Meeting Minutes 6/2011 – 8/2011
8-30-2011
Steering Team
Ted Milson, Jill Giegerich, Lynn Reese, Stacy Doolittle
Karen Tracy was away as a BM Ranger.
8/30/11
Present: Jill, Ted, Lynn, Stacy (Karen at Burning Man)
Reports:
Stacy owes $4 from previous time to treasury (noted but not added in)
Treasurer’s Report = $153
Food Group
Ricochet taking ownership of the tire gardens, which have been planted with herbs. They are still working on their permaculture script or film. Doug and Julie Buckley have left the food group but remained committed to Transition.
Meeting cancelled — Lynn out of town on the 13th. Discussion on strategic planning. Meeting on the 15th to conclude strategic planning. (Sustainability cards to be addressed post-strategic planning).
Old Biz:
T4T Discussion
Add: Pay by check or money order?
Resolved the “cash” issue – by noting that registrants can send a money order. Stacy updated on the T4T site; Jill to update the Event Brite.
If there are local tickets left by the 5th of Sept, Jill will send out the invitation via Gmail. As of this date, there are only five local tickets left.
Remove the phone numbers and addresses from hotels, etc.
Agenda as a downloadable PDF. – Need to customize it. – Stacy
Ted & Stacy agree to finalize the information page by Tuesday 5th of September. We will send out the link to it via email to our registrants (Event Brite) asap.
Food info: link to the Joshua Tree.
Discussion regarding cancelling the event due to low registration. We will revisit this issue one month prior to the event.
Scenarios (before we added food costs)
23 non locals
Estimated
Actual
Total income
$7,080.00
$0.00
Total expenses
$3,078.00
$0.00
Total profit (or loss)
$4,002.00
$0.00
10 non-local registration:
Estimated
Actual
Total income
$4,480.00
$0.00
Total expenses
$3,078.00
$0.00
Total profit (or loss)
$1,402.00
$0.00
If no people show up from non-local and we believe we can run this with just locals.
Estimated
Actual
Total income
$2,480.00
$0.00
Total expenses
$3,078.00
$0.00
Total profit (or loss)
($598.00)
$0.00
Insurance may cost.
Stacy to transition the food management to Karen. Investigate Subway as well.
Added $860 to the budget to allow for food.
Coffee/Tea to Karen.
Lynn has can of coffee to donate.
Checking Acct Discussion
We had to have something to link to PayPal. Couldn’t set it up with the Transition Joshua Tree name due to paperwork demanded by bank. Jill set up a second personal acct. Stacy suggested adding TJT to the address line of the check when we order checks. Chase guy knew Scott Wexton.
Stacy recommends we have a T4T meeting with Karen prior to the 15th. Get her up to speed.
Newsletter
Ted will have a draft of the newsletter for us by the 5th (deadline). Jill to update timeline and some other content. Travis has submitted an article.
New Biz:
YMIA
Yucca Mesa Improvement Association has requested a general talk about Transition and information about the T4T. Sept 19th is the date. Jill is busy out of town. Stacy handles the 19th.
Sept 17th Meet & Greet about TJT at the Basin Wide Foundation. Ted, Stacy and Jill signed up for this. Newsletter.
Meeting and Facilitation Evaluation:
Start-Stop-Continue
Please call on our reticent team members more.
Action Items: (Ted to enter)
Action Items from Steering Committee Meeting 8-30-11
- Interview Jill for newsletter-Karen-gone to Burning Man
- Find out when Saloon closes-Jill?-by next meeting
- Finish updating WordPress Information Page-Stacy and Ted-By September 5th
- Get info on catering information-Stacy-done by September 13th
- Sent stakeholder invites-all-asap
- Insurance for the event-Jill-next meeting?
- Get WordPress recipt-Ted-next meeting
- Send Lynn logo-Jill-before next meeting
- Edit eventbrite and add moneyorders-Jill-before next meeting?
- Send out the gmail invite-Uncertain-Tuesday September 6th
- Get picture on the website-Ted-ASAP
- Accomodations List-Ted-before next meeting?
- Special Food Needs List-Jill-before next meeting?
- Simplify links (take out addresses and phone #s)-Ted-before next meeting?
- Customize T4T generic agenda-Stacy-before next meeting?
- JT Chamber of Commerce link on Transition Information Page-Stacy and Ted-By September 5th
- Do bio for Transition website-Ted-ASAP
- Another meeting to update Karen-Stacy, Jill, (maybe) Ted-soon
- E-mail Karen on her potential return date-Uncertain-Uncertain
- Draft of newsletter-Ted-Monday September 4th
- Food Group Article Revision-Jill-before next meeting?
- Tighten up timeline-Jill-before next meeting?
- Non-profit tabling-Jill and Ted-September 17th
- Presentation-Stacy-September 19
- Calling Cards-Jill-Uncertain
_________________________________________________________________________________
Transition Steering 8/18/11 (these minutes were taken by Karen but transcribed by Jill)
Present: Stacy, Jill, Ted, Karen
Jill- facilitator, Stacy – Treasurer, Karen – minutes
Treasurer’s report – Stacy collected $4 to be put in kitty at next meeting.
Action items:
Jill wrote invite
Ted updated WordPress. No extra money needed for more upgrade.
Jill connected with Travis who said he is working on article for newsletter
Jill re-wrote What is Transition
Save the date for carpool sent to FB
Old Biz:
1. T4T Planning:
a. Karen’s report on talk with Scott:
He would like circle arrangement with tables and chairs
Suggests catered food, encouraging breaking of bread together
He is working on registration NOT on eventbrite because of no paypal option
b. Jill’s report on talk with Bobby:
Has 36 folding chairs
Yes on Wifi, also has satellite connection in studio
turntable, ipod and cd in studio
does not have insurance, thinks Barnett had it for Mia Dyson performance
Has a couple of small table
Barnett has (10) 8′ tables that he will loan us
Has screen for projection
c. Jills report on setting up registration for locals
she is looking into Paypal and Eventbrite
d. Completion of stakeholders list – went through it and prioritized. List divvied.
e. Completion of stakeholders evite – Stacy, Jill and Ted will complete in next few days once WordPress is up and running
f. Continue working through event checklist – tabled until next meeting
2. Newletter – Ted
a. Jill completed TJT timeline
b. Janet Tucker sent an article from the food group
c. Karen completed the book report
d. Jill sent Ted What is Transition
e. still waiting on Travis
Tabled items:
1. continuation of planning checklist
Action Items:
These minutes are approved by:
****************************************************
Transition Steering 8/9/11
Stacy, Jill, Ted, Karen (Lynn joined later)
Treasurer’s Report: $152
Food Group Report: via Jill they have a number of projects in the pipe including video production on PermaCulture in our area as well as a questionnaire addressed to all project leaders regarding leadership, maintenance and sustainability issues.
Action Items:
Viewing Transmission website: all reported Yes, they did visit the website
Logo: no, no work on new logo yet
Asking the correct questions to obtain hardcore sustainability knowledge: posted
Acquire Bobby Furst’s for venue: done
Update STAKEHOLDER list: done
Update T4T w/Scott Mc: done
Update Drylands Competition: done
Date & Time of meetings: Consensus to change back to 5p.m. at Lynn’s
Discussion of Travis’ departure from Steering-long, emotional, grieving
T4T update-Karen: Scott posted our training on TransitionUS.org. TransitionUS will set up online registration thru Eventbrite for our convenience. We will be their first training to use online reg. He assured me this is not in order for TUS to have any access or use of our data. Scott is aware of the price point $150 and advises us not to put the work-study price ($40) online.
Newsletter-Ted WordPress workable. Cost $17 to get “Wordpress” out of the URL
In consideration of our current WordPress site which looks amateurish. We will be able to upload our own banner and create a uniform look, like MDLT.
**Stacy offers to purchase the $17 version and get reimbursed.**
**Ted tasked with previewing templates that will have uniform look and usability also to investigate costs of use
Newsletter Content: **Karen-book report on The Long Emergency by James Howard Kunstler
**interview of Jill by Karen-about being the founder of TJT
**obtain from Travis his re-write of ‘How to Be the One Who Says “Yes”’
**Jill owns the above
**Jill will also re-work the ‘Transition Explanation’ previously presented to JBWD and let Ted know when it is ready for publication
**Jill again-working on a logo, does not have to be refinded or perfect version-**Ted will edit logo for publication
**Biographies of each member of Steering (with photo?)
**JILL-AGAIN will write a bulleted time line of TJT history
**Ted-forms a list of future newsletter topics in the form of a document
**Stacy-regarding asking the right questions-will form questions from the document generated for the USGS presentation at JTCommunity Center in the ABC’s of Water series on septage drainage into aquifer
**Karen to help locate document related to above item
Update on Jill generating hard facts on sustainability-keep in mind the following:
JBWD is in a state of overdraft-there is no natural recharge
Planned pipeline from SWP to percolation pond is not sustainable
Use of septic tanks has caused nitrates to reach the aquifer
Nitrates in the aquifer will require special treatment to remove or dilute
Jill has a long term goal of presenting PermaCulture principles to JBWD Board
Including calling Joe Guzzetta to keep that communication open and ask questions
Date for Strategic Planning
Ishikawa not Paretto
After Training in Nov.
Also to include finishing the Constitution
New Biz
Consensus decision made to change previous decision in log on FB
Steering Group members may serve on Sub-groups
New member of Steering: Ted-welcome aboard
Discussion about asking food group to nominate a member to steering. Decision to wait on adding new members until after the T4T. Leaders might arise from this event.
Someone who has time, community connections, possesses the big picture, not a tactical worker, strategic thinker, computer savy
Friday August 12 Planning meeting for Training at Jill’s studio at 3 p.m.
Action Items:
**Stacy drafts INVITATION to Training
**Ted research further the WordPress templates and costs
**Stacy pay for WordPress bypass so URL is simple, clean
**Karen writes book report
**Karen interview Jill for bio in newsletter
**Jill gets re-write of Travis’ piece for newsletter
**Jill does re-write of Transition Explanation doc for newsletter AND TELLS TED when it’s ready
**Biographies of each steering committee member for newsletter
**Jill works on logo
**Jill writes a bulleted timeline of TJT history for newletter
**Ted-keeps tickler list of future articles for newsletter
**Karen to help Stacy by locating document from ABC’s of Water on sewage for list of right questions to ask
Respectfull Submitted
Karen
Transition Steering 8/2/11
Jill, Lynn, Stacy, Travis, Ted, Karen
Treasurer’s Report: $147
Newsletter-Ted M.S. Publisher will work with WordPress
Ted recommends that we re-evaluate in 3-6 months for possible switch to Constant Contact-templates in MS match WordPress for comprehensive look
Ted did receive the software from Stacy
**Travis recommends we all look at Transmission website which is a WordPress Pro charge for this maybe <$15/mo
Our newsletter may be 4xyr.
Dates: 8/23 content deadline for first issue to be timely for Training
possible publish date: 9/7
**Jill working on logo-may initially be temporary logo
First issue will have hard content and editorial
Publish online and hard copy
PermaCulture-Jill-intensive course 7:30a.m. to 9:30p.m. daily
lectures at first-hands on in 2nd weed.
emphasis on difficulty of PermaCulture in desert
intensity of information relays how extreme are the changes coming our way
massive amount of data available-irrefutable weight of data from USGS
water situations and climate change will be dire
**Jill will develop questions for gathering data on local water and population
Training
2½ days-Scott strongly recommends starting on Friday evening
We are in consensus that we are confirmed for Oct.15-Scott requested this
**Travis to nail down Bobby Furst’s as venue
When venue confirmed, TransisitonUS will post to its site
$3000 budget 35 attendees 9non-local-$150 with work study $40
Invitation-**Ted to examine invitation templates on WordPress
Invite Ready to go 8/23 or 8/30
Why should one be interested in going to this-What’s in it for me?
“Let’s not wait until we must talk to each other”
**Travis will have rough draft by next meeting 8/9-he will not be present
Open Space invitation posted to use as guide-motivation
**Travis will update STAKEHOLDER list completion 8/6 Saturday
**Karen to research online registration thru TransitionUS website
Drylands Competition-Ted-visioning opportunity-another look at an EDAP (energy descent action plan)
something tangible in order to become sustainable
SHTF-outline of a plan-tactics-can be found online
Community Design Proposal (vs. architectural design)
using PermaCulture-design a practical response specific to Joshua Tree
Nov. 15 deadline to sign up
Dec. 15 submission of plan deadline
Jan. awards
Ted will own this project **Travis will help line up a team
team will be under Transition umbrella creating a working group
Hardcore Sustainability Data
**Jill owns for purposes of gathering data for a proposal-writing the right questions will be first
what does it mean to have a stable reliable source of water in the desert
**Stacy to derive pertinent info from USGS sewer study
Jill brings from PermaCulture “Think like a watershed”
perhaps a special meeting to learn H₂O & climate change issues
Action Items
Everyone-go look at Transmissions website
Jill-working on logo
Jill-working on proposal to gather data on hardcore sustainability – questions first
Travis-acquire Bobby Furst’s as our venue for Training
Travis-update STAKEHOLDERS list
Karen-research online registration with Scott McKeown and TransitionUS
Ted-begin working on Drylands Community Design Proposal
Stacy-derive data RE: sustainability from USGS study
Respectfully submitted
Karen
Transition Steering 7/26/11
Present: Lynn, Travis, Ted, Stacy, Karen
Treasurer’s Report: $142
Training with Scott McKeown October 15/16 occupied large majority of the meeting.
Notes on training follow brief discussion from Ted on newsletter
Newsletter: Travis, Stacy & Ted had an ad hoc meeting
Ted reports on 3 different platforms
After running down the pros and cons of each recommended that Constant Contact might be the best alternative for our needs
4th option raised: Microsoft Publisher
**Stacy to get software to Ted**
Newsletter content might include: events, bios, stories, blogs, accomplishments, government infrastructure, principles, TRAINING
Training overview:
Attendance, Audience, Invitation
Venue
Budget, Payments, Fees
Marketing
Training specifics:
Scott McKeown October 15/16-2 day event with 2 trainers
Date vs. checklist, use event checklist and back out to determine target dates to achieve goals
**Ted asked to look at our checklist to figure newsletter drop-dead date for marketing**
Look to TJT for documents from Travis and TransitionUS on giving a Training
Attendance, Audience, Invitation
Locals/non-local
Paying/Scholarship
Target # 35 (compromise) 9 non-local from SoCal or Desert SW
Steering=6 Food Group=maybe 2
leaves 18 local “KEY STAKEHOLDERS”
**list of key stakeholders needs to be parceled out into generic titles**
KEY STAKEHOLDERS: See docs on Steering Committee page-additions encouraged
.
Venue suggestions: Helen Grey Center, Community Center, Integratron, Bobby Furst’s, JT Celebration Center, Harrison House, local schools, gyms, JTRC, Blak Box, EV Free gym
Budget, Payments, Fees- overall budget $3000, Boeing contribution $2000
Lodging/food for trainers will be minimal expense
Juggling local/non-local will impact the financial numbers
25% non-local slots-only select few-consider turn-aways
$150 for non-local/sliding scale for locals $75— >scholarship
$1500 or $2000 for trainers-unclear on this
cost of the venue will determine its final selection
Marketing-TransitionUS will assist in promotion
Marketing needs to be persuasive- describe why someone would want to come while also targeting the demographic which this presentation will benefit
Marketing to work with newsletter & Ted
Questions for Scott-**relayed by Karen**
Can we get a course outline?
On the specified days, what are the hours and duration each day?
What can be resolved RE: payment schedule?-(we are expecting a non-profit financial payout on 8/26-can he save us the date while waiting for deposit until then?)
Does he know of other interested parties in this area that we should invite?
Please explain “joint visioning” –What will we walk away with?
Tabled: Drylands Competition, deadline in November
respectfully submitted
Karen
Transition Steering 7/5/11
Present: Stacy, Travis, Jill, Lynn, Karen
guest, Ted Milson, recent Urban and Regional Planning graduate from Pomona
Treasurer’s report: $137
OLD BIZ
Newsletter:
July 22 is deadline,
**Stacy and Travis to get together**
Trainer:
T4T a very big deal, much publicity, invite LA and San Diego? and AZ?
sub-groups will form as a result of training
sights set on Scott McKeown-Karen now has a connection with him thru BurningMan **and Karen will continue to follow up-keep the ball rolling**
Car Pool-will be last Monday of the month
Travis has connected with her to develop reliable planning protocol
**Travis will continue to follow up**
**someone will pick up MBTA routes and schedules for us**
Green Biz-Travis is continuing to follow-up RE: buildings heating and cooling
some tenants do not have info on the buildings they rent
H₂0 Conservation Survey-**Karen to gather results and give them to Deb
Strategic Planning Session-long strategic planning meeting followed with the goal: Crystalize our thoughts for clarity of intention and for grant writing
Strategy=goal
Vision=big-future state
Tactics=activities to achieve goal
eg library project, solar farm tie-in, community directory
Operating (Organizing) Principles:
1.Permaculture-despite Stacy
2.Transparency
3.Apolitical
4.Localization
Respectfully Submitted
Karen
6/28/11
Present: Travis, Stacy, Karen, Jill, Lynn
Treasurer’s Report: $132.00
Jill requests that we use the model for discussion lead following around in succession to offer responses. Tried. Did not work out well. Back to popcorn format by default.
TJT Training
Jill reports back positively from conversation with Trainer Scott McKeown
He is TUS support/guidance as well as bringing elevated enthusiasm to community
Also says we are ready to apply for official TT status.
Discussion of dates to bring him here following consensus to do so-that discussion is ongoing.
Our preferred date is Oct 15/16; we could also live with Sept. 17/18
Strategic Planning
def: develop strategies for accomplishing our goals
3 Drivers: climate change, peak oil (energy), economic instability
How can we localize these drivers? How do we align our efforts to accomplish? What are we trying to accomplish? (See below)
Mission vs. Vision
Mission: what are we about? Why are we here? inspire, prepare, educate
Vision: what we will look like when we accomplish our mission-our future state
Mission:
Living Joshua Tree seeks to inspire and prepare the residents of our community for positive and sustainable action in response to energy, climate and economic changes.
Vision:
Imagine living in a Joshua Tree beyond fossil fuels. A community where local business’ take their power from renewable energy. From Yucca Mesa in the West to CMC in east, with everyone in between and beyond harvesting water from the rains and food from the land.
OR
Imagine living in Joshua Tree beyond fossil fuels; a community where power is acquired from locally generated and clean energy. From Yucca Mesa in the west to CMC in the east, with everyone in between and beyond harvesting water from the monsoons and locally grown food from gardens. Imagine a community where the habitat is secure and abundant for humans, animals and flora.
Revisiting “Our Goals”
examples of localizing our drivers: a workshop on our local economy given by someone with local expertise e.g. Morongo Basin Economic Development Consortium
Other examples: Seth talking on our local climate, Neil Derry on wind power or Al Rasumssen on solar power
Stressing importance of getting good local information and networking with other organizations
Using already established models
Getting our stakeholders onboard
Stakeholder-someone (can be an organization) whose path will rely upon the outcome of our path, someone who has a demand upon the same resources, mutual dependencies
Actions: are these strategies or tactics?
1. Constitution Reading to stakeholders-tactic
2. Transition Training-tactic
3. Key Strategic Relationships (networking)- strategy and tactic
4. Newsletter/Blog-tactic
5. Daniel Francis-tactic
6. Climate Summit-tactic
7. Energy Summit-tactic
8. Build Awareness of both Transitions and local issues-strategy
9. Local Economic Issues-tactic and strategy
10. Emergency Preparedness-tactic
11. Growing Wiser-tactic
12. Transportation (gorilla bus stop)-strategy
13. EDAP-tactic
14. Great Unleashing-tactic
15. Logo/Brand/Image package-tactic
16. Grants/Partnerships-strategy
17. Create environment for Emerging Groups-strategy
“Affimitizing” exercise to arrange these into groups and then name the groups
Much shuffling and moving of stickies resulted in the following:
Message
Newsletter/Blog
Flyers
Radio dj
Logo/Brand/Image package
Build Awareness
Activities
Climate Event
Daniel Francis Training
Energy Summit
Growing Wiser
Local Economic Summit
Emergency Preparedness
Transportation
Organizational Requirements
incomplete at this point as Rev. Reese’s document did not post
Strategies
incomplete at this point as Rev. Reese’s document did not post
Transition Training
discussion of dates
dinner possibly together on the day before the training
Next meeting:
Invite Food Group with the intention that they be a stakeholder and participate in strategic planning
focus on drivers aligning with tactics and strategies
Respectfully Submitted
Karen
June 21, 2011
Present: Lynn Reece, Stacy Doolittle, Jill Giegerich, Travis Puglisi, Karen Tracy.
Treasury Report: $121
$9 paid to Karen for photocopies for collecTED Wisdom.
Old Biz:
Next Movie Night: Stacy
Stacy is not inclined to do a movie night as she is not sure it fits within the Awareness aspect of transition
Jill suggests that we focus on solar as that is a hot topic at the moment
Possibilities are Speaker (Ruth Nolan), a panel, or a film focused on solar.
Venue Concerns
Jill Ok with not doing anything at all.
Stacy likes the idea of focusing on a newsletter
Jill proposes we scrap events for july. Authorized
Update on Newsletter: Travis and Stacy
Travis to track down correspondence around newsletter
Jill for blog, karen about experience with other group, rhonda with her talk from Seeds in the Sand, bios, victories.
Momentum halted by name change and logo
Name change issue fixed
Travis will gather all previous info on newsletter and report next week to coordinate with Stacy
Name Change
Jill no longer attached to Living Joshua Tree likes the idea of Transition 62
Everyone is detatched form the idea that Transition Joshua Tree is problematic
The issue now is who are we representing with our name and how does that effect inclusiveness and inter-town collaboration
Jill proposes that no name change take place and we table it till a time arises that it be fit to change
Training for Transition in the Fall
Scott McKeowen is endorsed by the Nancy Karl
She offers that it take place at the Integratron
Concern: What does a Transition Trainer offer to the community that we service to get them mobilized.
Legitamacy coming from an authorized/certified source representing the international model
Next step would be to ask Scott for an Outline on his presentation.
What do we want from him…..expectations v. ability to provide.
Jill following up by making inquiries from the potential presenters
Query the mailing list about the training issue
Update on Carpool with Sylvia White
One typo remaining on flyer
Missed meeting with Travis due to acts of god
Needs to be circled back on by Travis regarding tech and ideas about Transportation
Travis will call her tomorrow.
Food Group Update
Speaking with Barn Raisers about project at Methodist Church, potentially a garden
Still working on the desert doc of food cultivation in the desert
Idea presented that the compost be used in demo garden at Ricochet
idea of selling compost be sold in order to finance other projects…..
Gift Circle by Valerie Gill
She has been contacted by Jill and will be directed to Transition 101 for self education
Strategic Planning Meeting scheduled for July 5, 2011. 5 PM at Lynn’s.
solar to be discussed amongst other event themes at this meeting.
Solar…..connecting the Neil Derry’s office about what the plans are for future.
There is a solar training course at CMC, probably resources to fill in this discussion
6/14/11
Transition Joshua Tree Steering Committee
Stacy, Travis, Jill, Karen
no Treasurer’s report-pot luck meal instead
Debrief CollecTED Wisdom 2
Attendance seemed low however, relative to other organizations’ meetings&events, we did fill the room and caliber of folks was stellar; they were all interested
Overall event reinforced itself, showing TED talk on vulnerability then living it for the audience to see, take in, learn
Water Demo became bigger focus than originally planned
Lessons: have plan B and TEST plan B, have plan C
Add ‘Have a Script’ in hand for all the Committee prior to Events Checklist
Add Karen to Admin on gmail
Have wash/rinse basins for plates/utensils for future pot lucks
Future dialogue may be enhance by breaking into small groups
as Daniel Francis did
Planning for future events: Call on the phone to insure receipt of information
Next Event
Stacy’s to produce
Picnic at Tom O’Kees?-lighting for guests and dialogue issue to reslove
July 17 or 24?
Constitution
“Finalized” version posted in docs by Stacy who walked us thru a shared desktop revision of the Keene document