7/13/10 Meeting Minutes

IWW, ISM, PLP, Green Party, and TAP present, CW absent

TAP representative Joy, friend of Mickey's talked to John, then Emma
for quite some time. I was not here for this bit, a recap from John
would be great. Barring that, Joy agreed to follow-up on communicating
with Mickey about the office, how we need it, and how it seems to not
have been used for years, etc. She is aware of the next meeting date,
I agreed to forward her the more recent communiques with TAP at
j...@kpfa.org

1. Tax-exempt status
Emma and John have each been receiving difficult-to-discern
legal documents. The most recent three are from the State Registry of
Charitable Trusts, County Assessor and the State Board of Equalization
citing various incomplete and unmet qualifications for gaining tax-
exempt status as recognized by these three organizations. (We are
already recognized federally as evidenced by our existing EIN).

Motion by John that Jessica review the current relevant documents on
501c3, tax-exempt status and assess whether or not coming into
compliance with appropriate legal documents is feasible for her,
otherwise confer with Jesse, now in contact, to move forward. Motion
passes.

CAN requires us to have 5 board members. Their requirement is integral
in getting the tax-exempt status with the state, we discussed this in
more depth in item 3.

(December 10th is an important tax deadline according to Emma)

2. Financial Report
Updated rent (sorry IWW about forgetting the automatic eft, thanks so
much)

Outstanding rent: PLP 110
CW 154
ISM 50

and now that its July, all offices owe the second half-of-year
donation (equal to 3 times one month rent) by the end of the year.

As of July 1st, 2432.74 in both bank accounts as stated in the
monthly financial report.

John says we will have to pay about $1000 in property and liability
insurance relatively soon.

3. Internet for May and June
Grassroots house had paid $35/month up to the month of May. (We owe
for May and June). According to John, last year Grassroots house
passed a motion to have the house pay for it.

In discussion it was re-established that PLP does not want/need access
and ISM has not had access, but very much wants to use the wireless.
Can we resolve that problem?

Motion by Jessica that Green Party and CW split internet evenly with
IWW. In June, the bill was $38, 1/3 of which is 12.67. (A CW
representative was not here for the meeting, I'm not sure if that
changes things, since we are asking CW to also pay this 12.67 a month
for internet). Motion passes.

John wants to set up automatic transfer to IWW for this amount so he
doesn't forget. He wrote a check for 12.67, I realize, still owes
12.67 I think. CW would owe 25.34 for those two months.

4. Board Members/Insurance

Motion to add Paul and Russell to the Board to comply with 5 member
board requirements. This effect and reduce our insurance costs. Motion
passes.

5. Budgeting, Financial Planning
Emma reminds us about December 10th tax deadline.
John remembers that we should get the house reassessed. He must call
the County Assessor's office. There is likely a very long waiting list
for getting houses reassessed. Paul says it is relatively easy to
qualify to get the house reassessed. This would effect the current
$8400/year property tax.

8/10/10 Meeting Minutes

From Yesterday's Meeting, Tasks to do first, then minutes

Tasks:

Steve needs to give instructions on the wireless and cannot be the point
person on troubleshooting.

1. Documents needed: Budget for year previous, Project budget for the next
year, Profit & Loss, Checklist from Alex on various deadlines- *Jessica*

2. Identify Funding Sources - *?*

3. Merge our email and other information Donor Base – *John and Jessica*

4. Write a proposal to musicians for an even (Boots Riley, Michael Franti) -
?

5. Finish grant with Paul (Firedoll) - *Andrea*

6. New website! Find a webmaster (I think we should keep the current url.
Grassroots.org. Someone must be hosting it for FREE, this is invaluable. I
want to sit down with Steve and see where the website can be accessed. It is
clearly from a template. It looks terrible, but it is good that it is out
there.) - *Emma, please cc Jessica*

7. Strategic planning (sit down and envisage a wishlist with specific prices
of improvements needed) - *Andrea*

8. Send announcement to announcement list, donor list - ?

*GRH Meeting Notes 8/10/10*

Paul Facilitator, Jessica Notes, IWW absent

*Agenda*

1. *TAP, Joy Moore* follow-up with Mickey of TAP

2. Defining *TAP rent owed*

3. John *501c3 filing status *(County Assessor, State Board of Equal)

4. Property *Insurance*, DNO, Liability Insurance, possible to get
stand-alone property insurance?

5. *Filings Manager Position*

6. *Fundraising*

7. Internet

1. TAP with Joy representing

[*Joy spoke with Mickey quite a bit*. Joy had spoken with Emma and John
about longstanding complete lack of comm. with TAP. She reports that a *TAP
rep. though to have died, is actually alive,* he had a heart attack. *Mickey
says she is actively looking for a representative, *Mickey teaches* *trainings
*each Tuesday, so she can never attend*, Mickey says *she **does **use the
space in the evening* and does ad hoc chores, TAP submitted 3 videos that
were supposedly produced at Grassroots House (Ken's presentation with UN
Conventieon on “Homelessness” Article 11 Right to adequate housing in
UNHCHR), Arnieville documentary), *she is more than willing to issue a check
for the balance of rent owed. *Mickey says she has not gotten support, not
able to find anyone. Joy vouches for Mickey's good character and work.
Mickey has agreed to share the space with ISM in the past, but it would not
work out. There is already a lot of stuff in the office.

Motion: John presents letters with TAP with checks for rent owed. *Jessica
will determine what the balance is, contact Mickey to reissue or issue
needed amount.* We have $1680 in checks, it is unclear whether Mickey
understands how the rent and donated rent are now structured. *CC Joy on the
balance owed.*

2. *TAP Rent, more TAP discussion*

John, the v*ideos are not proof that TAP is using the space. *Sparrow of IWW
and Greg of Green Party are here late at night and never see Mickey. *Mickey
is producing work elsewhere*. John, Emma and Paul estimate TAP is *not in
the office more than once a week, generally once a month*. She comes and
picks up their mail. *Comm. with TAP has been this indirect for about 8
years. *No one thinks Mickey is actually using the space. Emma points out
that Joy acknowledged previous week that *Mickey might not want to let the
space go*

It would be good to *move TAP stored files to KPFA*, *there is no reason to
use the office space as a storage area*. The *few documents that she is
actually actively using could easily be moved.*

Mickey wants us to acknowledge historical ties with TAP, and history with
Fred, a former TAP member. *She says this in all her letters, *one from
October of last year to Alex.

Joy *didn't tell us if she gave TAP a reality check, on whether the TAP
workspace is actually needed.*

*Leaning toward cashing the checks because Mickey continues to be so
resistant.*

Emma - *how much can you trust someone who is so disengaged from the space,*Joy
*did* vouch for Mickey's character.

John reminds us Mickey no standing in the non-profit, she has not
participated in it at all during the entire process. *She will continue to
make it difficult*

Paul asks if we *happy with the status quo*

Emma – She doesn't want to be part of the house, here like 8 yrs. Since Hank
died, Michael left, Mickey had come back in, there has been conflict within
TAP.

We would need to engage a mediator to actually get anywhere. I suggest we
acknowledge historical ties of TAP, because Mickey seems to really want this
acknowledgement.

(*Andrea* – later – conveyed what Joy had said *Mickey did not allow Andrea
on Full Circle on KPFA*, *told producer they had had a fight. Andrea had
voted against renewal of TAP funding at most recent CSU meeting. *

*Andrea wants Joy to know that TAP was defunded from CSU and defunded from
the city, (notetaker: I'm unclear on why, what level of fraud*)

Motion: Cash the checks, request the difference in rent owed, and put it
back under the table.

-

4.* Filing 501c3*

(Board meeting: *Paul new president*, thank Emma for all her work, she
steps down)

John *will file for reassessment *of the house (receieved current assement
from Assessor 10 days ago.

1700 for liability w/o employees. Will we have to get it sooner or later?
2500 later quoted.

Most carriers will only sell both.

DNO is low as quoted

Paul says we are a LLC, no employes, no exec dir, some liability

Motion: *John will try to get stand-alone.*

-

5. *Filings Manager Position*

Paperwork is daunting, no time or skills, Jesse, Emma, John, Karla burnt
out)

Make investment in someone. To think about.

*Budget for year previous*

*Project budget for the next year*

*Profit & Loss (these three for Jessica)*

*Identify Funding Sources, Donor Base*

Organization that helps keeping up with 501c3 and insurance paperwork? I
think this is more trouble than its worth, find one person. Creighton Lee's
information 510.531.6873

*Checklist from Alex on various deadlines*

We need to assure that we will get the 501c3 Property Tax exemption before
we have to pay more property taxes.

–

6. *Fundraising*

*Write a proposal to musicians for an even*t

Fundraising brainstorming for producer/fundraiser: massage-athon,
bowl-athon, weird events, olive oil wrestling, documentary film series
showing,

*Finish grant with Paul (Firedoll)*

Funding sources working list: craigstlist, Amazon.com

*New website! *(I think we should keep the current url. Grassroots.org.
Someone must be hosting it for FREE, this is invaluable. I want to sit down
with Steve and see where the website can be accessed. It is clearly from a
template. It looks terrible, but it is good that it is out there.) Get
paypal on site.

Strategic planning (*sit down and envisage a wishlist*, we have been too
reactive)

Talk to Paul's website person after we find a willing webmaster

*announcement list, Keep Donors – aging people who could donate list*

*price out specific repairs: roof, etc. *

15,000 for roof

30,000 foundation

*Musical event *– ask Boots Riley and Michael Franti for PLP, books for
life, etc. (Grand Lake Theatre and Berkeley Community Theatre(?) Warfield.

7. *Internet*

CW has very spotty internet service. Jessica acknowledges that and retracts
opinion that cw, iww and green party split it. *Steve cannot be the point
person on the wireless.* CW has no access to the transmitter.

Motion: to go back to grh reimbursment of iww internet bill. check made out
for $30 for July internet.

9/14/10 Meeting Minutes

Grassroots House Minutes 9-14-10

Attendance ISM, TAP, absent
GP- John
CW – Andrea
IWW – Bruce
PLP - Emma

Jessica -minutes
Facilitate - Andrea

Agenda

1.Heater
2.Prop. Insurance
3.Financial
4.Grant Request Feedback
5.Projected budget
6.Non-profit Status
7.New assessment of House
8.Website/Internet

Tasks from meeting: John, Emma set up appt. with PG&E on possible
energy leak, weatherizing
Bruce – get estimate/assessment from Mebbi on Foundation
work
Jessica – ask Jesse on timetable and possibility of
exemption, direct Steve to put up the paypal, wishlist, get access to
putting up content.

Before quorum, we discussed the budget. These are the figures Andrea
later came up with for Jan-December 2010, also see below.

Income
13000 Income from Rent

Expenses
1300 from Insurance (actually 1565)
8452 Insurance (the second half of this due 1st half next year?
according to John, this year)
1600 Utilities
2400 Bookkeeping & Accounting
500 House Supplies

14000 proposed Expenses

1. Heating Costs

Weatherizing the House: Bruce proposes John Ryman, Andrea asks if we
can pay material costs and get volunteer labor. Likely

Heating during winter, difference in cost
$250-300/month with heat in winter vs. $150-200/month without. Over 6
months, the difference is about $600 to 900

Bruce says he has no confidence we will be able to regulate usage in
winter, others agree.

Heating coil is out – John, four/five hundred dollars to fix it. Wants
to fix it eventually, could become inoperable if not, later decided
doesn't really matter. Could disable the thermostat. Perhaps it is the
same thing to not fix it Replace the visible thermostat also costs $

Andrea – Proposal – hold off on fixing and lighting the furnace until
budget accessed, property taxes and house value reassessed and re-
determine availability of funds.
Didn't actually formally consense on motion.

Electricity bill seems high, what is the reason? In the summer, still
about $140 or $170/month. Andrea – should ask PG&E to audit our house.
Both gas and electricity seem high

John- will call PG&E for energy audit. Emma will back-up on
availability. John will ask them about weatherizing.
We are paying a commercial rate, not a residential rate, Emma says.
Weatherizing, could weatherize the floor, Bruce. Weather strip
everything.

2. Prop. and Liability Insurance
We are now insured
$1285 to Philadelphia Insurance Companies +275 to Care = 1565 total

3. Financial

Balance 3763.53

Tap owes 1040.00 and have two uncashed checks for $1500 that Jessica
will cash

(realized forgot to mention IWW and CW both owe 30 for missed
meetings)

4. Grant Feedback
Andrea – hoping Paul and others for feedback. Do numbers in budget
bear out? Do we want to prioritize $10,000 dollars for foundation?
Foundation costs only $10,000?
John – think we could secure a loan for the foundation. 30,000 with
prop. As collateral. 4.5% Can figure out amounts to increase, once we
don’t have to pay property taxes then we can solve this.

Estimate for work, getting a contractor, our neighbor can make an
assessment at least (Mebbi) could possibly do the roof.
We are making a request for foundation. Will be added to the grant
application.
Bruce will get a formal write-up on the assessment.
Emma – is there a timeline on the grant? Is very pressing,

Andrea – attach the estimate to the proposal. Put in a special
account. Feel like let them tell us about timetables.

Mebbi needs to give us a timetable in addition to estimate

Andrea – contractors can just tie-in to foundation, not raise the
house, cheaper. So seems better to do sooner, esp. since cheaper by
this method.

Bruce to get at least 5 contractors to assess the foundation. Should
we add a floor. Permits, etc.

5. Proposed Budget 2010-2011

13000 Income from Rent

Expenses
1300 from Insurance (actually 1565)
8452 Insurance (the second half of this due 1st half next year?
according to John, this year)
1600 Utilities
2400 Bookkeeping & Accounting
500 House Supplies

14000 proposed Expenses
70% property tax estimated with the exemption, because not including
GP an IWW
gives us an extra 2460.00 dollars

6. Non-profit Status

Proof that PLP, CW, Technical Assistance Program are programs of GRH.
No timetable on when we'll get exemption.
Jessica – ask Jesse on timetable and possibility

7. Reassessment of house
John sent in letter as placeholder

8. Website
Report back with Steve. Says we need a better flavor for the website,
not to throw it out altogether. We can add content with a membership.

Still need paypal! Not on site when we checked. I will request an
account. Emma had tried before. Wanted to add paypal.

Need to add wishlist.

Make facebook site for Grassroots House. Get pictures of GRH events,
etc.

Look up the default password and post for router for wireless. Is
there a problem with macs gettting on?

Meetings Held in 2006-07

Minutes are available for the following (monthly) Grassroots House business meetings.