General Assembly Minutes – Oct. 23, 2011

General Assembly Minutes – October 23, 2011, 7:00pm CDT
Approximately 65 in attendance
John P – Moderator

Volunteer Group Announcements:
Andy w/ Facilitation:
Melissa w/ Logistics: We’re trying to organize the tables. Pick up your personal items, stay off the grass due to mud. Please be grass conscious. Vanessa says that personal items are behind the medical table.
Seamus w/ Sustainability: Don’t walk on the grass, collect rainwater, and pick up after each other between 7:00am – 4:00pm
Douglas w/ Medical: Watch out for mosquitoes.
Kevin w/ Logistics: Anyone with a bicycle come see me to build a wall.
Dustin w/ Outreach: We’re skyping with OWS and planning road trips to visit other occupations.
Maria-Elisa w/ Direct Action: The Corporate House of Horrors event is Oct 29. We need volunteers and materials: 80ft cardboard, skewers, large pieces of wood, spider webs, skeletons, projectors, extension cords, etc.
Dustin w/ Outreach: Taking down Lincoln website.
Eric w/ Public Education: The Wall Street study group screening of the youtube videos of the Greece protests has been rescheduled for next sunday at 4:00pm.
Legal: reminders of the legality of our actions, the National Lawyers Guild, and 1st Amendment rights.
Carlos w/ Outreach: November 2: T.O.P. & HFT, GJGH – transport to Austin, must RSVP, teachers can attend.
Maria w/ Outreach: 11/11/11 – Details of concert. Scooby Doo Crew, poets, Lost Children of Babylon, KPFT Studio time

Volunteer Group Proposals:
John w/ Facilitation: Count the tip jar and start a ledger – Withdrawn
Andy w/ Outreach: Meet with Houston City Council at 2:00pm on Tuesday to discuss our tent situation. Call city council at (713) 393-1100, email them or visit. Must be done by 1:30pm. The whole group can come, but only one person can speak. – Passed by consensus.
CK w/ Outreach: Organize a student walkout on 11/11/2011 at 11:00am. 11/11/11 is a global day of protest. – Passed by consensus.

Personal Proposals:
Dustin: Pass proposals by 90/10 rule instead of consensus. – Blocked, 3 blocks.
Evan: Use raffle tickets for resources for those not participating. – Blocked, 2 blocks.
Ted: Board of KPFT – make a prototype of the $10 bill including the preamble to the Constitution. Make posters of this & distribute in River Oaks and the like. – Passed by consensus.
Jenny: Finance report. $100 or less – Passed by consensus.
Alex: Stop using the 99% slogan. – Blocked
Jacob: Institute a policy for friendly amendments. – Tabled pending more work on the proposal
MariaElena: We express solidarity with Houston city workers, public employees, teachers, and first responders. – Passed

Personal Announcements and Opinions:
Mike: Hundreds on mannequins as a sign of protest.
Maria: Hip hip hooray!
Joe: Early voting at the W. Gray service center. Application in the Sunday Chronicle, Tuesday 2:00pm, city council.
Darren: Be loving & caring. Let’s get along. Be all-inclusive.
Scott: Step up and converse.
Oscar: After yesterday’s GA I had ill feelings. We should have greeters.
Amy: I’m glad to be here and part of this movement.
Chris: I’m happy to be part of this movement.
???: Be inclusive, not exclusive. I enjoy facilitating. We need more people here.
Chris: We have a warehouse problem. Please put your name on your personal items.
Andy: Amy Price support. Discuss issues & solutions.
Dustin: We have finite resources. Follow with action.
James: We need to pray.
CK: Non participants and occupiers, love and free hugs!
Joe: Permits for tents, city elections.
Trey: It feels good to be here. Research the financial messes already made by other movements, and fact check.
Anthony: Proud of us, and encourage us to stay the course.
Carlos: Be the movement. Get informed. Get involved.
Maria: Spending time mired down in other details.
Jeff: We are the 99%. End corporate corruption of democracy.
Joe: A sense of empowerment for the homeless.
Carlos: There is the annual bankers meeting in San Antonio.
Maria: Plugged the Occupy Houston newspaper. Wall Street was built by slaves. Know where Wall Street came from.
Scott: Adopt an attitude of forgiveness rather than criticize. Ask how you can help.
Amy: Hospitals are closed, be cognizant of mental illness in the homeless.