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10/22/11     7PM G.A.     PORTLAND, OR
Facilitators: Jasmine, Yoko and Meredith on Stack
Notetaker: illona
Timekeeper: Rochelle

INTRO:
15th of may movement in Madrid is the inspiration for Occupy Wall St (OWS) General Assembly (GA) 

Consensus is used to construct something new. Not one idea over another. 
Consensus is born when a collectively crafted idea is agreed upon. 
We strive for 100% consensus but will settle on 90% 

Q: Why do we bother calling it consensus?
A: It's technically an agreement. 

Modified Handsignals:
Raising pinkie in the air: Adding information

Stack takers will do their best to get as many different assembly members voices heard. 

AGENDA: 
-Welcome
-Committee Announcements
-General Announcements (events, ideas..)
-Proposal Announcements
Process: People state their proposal and create a space for discussion later. Tomorrow it can be brought to the GA as a proposal. 
-3 Proposals

COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Jordan from PR: 

This is an announcement from the PR Team. We wish to inform and empower people here with the knowledge of what this process looks like from an outside perspective, of which the PR Team has interacted with many.
We have been here, occupying city parks, since the 6th of October. But why are we here? Is it because of the homelessness that plagues our societies? Or the poverty that people continually find themselves in? Is because of the discrimination that robs people of opportunity? Or the politicians who refuse to give us voice?

It is about all of these things. But these are all interconnected problems, and right now we are taking metaphorical band-aids and addressing these issues one by one. We are failing to address the root cause of all these problems: a system that allows a very small number of people to control the rest of society.

We are sitting here, amongst our peers, hungry for change, and hungry to do something, but what we are doing right now is exactly what the 1% wants. We are losing sight of the real problem, and focusing in on pet issues that the 1% would gladly give up if only we forgot about them.

When the public asks questions, I no longer hear ones about our end goals, or the reasons we occupy. What I hear are questions about our opinions on streets, or on camps, or on drugs, or on a countless other things that have absolutely nothing to do with why this occupation began.

We have to be careful about falling into the security of simple things. Our world is complex and so are our problems. All of the things which we have addressed so far are noble and amiable topics of discussion. But we are addressing them without crying out about the root problems in our society. 

We occupy less than five blocks from the World Trade Center. We occupy next to the Federal Courthouse. We occupy in the center of this region’s power. But our power is being focused not on our system, our society, or our selves, it is being focused on the pet issues that each of us has felt strongly about for so very long.

Our voices matter. But we are still discovering why each of us is here. Each of you here is representing not just yourself, but thousands of people who are not here but see the same problems.

If we could address these issues one by one and piece by piece, they would have already been fixed. We are powerful as the 99%, but we are acting when we are weakest, when we are divisive, and when we are few.

This is supposed to bring the opinions and the concerns of many people who are part of the 99% but not currently here to the front. Each of you are your own person, and if you feel that we are on the right course, then you are free to act accordingly. We can return to the principals that 10,000 people marched with us for on October 6th.

We have done incredible things here, and we must continue to reach higher for the society we all wish to see.

Kat from Medical: There are medics, channel 8 is Medic. Wash your hands before you eat food. Don't  share bedding unless you're super ultra cuddly with someone. Sometimes there's bugs. Please cough into your elbow. Try to get as much rest as possible. There are earplugs at the tent. Please drink lots of water. Please take care of your feet. If you don't have a plan for how to stay warm and dry. Please prepare yourself and your campsite. Don't wait until it is already pouring. 

Yoko from Action Committee (formerly the March Committee): We're working with media to coordinate online. If you have ideas, bring them to us. Monday 5PM. First event Monday 24th a public forum for Portland City Charter Review Board. This is not a disruption, they're working with us and we're coming up with some really cool plans. Please join the public forum 6:30 PM Monday at City Hall. On Wed. Oct 26th, Solidarity march by Labor Unions AFL-CIO, info will be up on web. Oct. 29th linking with a proposal put out by Adbusters, international marches with occupies all over the world. Keep that day open. We're planning a march. Oct 31st, there's a zombie march 3PM meet at lownsdale square. Nov 2nd JP Morgan Chase is coming for a luncheon, we're planning something. Nov. 5th is Break up with Your Corporate Banks Day, Bank Transfer Day, Guy Fawkes Day, we're also marching with the Keystone Pipeline Protest
If you haven't switches to a credit union or community bank yet, please do so by the 5th.  

Kip with Web/Media: We have forums on website up and running, forums about GA and committees, we need volunteers to moderate forums and answer questions. If you have friends and family outside of the occupation with internet access, please tell them we need volunteers. The website is going to have a lot more information up there soon. There's only a small amount of camp here but there has been a lot of equipment stolen. If you're staying at the camp, please be extra vigilant. If someone looks like they are carrying something they shouldn't be. 9/10 times they'll drop it and run away. It's a shame and frustrating to me. 

Randy with Legal Defense/Observation: When the police come in, they come to me and the safety committee, if this is a theft let the police come directly to safety and legal. Portland is leading the US for non-arrests. There were three minor infractions for jaywalking during our march. Work with the safety committee and myself. We have 2 criminal defense attorneys and 2 full time paralegals. She signed on today and is living on site. Go to legal first, there are things we can take care of here. We're not here for personal issues. We can listen to you and guide you on personal issues. If it has to do with OP, this is my main concern. If anyone is arrested, they'll have representation immediately on site. 

Vianni with Finance Committee: Who wants to get rid of the fractional reserve system? Temperature check. (none taken) 1 PM meeting for finance committee Q & A time. 

Restorative listening forum happening at 6:30 PM before Monday's G.A. It's being lead by a wonderful facilitator. 

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Ha-li: I'm excited about having but i don't' know why and i came to be a part of the forum, i want to find out, maybe 1 will become a proposal. Philosophical observation: earlier I cam it was a mess, it was not very organized, today i came and i noticed one thing and im' not very happy but fine, seems like more people have agendas. my observation is this is most diverse crowd that has gathered and i wish we won't waste this chance. Please give us a chance to open our minds to think and ask the question. a question that is interesting and also will interest everybody in the 99%, as americans we will be interested in asking this question so this can be put on agenda. What is that one question? This is a suggestion: From every site in our encampment, we send out one camper to every other occupy in the US and we will receive about 100 in return from 100 different sites. This will serve 3 purposes 1) we will be united in solidarity 2)so we don't run out of things to do 3)improve the quality of the camp and so we have staying power. 

Justin: We're having a show down at Pub at the End of the Universe 28th and  Gladstone SE Nov 12th 8-2am donation for camp is cover, no money. musicians in camp come talk to me. if you're interested in playing at that show. 

Andrew: Idea about stealing: most people participating in this group are intellectual, and if you can circulate and talk to them at camp and make them feel more included it'll help cut things down.

Kristen: I'm disgusted by the drunk and stumbling, acting ridiculous, in front of the media, when you see this explain how awful they look. We are a people that believe in a cause and that is what we are here for. When I see someone drunk i tell them to drink water and lie down and come back when they're coherent. 

Justin: Solution aspect: winter is approaching things are getting cold. the straw is not going to be efficient and keeping us warm and dry. it'll get moldy and soggy. We're not equipped to handle being here long term. There have been a bunch of incidents and this has become a drop point for hospitals. We should set up a tent so that we can refer people to the correct resources. those here for political issues should be here. those here because they have no where else to go should be pointed to other resources. 

PROPOSAL PROPOSALS

Maxwell Hunter of No Limit Stickers: THis proposal creates a fund up to $1000 to print zines, posters, flyers, banners, we will match $ per $ so giving OP twice as much bang for buck. I'll do layout for free. This helps us practice "freedom of press", other printshops would have access to this printshop as well. This info has to be about the Occupy Movement. Expenditures over $100 should be approved by GA. Prints should be on recycled materials whenever possible. I'll be talking to finance committee more. I'll meet at 6:30 before Sunday's GA at T.S.  at 100 signatures of people who think it's a good idea. 

***NOT A PROPOSAL*** Andrew: Asking to be allowed back into the park. I make people uncomfortable. I was bear maced here at camp. I came back and had the cops called on me. 6PM at T.S. to discuss issue of returning to camp.

Paper passed around camp: Help Decide Occupy Portland's Goals
https://sites.google.com/site/occupyportlandgoals/

PROPOSALS

We, Occupy Portland do not see corporations as people so we seek to end Corporate Personhood. 
 
Backgound: There's been a lot of discussion about Citizens United, which speaks directly to free speech rights for corporations. We need to attack corporate personhood more broadly. It was established by US supreme court, have been granted many rights like people's bill of rights. (see notes for numbers) There are many approaches to ending corporate personhood. Many action items suggested:
-advocating to city council for putting an anti-corporate personhood resolution on the ballot. Arcaida, Berkeley, Dane County WI, Madison, WI and we can do it here, too. It's a symbolic action.
-give respectful public testimony at city charter review commission Oct 24 6-8 at city hall. in favor of putting charter amendment that defies supreme court saying "because corps are not people, they're not entitled to any of the rights of people" 
-to join anti-corporate personhood working group at O.P. go to the forum and see the comments posted. I'll be here tomorrow at 6PM and meet with anyone who wants to discuss the issue. You can bring this to your congressman, bring it to any groups in town. Plug for Paul Cienfuegos' workshops and will be giving workshop every week. He is very knowledgable on this issue and has a radical approach. 

Facilitator: Can we skip ahead to consensus? 
Temp check disrupted by POP (point of process)

POP: Can we adopt his actions as part of the proposal in order to satisfy previous agreement that requires actions as part of the proposal?
CC (clarifying question)
CC: If the GA adopts this, would our implementation be to put on the website to endorsement. To go in front of city council and say that OP supports this.

CC: I"m curious about the impact with local small business and other small businesses with this proposal. 
A: I don't see this proposal having any impact on small business or small corporation. This proposal will effect multi-nationals being able to take over our govt. I don't see small business having the funds or interest to do that. 

Facilitator: No objections or concerns. 

Evolution: Rochelle asked that actions are added for implementation. 

Amendment: I'd add language around assigning further action and strategies to the workgroup, as far as the implementation piece. 

Facilitator: Do we feel comfortable enabling the working group to do this? 
Temp check: Yes

Consensus is asked for.

Proposal passes by full consensus. 

Nov 5th Portland Version of Hands Around the White House
On nov 6th in washington DC, there is hands around the white house in objection to accepting the keystone pipeline through the heartland of the US. From tar sands to texas. In keep with with nov 5th events, we would like to do hands around the federal building and we'll be talking more about the tar sands. 

Many of you probably know about the issue of the tar sands and Keystone XL pipeline. Most of us are here because we recognize fundamental issue around the system. These issues make people aware of how far system has failed. SOme issues are directly about survival. The tar sands relates to ecological destruction. Tar sands in canada is the most costly. for 1 gallon extracted, 4 gallons h20 polluted. Pipeline touches aquifers for 30% of agriculture in this country. the likelihood of leaking pipeline is 100%. The issue is dark and it highlights how corrupt the system is because it's willing to fund this project, banks bailed out by taxpayer money and those banks are enabling destruction of the climate. 

CC: What is the likelihood of getting arrested during this event? 
A: I think it's nil. In DC, all organizers are telling there's no chance of arrest. 

CC: Are we going to issue a statement about it?
A: Yes, press release. 

Concern: My only concern is that if this is on Nov. 5th it overlaps with bank transfer day, which is another action we've already talked about being involved in. Seeing as both of these things are important, i'm concerned that they wont spread us too thin and are coordinated. 

Concern: Why are we not doing action on the 6th?
A: we were concerned about march fatigue, action fatigue, we could align ourselves well with bank transfer day, doing it in combination. We thought because of the tradition of Occupy has with saturday events, in order to include as many people as possible. 

Concern: we've had other days with marches, if we're putting all our marches on Saturday, we can spread to other days. 

Temp Check about moving date from 5th to 6th
Temp Check shows more people are wanting it on the 6th. 

Proposers are agreeing to move event to the 6th. 

I would like to make a statement of support, mining the tar sands and pipeline would be a disaster. major spills already exist with keystone pipelines. 

Concern: Is there a working group forming for this event? 
A: The Action Committee will work on the event. 

Concern: I'm also concerned about march fatigue, could we amend that on that saturday and only that saturday we suspend the march and have no march then. We only have a march on Sunday. 
A: Bank Transfer Day is a Rally, not a march. 

How many people here are willing to come on the 6th?
Temp Check shows most will come.

Consensus Seeking
Down twinkles- none to few 
Stand aside- none to few
Agreement - 90% +

Amended proposal from last night: Budget Committee Proposal

Proposal: Spending Committee Proposal
Thanks to the finance committee for all the hard work they've done. As well as that, I'd like to say that this proposal is meant to give some of the control back to the committees and takes away some of the weight that is currently put on finance committee. They don't to worry about who needs what. 

This proposal is for the formation of the spending committee. It'll consist of one committee member per committee. GA approval creates this committee group. More than $1000 items must be approved by G.A. Any budget can be taken away by G.A. All spending committee meetings open to the public with 30 minutes for concerns. All moneys given should transparent and readily available to view. 

CC: Any expenditure over 1,000 is to be approved by GA?
A: Correct. 

CC: Is this approved by the finance committee?
A: To my knowledge, I don't know that I'd go to the finance committee to start another committee, I'd have to go to the G.A..

CC: What is your specific process for specific G.A. review and approval for proposed expenditures? 
A: financing gets the money and they have the budget. After that, the spending committee has that much money to spend. The G.A. can reject any budget at any time. 
CC: What is your specific process for submitting to the G.A.? 
A: Whoever wants the 1,000 will have to bring it to the G.A. and get our approval. 
CC: They must go to the G.A. with a proposal for spending that 1,000+. 

CC: The 1,000+ expenditure request, would select possible bail for multiple people?
A: Are you alluding to the "arrest fund"? There's a committee out there somewhere dealing with that very issue. The committee would bring that to the G.A. To my knowledge the G.A. has not approved setting aside money for arrests. At some point, someone may bring a proposal to set aside bail funds. That's something someone needs to bring to the G.A. I recommend someone do that. The finance committee doesn't have the time to budget for things like garbage bags. 

CC: Is there a process for keeping reciepts that has been approved by finance committee?
A: All expenditures need receipts. All money spent now is accounted for. Finance will deal with the accounting. Everything is transparent for you, the IRS, at any time we should be able to look at the amount of money that is available to us as a movement and see how much we've spent. A money record, everything is transparent. Absolute transparency is essential to this.  

CC: Is there a process to hold the members of this committee accountable? 
A: If you have a problem, you can bring this to the G.A. and as an assembly we can resolve it. 

CC: Can people be removed from the committee?
A: The spending committee is made up of appointees and at any time, a committee can replace a person. 

CC: The 1,000 figure seems kind of high. 
A: This whole thing is a general agreement that I've heard in the camp. In the scheme of things, 1,000 is not a lot of money. 

CC: Is there any process by which the spending committee has its budget approved by the GA or only if the GA has concerns. 
A: At any time, you can bring concern about budget to the G.A. 

CC: I'm still confused about the different roles: finance vs. spending
A: Spending committee spends money, Finance committee brings in money. 

CC: How can we view finance online?
A: Of course it should be on the website accessible to everyone. 

CC: Nevertheless, why isn't there someone from the finance committee presenting with you tonight?
A: Like I said, they have a lot to do, they're forming a nonprofit, dealing with insurance, laws, fundraising, why aren't they here? I don't know. They knew that I was going to propose this. 

CONCERNS

Con: The situation you just described of communication with the finance committee, is there a chance of this being representative of the cooperation your committees will have?
A: I'm sure they will have a very good relationship.

Con: I think 1,000 is still a lot of money for a small group. I propose $500.
A: Put it into proposal. 

Con: I understand the finance committee did not come. Perhaps the finance committee asked this man to come and be here. 

Con: I understand that this could be a problem and we should hear from the finance committee that this is a problem before we start solving this.

Con: How do we know how much money is in the budget to spend? 
A: On the website, you should be able to look at how much money we have in the kitty and what our budget is for the week and what we're spending it on. 
-This is not an issue of whether or not the finance committee is having a problem. This is a proposal to help the finance committee and to empower the committees to distribute money.

Con: Last night's concerns not being addressed: Lack of consensus on spending and a few people on finance committee controlling expenditures. 
A: There is concern about the few people who control the money. What is known as the "G4" in camp, the few people who control the money, won't have to worry about distributing money, we are taking that back.

Con: If this proposal isn't passed, we have no transparency right now. If this proposal is passed, we'll have at least 1/2 the process be transparent. 

Con: I'd like to share a feeling, I feel like i'm in the 99% but as a member of GA, i start controlling finance, controlling finance is too much for me. 

Con: What are the qualifications of the finance committee members? 
A: We keep confusing the two committees, the finance committee is charged with bringing money in, keeping in law. Finance says how much money there is. The spending committee is totally separate. Money in and money out need to be separated. The finance committee is made up of CPAs and grant writers. The spending committee is us.

Con: The concerns about sharing the responsibility with finance committee are deep enough and i suggest you come back with the finance committee 

Con: GA may not be appropriate place for understanding all spending. Spending and making money need to be well connected. 
A: I was on the finance committee, the finance committee does not want a spending committee. The finance committee they were making deals, starting nonprofits without coming to the GA. There were many people at camp that felt they were left out of the loop. They were kind of a closed circuit. Kind of a click. When I came and moved here a week ago, i do grant writing so naturally i joined the finance committee. I tried every day to contact them and tried to set up a meeting for 4Pm. they don't want to separate their power and give it to a spending committee. It's a very hot subject with them. I invited them to do this separation. They have not contacted me.

Do we know how much money there is? 
Just today, they said 10,000. After I proposed this yesterday, they set up a Q&A at 6:30PM. There were 20-30 people around for that meeting. Notes will be available online. 

Concern: Why are we hesitating to spread power and money in our system?
POP: As a facilitator (stack taker) you shouldn't give opinion.

Con: We should hear finance committee's argument for feeling that way. 

Con: There isn't enough transparency overall. This morning on the website the finance committee posted a statement on disbursement of funds. But there needs to be clarification of roles. There should be a stronger roles defined. 

Con: At today's earlier meeting, finance committee was not being clear about how the nonprofit committee was picked, separating the roles of finance would at least create some transparency

Is there a problem with the finance committee now or is this a safeguard for the future.

I came to raise funds and was a part of the finance committee. I was then told it was a closed committee. All four came to me yesterday and said to me "committee members were not able to comprehend the complexities of what's going on." At that point i knew what i was doing was right. If you're worried about the finance committee not being involved, you should be more concerned about what happened, they started a nonprofit without coming to the GA.

EVOLUTION
Instead of forming a new spending committee, expand finance committee 

Proposal/Amendment:
Instead of forming a new Budget Committee, expand the Finance Committee’s function in the following ways:
-The Finance Committee continues to administer collecting and distributing funds.
-The Finance Committee gathers and then announces funding requests, with their recommendations, for approval or denial to the GA daily and this becomes part of the standard GA process (like general announcements and committee announcements).
-The Finance committee posts funding requests that will be presented for approval or denial by the GA on that evening to the Occupy Portland website daily. 

Temp check: many down fingers

Amendment from 1,000 to 500 for approval 
Temp check: 50/50 

Could you modify your proposal to include the constraints and transparency without setting up a separate committee. 

The spending limits, the transparency could be applied to the existing finance committee as I see it. 
Direct Response: This man was removed from the finance committee by the finance committee for asking for transparency and proposing a budget committee. 

Amendment: Immediately empower a spending committee to gather all financial info available for occupy portland. 
Temp Check: High level of twinkles

If we pass this, can we ask as the GA that the finance committee arrive here tomorrow and interact with the spending committee. 
Temp Check: 

I saw 500, I saw 1,000,  I say $750. 
Temp Check: More ups than downs. 

Amend to 750 spending limit before it goes to GA
All meetings open 30 min before for public concerns
Gather all financial info from financial committee
Require that Finance Committee come to GA tomorrow night and submit full disclosure

Final Amendments
 
No further individuals should be removed from the proposed spending committee for proposing to the spending committee. 
A: What we need to explain tomorrow night at full disclosure that the finance committee is not a closed committee and that they are actively seeking more people 

Justin: This person claims he was kicked off the finance committee but he left the finance committee. Before we make any decisions on the spending committee and finance committee and would appreciate going over the facts. 
Justin: those of us that have already been working on the non profit side of things, did not know about this proposal. It would have been nice to be included in this, since we've been doing this 2 weeks before the march. 

We are stepping outside of the evolutionary process
More up twinkles than down twinkles

Reid: i moved that document from the old boards to the new boards. That document has been moved to be accessible. 
How many people are in the finance committee? 
8-10 people

Concern to finance: Do you think that sharing power, having a group that accrues money, and a spending committee would be a wiser way to manage our finances. 
I think there is a strength however we'd like to be included in this process. We'd like it to be one committee that works together that meets together. YES

Q: How do you get on the finance committee?
A: We haven't developed that process yet. We've had a lot of committees come to us so we've created a document.
-Answer the question-
A: Email me, Reid or Bryan Howarth. It's an open committee, not a closed group.

Q: If the finance committee has had a rep at every GA, then how did it not know about the budget proposal, since it was brought to last night's G.A.?
A: I was not here, the livestream was down, usually I watch them from my house. Reid was here and aware of the budget proposal. 
Q: Is it not in the interest of a committee that is holding all the money to step in when there is a process like the proposal to democratize the money by stepping in and muddying the water?

My concern is that a group like this needs to democratically manage its expenditures and budgets to succeed. What we are fighting is where 1% of the people control our money. 

Q: I want to thank you in good faith for wanting to get money in. I agree with the gentleman about the 1%. If you're open to having more people involved with finance, please come tomorrow so we're not wallowing in our suspicions. 

Q: Based on what your concerns are, such as the fact that you have not been included, using the new system with the spending committee, you will have a rep and be included in all future decisions. 
- Is the finance committee going to send one rep to the spending committee?-
 A: YES

Q: My concern is the thing about the 1,000.
A: It's been amended to 750.

REID: We had one request for a suit for an individual who wanted to look good in court. I would love to have a group process. 

TEMP CHECK: Reread proposal with amendments

Moving forward with proposal

Con: I would like to hear the finance committees response to the proposal 

Con: I don't feel like its quite ready to go forward but i do want to see a full report by the finance committee before this proposal is done

Con: VIANNI: We have been open and transparent the entire time and have specific concerns with specific words, some people are more auditory, i'd like to see that provocateurs in this camp are creating concerns. 

Justin: One of the things that stuck out to me is one of the things that stuck out for me, the sanitation team needed supplies, they needed them urgently and there isn't time to come to GA with these items.

POP: we do have in our proposal process language that allows, that if we don't have 100% full consensus the first time, maybe this meets this test, and maybe we need to operate in that spirit. 

Facilitator: Looking around, the GA is very small tonight. I think there needs to be an announcement that tomorrow some very important things are going forward that concern everyone and we can get full disclosure on all that stuff. 

Proposal moving to Decision
1 stand aside 
21 approval - not meet 90% 
17 disapproval 

We can not pass this proposal. I'd like to use the last remaining minutes to have a date set for finance committee and anyone interested in evolving this process with the finance committee to meet. 

Mike is ready at any time. I would like to do it in the afternoon. 4PM Sunday. Finance Committee and Spending Proposal Meeting

End GA: 9:50 PM