Minutes – Steering Meeting, 7/07/20
Facilitator: Irene K
Secretary: Ryan M
Also Attending: Gabe R, Kurtis H, Paola S, Rachel B, Stu K, Ali M
Absent: Brian W (excused), Tim Z (excused), Peter G
Executive Summary
- Rachel will work on a moderation policy for zoom general body meeting.
- Ryan M and Irene K will work on a communications policy for emails
and other communication moving forward to present and discuss at the
next steering meeting.
Minutes & Agenda
Meeting came to order at 7:02 pm. Irene reads the Code of Conduct. Agenda is approved by unanimous consent.
Reports
Secretary Report
Ryan M yields time to Brendan G to give a tech team report. Membership
is increasing, membership in good standing is growing. Website visits
going up. Some issues with unsubscribes from the email list that we need
to address. Ryan M raises we are working on a longer plan for a member
portal site and also a website for the Washington Socialist.
NoVa Branch Report
Eric S. delivers the branch report for the Northern Virginia branch.
Old Business
July GBM
Rachel B presents on plans for the July GBM. Will include time for a tenant organizing training, and time for a Brian’s participatory budget
proposal. We also have a resolution submitted for a first read for July
GBM. Steering decided at our 6/9 steering meeting that the July GBM
would not include business. We may revise that given that we have a few
items for discussion.
Discussion happens around whether or not to continue with the webinar
format for the general body meetings. Rachel B motions that we move
back to the “meeting” format on zoom for GBM meetings with stronger
community guidelines and moderation. Motion passes with 6 in favor, 2
against, and no abstentions.
New Business
Email Strategy
Kristen B presents a report on issues that have been coming up around sending emails, full report can be found here. We’ve had roughly 450 unsubscribes since moving to Action Network, roughly half of them are members.
Long discussion about the issues and benefits of our current email policy and our communications overall. Ryan M proposes the restriction on who can send emails we implemented when the issue was brought to our attention remain in place until Ryan M and Irene K can develop a formal policy on Comms, with the exception that branches will have their permissions restored if they’ve been interrupted. This motion passed unanimously.
Resolution 20-07-R01
Frank F presents the resolution, the full text of which is here. There is some discussion about whether or not we can or cannot pass this proposal as an emergency resolution.
Kurtis H motions that we consider this an emergency resolution, motion is seconded. Motion passed by a unanimous vote. This will be brought to the July GBM as an emergency resolution, and a ballot will be sent out to the membership after the GBM with question 1 being whether they approve of this as an emergency resolution (which must pass by a 3/4ths vote), and 2 whether they vote in the affirmative on the resolution itself (which only requires a simple majority). If the resolution fails as an emergency resolution, it will still have satisfied the requirement of a “first read” and will proceed as usual along the three-reader process.
Portfolio Reports
Skipped for time.
Executive Session
Steering moved into executive session at 8:43 pm.