the individual who wrote the proposal withdrew until he gets more information about the plausibility and practicality of setting up a house for alternative energy.
Consensus: Not needed, proposal withdrawn pending more research.

Open Floor [8:51pm-8:58pm]

• The other groups have an open mic so we should be able to do that. (We don’t have enough time most often so that’s why we’d like people to collect before, after and then during recess)
  
• If you could maybe do for a 30 min before the meeting to train or explain the process to the facilitators, to choose the individuals before the GA so that people have the knowledge of the process before getting started, that might help it move more effectively.
  
• Every person who’s been a facilitator has done a great job and I think we should have an established person so we’re doing it the same way all the time and people can be familiar with what we’re doing.
  
• Facilitators are supposed to be impartial so they don’t participate just mediate and coordinate… maybe the individual doing it might want to participate which is why we ask for new volunteers every time.
  
• We can set a specific time before the GA for an open mic so people can do that then and get discussions going before the GA, say from like 6pm till 7pm…
  
• The group disbanded to one on one conversation.

Conclusion [8:58pm-9:00pm]

• Thank the Host!
  
• Clean-up after ourselves.
  

[gm0ney]

Thanks Mandy, for all the hard work you do. I can't express just how much we appreciate it.

[rwlangbe]

"Thanks Mandy, for all the hard work you do. I can't express just how much we appreciate it." - Exactly what he said. Thank you.

[Solus Hospes]

You're all very welcome. I'm glad to be able to contribute something to this cause. Thank you for showing appreciation, its like icing on the cake.