6-24-09 Coordination Team Notes

Coordination Team Conference Call

Wed, June 23, 2009

Present: Cindy, Maureen, Josue, Sylvia, Rocio

Absent: Elena, Will, Tom

Agenda

• Check in
• LOC and NPC updates
• Staff updates; how support Will?
• Logistics check-in for NPC mtg
• Dividing up AMC registration
• Job descriptions from anchors
• NPC membership application draft
• Committee recommendations for Design Action group

• Check in

There's much to cover, we need to be more disciplined about agenda drafting and time for discussing items. We also need to try and start our meetings on time, less calling out for reminders.

• LOC and NPC updates

Good meeting, securing hotel arrangements near site. Challenges continue for committees but good work and draft for new structure to streamline number of meetings. Anchors and LOC have a focus to greater outreach. Anchors have forwarded job descriptions, they really need people to help with this work--hoping to get started soon.

Kick-off, good attendance (75-80), approx 19 organizations. Weakness: communications didn't happen well, no press attention. Need better feel of national kick off efforts. Otherwise a success. Will wrote a beautiful letter that was read to LOC, inspired many.

• Staff updates; how support Will?

Will in hospital, ill. His letter was positive, working toward recovery. Expecting to be back to work within 2 weeks. Doesn't need anything at this time except prayers. Rocio, Ahmina and EMEAC are helping more closely, plus they're helping with his Anchors and LOC responsibilities. As part of the USSF, we'll be taking care of him.

NPC and others can send well wishes to him thru EMEAC (87 Canfield, Detroit, MI 48201), he checks email occasionally and cell phone ok. Diana also getting much support from EMEAC and others.

Maureen has had a pinched nerve, starting to recover but behind in email, catching up.

• Logistics check-in for NPC mtg

So far, Maureen has received only one response. Two days ago, Elena hadn't received any. Deadline is this Friday, we'll send reminder, need to get on people. Sylvia will send reminder, Cindy and Rocio and EMEAC will make individual calls. Elena was drafted to call too. Focus on active members from new cleaned up NPC list. Prioritize those who answered survey.

LOC talking with hotels about community/religious rate $70-75/avg at St Regis; maybe better rates at motels. We can say minimally 10 rooms. Sylvia will check with Jenny at AMC on Wayne St dorm rooms for $50.

Location - Welfare rights office unless baseball game conflict. In that case Hanan House will be the fallback. Next meeting we will talk about airport transportation and catering.

• Dividing up AMC registration

Yes, to Stephanie for 2; LOC may only need 2-3, can give them to NPC.

Cindy and Josue need a registration; Josue will talk to Stephanie about 2.

USSF also gets a caucus (during lunch/dinner times)--what do we want to do with that slot? AMC schedule seems not to be ready yet. Cindy has a presentation template about USSF that we can use during our workshop, can be adapted as needed, she'll send to C-Team.

• Job descriptions from anchors

Descriptions reflect what anchors discussed, good job by Diana. Technical glitch so C-Team just got this morning. Original draft sent a month+ ago, this version is cleaned up. Cindy spoke with Michael about revised budget--including staff positions. Maureen will ask Victor to talk with Michael (temporarily for Will) to follow up with budget. Michael and Will also have a proposal for staffing structure. Maureen will also check in with Will about his recommendations. Michael also checking with Elena who is convening Personnel Committee. Rocio asks that Michael convene instead, Cindy will call him.

We still need the hiring plan from the Personnel Committee. Plus fiscal committee plan and get this going too. Cindy believes we need plan for fiscal sponsorship before we can move forward on hiring. Maureen says more documents will be coming from anchors, taking a long time to get Personnel in place, need something over next 2 weeks.

Resource Mobilization WG first conf call next week, move forward on streamlining these discussions. Maureen concerned work continues to get delayed. Need to bring more people into ths process, delegating the massive task.

Josue noted Communications and Technology job descriptions from anchors are different from NPC job descriptions, is that correct? Anchors thinking that want to split Tech position into 2. Also believe we need someone from NPC to step up as National Administrator--someone who knows others and the USSF process.

A year and half ago, NPC approved national positions tied to the Working Groups. Are anchors recommending positions not tied to WGs but locally? Rocio: it's a combination of both--working with local and WGs; for Communications position--someone who can work locally and nationally. Anchors have expressed a preference for persons who have worked locally. Decision making guided by who it is that we want to come to Detroit for USSF. LOC also having trouble organizing unions--although many live in Detroit. Union leadership are not supporting USSF so far.

Cindy--So, we need to empower this process and talk with Michael about the budget. We have to have a collective process with mechanisms that are clear to everybody. Understands local needs and frustration but much of what's been raised is work that should be done by the Working Groups. Staffing needs also need to be clear so not rushing to decision. Hiring is very contested. We may not want to limit ourselves and consider others who can do the work as well. Fears Working Groups get excused from their work and besides there are many who step up wanting to participate. NPC members also need to be on Working Groups, that's a leadership responsibility.

Maureen--Pushed hard for this, we need structure, info, support and history. NPC is "like a ghost" to many of us--we need the answers to these issues. Feels much local pressure. As MWRO chair, hears low-income people still not getting info on USSF.

Cindy--We need a clearer discussion of what NPC is/isn't. Last time in Detroit, NPC agreed to be an advisory board to help bring in resources. But we need a broader NPC with clearer expectations, more structure. What's the most relevant info we need and how do we put that on our website, etc? We had an outreach strategy last time, made a political decision to outreach to low-income, people of color--others will come anyway. Thus, next face-to-face NPC meeting needs to be really clear about this.

• NPC membership application draft

Needs to be upgraded. Cindy's getting emails from website and email kick off announcement. Needs more info on responsibility and a welcome letter. Language may have to change with our restructuring. Can discuss next Monday.

• Committee recommendations for Design Action group

LOC Outreach Committee is working on posters and other designs. Perhaps request Josue link Design Action with LOC. Cindy: they would help with branding of the USSF, logo for posters, t-shirts, etc. They'll come back to us with ideas to vote on. Design Action may come to NPC mtg with ideas. Anchors had idea that a Tech staff person would work on design, how integrate? We'll ask Josue to connect with Nisa and Ahmina and convene people for the call--include Ernesto from ATL, and Outreach WG (e.g Tammy) for NPC reps.

Next mtg

Monday, 6pm; Sylvia send notes and draft next agenda.