April 2, 2008

Post Oil Solutions

Monthly Meeting

April 2, 2008

Present:

    

Bonita

Walter

Greg

Liz

Jane

Julie

Dora

Chandra

Robert King

George

Cindy

Tim

Sherry

Deb

Melissa

Doug

Deena (SIT employee)

Scott

Facilitating: Sherry (Bonita co-facilitating)

Housekeeping:

Facilitation – we are using a new system of facilitation based on Bonita’s workshop from this past Saturday. Principles are posted on wall and this will be a work in progress where hopefully all members of the LC (starting with those present this past Saturday) will take a turn and get comfortable.

Announcements (see Agenda)

  • Green Up Day – Satruday May, 3, being organized by Julie Snorek. If interested in going somewhere as a group (POS) and finding a spot to clean up, contact Julie. If any POS members interested in tabling (8-1pm) contact Julie.
  • June 1 – Potluck party celebration at Tim and Sherry’s. Mark your calendars!!
  • April 23rd – Richard Heinberg presentation – help needed to work the door at BUHS. Could be a fundraiser if we bring in enough people! Being sponsored by POS, the Brattleboro Peak Oil Task Force, and the Brattleboro Selectboard.
  • Bonita’s final workshop series this coming April 5. Also an Earth Healing Ritual in the afternoon. See Bonita for more info.
  • John Perkins speaking at Marlboro College April 24, 2008 (Author of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man)
  • Deb has written draft by-laws that the LC should review, edit, etc. so that form for IRS can be filled out. A separate meeting venue will be necessary to discuss them fully. LC should read and review and Tim and Sherry will send out some possible meeting dates.

Discussions:

Carbon Diet Program (Walt)

starting tomorrow evening for the first time at Marlboro Grad Center starting at 7 pm. (see Walter and Melissa for more info). Thursdays in April. Walter can bring copies to the next meeting if folks are interested.

Winter Farmers Market (Sherry)

  • Great season!! 113% increase in agriculture sales. Celebration on the 12th at the River Garden. Thanks to Cindy, Chandra, and all involved!
  • About $700 profit for market – after revenues went to an advertisement, paying Cindy and Sherry as managers and other operating cost. POS Account is at $5200+ right now including the revenue from the WFM.
  • WFM was great for Building a Better Brattleboro (BaBB) and the River Garden. Our relationship with BaBB is great.
  • Two new farmers have contacted POS about being a part of the WFM next year and are growing with the WFM in mind.
  • Dora made a suggestion of offering some very affordable lunch items such as soups, etc. such as those she saw at the WFM in Rutland.

Chamber Roof Top Garden (Dora)

  • Dora spoke with Bob Stevens about structural soundness – he doesn’t believe any downtown building is capable of holding a garden – would need 70 lbs/sq. ft. capacity in order to build. Could be worth looking into an upgrade to find out about costs.
  • Assessment could cost @ $2,000. Could look into state money, other support. Dora is doing research reaching out to Green Building. Possibilities could be in-kind work from engineering firm, grants, etc. to do assessment. If this could be done could spur a great movement of green roofs!! Anyone else willing to get involved contact Dora. Doug offered some help.

Heifer Parade Participation (Tim)

  • Windham Localvores and the Green Street school will be marching, using stilts, passing out the "three sisters:" beans, corn, & squash. Would love POS to come along and bring our banners. POS will not be tabling.
  • Tim will get more info about this – Email Tim if interested in participating.

Post Carbon Institute Relocalization Membership (Bonita)

  • Bonita drafted an application for membership, Sherry is reviewing it and it will be sent out.
  • The Relocalization Network is a FREE network that we can be a member of and we will be on their website. There’s a great part that deals with what they can do for us, and suggestions have been made about webinars, workshops, etc. Could be a great resource for us as we build skills, etc.

Proposals

Fundraising (Liz)

  • Could be a great activity for a group of us to work on really creatively, outside the box of just grant writing and big event planning, and really expanding on our abilities, our legitimacy and our presence in the community.
  • SIT work study person for next year could be focused on fundraising. Liz, Tim, Sherry, Greg and Cindy are all willing to be a part of the committee.
  • Fundraising does not have to operate only in terms of $$$ but also in terms of donated resources, etc.,

Workshop Fee Revisited (Tim)

  • In Feb. workshop fees were revoked and became donation only.
  • In past two months Tim has tracked workshop participation and donations and in every case we did not make as much as we would have if there had been a fee.
  • Tim is proposing a "$5-10 sliding scale, no one refused" policy.
  • Discussion around:
    • Valuing our work, people making reservations and not showing up. The idea of making deposits that can then be returned.
    • Who are we and what are we about in terms of access and who are we trying to draw in and who are we excluding when we have fees.
    • Possibility of barter/work exchange?
    • Sliding scale starting at $5 and going higher, but genuinely saying that pay what you can, even if that means $0.
    • Wording of "scholarships available" or same idea conveyed.
    • Robert donates all his money that he gets paid for this.
    • Is money the issue or is it the meaning around money that is the issue? Tim has expressed discomfort around asking for money and we should consider this.
    • Concern around capitalism drive to our work – fundraising doesn’t have to operate solely in that framework.
  • Tabled for next meeting.

Food Sustainability Project (Cindy)

  • Cindy will be leaving her position to come to POS as Food Sustainability Coordinator, willing to participate in fundraising activities to fund her position.
  • Proposal to use some POS funds to pay Cindy to fund her position.
    • Tim proposing Cindy draw plans out more concretely with duties, time and funds.
    • This can be brought to LC for voting/consideration for next meeting
      • POS needs to look into legal pieces around hiring people (SS, insurance, contractual, etc.)

Liz’s Practicum (Liz)

  • Practical application portion of degree: 20-3- hrs/wk 6-8 months time period
  • Focus on working with the Food Security Project helping to organize community members (especially focused on low income community, students, international community), develop resource handbook, engage in administrative
  • POS does have a responsibility in terms of Liz being involved with the organization, and Tim being Liz’s supervisor.
  • Tim proposed stipend (tabled for next meeting).
  • LC Approves Liz’s Practicum proposal.

Windham Localvore and Windham Energy Group T-shirts (Tim)

  • Asking POS to sell their shirts at our tabling at various events.
  • Question about perpetuating consumerism, which isn’t very sustainable. Also non-organic cotton, non-fair trade, though silks-creener non-local.
  • Proposal dropped.

Purchase of Tabling Tent (Tim)

  • For use at Townsend Farmers market initially and also for POS at events.
  • Chandra proposing that she do some research around a locally produced one.
  • Revisited for next meeting – Chandra will present research
  • Dora proposing that a policy be developed so that budgetary concerns don’t need to take up entire meeting. Sustainability Purchasing Policy. Also policy around how we do budgetary concerns.
  • Chandra, Jane, Doug and Dora would like to work on the policy crafting.

Facilitation Debrief immediately after meeting with Sherry and Bonita.

Facilitation Team for May: Chandra & Walter