PLEASE read & comment. We need to decide what to do with this money, as well as resolving the kitchen crisis. Are we moving up the next meeting to the 2nd as Jameson suggested?
--chris
FNB meeting: 12 September 2000
attended: Eric D, Michela, Chris, Ashok, Brian, Jameson, Nate, Dawn, Eric W
MONEY:
August income: $40.05 August outgo: $58.44 September income: $420.00 September outgo: - zip - current balance: $955.03
Chris contends this is a ridiculous amount of money for FNB to have, as we have such small overhead. (Although we DO have an overhead.) Probably she should have been better prepared with the budget adopted in 1999, and a comparison with what we've actually spent. (Oops) Nate suggested that we get a bank account, so that we could accept checks made out to FNB &just keep all that cash stored somewheres safe. Chris proposed to stash a lot of it into her savings account, out of harm's way. [Note: $420 of FNB funds are deposited in her savings account. No, i'm not giving out the account #!]
what should we do with all this money? DECIDED: to discuss
certain options, present them to the list for consideration & make a
decision at the next meeting. The question was raised of how much money
can we give away or spend while still leaving ourselves a comfortable
"cushion" for our overhead expenses? DECIDED: $750 should be our cushion,
unless part of the money can insure a back-up vehicle in which case $300
is our cushion.
Options include:
giving money to Boomtown cafe. Problem: the cafe is short of cash
& has to cut back on feeding meals. Of course, this isn't a vegetarian
cafe but its aim is to put healthy food financially in reach of low-income
and homeless people in downtown Seattle. Besides providing meals at
shelters on a regular basis, they also try to maintain very cheap
breakfast & lunch meal service in a downtown location (across from the
courthouse).
PROPOSED: we donate between $150 to $300 of our funds to them.
put the excess into a 7-day CD (= certificate of deposit for all you financially-impaired readers). Michela didn't know these existed. Jameson wants to know where does the $ go, because he (& we) has/have issues about most bank's investments. Eric D says that Working Assets isn't that great & Ashok wonders if eating frozen food is better than cooked? Is he more vital now?
invest in a different vehicle. Mic says the van will NOT last forever. Brian says the CAN van is available for the $150 needed to fix it. Jameson PROPSED: that FNB pay the initial money to fix the CAN van; Brian & Chris & whomever purchase it, but that it will be available for FNB needs in the future when the current van poops out. Dawn proposed that any future van being used for FNB purposes should DEFINITELY be inspected before purchase.
set aside money for a communal kitchen. The CAN deal is not a likely thing in the future if no one is around to push it along. Some discussion ensured about the 420 space, and possibility of sharing it with LBD.
use it as seed money for a FNB benefit. PROPOSED: invest $100 into producing a split benefit for FNB & another organization. Perhaps we can explore hosting other musical styles, than the traditional punk benefit (suggestions: Carl & Shannon, Jim Page, Anti-Fascist Marching Band). Ashok said something about having onsite adoptions, but i'm sure i don't remember what it was.
use it to fix the van we have, especially the driver's side door. Brian contends that the door could be fixed by ourselves alone in a few weekends, especially if we look at the manual. I think we proposed to spend some $ on this, but i don't remember the amount.
SAT FREE MARKET
Ashok reports that there aren't enough people participating in this key
moment in FNB activities! (Especially people with cars). Currently there
are only 3 regulars: Ashok, Marcia & C.J. There is ALWAYS a need for
produce sorters & at least 1 more driver!
KITCHEN-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU?
It is difficult, cooking at the Aloha. We don't feel wanted, plus our
contract is almost up. DECIDED: we will look high & low for another
space: Chris will contact the Boomtown & Ashok will contact Erica Kay
about cooking at the CAN space.
NEWSLETTER
Ashok proposes an online newsletter/calendar which can be hosted at his UW
site (perhaps?) & linked to the website. It would be menu-driven, and
involve something called Java, which one doesn't get to drink & he'll tell
us ALL ABOUT IT, as it happens.
SPACE: THE FINAL FRONTIER & JUST WHERE DO WE STORE ALL OUR STUFF? Brian's garage is now very, very full of FNB stuff. What shall we do? (Move some of it over to the basement @ Chris/Eric & Mic's house. Also, give the coffee cup lids to Habitat cafe).
INVENTORY
Brian plans to update this on Sunday. We need cups!! He says we can get
various spices donated to us via Danny.
PAYBACK
Brian should be paid $25 for van repair stuff (he was). Chris asked that
anyone spending money for FNB stuff come forward & get recompensed.
ZAPATISTA COFFEE
Brian says we can get a good deal on Zapatista coffee via Danny. This
coffee is grown in EZLN regions in Chiapas & the money from its sale
benefits those communities. There was some discussion about violence;
Dawn said that the Zapatistas renounced violence (except self-defense)
years ago (1995? i forget). Ashok is shocked to his core that we're not
serving the life-giving brew of coffee currently. Shocked! he tells us.
We estimate that we could use about 1 lb/week. DECIDED: Brian will get
$50 in FNB dollars to get (hopefully) 5 lbs. & he & Ashok will work on the
coffee maker sometime.
NEXT MEETING: Tuesday October 9th, 7pm, place TBD. (although please note that Jameson just suggested that it be moved up to the 2nd)