Mechanics Minutes Jul 2010

Minutes taken by Ilana.

Attendance (8 total staff +1 volunteer): Ilana, JP, esther, Rez, Jeremiah, Lorae (non-staff), Elijah, Alvin, Jimmy

New Staff

New keys issued to Melissa and Alvin.

Lorae has been working Sats for a while and is on track to gain staff status/privileges.

While Elijah is now staff he is turning 17 in September but would like a key.

Ilana: He's been very responsible and likes the idea of giving responsibility rather than assuming that he'll handle it poorly and deny the privilege.

Jimmy: Doesn't like the idea of making an exception to the rule.

Rez: Doesn't think that youth should have to be ina position to turn people away during closed hours

Majority voted to make an exception to the rule and give him a key as long as there are no real legal implications with our insurance policy, etc. We would like the BOD to provide info.

Quorum

Majority voted to pass quorum prop. There is now a minimum of 7 staff members required in attendance in order to officiate a binding vote/decision. When this happens, voting and heavy rehashing cannot be re-opened on the list serve. In addition, any staff who cannot make it due to reasons beyond their control such as work, sick, etc. may cast an official vote via the list serve at any time prior to the meeting.

Elijah: arbitrary quorum doesn't make sense

JP: Clarifies that the quorum is not meant to get more staff to meetings but to "finalize" any vote made at the meeting by a small number so that discussion and re-voting cannot be re-opened by staff members post-meeting vote (since heavy discussion will have already occured via the list serve).

Esther: Re-emphasizes that a quorum is need to officiate the vote.

Ilana: If we have a quorum then we should re-visit mandating some level of staff meeting attendance so that the 4-5 folks who do regularly show up to the meetings don't have their time wasted if there is no quorum. Especially since some staff come from places like San Jose.

JP: proposes that quorum of 7 staff members be required to finalize any vote at a staff meeting.

ilana: Adds that any staff who cannot attend due to work or other involuntary conflict be allowed to cast vote via the board pre-staff meeting.

Youth

Part 1

Majority votes to extend the existing Youth Progam rules that any youth under 14 (not to be confused with 14 and under) will require an adult 18 or over to be responsible for them if they are in the shop, during any regular, youth, or class hours. Said adult can be responsible for multiple youths. This also means that a staff member may allow a youth in the shop to volunteer as long as the volunteer coordinator for that shift is comfortable keeping an eye on them and is the person taking responsiblity for them. It is encouraged that we continue to allow youth to volunteer when the shop environment allows it.

Notes: There were general concerns expressed about legal implications surrounding shop liability if anyone under 18 is injured in the shop. We would like to know if the current release form that all members (but not patrons!!!) sign releases us from liability in a legal sense if an injury occurs. We would like to know as well if liability changes depending upon age of the patron, regarding the form.

Part 2

Unanimous vote to dedicate $1K (to start) to purchase a helmet, front and back light, and a lock for every youth under 18 at the shop.

Jeremiah: We can order locks and lights from QBP.

Ilana: For helmets, I think I can talk to Sports Basement and work out a system where we select one or two helmet models, pay in advance for so many of them, and then send the kids to SB with a BK helmet gift certificate that they can use to be fitted and redeem the helmet. if we do this, I am going to have the certs printed on water marked paper.

Donations

Rez spoke a bit about donations since we had a rather short meeting and had extra time.

• There are three new shops have agreed to take bins from us to set aside parts.
• Rez would really like it someone came with him every once in a while to meet the shop people and get a feel for what goes on so that he;s not th eonly person in the shop who has a relationship with the donors.
• We all agreed that while this was not on the agenda, that we should buy a real trailer for the shop (up to around $500) b/c we have the money to do so, and b/c the person who picks up donations (Rez) feels that it's a neccessity. We felt that this was not something that required an official vote, and was rather more in line with the vibe that it's just a thing we should purchase if the person who would use it thinks that the shop would really benefit from having it.

Postlog

JP agrees to facilitate the next staff meeting in Septmeber.

Worknight reminder for August.

Meeting adjourned!