DNC Board Meeting Minutes - October 1, 2013

DNC Board Meeting - October 1, 2013
Location: 10th Floor of Woodwards
Attendees: Hendrik B., Jezz M., Bill B., Roland C., Anthony G., Rob M., Jacek L., James O., April S., Tina T.
10 Attendees, 8 board members present

Agenda
1 Street Market
2 Racial Profiling
3 Bus Company
4 LAPP Update
5 Media
6 Pharmacy
7 Carny Newsletter
8 Mediation

Jacek reads the constitution
Roland reads last weeks minutes
Comment by Rob that there was a mistake and he actually did attend the meeting.
MOTION: accept minutes with amendment. Rob moves, Hendrik seconds, motion passes
MOTION: approve agenda, Roland moves, James seconds, motion passes

Street Market
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Tina reports that police told her friend that they were going to start cracking down on sidewalk sellers.
Jacek says that they are forcing us to open, but they are not providing bathrooms.
They are definitely trying to micromanage the market.
We need an official DNC representative at the market.
MOTION: Roland motions to create a DNC rep position at the market from 11-3pm with a stipend of $20.
Hendrik adds that we strike a sub-committee to manage this position. This position will rotate among
board members. Rob seconds. motion passes.
Rob volunteers to be the first DNC rep at the market

Racial Profiling
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Meeting with PSS, inspector turned things around and said that victim was a dealer
Also claim that victim mailed drugs up north. She was the only native at the corner.
This charge came out of nowhere.
Copwatch will now approach this as racial profiling. Now seeking meeting with next
level of PSS
Rob voices that it is good to make these complaints because then they are forced to
do everything by the book.

Bus Company
-----------------------------------------------------
Roland reads proposed letter to bus company.
Anthony made a complaint last week to bus company. CEO of bus company called anthony
and driver has been suspended for 3 months, now has to give urine samples, and fined $2,500.
Jacek also reports on discussions with woman on transit task force. She went to
Seattle and they have a rotating free shuttle for poor people. Jezz - Calgary also
has a free zone. Hendrik says that there is a free shuttle in Vancouver, but it only carries
tourists. If you don't look like a tourist, you can not get on.
Hendrik lists other cities with free shuttles - Geneva
Agreement to send the letter to Coast Mountain.

LAPP Update
-----------------------------------------------------
Rob begins the LAPP discussion. There is an extension until Jan.
Herb is not here to give us a proper update.
Karen Ward told Rob that the LAPP was given an extension.
Hendrik reports on a piece on the Radio. Andrea Reimer is the representative
for council talking about the LAPP. She clearly does not understand that the
DNC was not included in the process.

MOTION: Hendrik motions to request a meeting with Andrea Reimer and DNC board Re: the LAPP process,
Rob seconds, motion passes.

Media
-----------------------------------------------------
Hendrik says that the vice article was good. AHA has been asked to do media for the street market.
Table discussion because this should be approved by the street market board, not DNC.

Pharmacy/Housing
-----------------------------------------------------

[Note: both participants were specifically asked if the stories should appear in the minutes.]
Tina - These buildings are using our own mental health issues to further marginalize us.
They locked her in a psych ward because she threatened to sue after they caused her to be raped.
Rights issue is serious in these buildings around here. She went to health
professionals review board. Her residents agreement says nothing about them taking
over her medical life. Their pharmacy only does daily witness meds. $7.95 per medication
per witness. They now run 27 buildings.
Rob moved into woodwards last November. Staff wanted him to switch pharmacies. Rob
refused. He refused on the grounds that he wanted to stay with Van Native Health. Also,
he asked staff to hold on to his meds. Rob is not on a meds restriction.
DNC should fill the role as a safe place for people to complain. We already have a housing
committee.
Suggestion to start taking stories and experiences from people and posting these experiences
online.
Tina also relays the fact that staff can go into people's apartments anytime they want
without notice. Things are stolen and there is no way to complain.
Hendrik voices support for Tina. Agrees that she probably did not sign anything to restrict
her rights as a tenant. Housing organizations do not have a right to take away tenants rights
without due cause and due process. This should all go through tenancy branch. Hendrik also
did not sign anything to take away his rights as a tenant. Hendrik is willing to take testamony
from tenants at the street market on Sunday.
Rob says that staff has told him to stay away from Ivan Drury. Started meeting near the contact
centre. Rob never filled out an application to live in woodwards, but merely found out that he
won a lottery.

Carny Newsletter - tabled
-----------------------------------------------------

Mediation
-----------------------------------------------------
Roland reads email from Catherine Ludgate about mediator that she has selected for us.
We assume that we will get a chance to review the process before it is begun.

Motion to adjourn

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

CMB meeting
--------------------------
Tabled

York Rooms - Cuchillo Update
--------------------------
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.

DNC Board Meeting, August 27 2013

DNC Board Meeting, August 27 2013

Jacek, Jamie, Jewels, Jezz, Anthony, Debbie, James, Bill, Ludvik, Roland, Hendrik
11 board members present

Agenda
HXBIA Letter
ALIVE Meeting
62 E Hastings Update
Carnegie Newspaper
Meeting with Coast Mountain

Jamie reads constitution
Roland reads minutes from previous meeting. Motion to approve minutes, motion passes

Motion: Secretary will send emails to those people asked not to come to our next general meeting. motion passes.

Discussion of cooperating with the HXBIA to make a local business sign a "Good Neighbours Charter" to ensure that businesses are inclusive, do not descriminate and hire locally. Idea has general support.

MOTION: in keeping with our constitution and the prioritization of peoples safety over property, we move to move forward with cooperating with HXBIA to improve traffic safety, and put up the 30km zone banners on Hastings St. Debbie motions. Anthony seconds. Passes unanimously.

MOTION: the DNC commits to working with the HXBIA to build a Good Neighbour Charter consistent with our constitution. Debbie motions. James seconds. motion passes.

Meeting with Alive
DNC agrees to participate in community gathering on Sept 14.

62 Update
Should have keys on the 2, or 3rd of September.
Meeting with VPD on the 5th, so we need access before then.

Discussion of offensive comments by Paul Taylor in the August 15 edition of the Carnegie Newsletter

Motion: to draft a letter to Paul Taylor asking for clarification of the offensive statements made about the DNC such as "shithouse rat". Ask for explanation, if not, ask him to print a retraction. The offensive statements should be quoted. If he has knowledge of any specific violations of our constitution then please inform us, or else retract his statements. Jacek motions. Anthony seconds. motion passes.

Coast Mountain Bus Company

Demands:
1) Enforce the 30km speed zone
2) Create a free zone in Vancouver (support Urban Core demands)
3) Change driver dispatch system
4) More buses on DTES routes
5) Sensitivity training for bus drivers in poor neighbourhoods
6) Concern about pressure on drivers to keep their times, drivers are not treated well and then are not friendly
7) Ask about accident protocol

Drivers get their routes based on a lottery. DTES then get the worst and most upset drivers.
Try to get a hold of CAW local 111 to explain the issue to the union
Vancouver is different that rest of BC. Coast Mountain is 80% privatized and thus they are under more pressure to collect fairs, etc...

motion to adjourn

DNC Board Meeting, August 22, 2013

DNC Board Meeting, August 22, 2013
Location: Woodwards, 10th Floor

Attendees
Anthony G., Jezz M., Jewels C., James O., Ludvik S., Roland C., Hendrik B., Leo M., Garvin S., Jacek L., Dan B., Bill B., Debbie K., Deanna C., Richard C.
13 board members present

Leo reads constitution, Round of introductions
Agenda: New Board Members, Traffic, Copwatch, General Meeting
Agenda passes

MOTION: James motions to appoint Roland as Secretary, as Garvin is stepping down. Jacek seconds motion, passes unanimously. Roland is now Secretary Treasurer of the DNC

Decision to assign Leo to SRO category, and Anthony to At Large category. Jezz, Hendrik, Dan and Jewels give brief speeches describing why they want to join the board

MOTION: Leo motions, Anthony seconds, to nominate Jezz to an open director seat in Market Housing. 9 in favor, 1 opposed, motion carries

MOTION: Roland motions to nominate Hendrik Beune, Ludvik seconds, to open director seat in Social Housing. motion unamimously carries

Postpone discussions of Dan becoming a board member

MOTION: James O., motions, Jamie R. seconds, to nominate Jewels Chapman to open At Large director seat. motion passes

Traffic discussion
6th traffic death in two months
cyclist, stabbed 3 times, bleeding, bus ran him over
Can we come up with a set of demands to the bus company
Roland, Hendrik, Debbie, Anthony,Jezz, Jamie, Jacek, Richard wish to attend meeting with Coast Mountain Bus Company
Discussion of forming joint demands with VANDU
Decision to contact other groups regarding traffic issue
Debbie - contact Block Watch, and RayCam, Richard - contact Lanny, Roland - contact SRA, Hendrik - contact Urban Core Workers

Jenn Allan - Copwatch
Jenn wants to make copwatch a sub-committee of the DNC

MOTION: Jamie R - motions to reconstitute its relationship with DTES Cop Watch that will work with the DNC through the DNC Policing Committee. Ludvik seconds. Motion passes unanimously.

Decision to move meetings to Tuesdays (first meeting August 27). People that live in Woodwards will check and see if Tuesdays are available on the 10th floor.

General Meeting - Sept 21 still the working date
Agenda: Traffic Issues, CopWatch, Intro to Board, Strategic Plan

MOTION: Due to their behavior at the previous general meeting, and the disruptive behavior at several board meetings, and due to their inclusion in the previous conflict resolution passed in Nov 2012, the following people are asked to not come to our next general meeting. Voting will take place for each person individually. Roland motions, Debbie seconds.

Jean Swanson - motion passes unanimously
Ivan Drury - motion passes unanimously
Wendy Pedersen - motion passes unanimously
Tami Starlight - motion passes unanimously
Herb Varley - motion passes, 7 for, 4 abstain,
Ann Livingston - 9 against, 2 abstain, motion fails

The following people are thus requested to not attend our next general meeting: Jean Swanson, Ivan Drury, Wendy Pedersen, Tami Starlight, Herb Varley

General Meeting - first 50 people will get stipends
MOTION: Decide to hand out invitations personally to the vulnerable survival vendors on the bottle block and people with disabilities most likely to be affected by the traffic. Jacek motions, Debbie seconds, motion passes unanimously.

Discussion of holding a joint meeting in the future with ALIVE motion to adjourn