General Assembly Full Notes 10-17-2011

Again, we are publishing the full notes instead of the condensed.

PDF and Text versions can be found here. Please refer to the Live Stream for specific information that may not have been captured in the notes. Note-taking is a best-effort undertaking. Please direct all discussion to  the new forums.

17 October 2011

Start Time 7:05PM

Facilitators: Gambit and Rachelle; Stack: Jamie; POP & DR responder: Tree

I. Introduction of GA

II. Review of Agenda Process 7:12PM

III. Committee and General Announcements 7:13PM

1. “Action Committee” – formally the march committee. It is formed – join! Wednesday at the convention center, there is an important action going on. Condoleezza Rice is coming to town. Meet at MLK statue at 5PM to protest with the veterans of peace.

2. Imri (sp?) Working group that had amendment yesterday for Instant Runoff Voting. I wanted to remind people that tomorrow at 6:30 we’re meeting in front of city hall to move this forward in the council. Amanda Fritz will be here from 1-2PM to answer any questions about city hall process.

3. Brush: with the growing jail support committee that may merge in to a legal support structure. Working with National Lawyers Guilde, but want it rooted with Occupy Movement. Good work you can do from home. Sunday the 23rd at 4PM.

4. Casey representing goals and stance committee. Proposal for organizational concerns. Tomorrow at 430 at war memorial statue, or discussion on web.

5. Bosch with street team – meeting tomorrow at 3. Help post the guidelines.

6. Tad: ne of 2 people putting together a conflict resolution team. We are going to be meeting friday at 2PM at Library. Idea is a conflict resolution and mediation team with people that have problems amongst each other.

7. Tilla – new to OP. I am a volunteer for safety. I want to make sure we get a long. My personal thing – there has been a lot of thefts amongst the people here camp to camp. Please come forward about the thieving. I am starting a campaign about neighbors working with neighbors. If you are in need, come to the volunteers – we can probably get you what you need.

8. Peter representing different committees loosely. Mostly outreach. I want to touch the broader Pdx community. If interested in taking action in making connection with broader community – go to info and look us up. Unrelated, I’m also coordinating events. There are a lot of musicians and artists who want to come help us attract the broader community – i need help with events!

9. I was here before. My proposal was approved – simply: lifting camping ban. This letter was approved in principle. I’m going to read the text of the letter as an act of courtesy. It’s long. (Reading too fast for me to read. I will try to get a copy)
 

The person left before I was able to get a copy of the letter.

10. Colin with web/media/social media team. We do have a site. There are forums up now about proposals and committees. There is also a polling area now. If you can’t attend the GA, we have the livestream so you can attend virtually. There was a wedding today at OP. Congrats to bride and groom. Personal announcement – we are trying to get an autonomous action to dress and do a sit in in front of wells fargo building.

11. Viani Rivier from finance. On 26th of oct. We’re going to have Pink Martini at Pioneer Square. Please see finance if you know anything about staging.

12. Keep your hands to yourself!!!

General Announcements

1. Michael I have been running an economics course Mon/Wed/Fri at 2PM at the library.

2. Mike. This is a draft proposal to determine a start time and place for weekly OP marches. Come to talk to me. we’re going to hash this out and present a formal proposal. I’m making this announcement because it’s a POP. We need to pass this tomorrow night.

3. I am here to discuss the art tent. There is no committee taking care of the art tent. There is no one in there doing anything except making a mess. Please help me make a committee.

4. Two separate announcements. Class tomorrow afternoon 2-4PM. Corporate charters and natural rights being spoken about Paul (someone?). 2: something i’ve seen happening in different occupations in the country is outreach so we have better representation. If interested about working a proposal to get to the different communities, I will be in the sukkah from noon on tomorrow.

5. Kyle: I am a bad public speaker. I would like to form a committee with the soul purpose of keeping in contact with every Occupy movement across the country with a long term goal of writing up a list of demands for our governement. That tree after this announcement is where you can meet me.

6. Chad: on the last announcement, i wanted to note that there are other committees that are working on the same thing – consolidate those committees. I want to raise awareness on the national bank transfer day on Nov 5th. Also, preparedness – working up to that day of being aware of what credit unions are best available for you is key.

7. Jeannie: I’m hosting at 4pm tomorrow at the yurt area a recovery circle meeting for anyone recovering from alcohol.

8. I wasn’t prepared to talk like this, but within the theft – in my mind, I have come up with ideas. We are the selfless. The people we’re fighting against are the selfish. We come together in the self. The ish is shit in the streets. What does it feel like being stolen from? I’ll keep it brief.

9. Whats up Occupy? Hey! I have good news. Mark this day down. Tues Nov 8th. We will attempt to occupy the baghdad theater – it seats 700. We have a comedy show; all proceeds go to OP. We’re talking about getting a national name. We will ask for relevant donations at that time. Also, a possible silent auction. Help me if you’re interested. I will leave my info at info tent

10. Just as a reminder, last night we made a collective agreement for community safety and wellbeing and this passed. So we now have posters we will put up around the encampment. If you want to look at it, you can come see us to look.

11. Dava – classes every wed and sun about sustainable development. I’m interested in economics that promotes well-being for all. Come if you want to talk about alternative economics. Someone on twitter is trying to set up an occupy platform – antithesis to twitter. so talk to me about that if you know any coders.

12. I am CC. I have flyers, but not transportation. Please come help me.

13. Analise: I’m with mental health. I’m guna start a women’s circle. Wellbeing and medic tent have my info.

 

:::explaining proposals::: 7:47PM

IV. PROPOSALS 7:48PM

A. Cameron and Justin: “I propose that a midmorning meeting to address camp issues be held at Terry Shrunk plaza. The evening GA will be held at pioneer square at 7PM to discuss the global movement. This will allow ….. An evening GA at Pioneer Square (PS) gives us more visibility. This makes the GA process accessible to the broader community and gives us….This expansion will allow us to concentrate our abilities…”

CLARIFYING QUESTIONS

1. Who do you think is going to be left in our camp when we all go to PS for GA?

DR As I know there is always a skeleton crew and a good enough number.

2. Are you proposing that every night we go to PS?

DR Yes

3. What is your agenda? What are the things you want? The county government, etc. to do.

Rachelle – that is not a clarifying questions to his proposal.

Person – Yes. I want to know what you are meaning? What are you doing?

…Tree runs over to help person

4. What benefit do you feel can be derived from making the GA less accessible to the camp?

Rachelle – that is a concern. hold it for that. if i don’t have anymore clarifying questions i’m going to move on to concerns?

5. By moving to PS for the evening GA are you hoping to increase the publics awareness of the GA?

Cameron – Yes

6. Is what your proposing also hopes to cut on drinking and drugs during GA?

Cameron – Yes

Justin – These sound like general concerns

7. Is the reason that we’re going to PS so that everybody in the encampment can march there and back making everyone b/w here and there aware what the Occupy movement is about?

Cameron – yes

8. Are there contingency plans if the PS is being used by the people outside of the 99% of the camp?

Cameron – we’re good at occupying.

9. I understand the PS take over. Can you repeat the 1st part of your prop?

Cameron – In layman’s terms: there should be a camp meeting for things that are specific to the camp. So we have a time at GA where we can discuss our political action.

Justin – basically it seems we’re getting clogged between camp and political/direct action issues. we’re trying to separate the two. It’l encourage those who aren’t a part of the camp to get involved.

10. If we find the 10am meeting, a high consensus, can it be voted on separately from a a more strategic move which might take more time to discuss?

Came – bring it up during evolution.

TEMP CHECK ABOUT PROPOSAL:  a lot of agreement

CONCERNS

1. Who do you plan to help be part of the skeleton crew that would watch my stuff when i’m gone to PS for the GA?

Justin – I don’t mean to be sarcastic, but I think that’s your responsibility as a sovereign individual.

2. Several things sounded good to me about this prop in terms of increased visibility in particular and providing concepts for people like me are not camping can be part of the strategics. the concern i have though, is if PS is already occupied with another purpose, would that create a CD (note: notetaker did not abbreviate here and does not know what CD means) situation if we chose to occupy it for this meeting? thats not necessarily a bad thing, but if thats going to happen, people need to understand that in advance.

Justin – our goal is not to highjack someone else at PS. we’re good at working together quickly. if we arrive there and there is something else going on, we can go to another spot.

3. My concern is attendance. I like your idea of having two separate GAs but i do worry that if we have the GA at PS fewer people might attend. many people from the camp don’t attend as it is. tonight for instance i had to go around with the bullhorn to announce GA and last night we had very few people. i’m not saying this cant be overcome but i wanted to express it.

4. firstly, i love the proposal. i do however have 2 concerns. first – i’m concerned that the disabled within our camp would have trouble getting to PS. 2nd – as a Sexual Assault advocate, i am on call right now. thusly, i would be unable to go to PS.

5. My concern is similar to the last. People working in committees at the camp right now can check in here and move back but wont be able to do the same at PS. thus making it difficult for the people doing the work right now to part in the GA.

6. my concern falls in line with the concerns we had on the first day of the march which is that PS is private property and we may run in to conflicts with that issue.

7. my concern is the time of 1st morning meeting concerning the camp issues. i myself and many others work all day off site of the camp and obligated to. but i myself would like to have my opinion with camp concerns.

8. i am conerned with the smoking around the campsite with children nearby.

9. i am concerned, about the lack of inclusion of all factions of this revolution. i am concerned about the unawareness of most of the participants of the fact that we are an occupational force that has seized land in downtown pdx. i would like that there would be a hell of lot more discussions than at 6pm.

10. my concern deals with separating the camp and the movement. the camp is a symbol for the movement in pdx. im afraid some people will only show up to the meeting and not the camp.

11. two issues; 1 involves your proposal and the other is a general observation.

Rachelle – maybe we should work separately on one process? let’s take a temp check.

Justin – as the proposal stands right now, we’ve written it to evolve the meetings. one would be a camp meeting in the morning so they could concern whats important to those living at the camp. the second would be to move the GA to PS. It is one proposal that includes two parts.

Rachelle – i’m hearing a lot of concerns moving it to PS, but now it doesnt look like that. we’re going to discuss and evolve.

DISCUSSION: 813PM

1. I think that by marching to PS we will have more people from the camp that will join in because its a march. If we get there and somethings there that’s going to impeded our use, we can come here. so that’s really not an issue.

2. my evolutionary point is that there be plans for implementation

to address the concern of PS being private property and the enforcement issues that may confront us.

DR PS is not private prop it is a public park that is contracted out to a management company for security.

Rachelle – this does not address his concern

POP he never said he wanted to change the prop he just voiced a concern.

POP – notetaker said there was an evolution

person – in a previous GA it was decided that every proposal have implementation written in to it.

Rachelle – there needs to be a contingency plan, that is correct. keep that in mind – let’s keep that in mind.

TEMP CHECK on contingency plan – that has agreement.

3. What i want to speak to, deals with some of the concerns of the movement being separated from the camp. wall street has a moving GA. they have had GAs at union square at washington square. they are not camping anywhere near that. so if we were to move our GA i don’t think that it would do anything to hinder our movement.

Rachelle – i didn’t ask for people who werent for that evolutionary movement…ok no one is not against it.

4. i’m concerned as someone who doesn’t stay at the camp a lot about separating this meeting from the camp. i like coming here and being close to the camp. its guna make it harder for me to participate if we go to PS. these meetings are long already. adding an hour of marching is going to make me less likely to participate. i propose which is that we accept first part of proposal, and that evening meeting be here.

POP i’m very conerned there seems to be an organized grouping in a very prominent area that any evolutionary ammendment to the second part be blocked. i want to point that out.

POP it’s my understanding it is not up to a facilitator to change a proposal. somebody in the GA could make that suggestion, but it cannot be from a facilitator.

Rachelle – I just want to say what i’m hearing. i’m hearing a concern about where it is held. His evolutionary is for the GA not to move.

TEMP CHECK: That is not included.

5. I want to propose a sunset clause. so that we can try this for a week or two and see how it goes. i think we should be generous to creative ideas like this instead of blocking things all the time

DR as long as we’re talking about creativity: what about just friday and sat nights down there?

POP if we are going to have a sunset clause does that automatically put the prop on the agenda of a future GA?

rachelle – yes it would have to.

TEMP CHECK: agreed upon

6. My friendly amendment would suggest that there be a sign up at the info booth for people who would like to be known to stay at camp while the GA moves to PS. so that when the GA is at PS people know who is watching their stuff as a volunteer.

Rachelle – i think there is more discussion to be had on this

Justin – I’m not a facilitator – i have the concerns. we’re going to table this.

There is time on this. This will be presented to tomorrows GA. If anyone has any time to rework.

 

5 MINUTE BREAK.

 

V. ANNOUNCEMENT PROPOSALS

1. Brush – We’re bringing a proposal that’s recognizing that this started really fast that a lot of people stepped up to act. There were some challenges with that. We all recognize that if this is going to grow, it’s going to take all of us to grow in to more and more leadership. We want to empower those committees explicitly. The proposal is to figure out how that is going to work. How are the committees going to be open to new people and how to do that. Tomorrow at 1130 to further refine the proposal.

2. Aubrey – I just really think that a lot of eyes are on us right now and there should be a proposal about non-violence training and having someone start non-violence training. people who are interested can attend and encourage more people to attend those.

3. I’ve got a proposal which i would like to have discussed tomorrow night. One of the proposals that OP endorse and publicize its social media source for the good jobs and not cuts portland to vancouver event which will take place this saturday. the proposal is in the info tent and a fb link. this action connects the growing OP movement to labor activists to pdx and vancouver. the central demand is to put jobs and defending the safety net to the tax cuts to the wealthy. …the implementation would be to endorse as main steps with possible further mobilization development.

4. we have two props announcements from action committee 1: student walk out on wed 26th with marches down, no time yet. next action – the action committee is planning is a zombie/ghoul march to end at wells fargo on halloween.

Clarifying Question will the march for the schools include youth?

DR yes

Person – I’ll write a note for my kids!

5. announce/prop tomorrow night i will camp outside the steps of a large bank entity close to us. my proposal is that we spend a couple minutes discussing to see if anyone is with me.

6. in order for this proposal to make sense i’m going to say  – i lost 215 pounds on a diet in 1 year. my proposal is that we create an action committee that goes primarily to get the public schools foods that are “high vibrational foods.” i want to spear head that. i’m also doing a documentary we could use for leverage. www.getimpowerednow.com

7. craig killborn – good proposal: we only get once chance at life. lets have a good time and live it to the fullest.

 

 

SECOND PROPOSAL

1. This is a proposal for parks maintenance and restoration. the goal is to return the parks to their original state if we choose to leave. we need money and labor. we will form a working group…speaker going too fast.

transparency with the fund is key. the finance committee should be able to provide regular updates. disbursement must be approved by GA and must only be for parks. after were done with our labor of restoring the parks. the money is intended to help finish restoration.

The following is the proposal as written by the proposer:

[Goal: assist in returning the parks we occupy to their pre-occupation state should we ever choose to leave. The concept is "Leave no trace."

our community is fighting against corporations who simply throw money at problems to make them go away. Therefore there are two aspects to this proposal both money and labor.

We will form a working group to establish a list.of people willing to donate their time and labor to park restoration. This group will reach out to the.community at large seeking experts who can guide us in maintaining this space while we are here and restoring this space when we leave.

The finance committee is in the process of establishing a not-for-profit, they hope to have this addressed by the end of day tomorrow.  Their poc voiced strong support for the concept of a parks fund, and the finance committee sounds ready to support this.

Transparency is key here. Being able to see and track funds raised and spent will be critical to all fund raising involved in this movement, not just this proposed fund. The finance committee should provide regular updates to the GA and via the website on the status of the fund. 

Disbursements from the fund before we leave must be approved by the GA and must be intended for the maintenance and restoration of.the.parks.  

After we've done *our* restoration, the money to help finish the restoration would go from the parks fund to the City of Portland's Parks Department, or a third party that's mutably agreeable to the GA and the Parks department. 

The remainder after the restoration reverts to the GA's general fund, or optionally, a charity.  I would suggest "Friends of Forest Park." but this should be a decision made by the GA at that time.

The fund can be closed to future contributions at any time by the consensus of the GA, but the money in the fund should only be used for the purposes of (maintaining and) restoring the parks.  

The determination of how much it costs to restore the park is not currently in this proposal.   The City has compiled a list of damages, but I would suggest, before the GA ever disburses money from the fund we get independent estimates.]

CLARIFYING QUESTIONS

1. for the funds, our park what is the city going to do for their part for their maintenance for their cans that overflowed for their job that they havent done. when we do ours will they do theirs?

DR i can only hope so.

2. i want to know if for every expense are we going to have to go through this slow process of GA? so if we want to buy sod or a shovel or something that you see fit, you have to go to GA?

DR there is a process that by which you submit a request to finance and its either approved or denied.

Person – you said the expenses would have to go through GA.

Prop Person – the idea is to hold this fund until the very end, it would be one sum. IF we leave the camp. we’re showing the community at large that we’re being responsible.

3. my concern is that i know from experience you try to fix/improve public plans any way, the city will intervene and stop you because they have specifics. so i’m not certain that the city would allow.

Fac – thats a cocern, please hold for that.

4. how closely will you be working the parks department?

person – that’s TBD. i havent had any contact. some autonomous individuals have had communication. this working group would have to have some sort of communication. i believe someone from the parks department is coming tomorrow.

5. two parter: 1 – how can we donate things like grass seed or turf or fertilizer or flowers things like that that we might have to this fund other than money.

DR there’s not provision yet, but i think that’s a great idea and the working group could put that in to effect.

person – ill save the rest.

CONCERNS

1. you also said this included our maintaining these grounds while we’re here. what is that going to entail?

person – my conception is that starting as soon as tomorrow if approved that i will start making calls and i hope others who have friends and family that have arborists/landscaping businesses so we can bring in experts so we can see what we can do better. for instance, for the way our ropes are tied up to the tress. the funds are ambiguous. we’ve gone back and forth if we should draw funds for some things. right now this is just for restoration.

2. my concern is why should we pay anything for a park if we’re illegally occupying. fuck it, let them pay.

DR i have observed that among the people illegally occupying, many of us care a great deal about the environment. moving on with that i feel it is important that we show the city that we mean business about our ideals.

3. my concern is dealing with the invasive species that have already been planted.

4. my concern lies in the lack of ecological diversity already present in the park prior to our occupation. if we are going to truly restore the park, then we need to leave the park better off than we occupied it. that means high levels of bio diversity especially with native species that provide environmental services to plants and critters and bugs and birds.

5. my concern is just that i dont want to see a precedent set that protestors have to pay for the cost of their protest. we’re doing this because we want to but not out of any obligation – wants that language

6. to reiterate my last concern, i know for a fact that i tried to plant seed at elephant park, just grass, i was threatened to be ticketed for vandalism. if there was a large scale restore, the city would intervene and threaten arrest.

7. edwin hoffman – i am a 1%er. i’m sorry. next friday we should be fully solar. my concern is that i’m not allowed to sleep here. my home is under construction right now.

8. my concern goes with this guys over heres concern. without the cooperation with parks department i dont see the committee looked at seriously.

9. my only concern is that in the event that we dono decide to leave or were forced to leave, the donors might be mad if this doesnt happen with this when we’re talking about large amounts of money.

TEMP CHECK TO CONTINUE: support

EVOLUTION/DISCUSSION

can you briefly say what the proposal is again?

proposal read again

1. in order to leave the park better than we found it any remaining funds after park has been restored could be used to build a movement to our movement.

TEMP CHECK: support

SECOND TEMP CHECK: no support

2. i like the part about responsibility. i say we make it responsible to the earth, not to our city.

TEMP CHECK: no support

3. if we are evicted by force this proposal gives the option to the GA for all legal defense.

TEMP CHECK: no support

4. include working with organizations that already exist in our city. such as friends of trees. that would bring this committee more legitimacy.

TEMP CHECK: has support. no opposition.

Clarifying question: i felt there was already language in there with already working with groups

Person – the original said individuals.

5. if we’re removed, we give it to an ecological group that is in line with the ideals of this proposal.

TEMP CHECK: no support

6. include in kind goods as well as money to repair the parks. that means seeds, labors, tilling, ya know…

TEMP CHECK: support

7. wording be put in the proposal stating that people have the right to protest and dont have the obligation

TEMP CHECK: support; no opposition

8. A: further amend the point in kind donations – the committee should carry a needs list.

TEMP CHECK: support

B: a lot of people who have concerns about ending under certain kinds of circumstances so the committee should develop more proposals with the funds and bring it back to the GA

TEMP CHECK: support

DR my concern with that is that we have to be very careful using funds that we’re collected for a specific purpose. there are legal issues.

9. I suggest we continue the dialogue about what restoration actually means within the context of the city and within the context of our movement – we should add language that reflects that this is a continuing discussion

TEMP CHECK: support

PROP RESTATED AS AMENDED (some below):

return parks to preoccupy state, should we choose to leave and improve upon the trace. working group will reach out to experts and existing groups to help with current maintenance. there will be a parks fund that will take useful in kind donations to be established by the working group. this whole concept of restoration is a continuing discussion and the parks fund includes money. people dont have to pay for their protest. this is open to future discussion in the case of eviction.

Clarifying Questions

1. what if in the future we decide to make a monument for OP to be permanent in the park?

Fac – that doesnt relate to the proposal

2. clarifying statement – this committee will bring a proposal back to the GA in the event that we do not leave this park voluntarily.

3. i have concerns of the direction about this conversation in general. my personal feeling is that whenever under whatever circumstances we’re either evicted to move or leave we would best be suited to save funds to continue the movement. this is an act of civil disobedience. i feel everyones intentions as far as gesturing and good will, but these parks may not be here in a couple of years.

4. pertains to the wording act of good will which was not voiced that way. is was more of a social responsibility way.

Any remaining strong concerns:

1. my concern is that there is no language to deal with immediate needs such as invasive species that have already been planted and the damage that our ropes may be doing to the trees.

TEMP CHECK: 4 stand asides (below are some of the stand asides)

1. person didnt know proposal

2. person says they’re just using the money for defense fund

3. i see this as a strategic question. i’m not from here so i cant relate. it could be a possibly good investment because image is good, but i dont think thats our goal as a protest movement. we can find better use of money. unless this money could help us recruit more people to the movement. if no one but the parks care, fuck them.

DR – the tax payers do care.

Fac – that was a DR! Yay!

PROPOSAL AS AMENDED READ AGAIN

DECISION: proposal passed.

 

 

 

This entry was posted on October 18, 2011 at 1:52 am and is filed under General Assembly, Occupation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.