DNC Board Meeting Minutes - September 24, 2013

DNC Board Meeting - September 24, 2013

Attendees: Anthony G., Leo M., Jezz M., April S., Roland C., Jacek L., James O., Bill B., Clea, Ludvik S., Jewels C., Rob M., Hendrik B.

11 board members present

Agenda
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Review of Last week

Traffic

LAPP

Copwatch

62 Update

Tenant Bill of Rights

Board Members

Summary of 3pm meeting

Conflict Discussion

Hendrik does the opening

Jewels reads the constitution

Traffic Campaign Discussion

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7th victim in the last 6 months

3rd accident since we met with the bus company

Anthony filed a complaint on Saturday with bus company for almost getting run over

suggestion of an additional letter to bus company

discussion of doing a follow up with them based on new information

do we know what kind of background check they do on the drivers?

do they do drug or alcohol testing on the drivers?

what is our next step?

Decision to follow up with the bus company to request a report on all the serious pedestrian accidents in the DTES in the last 6 months. Request that they provide full accident details and causes and tell us what what is being done to prevent similar accidents in the future.

Jacek requests that Jewels follow up with VANDU to ask if they still have the radar gun

Discussion of possible plan to issue our own traffic tickets

LAPP

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Rob describes the conflict at previous LAPP meeting

Rob says that he was removed from the LAPP, and Herb was not removed from the LAPP

DNC does not need to make a statement about not wanting to extend the broken LAPP process because Rob says that they were already denied an extension at city hall

LAPP was a money grab and a PR exercise, a big waste of time

The protest going right now at city hall is essentially rejecting the entire concept of these LAPP processes.

Copwatch

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Last week PSS meeting was cancelled due to client having death in the family

PSS agreed to go forward and meet on Friday, water street sky train.

VPD guy is a senior swat team guy. Terms are that meeting must be taped and there is no option for refusing

Police are clearly scared of copwatch in the DTES because they are being watched

Other board members agree to tweet if they see anything going on

Rob reports on previous process of complaining and so forth

One of the witnesses was unreliable. Says that there was an incident where they clearly acted more professionally because he made a previous complaint

Copwatch setting up patrols in Yaletown, Chinatown, and Gastown

Intimidation of Jamie is continuing

62 Update

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Today was second day open on Tuesday. We actually had vendors today.

We had tents, tables, and ran from 11am to 2pm and had about 12 vendors

We signed up about 20 members for the DTES Street Market Society

charity online - provincial government - infrastructure grants

Applying for social innovation grant, and core grant direct social services

One of the vendors said that they would be willing to pay for space

We need to be careful not to ever charge the poor vendors and keep it a safe place for binners

Pigeon park on Sunday will never be surrendered.

Tenant Advocacy

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We need to give tenants a voice, make it a safe place for tenants to complain. Rob started a tenancy union when he was at the washington hotel. Just because people are placated with housing does not make everything better. Lots of arbitrary rules in social housing, and Hendrik never signed anything. Finally they got rid of security guards because what they were doing was illegal - stopping me from having guests. Jezz lived above the dugout and had bed bugs, cockroaches and everything.

Decision to develop a tenants bill of rights that will be equally applied to non-profit run buildings as well as private SROs. Advocacy groups in DTES will not help because they are allied with the other non-profits. We can hold the non-profits to account and make them afraid of bad press and bad reputation.

Decision to set up a DNC table at the street market to do outreach and membship signup

James O is now getting evicted from his SRO for advocating for residents in the building. It is a private SRO run by the woo family.

Board Members

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April gives a brief introduction and describes why she wants to be a member of the board of the DNC. Urged by Hendrik to join the board. Interests are women, children, families and social change. Can be a documentor for the group. 

Clea gives a brief introduction to herself. Trying to write positive stories about the DTES.

Hopes to make a difference as a journalist and write a different kinds of articles.

3pm meeting with Catherine L

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Jacek summarizes the meeting. She is our funder. We described the strange difficulties that we seemed to be in. We asked her to help. The help will probably be in the form of a mediator and a conflict resolution process. She will find someone that is trusted, impartial and not necessarily from the DTES. She was at the general meeting in April and saw the attacks, she could not believe what happened. 

Hopefully she will help us with the conflict resolution process and maybe come up with a plan for surviving general meetings. It may be pointless to try and have a general meeting before we begin this resolution process.
There was some discussion of the constitutional challenges by the opposing group, but the consensus was that if the present board was acting in the best interest of the organization that we could continue to proceed. 

Rob - CCAP put out pamphlets for our meeting. Gerry saw the pamphlets and that is why he got scared. 

Jewels - one of the residents said that there was going to be a rally here and Gerry got scared. 

Rob - Gerry told him that Ivan called him on Friday. Ivan also called Rob several times.

Rob - Gerry said that he called Wendy and felt that there would be two groups so the situation was dangerous.

Gerry also said that he phoned Wendy right away to cancel the meeting. Gerry said that Wendy asked if Roland said it was going to get rowdy. Gerry said no that it was his call to cancel it.

Decision for board to wait for a) a letter from the opposing group and b) a follow up from Catherine L on next steps, and details of the mediation process.

Bill says that he has been in contact with Ivan about having some kind of truce in order to figure out what is really going on. Ivan said that he would go back to his group and discuss it.

Many board members joke and say that they weren't even offered one of these yellow Tshirts.

DNC Board Minutes - September 17, 2013

DNC Board Minutes - September 17, 2013

Ludvik S., Bill B., Clea, Debbie K., Jewels C., Jamie R., Jezz M., April S., Anthony G., James O.,
Roland C., Jacek L., Hendrik B.,
11 board members present

1) Phones
2) GWAC Coalition
3) Bus Meeting
4) General Meeting
5) Ivan Email
6) Carnegie Newsletter
7) Copwatch

Debbie reads our constitution
Roland reads the previous weeks agenda
MOTION: Jacek motions to accept the minutes, Roland seconds, motion passes

MOTION: Roland motions that all those board members with phones should get their phones paid, James seconds motion, motion carries
(this would now include Roland, Jacek, Ludvik, Anthony, Jezz, Jewels, Bill, Jamie)

Debbie summarizes the GWAC community gathering - Our Community Our Plan
20 people around the table. Brian Jackson is general manager of planning. GWAC is denouncing the whole plan.
Stong representation from DTES. Many friends and frenemies.
GWAC invited us to attend the rally at city hall on Sept 24, tuesday at 5:45pm
Second agreed action was to encourage each council to issue their own press release
Next meeting time would be in October in False Creek.

MOTION: Roland motions to include the Sept 24th as an agenda item on the GM, Jamie seconds, motion passes

Roland summarizes the meeting with Coast Mountain.
They clearly worked hard and prepared for the meeting. We met with CEO, COO, and head of training.
We should follow up and see if they will share some of the data with us, and perhaps ask about
how they communicate with the city in order to not be surprised by route changes.
We also need to ask follow up questions on their training programs, whether they are trained
to deal with people with barriers.

62 Summary
Soft opening today, free coffee for labor
No power, No water, No garbage, No bathrooms - need to get all of these for a functioning market

Budget of $150 for meal at GM. Check cut to Anthony.
Bill will make poster, Ludvik will print posters, Jacek will put them up.
Sign up at 2pm meeting till 4pm on 10th floor.
Roland will have membership lists for both Jewels and James who will do sign up.
Jamie, Debbie will do room setup
Bill, Anthony will do facilitation ($10)
Roland can do minutes
Ludvik can do filming
Hendrik, and April will do documentation as well
8x$5+$10 = $50 = $200 budget for stipends

$150 for meals, $200 for stipends
Budget for GM passes

Discussion of Ivan's request ("the disgruntled five")
Ivan requests on behalf of the 5
MOTION: Roland motions that a response be sent requesting details on the topic that the 5 (Ivan, Wendy, Tami, Jean, Herb)
wish to present at the general meeting including the exact wording of any motions and the board would consider their
request in due time, Ludvik seconds, motion passes

Carnegie Newsletter discussion tabled

Copwatch
inspector is meeting with us this Friday - meet 11am at waterfront skytrain station to
discuss the two incidents mentioned earlier. Others are invited to attend. Sandwiches are
being made tonight and will be handed out on bottle block because there is a rumor that
copwatch are undercover. Woman was just taking out her pills, police cuffed her because
they thought that she was selling. Jamie filed two complaints based on pushing through
his door.

Some LAPP discussion, and to not eject Rob, they must apologize and make peace.

motion to adjourn

DNC Board Meeting - September 10, 2013

DNC Board Meeting - September 10, 2013

Attendees: Roland C., Hendrik B., Anthony G, Ludvik S., Jacek L., Jezz M., Bill B., James O., Jewels C.,
Wes Regan., Debbie K.,
10 board members present

Jezz chairs

Agenda:
1) General Meeting
2) Bus Meeting
3) ALIVE Meeting
4) Cop Watch
5) HXBIA cooperation
6) Street Market Update

Bill reads the constitution

Roland reads last weeks minutes
Anthony motions to accept minutes, Jacek seconds, motion passes

Discussion of General Meeting
62 E Hastings is available, just need about 40 chairs

Discussion of cooperation project with BIA
Wes - BIA is trying to do things in an unconventional way
Creating spaces that are more inviting, less marginalizing
Creation of 30km banners up and down Hastings
Asking VPD to have targeted stops to enforce the speed zone

Also, how can we help businesses understand the neighbourhood and
create a good neighbours charter - affordable items, welcoming atmosphere,
local low barrier hiring, sensitivity training. Address many concerns
about the changing neighbourhood and create a better dialog with the
businesses that are coming.
Perhaps create a course, and then a sticker that can go on the window
Apply for a grant, but will do it regardless of grant funding
Grant money would be for dialogues and sensitivity training
Potluck cafe launched the new hiring practice that we can leverage
Possibly a year end party with awards, etc...

Employment at a minimum wage. Stop exploitation of residents by NGOs paying tiny stipends.

MOTION: Bill motions to take part in banner program, and support the BIA in enforcing
the 30km zone, Ludvik seconds, motion passes

MOTION: Jacek motions to partner with BIA to pursue the social inclusion strategy
and develop a good neighbours charter and program, Ludvik seconds, motion passes

Back to General Meeting discussion
Bill - add to agenda - sign up sheet for copwatch
ratify board members, ratify strategic plan, ratify traffic and cooperation with BIA
ratify plan to get civil forfeiture grants for traffic calming
GM committee to meet on 19th or 20th to complete
Bill can do poster, Ludvik can print them
Bill chairs and Anthony will co-chair

CMB Meeting
They are clearly preparing for the meeting
Let's wait until we meet and they hear demands before any action
Make sure we have a full list of fatalities on Hastings
Meet at noon at Sky train station

MOTION: Hendrik motions to endorse the Regional Homeless Transit Plan put forward
by VUCCWA, Roland seconds, motion passes.

Copwatch - two cases. called a mtg with inspector.
Native lady was harassed and assaulted. Kid was stopped and police punched him in the face.

DNC Board Meeting - September 3, 2013

DNC Board Meeting - September 3, 2013

Rob M., Dave, James O., Bill B., Debbie K., Anthony G., Jezz M., Jamie R., Jacek L., Roland C.,
10 attendees, 9 board members

Jamie R chairs

Agenda
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Review of Last Meeting
General Meeting Discussion
LAPP, Emerging Directions
Scott Clark
CMB Company
York Rooms
Herb Varley

Rob motions to accept agenda, Jacek seconds, motion passes
Rob motions to accept the minutes, Debbie seconds, motion passes

General Meeting Discussion
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We should have access to 62 E Hastings by then.
Vendor meeting will go ahead at Carnegie, but we need a fall back for our general meeting

Discussion of Strategic Plan for 2014

Roland motions to introduce strategic plan at general meeting, Rob seconds, motion passes
General meeting rules discussion
 - no motions from the floor, people can come to board if they want to propose a motion
 - discussion to make general meetings quarterly, too much work to have meetings every month

LAPP
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Scott wants to do a joint press conference on Sept 14
Low income caucus wants to quit the LAPP

CMB meeting
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Tabled

York Rooms - Cuchillo Update
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Dave, one of the managers of the York Rooms is a guest at our meeting tonight
Claims that 2 people only were actually evicted and that they were causing trouble, running drugs out of the buildings
At one point there were 14 empty rooms, but this was because many rooms were being used as drug dens
Majority of tenants condemned the people that were evicted. 36 rooms total in York.
Discussion of ways to create community governance inside an SRO like this.
DNC could be merely do renters referrals, or it could actually secure a portion of rooms and work
with VCH, rent bank etc... to secure a third of the rooms for 375 renters.

Meeting ends at 8pm.