DNC Minutes, July 22nd, 2014

Minutes for DNC Board Meeting: July 22^nd, 2014.

Attendees:  11 board members present.

X reads the constitution

Agenda

Guest: Darryl Bickler of the Drug Equality Alliance, UK (attending via Skype).

Legal Committee

Aboriginal Committee

AGM

Housing

Other

Legal Committee:

Darryl Bickler on Skype explains the maladministration argument. There is a failure to implement policy in accordance with human rights and the stated objective of the Act. He explains that it would be possible to submit the argument in conjunction with a request in a public interest case. Court must have jurisdiction. This leads to discussion of how to gain standing. X says that this argument could be put forward by someone dependent on opiates, as a public interest case.

Aboriginal Committee:

DNC will provide funding for cost of producing fry bread: flour, oil, yeast. X says there is an issue because X thinks that cooking with oil at market is potentially dangerous. Discussion of equipment used to make it safe. X is not in attendance at meeting so discussion is tabled.

Motion: X proposes that there be a 2^nd or 3^rd person in charge of stipends. All stipends should be sealed in an envelope to cover the meetings when X (treasurer) is not able to attend meeting. Motion passes unanimously.

AGM:

There will be a planning meeting at the Outreach Committee meeting, Saturday morning, July 26^th, 9:00 a.m. at Vandu.

Housing:

A subgroup of Vandu and some other groups have organized a City Wide Housing March. Discussion of why DNC was not asked to endorse or support the march.

Motion: X proposes that DNC endorse the City Wide Housing March. Motion then passes unanimously.

X reminds group that we need to work in the context of the LAPP, as much work has been done on this and we want to build on the work that has already been done.

Other:

X reports there is an issue that went to arbitration at Atira housing. The management was told to cease and desist from asking people for i.d. as they enter the building. The case won at arbitration as such requests must be on reasonable grounds. The same problem occurred at Bourbon Hotel. People feel their privacy is invaded without reasonable grounds. Atira is now appealing that decision.

 Moment of Silence, motion to adjourn

DNC Board Meeting Minutes - July 15, 2014

DNC Minutes - July 15, 2014

Attendees: 9 board members present.

 reads the constitution

X reads the previous week’s minutes. Minutes approved.

Agenda

Legal Cmte

Aboriginal Cmte

Open House

Street Market

SRO Grant

Movie Cmte

X

Potters Mission

Motion to adopt agenda. Motion passes.

Legal Cmte

Discussion of drug policy work. British lawyer on Skype discusses that current drug laws are not the current operation of law.

Discussion around next federal election, topical nature of Liberal stance on cannabis. Discussion of updating website and adding statements regarding this policy with Amanda as the point person for contact.

Aboriginal Cmte

X gives report. WAHRS has been contacted. Proposal letter is written for the Ab sub cmte. HHF – Homes Health and Families? Over 50 people have expressed interest in attending this first committee.

Motion: Moved by X, seconded by X: to create the Aboriginal Subcommittee of the DNC. Motion passes.

Open House Plan

List of Organizations funded by VCH. Makes sense to invite large players if we have an open house.

If we stick to VCH funded non-profits, we could challenge the huge bureaucracy built in our nbhood by VCH. It could also be a way to introduce the residents to these various agencies.

AGM discussion

Reaffirm date of August 23^rd for the AGM. The whole board should be the nominating committee. X will ask Scott to be our scrutineer.

Street Market

August 7 set for date of Community Forum on Street Disorder

City Grant

X and X will write the application for SRO tenancy services

Filming

Motion to send an official letter to Ed McCurdy regarding his continued snaking of community funds for personal benefit from the film industry.

Website

Need to update the website

 Moment of Silence, motion to adjourn

DNC Minutes - July 8th, 2014

DNC Minutes – July 8^th, 2014

11 members present

Agenda

Legal Committee update

Tenant’s Rights Committee update

Open House Plan

AGM

Membership Outreach

Street Market Report

Women’s Art Group

Movie Business

Legal Committee Update: Members will have position paper ready for Thursday @ 1:00 p.m.

Tenant’s Rights Committee Update: X says the location was a good place for a meeting. X signed up 60 members.

Open House Plan: X says we need tarps. Need to invite relevant organizations. Discussion of items required.

Street Market Report: X says Street Market Society working well with police. Shows very well done pamphlet. Society has created membership tags. Members required to wear these on Sundays. Need for more volunteers. Need to hire professional security guards. Ideally, two people from dtes could be trained.

AGM: Discussion that AGM should take place in August.

Membership/Outreach:  X is working on revised pamphlet.

Women’s Art Group: Grant for painting containers going through Street Market Society.

Movie Business: X says DNC should get some funds, but requires that people provide a service.

Adjourn. 

DNC Minutes - June 24, 2014

DNC Board Minutes – June 24, 2014

13 board members, 1 guest

Agenda

Guest – Ron Carten WCMHN

Meeting with City

Street Market

DNC/VANDU Tenant Meeting

Film Stipend

Community Forum

AGM

Grants Update

Motion to adopt agenda, motion passes

X reads minutes. Motion to accept minutes. Motion passes.

Guest

West Coast Mental Health Network on Pender near Cambie St.

Peer program. Funding was cut in December last year by VCH, but have some funding from City.

Assertive Community Treatment – Psychiatrist, social worker, nurse, sometimes police officer. Primarily to monitor whether people are taking their medications.

Section of Mental Health Act involves involuntary treatment.

When you are in that category, you can be treated against your will.

Your rights essentially, are taken away. There is another section called Involuntary Leave. You are allowed out, but have to abide by medication, etc…

The director of the hospital determines the category, recommended by the psychiatrist.

There have been a challenge to involuntary committal under section 7. The BCCLA has produced a pamphlet – and they are hoping to challenge the mental health act.

What the act argues is that mental health is a special case and people don’t know their own good. There needs to be choice in care, and choice in treatment.

Representation agreement act – provides every BC resident a right to appoint a representative. The exception to this is mental health treatment.

Section 15 – is also possibly a good section to use – which prohibits discrimination

Book called DSM4 – this lists all the mental health disorders that psychiatrists can think of.

Group is called madcaps – write letters to politicians. Met with CoV about ACT teams. Tried to get VCH to commit to the principle of Choice in Treatment. They are committed to patients’ rights, but always qualify it.

BCCLA has a position paper.

WCMHN – has a position paper on the representation agreement act. Group was not even invited to be part of the Mental Health Task Force.  They share an office with ARA mental health which was on the task force.

Police officers may now be funded as members of the ACT team by health money.

If a person has an ACT team this means that $30k is being spent on you. This may even be for people that don’t even have housing.

Meeting with City

August some time.

Missing board members

Street Market people were not here

Tenant Rights meeting

DJ Larkin will be there, also Diane from MadCap,

$200 budget for the event

Filming notice – table the program for a month

Community Forum – Need to have an AGM before end of year

Motion to adjourn – moment of silence

DNC board meeting minutes, June 17th, 2014.

Discussion of ideas for community forum to take place at #62 Hastings: equipment required includes P.A. system and banners.  X suggests we must contact/invite speakers from non-profits and political representatives. X suggests that security can be provided by Street Market.

X motions to vote for X as new DNC board member. Motion accepted. X is voted in as board member, unanimous.

Street Market report:  Market is getting another container. The containers are scheduled to be painted by end of August.

Members are aware that X may have vacated seat. Motion: If X does not attend next meeting X will send a letter. Motion accepted.

Legal committee report: Members working with legal expert to learn argument concerning the human rights of persons engaged with harmful drugs.

Discussion re: donations wish list. X suggests we can put such a list on website. Items required are tools, computers, vehicle, printer, coffee pot.  X states he will talk to other society about a vehicle. X states he will approach X for donations of computers.

X will research crowd sourcing and bring a report to the board.

Adjourn.

DNC Board Meeting Minutes - June 10, 2014

DNC Meeting Minutes - June 10, 2014

Attendees: 11 board members in attendance, 2 guests:

X reads the constitution

Agenda

Updates: mental health TF, brochure

Street Market Report

Outreach Report

Gastown Gazette

City of Vancouver

Endorsement: Housing March

Importance of Agenda Setting

X, X, motion to accept agenda – motion passes

Xread minutes (add word ‘day’ to minutes after ‘30’)

Update on Mental Health

X of West Coast Mental Health Network, may come and speak to board on same day as X to discuss. Discussion of having an invitational board meeting and poster it to invite people. Discussion to hold tenants’ rights meeting at 62, and meet with board only and then decide to press these issues. Discussion of having Ron only at meeting so that we clearly hear one side, others argue that X should provide alternate view.

Vote on X and X wins over X only meeting

Brochure

Coming soon. Firm will donate time to produce professionally for us.

Street Market

X gives report. VPD were very helpful this last Sunday. Break in on our container, also getting help from VPD on this. Container painting going ahead. Find out about major grant on Thursday.

Outreach Report

X will work with conflict resolution process, will bring copies to board soon. Arts poster co-sponsored by Street Market. X will produce a list of grants for the DNC. Gastown Gazette did not come, but may come next week.

Discussion of X calling Penny Ballem and setting up a meeting to introduce and advocate for the new DNC.

Housing March

New housing group at VANDU. Asking for DNC to support the march.

Agenda Setting

X gives summary of work on good meeting practices. Agendas, minute reading, parts of meetings that are not strictly chaired. Agenda items where specific people have responsibilities, or agenda items where motions are necessary. Also discussion of important ways to set the right atmosphere and disarm people.

Motion to adjourn, moment of silence

DNC Board Meeting Minutes - June 3, 2014

DNC Board Minutes - June 3, 2014

Attendees: 13 board members present + 2 guests

X reads minutes, motion to pass minutes passes

Agenda:

Gastown Gazette

Board Development

Update on Legal Club

Update on Mental Health/VPD

Other business (McGuire, StMkt, GG, Tenants)

Gastown Gazette

X reads summary on Gastown Gazette

Board Development

X discusses conflict resolution processes. In the past with the DNC, external parties have misused conflict resolution as a weapon with no real desire to have the conflict resolved. Discusses ground rules for beginning a process. Discussing ground rules for ensuring that parties are honest about wishing to resolve the conflict.

Ideas to make meetings work: Chair rotations to create fairness, decision items vs. non decision items

Bring copies of conflict resolution process for next meeting so decision can be made

Legal Club

June 5^th 1pm on second floor is the legal club meeting. Idea is to educate people on the law and their rights, can be tenant issues, drug issues. There is a lawyer that will talk to us via skype.

Mental Health/VPD

ARA training. People that come there are diverse. If anyone wants to get on disability, there are resources. Darcy was going to come and give classes on getting disability. ARA also says that police cannot commit without assessment from a doctor and there has been no change to the law. They do admit that there may have been administrative changes to the way the police are intending to interpret. We may have to figure out whether this is a disagreement between ARA and VPD, or whether this will be an opportunity to defend and release a mal application by VPD after the fact.

30 assessment of person has in the past neutralized the complaint, due to the fact that person is mentally ill.

Discussion of inviting ARA person to give presentation and invite X to meeting to discuss and rebut.

BC Independent complaints office is having trouble locating persons suffering from injuries, deaths, etc…

Decision to meet with the executive and these people and report back to board.

Discussion of Street Market updates in terms of upcoming changes and grants, etc…

Motion to adjourn