Mechanics Minutes Jul 2009

Bike Kitchen Staff Meeting Minutes, July 26, 2009, minutes taken by Tim Ledlie

Introductions and Scheduling

• Lauren: either Wed or Thu
• Geoffrey: Wed (only staff member that night)
• Amar: WTF / taught WTF class with Ami
• Cole: WTF
• Al: (visitor)
• Geoff: Tue, Sat early shift
• Frank: (visitor)
• Chris: Sat 12-5
• Jordan: Sat opening
• Jesse: No shift due to law school
• Marc: Thu
• Jeremiah: Thu
• Evan: Wed
• Jimmy:
• Neil: Sat afternoon (noted that Spencer is dropping Sat morning for next two months)
• Johnny: Wed
• Ami: WTF night, WTF classes
• James: Thu for now, but may have to change due to school
• Charles: Tue
• Tim: no more Tue
• From Jordan: Daniel (Tue + Sat morn), Justin (Thu and youth)
• From Charles: Travis is now doing Tue only (not Thu)

Lauren: Saturdays have continued being under-staffed. This is a problem. Spencer has also voiced concerns about Saturdays. Maybe we should close Saturdays -- people need to make an active commitment. We should discuss more over the email list.

Sophie (Oberlin intern) is on vacation for two weeks, and then will be back for a little while before going back to school. Lauren is having her wrap up her projects.

Gender Inclusion Chat (led by Ami)

For two years Ami has been hearing from WTF folks "I don't feel comfortable in the BK" -- some don't come to the BK at all. There's been talk about this over CL, Yelp.

Exercise around meeting circle: What pronoun do you preferred to be called by? He / she / ze / they / etc?

• Ami: We need to shift our language away from gendered terms to things like "hey folks over there" or "y'all". Once you get to know people, you can ask them what pronoun they preferred to be called.

• Jordan: asking patrons what they like to be called is a good way to set the tone for awareness and sensitivity in the BK space.

• Ami: What steps can we take to improve things?

• Tim: Help make mechanics aware of the issues.

• Lauren: take down all-male cartoonish images from walls

• Jesse: add to the mechanic application / training?

• Jordan: add content to membership forms?

• Cole: creating our own imagery around the shop that indicates we're being inclusive and aware

• Marc: a sign about gender neutrality ("crime think"?)

• Chris: too many men; male-dominated atmosphere. Create a woman-only day?

• Ami: 2-year anniversary of WTF night: last Monday of every month. We should advertise more

• Cole: I've had friends who have been uncomfortable for gender / sexuality reasons with gender issues at BK

• Jeremiah: make it more prominent on web site

• Ami: we should get community input on changes we could make. Training staff is essential. If we're going to have it on our web site home page that we're a welcoming space, we need to have testing / training on it.

• Lauren: we haven't had staff training before staff meetings for a little while, maybe b/c we're beginning to start the quizzing / mentoring program? Add section to handbook about WTF-related stuff.

• Frank: There are too many signs around the shop (visual pollution?) -- we should consolidate to one or a few clear signs.

• Lauren: we should continue discussing over the email list. We should put up a sign.

Custom Tags for Project Bikes (led by Marc)

Marc: We've had a lot of issues with people taking bikes / parts from bikes. Our tagging system is lacking. Simple solution: make a different color tag for project bikes. Marc has researched getting custom red tags. Simplify: write name, phone, date. Red tags are clear.

Prices (two different sizes): St. Louis Tag. 2000 = .09 per tag: larger is $40 more. He thinks we should go with the larger ones, which would allow for the BK logo - looks more professional.

• Lauren: we should go for it, the larger tags, we should print on the tag that all the information has to be printed on here to honor them, also make them brighter color (fluorescent?)

• Marc: fluorescent tags are slightly more expensive, need to emphasize updating date each time you work on bike

• Jordan: when patrons get greeted, they need to be told about the policy

• Jeremiah: should add text about rules to back of red tag

• Lauren: anyone think we shouldn't do this? [NO.] Let's move to vote.

• Jeremiah: let's allocate $$ -- $300

• Lauren: let's document how the tags are made so we can order more in the future

• We voted to approve the proposal.

BK Board of Directors Nominations / Questions (led by Jesse)

Jesse: (one of the co-founders, current board secretary). Like lots at BK, the board is "under construction" -- What is it? How does it work? Who should be on it? We're trying to work out the details.

Jesse's understanding of Board roles:

1. responsible for legal compliance (insurance, paperwork for non-profit status) for state and federal
2. financial responsibility: oversee budget (unclear what level of granularly). Often boards are responsible for fundraising.
3. big-picture long-term sustainability and health of the organization. Vague, but can take the form of program proposals, partnerships with local organizations. Also, help make sure the organization follows its mission.

Board envisions members not necessarily being mechanics, but people who are connected throughout the city / region.

Current board members: Angel (financial), Kearstin (president), Rafi (outgoing, was secretary), Josh (outgoing, moving to France), Cat (outgoing, moving to Palo Alto for grad school) -- leaves just Kearstin, Jesse, and Angel.

Looking for 6 total members (3 new).

• Lauren: was president of a large board-of-directors-run org at college. Roles of board vary. Corporation board are ultimately responsible for org's actions, so we should make that clear and figure it out. Would like to see the board work on infrastructure for the organization (like handbook and bylaws). Board should make things more clear.

• Marc: Compasspoint offers classes on how to be a good board member and good board. Maybe BK board president should do this. Want people on board who are connected around who can help us when needed. SFBC board has gender / economic background requirements / youth? Executive directors are usually the intermediary between the staff and the board, but in BK's situation, we should designate that.

• Jordan: staff should vote on board elections. He has picked up the vibe that there is a tug of war between staff members and board. Weirds him out. We all have the same goals, -- let's have minimal to no power struggle between board and staff. Maybe have a "mechanic" rep on board.

• Jesse: heard about conflict / anger about board. The Board doesn't know what we're doing, and haven't been doing much. Not enough communication. Asks Marc to clarify about how the SFBC board works.

• Tim: There needs to be more transparency about what the board is / does.

• Jesse: Yes! Minutes should be posted, and it should continue to send around financial documents.

• Amar: what are time commitments and responsibilities of being on the board?

• Jesse: I don't know, but board member serves for two years, meetings are 4 times per year, but responsibilities should be more -- that's one of the first things to be decided by the board when it gets its shit together.

• Marc: "board members can't be mechanics"? Same as "person on school board can't teach in school district"

• Lauren: No, there is no conflict of interest in this situation

• Jeremiah: board did a lot of work with fundraising and planning for move to Florida st

• Jesse: Kearstin and Rafi drove the move, but not necessarily as board members

• Lauren: any nominations? (no)

Email Kearstin (kearstin@gmail.com) by August 15th if you want to be considered for the board. New members will be decided in September.

Other Announcements

• Jeremiah: he and Marc are talking about organizing another Tour de Cupcake. Last year had 480 participants, raised awareness about and funds for the BK. Will take a bunch of planning. Ilana did a great job last year, but won't lead it this year (though she will help). Maybe in Sept again?

• James: feedback from last year: MORE CUPCAKES!

• Marc: The BK has been involved in some good events over the recent months: Trans March (advertising for WTF night), Sunday Streets went well (outreach), tour de cupcake will be good outreach too.