General Assembly Minutes 3/6/12

Facilitator: Josh
Vibes/Stack: Colin
Minutes: Daniel R.

Caucus Updates:

Radical Caucus:

• Citywide spokes Council Saturday March 10 5:00pm
• Hunger action, Permaculture 10-12 organizations represented.
• Question: Will Radical Caucus Facilitate this meeting?
• Answer: Will act as host and Facilitator

Working Group Report Backs:

Reoccupation Workgroup:  

• Will bring multiple proposals to General Assembly as planning for the Occupation proceeds
• Meets this evening at the Occupy Office at 8pm.
• Tonight will try to establish a timeline for introducing a proposal to the GA

Legal Working Group:  

• Judge Keefe dismissed all charges against occupiers
• Legal observers and legal team had great representation at the #M5 event, there were 33 arrests with 1 individual held overnight for forged instrument. Legal is pressing for all the charges to be dropped against those arrested.
• Questions: Will legal be at the courthouse for representation who were arrested on at #M5 action
• Answer: Legal Working Group meets every other Wednesday (1 week from tomorrow at 744 broadway)

Finance: 

• Finance Frugal Board posted on the wall of the Office, a presentation of the current financial situation for Occupy Albany.
• If there are any questions please contact a member of Finance WG.
• Occupy Albany currently has no steady stream on income.
• Rachel set up a WePay account yesterday and 2 people already donated $50
• POI: Email OCP@occupyalbany.org for Online Content Publishers
• Finance meets at 7pm on Wednesdays at the SunSpot Cafe on Quail on Elberon.

Democratize the Economy: 

• There will be a future showing of Farm to Fridge

Education: 

• March 9 Michael Moores Sicko
• March 16 Zabista Film
• 99% Spring will be offering Non-Violent Direct Action Training the week of Wednesday 11th Possible Non-Violent Training
• www.The99spring.com

Direct Action:

• Met to discuss plans for May Day (a worldwide day of action for Labor Rights)
• OWS has made a call for a Worldwide General Strike.
• On May 1st there is the beginning of planning for an organized festival in Academy Park.
• Planning and participation will be needed for the planning of this event.
• Meetings are Sunday at 1pm at the Occupy Office.

InfoTech:

• Launched new website, some things still need work
• Input is needed from caucuses and WG’s for anything that should be posted on the website.
• If you want to edit your information and meeting times email it@occupyalbany.org
• The new website depends on regular content updates.
• If your working group does not produce a lot then your page will be barren.
• Every time you post it will be on the front page until groups have posted enough to bump it.

Working Group Proposals:

Direct Action:

PROPOSAL: Occupy Albany endorses Occupy May Day Festival in Academy Park on Tuesday May 1st.  Local Unions have reached out to OA and conveyed that they would like to Follow OA’s Lead on this Event. Babecue, Maypole, Fesival for Labor, Music, Teach-Ins, Speakers.

• (funding for specifics will be proposed at a later date)
• 1 Stand Aside – Daniel Robins, concern that Direct Action Working Group will be putting a large investment of time and effort into this event with Labor Unions Following. Unions have been the majority of contributors in the year 2012.

OUTCOME: Consensus reached.

Finance:

PROPOSAL: All money that was collected from the safe during the weekend of Bill Preston’s Fundraiser be contributed to the ongoing collection for Bill’s Fund.
OUTCOME: Consensus reached.

Radical Caucus: 

PROPOSAL: $100 donation to READY (Re-educating Albany’s Dying Youth) for a talent show fundraiser. (bradley to make a sign) 

• Concern: giving money to other groups and setting a precedent.
• Concern: need additional details, date, place, time, etc

OUTCOME: Proposal tabled.  Concerns will be discussed at the next Radical Caucus meeting.

Other Business:

Mara: Fair Farm Bill Thursday March 15th
Meeting about this event Citizen Action office Tomorrow Evening 8pm

Alice: Healthcare for the 99% will be showing Friday night will be a showing of the Film Sicko, popcorn will be served.
Meetings: Most Tuesday Nights at 7:30, (please consult the calendar for times)

Jan: Rennsslear Update, Jan plans to get arrested at a city hall meeting in Rensselaer, Jan invites folks to join her on March 14 at the Rensslaer city Hall

Colin: Labor Religion Coalition, looking for youth activists that have been nominated for awards. Seeking nominations for speakers or representatives to accept the award.  email suggestions to cdonnaruma@gmail.com

Rachel Dash: David Panza incurred fines of up to $250 for an arrest in Layfayette Park, for those interested in discussing this and how we will move forward as a movement please speak to rachel after GA

A temp check was taken to break process and allow for a more open discussion:

• Temp checked by Facilitator and consensus to continue discussion.
• Neville: does not support the use of general funds for fines incurred during direct actions or civil disobedience.
• Dave: If dave does not want his name on anything, it does not seem ok to do so. We should be upfront about where people are contributing money. There is currently no income.
• Bradley: Don’t like the idea of deciding person by person if we are going to support individuals fines and bail. But I also don’t want to support individuals throwing bricks thru windows. Perhaps it should be means tested, not everyone may have the availability of funds to pay fines. If your willing to pay your own fine you can do all the stupid $h1t you want.
• Alice: We should have something solidified. With the new law against protestors there will be a lot more arrests and we should be prepared for it. Need guidelines, criteria, means tested and support when people are really in a tight spot.
• Doug: Agree that we need a separate legal defense fund. Make a priority among our finances.
• Jan: Glad this is brought up,
• Rachel: Bring to finance to discuss and bring a proposal about a seperate legal defense fund.
• Mark: Legal should prob be involved in planning this proposal, Legal has donated thousands of dollars in professional.