GA minutes – 1pm Thursday 12th January 2012

 

general assembly 12-1-12 1 pm
talking about finance without taking any decisions
There is some discussion on whether or not we need to have a agenda or just an open discussion. In the end it is decided that first we will have agenda discussion then we will have an open discussion. We will try to discuss everything within an hour.
agenda:

  • quick finance feedback
  • necessary things to spend money on
  • phonecalls
  • travel expenses
  • open discussion

quick finance feedback

  • there is about 12000 pounds in the bank account (exact figures are on the website)
  • we get about 1000 pounds in donations each week, this used to be more. We try not to spend more money than we get in in one week

necessary things to spend money on

  • we spend about 800 pounds a week to run the camp, so that leaves only about 200 a week for other things
  • concerns are raised about the amount of money in the bank. Why don’t we just spend it?
  • Concerns are raised about the current finance process, cause there is no way to get money in case of an emergency
  • gas for the kitchen
  • food essentials
  • cleaning toilets
  • outreach
    • pamflets etc
    • invest more in outreach?
  • petrol for the generator
    • there is some discussion on whether or not this is absolutely necessary. In the end it is decided that since most people consider it necessary we will consider it necessary
    • provides electricity for the camp. Charges computer and telephones. Necessary for tech team, media, live stream, etc etc

Phone expenses

  • at the last finance meeting there was a request for a 10 pound top op. The decision on this was delayed, because it might set a precedent
  • a lot of people use their personal resources for the movement. But some people don’t have any money, so how can they be expected to use their own resources?
  • Concerns are raised about high phone bills in the past. These people were on the wrong contracts, doesn’t happen anymore
  • in November it was said that each WG would get some funds, this hasn’t happened.
  • Proposal: can we have a few occupy phones, get good contracts for them and then people can make phone calls for occupy with those phones and we dont need to discuss phone bills in GA anymore
    • all important WG should have a phone
    • especially after the chaos of a possible eviction we will need phones
    • can we discuss this in GA

travel expenses

  • why are we spending so much on travel expenses?
  • Some people feel that we shouldn’t pay for people coming to St Paul’s unless they carry something heavy
  • most people feel we should’t pay for taxi’s
    • sometimes taxis are transporting stuff
  • we should also look at who asks for the money, how long they’ve been here, what they’ve done for the movement
  • some people’s lives have fallen apart because they were working so hard for the movement. They can not be expected to pay their own travel expenses
  • theres people who want to come here and would really contribute, but they don’t have the money to come here. If we would pay for them to come down they might help the movement a lot.

General discussion

  • Tammy: can i have the contact details of the people responsible for the climate camp bank account that is taking our donations? As a defendant i am legally liable for that bank acount.
    • Em: i cannot give out personal details, but i have the bank statements
    • maybe Tammy can meet those people?
    • discussion is postponed till after the meeting
  • concerns are raised about the relation between occupy and climate camp. Who are those people? How do we know they dont take our money out of their bank account? Who decided we can trust this people?
    • It was decided in GA that while we are waiting for our own co-op bank account, we will put the money in the climate camp bank account.
      • People didnt want to keep the money on them in the camp
      • the climate bank account was also a co-op account
      • it was with people who finance trusted. But who didnt want their names known.
  • We talk about the occupy bank account, which people have been trying to open for a long time. Finance is still gathering legal advice is to what it will mean for the people who will be the signatures for that bank account. There will be at least signatures, two will also be needed to sign to get anything done. There is a meeting about this next week.
  • There is some dicussion whether or not we should discuss more about the climat camp bank account or not. One person blocks.
  • Proposal: can we just get the bank statements??
  • concerns are raised about people who dont want to come to GA to answer questions
  • some people feel we need the banks statements before we can discuss this subject properly
  • concerns are raised about the way the old finance team ended
  • proposal: GA about the whole climate camp bank account issue
    • amendment: lets invite the people from the bank account
    • it seems unfair to invite the people from the bank account for a ”spanish enquisition”
  • concerns are raised about the way the finance team works
    • everyone can bring a proposal to GA to change the way the finance team (or anything else) works
 

2 Responses to “GA minutes – 1pm Thursday 12th January 2012”

  1. Hate to break it to you guys but regarding the money, it looks like you’ve been robbed.

     
  2. Can you not use the money that you ponced off the tax payer?

     

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