2025-10-11 Spokescouncil Meeting

Spokescouncil Meeting - Date: 10-11-2025
Agenda
Intro / Roles / Process / TODO Reportbacks / Branding Update (45 min)
Introductions (names/pronouns/affiliations) (5 min)
Role assignments (5 min)
facilitator
note-taker
stack/ timer
Spokescouncil process review (15 min)
review (5 mins)
Q&A/ Feedback (OPEN TO ALL IN ATTENDANCE 10 mins)
Action Item Report Backs (10 min)
bathroom cleaning
in-space physical calendar
in-space admin committee signage
Update on new branding/design for RC (10 min)
Break (5 min)
Admin Comittee Updates / Working Group Updates (45 min)
Admin committee updates: Report on what was done this month, challenges faced, upcoming plans/needs, and any requests for support or approval. (25 mins; 5 min each)
Legal/ Liability
Finance (e.g. donations received (total and by source), expenses (total and by category), surplus/ deficit, any upcoming big expenses)
Fundrasing
Facilities
Tech and comms
Programming and rentals
Working group announcements (20 min)
food pantry
gym
tutoring
spokes planning
sunday dinner
tech collective
tuesday reading group
writer workshop
yoga & meditation
Break (5 min)
Discussion (26 min)
discussion session (20 min)
Checking in on how the design of the spokescouncil is actually playing out with regards to delegate rotation, working group meeting cadence, spokescouncil <-> working group bidirectional communication – open question session (20 min)
Action item review (5 min)
Closing remarks/ hugs (1 min)
Fin!
Detailed Meeting Notes Here:
INTRO / ROLES / PROCESS / REPORTBACKS / BRANDING
Introductions (names/pronouns/affiliations) (5 min)
Role assignments (5 min)
facilitator - Paul
note-taker - Rhye
stack  - Jessie
timer - Iris
DELEGATES ATTENDANCE:
Paul - Facilitator, Spokes Planning, Tech Collective
LP - Delegate for Tech & Comms, Facilities
Jessie - Note/ Taker/Delegate for Tech Collective
Marianne - Dinner Delegate
Eddie - Note Taker for Dinner
Zach - Delegate for Writing Workshop
Iris - Facilities Delegate
RAchel - FAcilities 
Shea - Annopuncemnts for Fundraising
LJ - Delegate for Gym & Branding Taskforce
Ada - notes for gym
Tit - pantry observer
Rhye - Notetaker pantry
Sarah - Delegate pantry
Nathalie - Sunday dinner observer
Troy - observer
Spokescouncil process review (15 min) PAUL
review (5 mins)
Pitching a way of explaining this to other ppl
Disclaimer of current structure : November 2024 > small group of us as spokescouncil planning working group got together to plan spokescouncill planning structure to address concerns in the way space was organized; had a lot of meetings trying to figure out structure > was supposed to start out as small experiment slowly with more and more responsibility to demonstrate that it could han
dle stuff in the space > but then the moment we were abut to start >> big split happened > so then that needs to run space > then admin committee formed >> very likely these structures are NOT optimal and could use help making them better!!! The ppl in the spokes group are most invested in transition and BURNING OUT and the group is getting smaller
PITCH TO PLEASE HELP AND HAVE PATIENCE AND PARTICIPATE!!!
I looked back at a [points of unity document that was never made official > material hub for the space etc etc > see the document that Paul is referencing. 
Self empowerment, self organizing etc, 
Ideal to work towards
Not necessarily ratified document 
RC Is made up of a number of WG (Pantry, gym, tutoring, spokes planning, etc) that make up spokescounicl, while daily operations are maintained by ADMIN committees  (finance& fundraising, facilities, programs & rentals, Tech & Comms)
RC Admin Committees: each have a single point person who is ultimately held responsible fby the spokescouncil,able to remove them > details of this process not fleshed out
Cahrters for each group ratified at first psokescoucil meeting
Admin committee spokespeople report back about it from previous month
The spokescouncil (Us here now) is a way for WGs to make decision together > not majority vote, but figure out a way to / version that is acceptable to everyone in that space. 
Spokescouncil meetings are a place for us to make decision together based on proposals we have ALREADY had time to think about and discuss within our WGS >> not sure this is actually happening > adjust this model
Hold each other accountable for the commitments w’eve made over the past month
WG picks a delegate, sent to meeting, delegate reports back to larger group on what you already deciced as a group >> delegate is NOT making game-time decisions on behalf of WG
Proposals must be submitted 2 weeks prior to each spounciens meeting so there mistime to discuss
Asynchronous GCs : RC Admins Collective ; RC Spokescounil chat / RC spokescouncil announcements chat (meeting specific) / RC community announcements chat (anyone)
Q&A/ Feedback (OPEN TO ALL IN ATTENDANCE 10 mins)
LJ: 1. If feel like ti was said at early meeting that spokescounic is governing body of the space, but it seems to me that governing body is admin collective, which I think is fine but needs to be clear > but that this is a space for WGs to talk to each other is valid. 2. I’ve also been thinking that no proposals is evidence > are we meting too often? Monthly for now makes sense early in process, but it eats up a lot of time, hard to find other delegates for gym, it’s a lot of time, maybe we can meet every 3 months down the line??
LP: yeah I mean that’s an interesting de fact de rigeur > there’s a fear that they don’t want a small group to again become a super controlling group > but you can’t force ppl to participate and get into the weeds > we need to be super creative > admin ppl meeting casually 6:30 before dinners > never explicitly stated > more chaotic > something less rigid bout roles could be helpful
LJ: I agree, I don’t think it’s so bad, as long as people are allowed to participate if they want to . If it’s open to anyone joining, then implicitly ppl are consenting to small group running it , Dif then exclusive small group
Iris: should we make a habit of posting note from those meetings int he announcments chat? 
LP: He’ll Yeah. It should also be self document ed and transparent! Presentation for moments of objection, concern and participation
Paul: do you have any f feedback on the way of explaining this??
LJ I think it makes sense , points of unity ? Flow into branding update, but part of that is revisiting those and making those more clear and up on the website and stuff. 
Jessie thinks it was clear and comprehensive, and hasn’t seen a full explanination of it before
Action Item Report Backs (10 min)
bathroom cleaning
We set up bathroom cleaning rotation > and it seems like it’s happening but one week was missed > every week it’s cleaned by a rotating list of the WGs > Iris has done it twice so far, which she says is fine, I had time, it’s really not terribly time involved, just floor drying time. We missed tutoring bc it’s only 3 ppl and one of them doesn’t have a smart phone contact > so as long as I don’t do every week I don’t care
LP : is it ad hoc? If you don’t see your group listed, you just take initiative?
Shea: I thought we had said the order that was on the list is the order
I: so there is a specific list ,based on how cahretsr are listed > been announcing it in the spokescounicl chat > pantry did that, announced that tutoring was next? system seems like it’s working?
Paul: reminding us we can do direct responses within stack.
Paul: I think that it might help the rotation thing if the column for the groups was filled out so you don’t have to think that hard about it > just it’s us next. 
in-space physical calendar
Paul: the proposal was to put a physical calendar in the space on the wall next to the we work things
So the plan is a handwritten black board calendar 
Room for discussion but it hasn’t happened
There is a group chat for it if anyone wants to join it
We proposed a meeting for next week but no one said anything about it
Are there hanging supplies? 
LP : I don’t . I posted pics of supplies we could use
I: I will get the supplies
M: maybe we can put one outside for people passing by to know? I don’t know if you’d want to put everything but the things that are open to anyone to be on the calendar outside?
R: I just want to minimize the number of times we have to write the same thing over and over > problem with hand writing calendars . We have structure of same thing ever week. Maybe that’s outside, more detail inside. Internally it’s a little more important right now
ada: I don’t meet to be rude but this sounds like calendar discussion group?
Yeah I think that the issue for the calendar chat has petered off > if anyone wants to get involved > 
Post the chat to group > fire off suggestion even if you can’t make it happen
in-space admin committee signage
That explains who the admin commits are and what t they’re supposed to do. Bc feel like a shadowy group to some people still. Has been printed out. 
Maybe we cold put it up and people look at it later for feedback?
This is here. We can send it to chats. Ok. So. 
Shea - I have multiple hard copies.
Update on new branding/design for RC (10 min)
LJ: so there’s a group that is called branding Taskforce to help with branding for the space and I’m on it, LPs on it, it’s an informal group > in terms of updates, we are working with a designer who is one of the instructors with Deep May, professional designers, looks good, gave us first pass update, more developed version will be presented to the taskforce group and we will approve/have notes > 2-3 weeks > we will have font choices, layout stuff, just so that our posts on social media will be more cohesive > also some stuff for our website, which I think we need to have a discussion about it 
He needs someone to execute the design (Paul?_
W have had discussions internally I can imagine it making sense for Taskforce when timesensive is done, evolving into a PR commit to handle social media accounts. 
One. Thing we will be writing a a lot of copy for the website > we can come up with some way to make that subject to approval, but I imagine we will deign something we feel good internally, then present it to the group. 
If you want to be involved, we can add you to the GC
I’m hoping that by the end of the month we will have it good to go in terms of the branding
Do you think that should be announced more broadly? Inviting ppl to join?
Issue w too many cooks in the kitchen
Everyone could have an opinion just about whether you like the way something looks or not
LP: one of the things cool about the work is that at least the main pitch right now involves geometric elements building blocks that integrate into other stuff — more than color palette and type face >. Shapes that could be used so you don’t have to worry about layout, fun to play with
Poster maker application integrating design elements that could be accessible to anyone 
Flyers don’t have to fit style guide > but more posts that are “in the voice of RC” > so the WG could work directly with the PR group to come up with stuff
Support for proofreading content
Depends on who wants to be involved and capacity
Would be good if there was consistent group of people posting 
Talked w designer abt best practices wrt language > take some of the lift / work off of ppl making the posting so you don’t have to come up with the whole thing each time
Admin Committee Updates / Working Group Updates (45 min)
Admin committee updates:
Report on what was done this month, challenges faced, upcoming plans/needs, and any requests for support or approval. (25 mins; 5 min each)
Legal/ Liability
No one is here - Vanessa nor John > then we can assume there is nothing to worry about?
Finance 
(e.g. donations received (total and by source), expenses (total and by category), surplus/ deficit, any upcoming big expenses)
Dora is getting here at 4:30
Kaitlin update in chat?
 list of things
We have had influx of ppl come to help finance stuff bc it used to just be 2 of us
Now we have Gavin and Josh and very helpful to have extra support!!! Moving parts
cSA update: farm has agreed to handle payments > so now we don’t have ridiculous amount of revenue for tiny profit > 
CSA sales launching next week, we get $25 per member, about 100 members
Gavin and Kaitlyn have joined finance and communications and transparency
If anyone else has interest please join!!
As LP mentioned, we have tracking WF and patron $2284 membership 
The graphic has been VERY HELPFUL for instagram > and helped with huge push with donations!!! 
PLATEAU: that’s about half of rent!! Which is amazing to have accomplished in like 2 months yay be proud and excited AND THERE IS MORE WORK TO BE DONE TO REACH $4400!!! 
On top of that, electricity much more expensive this summer and for that RC the bill was $2900 for only 2 months!! That’s $1400 a month additional to rent > conversation about what number are we choosing as a gaol. We have to have our regular fundraisers >> there will always be a gap btwn memberships and actual needs
Woodbine had had a little over $3000/months so we are already 2/3 of the way there
Coworkin update: we have 5 currently. Great.
Hopefully the electricity will be less expensive in winter
MONKWORKS: still waiting to be onboarded to their nonprofit portal to create reports. If not, monk works will create reports >> monk works is our fiscal sponsor where our banking goes > there finance manager just got back form her wedding, so hopefully we can get the credentials soon.
We are also unable to get Venmo and Zelle bc of non profit compliance reasons bc of lots of language 990 filings idk 
The best way to remit money is CASHA CHECK OR ONE TIME WF DONATION > (except that %13% WF takes) so Cash and check preferable!!! 
Reimburse > petty cash or check 
Petty cash: dora is the holder of the petty cash box custodian
We have $150 budget for dinners each Sunday to reimburse for the food. We are still in the process of a more precise system for reimbursements like a form that we have that people can fill out
The biggest thing is RECEIPTS!! If you want reimburse, you need receipt!
If you want petty cash to go buy dishsoaop or whatever > pls get a receipt so I can keep track of all of that
We have $200 as our petty cash amount. Cash box always has 150 for diners, 200 for petty cash; if you have cash that you need to give us from an event > PLEASE PUT IN AN ENVLEOP AND WRITE WHAT IT IS AND WHAT FOR AND THEN DEOPOSIT INTO THE CASH BOX!!! I WILL PICK UP EVERY SUNDAY!! 
Now that dinner is baked into finance > all money is going to ringwood commons after $150 > 
So far cash $668 in cash received. 
qauesiotn: if ppl want to make a check to space, who do they make it out to? Do our finance numbers reflect gym contributions? 
No gym is not included
Gym is $500/month 
Does basement pay? 
Wood shop people pay through WF 
Coffee pays $50/person/month thru CSA? Maybe?
Transparency is hard right now bc of bank account situation : how do we report all these things out bc of different revenue streams > next step: big picture look with other streams from cash and gym etc
For woodshed, there isn’t an option to pay $125, so I’ve been doing it combined > is there an easier way to make it $125 as a recurring donation option
WE DO NOT KNOW WHO. TO MAKE THE CHECK OUT TO!!! DORA WILL CHECK
We will have free time at the end of meeting for more chatting side bars etc
Fundraising
Shea: happy to report opening party $2,600 after expenses 
Vanessa is bottom-lining a series of events for rest of years >> NED HELP!
Two bake sales 
Need bakers
Need volunteers day of >> reach out to Caroline & Vanessa if you want to help
Need flyer for 12/14 by 10/20 
Sarah will design it 
Market and Live Raffle for fundraiser > 11/16!!! 
Need to gather prizes for the raffle
Tit will help with prize collection
THIS STARTS NOW
All priszes must be submitted by Friday 11/14 at the latest
Want to do presale tickets 
NEED PERSONAL VENMO FOR THIS for presale ticket sales > bc getting a RC Venmo is tricky. Patreon is technically better > WF is high percentage 13%
NEED VOLUNTEERS TO RUN RAFFLE TABLE
10:30am-5:30pm shifts for running the raffle table
Paul: put these asks in the GC!!! 
Talk to your working groups about these events > we will need volunteers, flyers etc
Facilities
Iris: hinge broken on left we work booth and right pantry cooler door broken hinge pls be gentle in the meanwhile ;
Ongoing electrical updates > part of power might be off but slowly working towards reducing number of extension cords!!!
YAY OVERHEAD PROEJCTOR FIX!
YOU ARE WELCOME TO join facilities if yo want to learn how to fix or take care of the physical space (trash)
Tech and comms
LP: as mentioned I made this sechule maker tool to send out weekly schedules!! 
This is don’t need to know details, but it’s generated from a calendar page on the wiki > there is this table that gets filed out Sundays at 630 > these meetings are attended by ppl within WGS good critical mass of people to fill out the table > exported as html fed into LPs tool, something I like is that we can even put this out to IG, we can take artwork by community members and put it on it > present opportunity where RC materials can take community solicitation but also gives opportunity for ppl to repost and tag and help propagate info 
Social post maker: you can add image, it will fill in title and text etc > easy to share in their groups!! 
Cool to make a tool for all mutual aid orgs > anyone can take and use their own branding and give back to similar efforts etc 
The calendar is getting updated on the left side bar of weibstie > now you don’t have tu use IG > these link to different things > like the dinners, yoga etc trying to provide places for ppl to go
LJ: question: I was thinking I noticed that the gym is mentioned in this little spot > I think it could be worth mentioning that we have open hours every day?? 
The gym is open to anyone ? 
We have coached hours?? 
Nvm 
6:30pm Sunday meetings brings together these calendars!! Everything possible should get onto that calendar! We needt have 3 points of contact to promote stuff!! Updates, push events, every day of event hsould have a story / post relating to it!!! We need to have a bing bang boom practice. 
Using WF for event rsvp even free events > bc then ppl end up donating / becoming members > helps grow support
Non-google calendar prototype in process 
Breakdown of WF and patreon stuff > combined stuff : $1100 from each platform > introduces interesting questions of stragegy to deep for right now > ideally we don’t want this space to be bottom-lined by big donors, we want to be the Fugazi of spaces > $5 tickets. 
We need to watch this stuff: big chart with plateaus > I think it has to do with our presence / interactions with people and announcements !! Even the speeches and blurbs at events matter!! 
Socials and communications channel growth : big IG following growing > so how do we shift t oa different connections with community without relying on Zuckerberg ???? Something to think about!!!!
Need for a dedicated COMMS group to handle collection and confirmation of events, daily posting, day of posting, using submitted posters, bespoke flyers, covering a bunch of different posters >>> like other comment ycallendarsy like cal red etc 
Dealing with questions
Standardized copy for calls to action
Tech comms in particular has need for MORE PEOPLE in dev ops, infrastructure, sign on systems, analytics, reporting etc etc >> that would be extremely useful!!! 
Programming and rentals
No one here > Kaitlyn
Some events scheduled: board game night, clown class, prisoner letter writing 
We started doing Tuesday open cowokrin hours > we had one person sign up from that 
LJ: there was the full rental of the pace that happened recently? I think we severely undercharged the renter > is there any talk coming up with pricing for that thing?
There are standard rates, within a ballpark
There has been conversation about it > we reached loose consensus on it, based on how exclusive the rental is , we have some loose consensue > we don’t want to turn away money bc someone can’t afford the full price, it’s a diy space etc
Working group announcements (20 min)
food pantry: Sarah
Compost: we have an issue; recently informed that we stopped paying for bk rot bc of cash flow issues and we found out after dealing with tons of compost 
We didn’t hear about it ahead of time
Affecting dinner as well> the city just doesn’t take the compost in the city bin, they’ve never said it’s too heavy, but we call 311, they say it’s probably too heavy, but nothing ever came of it
But we are going to have to figure out something to do iwht it 
JEssei: do you know when the city comes to get th compost to directly interact w the people taking it? 
Don’t remember when> Thursday > but we haven’t been putting it out bc the city just won’t take it!! Even the smallest amount!
It could be combination of too heavy? Too big of bin? 
LJ: I was wounding if it’s possible to. Get multiple smaller bins form the city?
The workers picking up the compost DO NOT HAVE A MECHANISM for pickin cup compost > all by hand
Eddie: we have had success at dinners, with just asking ppl to take it home from dinner, distributing the dinners compost has at least helped get rid of some compost 
So oculd we help make smaller pantry compost ??
Sarah: bandaid solution, but wish the city would do what it says it’s going to do
Iris; getting a brown bin the workers would recognize more? Might yield something? Also the smart bins (orange) to ask ppl to bring it to the bins individually 
Active debacle > do we just give it to people, just throw it out ???
Sarah: I think one option that is most appealing to me is figuring out a collection of small brown bins
So it might be a little weird for a little big
LP: the smart bin thing; ways for ppl to support that: those plastic cubbies you might find blocks in??? Plastic bins with open front? With map for smart bins to encourage collectivist approach to this? 
We could get two compost carts  for $75/month
Smart bin is the free app you can download to access a row of compost bins on St Nicholas Ave “NYC Compost” app
Marianne: are there community gardens? 
Answer: no not really have capacity to take that amount consistent ly
gym
LJ plugging along back there, feel free to join us
If anyone wants to get involved, we have certified strength trainers on Tuesdays and Sundays maybe lol it rotates but def on sundays 
Email or dm us
tutoring
 - no one here — we need to find a way to be in contact with him… we generally just text him…
spokes planning - Paul
I. Gave a call for help 
We need people to help setting the agenda, the room, how the stuff is going, how it’s working for the pace
We set up a schedule: week before meeting, there will always be a planning meeting, we didn’t announce far enough in advance this time
WE COUDL REALLY USE HELP
>date of next spokescouncil meeting will be November 13. (Need to confirm
sunday dinner > Marianne: 
dinner is doing fine. 
Two consistent ppl just left!!!! >that will impact us but there is a lot of attendence after a summer dip
Peple are consistently volunteering, sometimes too many!
Eating side: turnout is fine. It’s consistent. It’s not too low unless rainy. But could be higher. We can be more active on the instagram page, but not a lot of people follow us on ig > that is something we can be working on > and the donations are not huge not a lot of profit for that
Being more organized for budgeting!! Maybe we should be more intentionally about planning ahead ofttimes what are the recipes we should be cooking for these 2-3 weeks and consider how much money spending and how much making > ppl who want to cook, what sclaes well and is cheap. 
Eddie: had a lot of people come in to ask people how to find out more info? What is best place to send them?
LP: I think ridgewoodcommons.nyc is maybe best place?
LP: Want to create a coherent agreed upon answers for people wrt onboarding / new folks
LP: calendar sets up detail section to say anything about each event : you can add more info to communications
Thinking about making a regular unset fundraiser to increase engagement
Community dinner for xyz is a much higher turnout to be fundraising for a cause if it were just regular 
People love themes 
tech collective - Jessie
Notes from our meeting the other day Thursday jessie, Sy, 
Fundraising ideas
Johan talked about out selling kits 
Coffee is working on selling coffee
Wood working workshops sy wants to do but we need to liability waivers that we have yet to make
We need to figure out space for other peoples projects if we. Do workshops 
Plan to revise and talk more about money and fundraising ideas > Tuesday night circuit hacking run by Jonah 8pm til late 
Question about the nature of the woodshed as far as it’s relationship to RC in terms of involvement in organizing etc etc not sure how these are defined separately from one another etc etc
Talked bout having a basement announcements chat
Oriented ourselves — how do we see ourselves in relation to RC > > need announcements chat and quiet Hours!
FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME TO GET A LOT OF BSMENT PEPOLE TOGEHTER 
Also talked about soft enclosure for saw dust
tuesday reading group - no one here
writer workshop - 
Wer are still trying to figure out how to gain new members and money
Now have new instagram and slowly gaining members 
Hopefully can finance soon
Some meeting with spokescouncil meeting we have had 2nd and 4th meeting for the last 2 years and then spokescouncil meeting decided to claim it but it was brushed off > now it’s conflicting again
So we are going to switch to 1st and 3rd Thursdays next month 
But it is worth talking to spokes planning so we don’t conflict every other month. Part of our success has been being able to stick to 2nd and 4th thursdays
LP all this talk about fundraising > could just be a pitch for subscriptions > if you decided to make a zine each year > think more flexibility about how to raise cash > 
Trying to get ppl to do $5 per meeting
Or throw our own fundraising event
yoga & meditation - Iris
One possible thing not sure where to start not sure if thread
Talk of yoga on sundays again > if we actually get teachers to commit to that for late morning or early afternoon or would that want to be kept open for other rentals and programming? Needs to get to some people to decide on that or something 
4 different yoga teachers
Discussion (26 min)
discussion session (20 min)
Checking in on how the design of the spokescouncil is actually playing out with regards to delegate rotation, working group meeting cadence, spokescouncil <-> working group bidirectional communication – open question session (20 min)
Action item review (5 min)
Closing remarks/ hugs (1 min)
Pual: a concern I’m having is that the spokescouncil design was supposed to be a way to empower the WGs in the space to have control over the decisions that get made about shared use of the space > and it wasn’t clear what the domain of the decisions of spokescouncil
In the original design, there was supposed to rotating delegates from each WG so the person who is most in touch with spokescoucnil would rotate and everyone gets direct exposure to structures etc and bidirectional communication out to groups and back to spokescouncil
And the two week proposals deadline was designed so that groups could meet in the 2 week window so that their deliegate could know decision about the proposal 
I’m suspecting that one group of people comes to these meetings but they are not rotating that much and it’s starting to become the case that noe everyone is able to schedule meetings for buy in and ocncesnus for groups bc sehcudling is hard and maybe people are not that interested in having that happen
SO what are other people experience???
LJ: the gym only meets once every 3 months, but we have a group chat for daily stuff > that is why we never have updates for the spokescouncil > we have both been having trouble. Getting people t come to these meetings not exactly sure why that is. I suspect it might be because they are so often so I could see these not happening so often
Also the 2 weeks to submit a proposal and then 2 weeks to review it but maybe that
But yeah in terms of existsenail issues facing the sapce: those seem to be addressed by admin committees 
I would agree: I think the frequency is a struggle, with the writing group getting people to want to come to these, FEAR MENTALITY: then we are going to keep having our meetings bumped and we are going to keep getting moved so if things are decided in spokescouncil meeting that it’s ok if the WG is n’t here or can’t come, that something has been decided on our behalf? But idk t’ know how that would be done
I think ppl are at capacity and aren’t sure if they even have anything to contribute to these discussions
If we do every other month, that would solve not bumping the writing group meetings 
Jesse: seems to me like it might be a good idea in short term to do more frequently bc getting our feet under us as RC and then establish every other month … idk just a thought …l while we are establishing what we are doing , more frequently makes more sense to me
Is there protocol for if not one from group can make it, maybe someone can submit a question or statement on behalf of your group at spokesconcil meeting??
LP not established > layers to this issue, ideally in nerd wiki utopia, then g group can make a page and link it to the meeting ,and that can be submitted as a report w/o delegate 
Dora: I think the frequency get s to baseline question of what is the realm of deciosn making for spokesocunil >> if it’s ever month but but decision s can’t actually be come to , then like , ok we are just updating each other, then like I feel like try not to get into capitalist mind set of it, but feeling like there is something productive coming out of these meetings 
Dora; I agree w jessie about frequency of feet under ourselves, and what is our identity of this space through the meeting there is a danger of if it’s too infrequent then there is a danger of balance between spooks and admin collective > admin does have to step in and do a lot of things, but to maintain the democratic nature of the space and maintain the grow the sense of accountability, ownership of space, we have to spoeksocunil is a good space to work out how this can happen
LJ: I feel like if admin committees are open for anyone to join, then I don’t think it’s antidemocratic for them to make decisions ? It’s not ideal but idk if it’s a problem per se
IRIS: as long as there’s transparency and accountability we work with who shows up > 
lP the original concept of spokescoucil was fishbowl model where other people from grope can be around and observe > a combination of making it easier to facilitate submitted reports from group, reemphases fish bowl > 
Create easy way for groups to submit reports so they don’t HAVE to have a delgate 
Create easy way for people to watch
Transparency should be something you can actually engage with
So more people from WGs can attend if they want to don’t have to join a group, just a thing they can go to
LJ: we should be meeting monthly rn but also I think a less frequent meeting schedule would encourage engangent Bc ppl come to “the big meeting” > because we have them every month, ppl don’t come to them; 
Pual: there was always a plan to have a 6 monmth check kin after we started to assess how its’s going 
Is anywone awayre of proposal that didn’t happen but were worked on??
Iris; had some influence about library?? With Road?  Idk.
Meeting Sunday to talk about what to do about the space behind the projector (library)
Jessie: I feel like I heard ideas about that space: does anyone have a list of those suggestion?
Seha: I think the meeting tomorrow is to being those ideas together, I also have heard several ideas for limited space >> that conversation needs to happen before proposal can be written to collectively share vision
LP I could list proposal and meetings that could be wanted but why what’s the point of the question?
Pual: how much of a hinderance is the 2-week proposal model??? Are ppl frustrated by it/? >> are there no proposals bc no ideaes or bc structural issue??
LJ I was just curious no proposals in mind
LP I hav proposals in mind but obstacle is just so much work
LP meetings; 
Onboarding > present output of meeting a call for commentary
General layout strategies for space use > result in commentary proposal
Big conversation about space identity and strategy as it relates to how much we rely on rental vs membership how the space identity is formed via financial 
LJ: PR group could come up with onboarding package for people; once we are done with this branding push
Dora: 1. I do wonder the fact that we are kind of in crisis mode wrt financial stuff, if that is another reason why proposals are less > so as things settle, maybe more proposals will come up once we are out of “we just need money” mode > maybe easier for ppl to think of other things later; 2. I forget
Paul: has anyone rotated? Most people here have rotated
Paul: I think we can continue these conversations if ppl wanna join spokescouncil planning group
Jessie: question about finances; first time I’m hearing a lot of the specifics, basically is there a chunk of change that we have to cover stuff besides monthly stuff? How worried are we about being able to pay rent??
Wer are in pretty dire straits!!!!!!
We have been hit with some pretty big bills!
We DON’T have a chunk of change. Vanessa is bottom lining a bunch of fundraiser to bring in $8-9k this fall. But that’s just one thing. We need ppl to do more.
Fundraising and finance are separate wings!! Finances is day to day management; fundraising is how to get to those goals set by finances 
WE NEED MONEY
Rachel: with con ed bill have we talked about payment plan? I know those get annoying over time?? This happens to peel and there are ways to spread it out over time > Dora will ask other f finance groups > don’t want to be in debt > they try to keep your bill at the same level every month >> might be useful!! 
Dora: people should make their checks out to MONK WORX LLC/corp??? Two words. Clarify Ridgewood Commons in the Memo! Make sure to communicate this and it’s clear to everyone!! In coms!! MEMO NOTE IS VERY IMPORATTN 
TIT: I do want to vocal that we had written contract with Matt that most of woodbines contributions are thru WF and Patreon bc of their involvement with WGs >. Contract said that he would let ALL DONORS KNOW > he has NOT posted / notified donors > he is so far violating that part of the contract > Vanessa is takin the “focus on fundraising” > Tit will reach out to Matt to push him on that bc make ppl aware of where their money is going
Iris: iv’e s tarted workin with Mike to potentially hardcore and noise show so if you want to help plan a show!! Tabling merch etc or start your won thing>> everyone should feel empowerd to create their own shows at any time
Not here > bc trying to do places that don’t charge us for show that we can make money off
Paul : should we go over action items?? 
Ada: las meeting we had a finance what we had this much in the bank ?? Do we have that number now? 
answer: person from monk worx just got back from wedding > w e don’t have log in yet should have in next couple of days so we can look at finances much more easily and do more reporting!! To show what’s coming in and what’s missing
Shea: has Matt written a check for gym donations??????? HE OWES US GYM RENT???
Dora: my understanding with these things: we’ve just been told tough fucking luck …. Some of these things, the fact that patreon and WFs not communicating is potentially not legal!! Also there is a written agreement to all these things 
LP: one thing unclear in these convos: it’s not clear that there is someone who is a paid member of patreon woodbine?? We don’t think a message was sent out??
TIT: no we have multiple people who have been on the WF and Patreon for Woodbine who have said no message from Patreon or WF
Even if the newsletter said it…..that’s not enough
LJ: I know Matt socially, if we could come up with what we actually need him to do, if there is a “subtle way” > Johnny also has been in convo
LP: Woodbien over 10 yers had $3500 / monthly but we’ve been able to do $2400 in just two months!! WE CAN DO THIS
Lets get our copy figured out
Dora: is there still a points of unity group?
IRIS: it’s a GC non responsive
But you could be added to it > that’s one thing that was always a frustration in this space as WB and seems like something that this group has talked about a bit, but yeah what is this space, what are the points of unity?? What does onboarding work?? Etc etc etc >>> see draft that Paul referenced early in meeting
Jessie: is there a thing “here’s rc ??? The instagram??
Girl what
Is there a ready made post? >> yes it’s a pinned post on IG, and qrs for donations
ACTION ITEMS:
Is there a specific person in spokes planning that writers could taklk to? Paul
Shea: from fundraising: start talking to your groups about volunteers opportunities !! Bake sales markets etc plug in
LP: put this forward in a nice digestible format for people to actually get involved
Get involved with the spokescouncil planning group! > come on sundays at 6:30 > show up to Sunday dinners
Get involved with admin committees !
LP During one of emergency meetings I proposed a questions section: sop ppl can empty their minds in a free way?? Seems like it’s already happened ??? But space for ppl to say what their questions are? 
Ada: what doe ppl know abt our relationship w landlord? If we do fall behind on rent? Back payment plan? Eviction ? Doesanyoen know?
Dora: agreement btwn Matt and leaseholders > if RC can’t maintain the space, then Matt can swoop back in! 
That is just btwn RC and Matt
With Dino the landlord not sure - mostly jus doesn’t want to be bothered
He doesn’t seem like a tight ass , have allowed ppl to change lease; we could work something out
DONE