Community council meeting agenda 05/01/2011

Here are some of the items we'll talk about at the next meeting.

Please read recent discussions at  http://groups.google.com/group/freegeekchicago-talk. Once you're there, join the group. And once you've joined the group, join the conversation! Please feel free to add to any of the discussions, or start a new one.

The agenda for the previous meeting is at: http://codex.freegeekchicago.org/wiki/MeetingAgenda/2011-04-10. The minutes for the previous meeting are at :  https://groups.google.com/group/freegeekchicago-talk/browse_thread/thread/756a73cef7b979fd.

Introduce yourself (standing item)

(Everybody, say your name)

Add agenda items (standing item)

(Besides the things later in the agenda, what else should we talk about?)

Announcements (standing item)

(Any announcements that don't require action or discussion can go here.)

• Standing reminder: there will be a 10-minute time limit to all topic discussions. If by then no solution is found, the topic will be tabled until the next meeting.

• WooHoo! Freegeek's Retreat is only 6 days away!
  • Saturday, May 7th, from 10am to 4pm.
  • at the Wicker Park/Bucktown public library, 1701 N. Milwaukee Avenue
  • more info below:

• Attention! Our recycling Fundraiser is on the rise, but promotional efforts are still needed. Donate at:  http://www.indiegogo.com/Recycling-bills-Q1-2011

Reports (standing items)

Staff meeting recap

• This one's on Alex.

Money

• We have $1085 before rent is paid

Laptops

• These are tentative criteria for volunteers wanting to work in the laptop room:
  • Completing the 24-hour build program
  • Reading Ben's So, you wanna work on laptops and answering most of the questions.
  • Troubleshooting a desktop correctly (and having it checked over by a staff member).
  • Interview.
• Some ideas for ensuring qualified access:
  • Make a list of eligible people.
  • Have sign-in sheet for laptop room.
  • Colored badges for laptop crew.

Education team

(Susan or Scott), Susan to post updates on  https://groups.google.com/group/freegeekchicago-talk

Video

• Calvin has shown video clips in progress, Bob R. to add his how-to skills.
• One of our young volunteers should use our still camera and take some photos during build.

Licensed non-free software (old item)

Aaron should have answers from an IP attorney this meeting.

Books (old item)

Susan is keeping up with all incoming books. Janet noticed that prices in the books in front of the admin stationhad been ripped out. Does anybody know what's up with that?

Townsquare (old item)

Dave has been coding away on the Townsquare project. He will upload his most recent changes to our testing server (townsquare.freegeekchicago.org), then have users try it out and give suggestions, then upload our old data. The volunteer hour-tracking feature works, and there are some skeletal user profiles available, but that is about it.

Theft (old item)

In the week before the the last CC meeting, two items were stolen. One of which was an iSight webcam, which is close to $200 new. There were also some sketchy instances with a volunteer who said that he had bought something, it had vanished, and he now wanted his money back.

So, we all need to be watchful. Some suggestions from the last meeting:

• Susan suggested setting up an access control / commissary system for valuable sale items.
• Dave said that there should be a person at the admin desk all day, acting as a greeter / assistant to Janet / Pinkerton.
• Bob R. said that if the person at the admin desk had a PA system, it would help them to direct traffic in the space.
• Sam proposed a bag check, or a ticket system for buying things (where purchases are held for you until you leave for the day).

Printers (old item)

Sam D. will submit a proposal regarding printer refurbishing.

Retreat May 7th (new item)

• Possible topics for discussion are listed at  https://groups.google.com/group/freegeekchicago-talk/browse_thread/thread/8611d6479c2e97d5. They include:
  • Education / Improving Orientation / Split intros to hardware & process / More & shorter classes
  • Improving Security / Camera System
  • Parts / Parts Counter / Build Kits
  • Improving the Build Process
  • Optimizing Floor Plan / Expanding the Store Shelf
  • Leadership / New Staff Members / Floor Captains

• People we encourage to come out and partake include:
  • Bob R.
  • Bob S.
  • Bob H.
  • Kevin
  • Calvin
  • Andrea
  • Terri
  • Scott
  • Susan
  • Dave S.
  • Alnier
  • Sam D.
  • Frances
  • Mike Mc.
  • The Serrati family

Summer internships (new item)

Dave Eads will write up a proposal about summer internships. High school/college-aged youth need work experience, and we always need motivated help.

More staff members needed (new item)

Janet says, "As much as we enjoy being Staff members, we're stretched mighty thin on Open Build days. Do you fit in? Are you qualified to step up?"

Disrespectful conduct (new item)

A reminder: Our communication style, like the rest of the organization, may be very loose and informal. But we still need to be polite (or at least civil) to each other.

Why bring it up now? A staffer reports that one individual "has been instant messaging and texting me with some off the wall stuff again. He sent me a long rant the other day implying, again, that I and/or FreeGeek had somehow exploited him and that we're out to use people for our personal gain, and last night/this morning texted me asking if someone had paid me to have him killed on account of diamonds."

This may not violate the letter of our code of conduct (which covers behavior in the space). But it seems to violate the spirit.

Janet says, "I think that Community Council should decide his fate."

Date of next meeting (standing item)

May 22, 2011 ?

Shout-outs (standing item)

("What's Good" and "Damn the Man")

• Janet: Shout-out to all of the Easter Sunday crowd, we truly enjoyed an unprecedented Sunday
• DavE: A big shout-out to Janet -- a buyer was so happy with her sales skills that he paid extra for an LCD screen!
• Scott: Shout-out to Steve Mohr for renewing our domain name.
• Janet: Shout-out to Kevin fixed the faucet handle and it seems to be draining fine.

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Comments

Comment by Janet Mitts on Wed May 18 18:43:03 2011

Next meeting Agenda is at:  http://wiki.freegeekchicago.org/wiki/MeetingAgenda/2011-05-22

Comment by Scott Lewis on Fri May 20 07:37:06 2011

Meeting notes at  https://groups.google.com/group/freegeekchicago-talk/browse_thread/thread/b6f28d8013cbcdb4.

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