Hey OCHC’ers,
I went to the P&J plaza last night a little before 6 and no one was there at 6:14, so i left.

peace,
Onja

Sunday – March 25, 2012
Facilitator:  Diane

Dear companions, there was a very small GA today – just two of us so we retired to jack sprat and decided that we should MOVE next sunday’s GA to Carrboro to participate in and GA-ify the planned April Fool’s Day gardening action.  We propose this now after twinkling it and will await OK and further word on where exactly to meet from more in the know folks.  over and out.  Diane

Thursday – March 22, 2012
Facilitator:  Maria

It’s hard to describe attendence at the Thursday GA. There were two people there for the GA and two people there because I had arranged to meet one of them. It was productive in that a collaboration around book tables was organized. There was discussion over the lunches being better attended because people get together just to talk and collaborate as opposed to being a decision-making body.

And that was the GA that was.

Facilitation work group email:
Mar 19, 2012  3:32 PM
Was there a Sunday GA?
-Maria

March 23, 2012 – listservs show no response to this email

Thursday – March 22, 2012
Facilitator:  Maria

Facilitation work group email:
Date: Mar 19, 2012  3:32 PM
Was there a Sunday GA?
-Maria

Mar 23, 2012  Listserv shows no response to this email

Per the GA frequency proposal from Thursday, March 8, 2012:
“That Occupy Chapel Hill/Carrboro decrease GA frequency to twice per week (excluding Mondays and Tuesdays due to Chapel Hill Town Council and Carrboro Board of Aldermen meetings), with the exact days to be determined by online voting combined with in-person voting at tonight’s GA combined with Sunday’s GA.”

Katya created a survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JQNC5VH

Please only select 2 days. I couldn’t set it to force you to only pick two.

Thursday – March 8, 2012

Facilitator: Maria
Notes: Rob
Stack: Onja

12 people in attendance

WORKING GROUP REPORT-BACKS:

Environmental WG:  Sierra Club presented a meeting on fracking.  About 35 people there.  Justin and James from Croatan Earth First were there.  Good discussions.  Effort to coordinate among various groups opposed to fracking.

Legal Observing :  Trying to organize another training.  Opened to Occupy Durham and non-Occupiers.  There are lots of actions coming up that could use Legal Observers.  Email Katya  if interested in training.

Outreach:  Went to Dirt film screening on Sunday.  One more movie on April 15th.  What a Way to Go.

Direct Action:  Not meeting right now due to being involved in other projects.  Group still exists but is not meeting on Mondays.  Move to Amend now has database of names up and running and “can now see who’s with us and who’s against us”

AGENDA ITEMS:

May Day Proposal:

“International Workers Day on May 1 marks the anniversary of the 1886 strike when thousands of workers across America walked off the job to demand the eight-hour workday. At the time, workers faced criminal conditions in the workplace and long days with little pay. When workers attempted to organize and fight back, they were met with brutal repression at the hands of the police, who served the interests of the wealthy.

In 2006, the meaning of May Day was reborn as millions marched across the U.S. for the legalization of undocumented immigrant workers. This movement, at the height of Bush-era racism, defeated the anti-immigrant bill HR 4437, a proposal that would have criminalized all 12 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. and anyone who aided them.

It is not a coincidence that the Occupy movement has now, in 2012, chosen May 1st as a day for a national general strike. We propose that the Occupy Chapel Hill/Carrboro GA join in with the call for action on May Day with a march and rally held in collaboration with other occupy and community groups that will commemorate May Day as an important day to push for the rights of workers all over the US–and the world–and in particular, the rights of immigrants.

We would like to propose this march in the spirit of solidarity.  Because many in the “99%” are immigrants. The rest of us in the 99% cannot afford to look the other way while millions of undocumented immigrants are criminalized, forced to live in the shadows or even deported. Scapegoating is one of the favorite “divide and conquer” tactics of the 1%.

We propose that we unite on May 1st, 2012 with other immigrant rights, labor and community organizations in proclaiming “An injury to one is an injury to all!”

Discussion of this proposal centered mostly around the wording about immigrants.  Some people were bothered by the mention of legalization of undocumented workers.  Some also questioned if this would preclude any additional actions (General Strike, May Day parade, etc.). Conclusion was that it didn’t prevent any additional actions. Somewhat related to this is that several of us will be meeting with Occupy Durham and Occupy Greensboro regarding their May Day actions.

Proposal passed with Bert and David standing aside.

Spring Fling:

Follow up to discussion at a previous GA.  Looking to plan an event for OCHC to come out and revitalize OCHC.  At the moment this is a nebulous proposal.  We can make it whatever we want.  We talked about this mostly in generalities and brainstormed potential ideas.  We discussed possible different sites.  There was a general consensus that it should be somewhere besides Peace and Justice Plaza.  We generally felt that it should be before students leave for the summer but not during finals week.  After discussing dates, we came to the tentative date of April 14th on Saturday at 3pm.

Spring Fling General Ideas:

Location should be public and walkable from downtown.  Carrboro Town Commons?

Envision it as a celebration of what we’ve done.  Multiple info tables with various things that people are working on: anti-fracking, corporations out of politics, etc.  Outreach by shotgun approach, not rifle approach.

We have our fingers in so many pies that there can be many tables. “We’re Occupy and we’re diverse, and here’s all the things you could be working on”

Possibly have a GA devoted to planning. We’re often smartest when we’re all weighing in.

More of a fun festival as opposed to a protest

Heather and Onja are bottomliners.  Contact them if you have ideas.

Decrease of Frequency of GAs:

Proposal brought forward “That Occupy Chapel Hill/Carrboro decrease GA frequency to twice per week (excluding Mondays and Tuesdays due to Chapel Hill Town Council and Carrboro Board of Alderman meetings), with the exact days to be determined by online voting combined with in-person voting at tonight’s GA combined with Sunday’s GA.

This was primarily based on the decreasing attendance of GAs.  Initial proposal was for one GA per week, but was changed to two based on discussion.  Presumably one weekday, one weekend day.  There will be an online poll created for this within the next day or so. [3/9/12: poll has been created: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JQNC5VH]

Consensus reached.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

There will be a Bank of America protest planning meeting on Saturday. Contact Katya if interested

There will be a cross-Occupy May Day planning meeting on Sunday evening.  Contact Rob, Heather or Katya if interested.

There will be a fundraiser on Saturday the 10th at 10 at Orange County Social Club to raise money for Protect All NC Families.  (Anti Amendment  1 group)

On Monday the 12th there will be a meeting for Guerilla Gardening at Vince’s House.

There will be a public hearing on fracking on the 27th at East Chapel Hill high

Guerilla Gardening is Sat the 17th at the proposed CVS site in Carrboro.

 Meeting adjourned.