GA Minutes, Nov 15, 2011
Post date: Nov 16, 2011 11:59:42 PM
GA minutes 11/15
Thank you to the people who braved the tornado last night!
Upcoming Local Events:
Rally in Mayville at the county office building to help save the county home 11/16 at 5:15 p.m.
Health Department hearing in Mayville at the county office building 11/17 at 5:30 p.m.to vote on whether to uphold the new goals in the county for hydrofracking. Fight for our water! Car pooling available from Matt or Jake.
Upcoming national event: March 30th – massive global revolution day in Washington D.C.
Discussion: If the purpose of being here in Occupy is to be visible, we need to remain visible. Proposed the following:-
Occupy Fredonia Installation: Everyone writes their names on a stone; we put them in a collective place – discussed, tabled.
Discuss community building at post-occupation GA as part of continuation of movement – passed.
Create a window poster/flyer of a flame with “Occupy Fredonia” image to put in windows around the community to show continuing support of the movement. Barb volunteered to design and distribute a jpeg for the group. Passed.
Discussion: Occupy Fredonia will continue in a different format with events planned throughout the community. Ideas discussed:
“Occupy Fredonia” speakers’ bureau – make available to area classes.
Sponsor film screenings/discussions at various locations.
Debate/dialogue between supporters and non supporters of Occupy issues.
Proposal: Decide at the post-occupation (of Barker Commons) GA to hammer out specific times and details of continuation events – passed.
Discussion: What will we do for the last days of our occupation of Barker Commons?
Proposal to meet at noon on Saturday to do general break down and clean up of the gazebo –passed.
Proposal to hold a small community event (to say thank you to the community at large and announce the continuation) on Sunday. We will purchase local fruit, apple cider, and donuts for event and set up in a visible area with information about future GA meetings. Approved for $50 to be spent at Central Station for pastries. Proposal to make decisions about Occupy Fredonia funds only if a minimum of seven people are present (at least 20 people were present at tonight’s GA) – passed.
Suggestion for all who can participate to make targeted signs and show an increased presence on 11/17, in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street global day of action.
o Andy and Sarah are traveling to OWS tomorrow night and returning Friday morning; they have one seat available for someone interested in going. Proposal to give Andy and Sarah $20 to support their trip to NYC on 11/17 – passed.
o Proposal - Donate $50 (will raise amount if we have extra money at the end of the occupation of Barker Commons) to UStream to support the NYC Occupation – passed.
Discussion: We need to demonstrate physical continuation of our movement to stress that we have not gone away just because we are not physically in the gazebo.
Jonathan offered to make arrangements for the Green Tea Room to keep signs to allow people to occupy the square at their convenience.
Discussion: How will we show solidarity with other local Occupy movements?
Proposal to join Occupy Chautauqua County once it’s been formed – tabled until creation of OCC structure and goals.
Discussion: We need a set of guidelines to set out processes for emergency situations. For example, it was decided at a previous GA that Scott Nixon is not allowed to be in the gazebo due to disruption of the movement; strategies were discussed but that discussion did not appear in the minutes.
Proposal – communicate important information (emergency procedures, keys held, etc.) to the next shift worker for the duration of the Barker Commons duration – passed.
Proposal - purchase a cheap cell phone and prepaid minutes to have at the gazebo for emergencies with numbers of people programmed in –passed.
Note: a representative from Western New York Muslims attended GA to cover Occupy Fredonia; they will air their report on Saturday (WNYMuslims.com).