Apologies: Kevin
Acknowledgement of country, gratitude
Working group updates
- Shopping (CC): everyone in that WG has done a shop and is experienced in it now. Stocktake list created, on the wiki. Please have a look when you can.
- Finance (CC): Jemika arrested, Camilla away, Camille and CB have Covid. Finance is stagnant. Liz will do banking tomorrow.
- Free shop (Liz): Floor was painted. Jen was away. Stayed back on Sunday to clean out. Tom did lots of loads to the op shop. Just want warm clothes, no books. Thank people graciously as usual. Free shop is contributing to treasure chest – some people who take from the free shop give money into the kitty.
- Manifesto (Liz): Kevin and Liz were away, meaning to do background reading on it but were busy working. Dispersed readings into the WG. Draft of ideas for manifesto might be ready in the next 3 weeks.
- Belong (Liz): Before last meeting, Indy, Kevin and Liz went to a meeting with Belong. We have been the main contact for the past 2 years. Smooth meeting, but since Belong has let Liz know via email that Belong has amalgamated with Communify. This is an interesting turning point. We don’t know what will happen, what this means. Next Friday 22nd, Communify boss will come to Social Space and Indy will give a tour and timeline and history of the Social Space. This will begin the dialogue. Liz called Jonathan Sri. She will meet with Jonathan about what this amalgamation means, and if doesn’t go well, strategy for what we can do. Let’s not panic. Make sure they understand who we are and our distinction from Belong. Communify now has the lease of the building.
- Groundskeeping (Tom): mulching happening, including removing disco risky, saving native grass and replanting it. Gutters are very clogged but Belong have expressed they will do this and Indy has supplied them the number of a professional as requested.
- Laundry (Liz): now have 4 washing machines. No dryer going into that room at this point. Will either get into that room later or somewhere else. Hopefully will be installed within the next fortnight. Hills hoist clothes line
- Recruitment etc (Indy): Might be able to open Wednesday again. Will reflect this in the coming weeks timetables. We will trial putting the roster on the wiki too but maintain it on the FB because a lot of people aren’t on or have sought access to the wiki yet.
- Jacaranda festival in season. An idea to have a little celebration, make flyers for the occasion and focus on local letterboxing (in an effort to raise local involvement). Music, food, open mics, speeches, stalls. Lots of ideas. Indy to make a post about it and an avenue for people to contribute their ideas and capacity.
Opening Wednesdays: yes! Not next week but the following. Indy to make a post asking who is confident to be a cook, keep count of this. Good for records and rostering.
Communication platform: chat to be maintained as a space for immediate questions and social discussion. Facebook group is to be a space for discussions and rosters. The wiki is a space for resources (and also the roster).
Healthy communication: a big and deep discussion. A few different ideas to handling conflict and disagreement, not an exhaustive list. Do we want to give the facilitator the opportunity to end discussions if communication is breaking down or if no agreement is getting nearer? Do we want to introduce time limits? Do we want to have people available to mediate if an interpersonal conflict happens and wants to be resolved? Do we want to make this an option, or just offer someone to debrief at the end? Do we want to try pausing and continuing? How can we use break out groups? Indy to continue research into possibilities and continue to the discussion amongst volunteers and in meetings.
Cash vs. Card: the cash economy is very important. To keep it going people have to go to places that work with cash. Cash is slowly dying. It’s important for lots of people, we can go under the raidar. Liz doesn’t like the surveillance of banks attached with cards. Liz doesn’t have an opposition to having a bank account, but doesn’t want finances attached to a card.
Camilla is against having a square reader. Prefers having an account listed that people can directly transfer into. So we don’t have to be cognisant of how much people donate, takes the pressure or threshold off donating particular amounts.
Public liability: we can apply to Artshub for it so we don’t have to get it from Belong/Communify. It’s $375/year. This means independent public liability from Community.
- Camilla and Liz to go into Bank Australia branch to suss out account
- Indy to make flyers for Jacaranda festival
- Masks to be encouraged to be worn inside the kitchen again