PNC 07/16/2023

July 16th, 2023

Agenda

Discussion

Old Business

• Security Camera Walk for September 11, 2023
• Three Month Plan
  • Make plan
  • Add ways to help our three committees be self sufficient by the end of the three months to the three month plan (stretch goal is to include the press committee)
• Talk Like A Pirate Day 2023 - Planning

Meeting Minutes

 

21:07:48 <DreadPirateDrew> Ok so let's start with ID's. Drew Bingaman, USPP VC, and also PA Pirates Captain
<pmchi> Mitch Davilo, Chicagoland/ILPP
<yari> Rose Klein, CA
<yari> (ca rep)
<jokeefe> James O’Keefe, Massachusetts (subbing in for Mysty and Joe)
<Dandelion> Josh List, NY
<iAmV> Sarai Oviedo, Observing for TX
<Wanda_FL> Wanda Ward, Outreach Committee Chair, Acting Vice-Chair of the Young Pirates USA, FL observer
<haborym> Eric Orzechowicz, auditor, IN fill-in
<Dausume> Dustin Etts, VA, observing
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<DreadPirateDrew> Ok If that's everyone, then let's move to reports. 
<DreadPirateDrew> No specific VC report from me. This next week is also pretty busy, I expect to be able to devote more time to things come August
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<Wanda_FL> Would you like a report from the Outreach Committee? 
<DreadPirateDrew> Yes please, anyone who has a report should upload it now. We can ask questions afterwards
<Wanda_FL> During the Outreach Committee Meeting this week we discussed how we would like the outreach committee to be run, what changes those in attendance would like to see, how we should approach the distinction between Press and Outreach. We concluded that the best approach would be for them to be two distinct committees with two separate structures but that it was also not likely within our power to create such a distinction. It was also brought up by some th
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<MichaelC_Scribe> ahoy ahoy, apologies for lateness
<Wanda_FL> at there should be a position of Vice Chair of the Outreach Committee. We would like the PNC’s permission to create such a position. During the committee meeting we also discussed plans for pirate chat from July 11th to August 1st. We agreed to have one game night (July 11th), two movie nights (July 18th and August 1st) and one card game night (July 25th). 
<Wanda_FL> sorry, it cut off
<Wanda_FL> i wasnt aware there was a limit
<DreadPirateDrew> Neither was I. So my suggestion may not work as planned.
<Wanda_FL> is Addison here?
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<MichaelC_Scribe> not interrupt, but just so i can give ID; Michael Cadwallader, Scribe/Secretary, also from New Jersey (but that's not important right now)
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<MichaelC_Scribe> not to interrupt*
<iAmV> DE is having tech difficulties
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<Wanda_FL> I have the Young Pirates report Addison wrote if Addison isnt here
<Justin> I will ID aswell Justin Verucci from Delaware 
<DreadPirateDrew> Doesn't look like it Wanda, please proceed.
<Dandelion> So I really don't have an official position or anything. What should I be doing here?
<Wanda_FL> Addison Dillon of Washington was elected acting Chair, and Wanda Ward of Florida was elected acting Vice Chair. The YPA discussed the structure of the organization and its mission, and set Saturday, July 22, as the deadline by which to get all by-laws passed. Justin of Delaware will be working on a website. The YPA also selected Saturdays at 9 pm as the regular meeting time.
<pmchi> Speak with Brianna Coyle. She has the domain ready
<DreadPirateDrew> Dandelion, just chronicle our adventures
<DreadPirateDrew> Jk
<iAmV> Dandelion:you can participate and observe
<iAmV> but only state members can vote
<Dandelion> Okay
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<DreadPirateDrew> Thank you Wanda. 
<Wanda_FL> You're welcome! 
<DreadPirateDrew> Any other reports. Committee or Officer?
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<DreadPirateDrew> Wanda, are you requesting formal approval of your committee structure? 
<jokeefe> IT committee met on Wednesday. Yari agreed to lead us. We updated our list of current and possible projects https://wiki.uspirates.org/w/index.php?title=IT
<papegaai> Title: IT - United States Pirate Party (at wiki.uspirates.org)
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<Wanda_FL> Yes I am Drew. I didn't believe it was within our authority at outreach to separate press and create a new position in the committee 
<DreadPirateDrew> Yari, are you with us? Going to ask a question of your bylaws expertise
<yari> Just rejoined, hopefully connection is solid
<yari> what's the question?
<Wanda_FL> Lot of tech difficulties it seems today
<DreadPirateDrew> Is there any formal structure of committees in the bylaws?
<DreadPirateDrew> Within the committee other than chair
<iAmV> if i recall correctly, a committee can create new positions within itself. but from experience, that outreach chair right now is still under the mantle of aj
<iAmV> something about a temp role
<jokeefe> Article VII: Committees -- Purpose, Membership, and Operations
<jokeefe> A Subcommittee shall be a working group formed by act of the PNC to achieve a specified purpose.
<jokeefe> A Subcommittee shall be composed of active members of any Pirate Party located in a Member State or Observer State.
<jokeefe> The PNC may specify the operating procedures of a Subcommittee and any criteria for its membership not otherwise specified in these Bylaws. Any operating procedures or membership criteria not specified by the PNC shall be determined by the members of the Subcommittee.
<jokeefe> https://wiki.uspirates.org/w/index.php?title=Pirate_National_Committee_(PNC)/Bylaws#Article_VII:_Committees_--_Purpose.2C_Membership.2C_and_Operations
<yari> ^
<iAmV> ty
<yari> jamie grabbed it before me
<Ty-> I'm late... Ty Clifford - WV Captain 
<DreadPirateDrew> On my phone tonight don't have my normal Pirate links handy, thanks Jamie
<Ty-> Please submit my name to roster.
<yari> the only thing that we ever specified was that committees should have someone to report their goings-on to PNC
<yari> but there is no formalized committee structure, no
<yari> thus AJ
<MichaelC_Scribe> stake (i think that's what we were using instead of hand raising last week?)
<MichaelC_Scribe> whenever convenient ofc
<DreadPirateDrew> Same topic of different Michael?
<DreadPirateDrew> Or
<Wanda_FL> I believe it was stack 
<MichaelC_Scribe> just an officer report. not urgent
<MichaelC_Scribe> STACK, thank you wanda!!
<Wanda_FL> You're welcome!!
<MichaelC_Scribe> i was so close >_<
<yari> anyway point is if the outreach committee wants to get AJ out of the position of chair, they can just do it
<yari> they don't need the pnc to do so
<yari> (outreach chair, that is)
<Wanda_FL> I thought he wasnt anyways
<yari> and those of us who manage the websites/etc are more than happy to adjust the appropriate things
<DreadPirateDrew> I would agree with that. And that lines up with Pirate principles. 
<DreadPirateDrew> Do it.
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<Wanda_FL> We were just asking if we could create a Vice-Chair position. It seems I've gotten my answer anyways, thank you!
<yari> oh, okay
<yari> yeah
<iAmV> stack, a question about current topic
<DreadPirateDrew> Go V
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<iAmV> ok just going to say it. is there room in the filing of the org or bylaws to have under 18 persons as committee chairs. i wonder if thats why its ok for aj to be formal chair of outreach and wanda to be acting chair
<iAmV> 18 of age
<yari> I am of the opinion the answer is yes
<yari> since the bylaws say nothing about committee structure, especially
<iAmV> what does the law say
<iAmV> or bylaws
<Wanda_FL> I wasnt aware there was an asterisk next to my position officially anyways
<yari> okay so I should do a deep dive on this between now and next time
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<yari> but honestly Wanda - there isn't an asterisk
<yari> the bylaws say nothing about this
<Wanda_FL> alrighty 
<DreadPirateDrew> Sometimes compliance requires a wink and a nod.
<yari> nothing
<yari> the bylaws say nothing about age at all
<yari> however
<iAmV> stack
<iAmV> , related to matter at hand and communications on bhealf of the pnc
<DreadPirateDrew> Let me put it this way. Do we have consensus that the Outreach committee can operate how they choose? Even if it does require AJ to figurehead?
<MichaelC_Scribe> also stack, related
<yari> the FEC reporting requirements are that all members of the official committee of the PNC be of age
<yari> or something to that ilk
<yari> I will find the actual wording
<yari> and get back to you all with it by next week
<yari> we hashed this out a year ago
<DreadPirateDrew> Michael, go
<yari> and I will need to dig up those arguments
<DreadPirateDrew> V on deck
<MichaelC_Scribe> should we add something to the bylaws regarding age requirements? should that be a thing officially? i'm personally saying no in my head right now but i don't know for sure
<iAmV> we are legally supposed to protect everyone under 18. so somehow that is a concern on my part
<jokeefe> “A Subcommittee shall be composed of active members of any Pirate Party located in a Member State or Observer State.” - Nothing about age of the member.
<yari> I don't know, but either way I think if we do so we need all the information. again, I will dig and report back.
<DreadPirateDrew> Let's verify what we need to comply with legal wise, then make a policy if needed
<yari> V wanted to speak
<DreadPirateDrew> Yes. V go ahead please
<iAmV> yes, related to the matter
<MichaelC_Scribe> i'm leaning toward your viewpoint v, but i also do think anyone who would like to help out should be able to. then again, i don't want anyone like kypp coming after anyone that is underage in such a position, but that's minor in the grand scheme of things. anyway yes, go v
<iAmV> as committee chairs, or other leadership position, the acting and formal chairs should be privy to the PNC group chat
<yari> okay
<iAmV> stack related to minors and bullying for later
<MichaelC_Scribe> yeah i was about to suggest that
<yari> I mean, it's literally just a tool we're using to make sure people get to the meeting at all. I have to ask at what point every single communication needs to be done by public forum?
<DreadPirateDrew> That is a good suggestion. Are there reasons to exclude the other members?
<iAmV> i would like to say
<yari> flooding the chat, mostly
<iAmV> and this is not going to come out polite
<yari> oh fair
<yari> hit me with it
<iAmV> all persons who are running the committees need to literally be on a tool to make sure that people get to the PNC meeting
<MichaelC_Scribe> what do you mean by a tool?
<iAmV> and as we are a party that wants to grow. how are new people going to learn to become observers to grow a state party?
<iAmV> *on the same tool as the PNC*
<haborym> is the discord ping not enough to ensure people make it to a meeting?
<yari> haborym - historically, no.
<yari> but it's getting better.
<Wanda_FL> I was 40 minutes late to last weeks meeting despite the ping because of a communication error
<Wanda_FL> so it happens
<yari> That was my fault!
<yari> But I think V has a point here
<iAmV> kind of unacceptable
<iAmV> further, the people who are new and/or running committees of the PNC could be left out
<yari> yeah no I see what you mean
<iAmV> i hear it feels shitty
<iAmV> there was a lot of feelings
<haborym> i mean, that is kind of a valid point but also the meetings are on a set schedule. we shouldn't even really need reminders
<iAmV> i have one more point
<iAmV> same matter
<DreadPirateDrew> Go ahead V
<yari> okay go for it
<yari> I mean you've convinced me on the first point for the record, I think the greater point is the question of what Eric brought up
<MichaelC_Scribe> stack, related and specific comment to haborym
<iAmV> i say this a lot. but if we can't market and retain our hardworking volunteers...or thank them. or think about them when sending reminders (whether or not we these reminders are needed)...we kinda failing
<Dausume> So, solutioning? And it is not on schedules that people readily look at. If new people coming in dont know it is happening off the bat, it is not going to pull new people to it as easily
<yari> Understood and agreed, V.
<MichaelC_Scribe> comment to eric* (sorry, still not used to irc and not having actual names lol)
<pmchi> Stack
<Wanda_FL> stack
<DreadPirateDrew> If this is on topic no need for stack.
<yari> I think part of the difficulty here tbh is that the class of volunteers many people here are a part of is new to the functioning of the USPP and the structure we had was not prepared at all for y'all 
<yari> not an excuse, mind you
<MichaelC_Scribe> ah okay noted
<Wanda_FL> Related to that Dausume, we should have a list of meeting times that everyone can easily access either from the website or from the discord or both.
<MichaelC_Scribe> eric, regarding your comment... it is a set schedule, sure, but not everyone has access to the jitsi link straight off the bat. afaik it either needs to be requested or one needs to be on the email chain (but someone, please correct me if i'm wrong)
<MichaelC_Scribe> also 
<yari> Michael that's correct
<MichaelC_Scribe> agreed wanda
<Wanda_FL> I believe that is by design Michael 
<haborym> i thought jitsi was only for the PNC?
<MichaelC_Scribe> yes, that makes sense
<haborym> and everyone else watches via youtube?
<jokeefe> IT meeting sometimes uses Jitsi
<Wanda_FL> people can observe via Jitsi I believe but its supposed to be more closed than IRC for these meetings I believe 
<yari> this was a big contention point when we switched to Jitsi meetings. You can look back at the log of when we started the first youtube meetings
<iAmV> yeah kinda hard to look backat our wiki for minutes tbh
<haborym> i can't imagine a productive meeting with ~20 people all on jitsi
<yari> At first it was a test and then became regular. It was participation concerns which kept IRC every other week
<Dausume> For some folks, they almost exclusively use email and arent that great with other tech stuff. So, would also be good to have an email portion/newsletter with these meeting and meeting links periodically sent out for people to go to. We potentially have a crowd of less techy people we could tap into with that, who we may be implicitly excluding by our choice of how we distribute these things
<iAmV> that couldbe the sab lists
<MichaelC_Scribe> afaik, the jitsi is pnc and anyone state/observing member (because i know i observed when i was trying to create nj party more actively). idk about committee chairs off the top of my head but i feel like they're included, too? unless it isn't the case as with what happened with wanda last week
<DreadPirateDrew> In the interest of time I am going to ask if we have any business new or old that requires a vote? Anyone please pipe up.
<iAmV> i have nb that wants to add to our social media guidelines in terms of bullying
<iAmV> and mental health awareness
<MichaelC_Scribe> drew, real quick, may i give officer report?
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<DreadPirateDrew> Yes Michael, go ahead.
<MichaelC_Scribe> unofficially, i have been in contact with yari this past week to get up to speed with being scribe. getting more and more comfortable with my responsibilities each passing day
<MichaelC_Scribe> anyway, go v
<DreadPirateDrew> V let's pick up your motion as soon as Michaels report is concluded
<MichaelC_Scribe> (unless anyone else wishes to go)
<iAmV> bc you the bomb michael <3
<MichaelC_Scribe> uhhhh, official speak... that is all for my report lol
<MichaelC_Scribe> thank you v <3
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<DreadPirateDrew> Ok cool. V the floor is yours to make your proposal.
<iAmV> well. first off i'd like to start with: i openly stated i had a suicide attempt. it was gravy bc aj and i were sharing our deepest feelingsabout making our continued work at the uspp a success story.
<iAmV> but then
<iAmV> "it just feels like a slap in the face over and over tbh" were some words i've used about a lot of things in terms of why the uspp doesn't feel like it supports me. not beint "deffended" or reached out bc of a bully on twitter is that same feeling
<iAmV> Id like if we can adopt an addition to our social media guidelines that we will check in on members who are being bullied
<iAmV> Id like if we can adopt an addition to our social media guidelines that, us pp socials will report bullies
<jokeefe> That is wise
<iAmV> I'd like if we can adopt an addition to our social media guidelines that , us pp socials will report bullies who bring in minors and bully them at as well
<iAmV> look, im a different kinda guy
<iAmV> i had a lot of fun with the bully
<yari> I would wholeheartedly support this, will second any official motion for it, and would be happy to help write it if that is needed. 
<iAmV> but anyone under a post suicide attempt is not me
<MichaelC_Scribe> i know i don't have much say officially since i can't actually vote, but i absolutely love this idea. 
<MichaelC_Scribe> vote/motion*
<DreadPirateDrew> This is good stuff. Do you have proposed wording or would you like help?
<iAmV> I need help. I can only voice my concerns today.
<DreadPirateDrew> Do we have any of our good word smiths that can help V with this anti bully addition
<yari> I volunteer
<yari> having a third would be nice
<DreadPirateDrew> I was just gonna say that Yari
<jokeefe> Happy to review and suggest edits
<MichaelC_Scribe> i'm happy to pitch in as well. mental health and combatting bullying is something means a lot to me :)
<DreadPirateDrew> V, are you interested in being the wrangler of this group of just one of the members?
<iAmV> can you rephrase that?
<yari> do you want to be the point person?
<DreadPirateDrew> This group is gonna need a "chair" 
<yari> or should one of us take point?
<iAmV> Sorry I cant do that for us this time
<DreadPirateDrew> Exactly
<yari> no worries
<iAmV> But I can be on the committee
<MichaelC_Scribe> oh, it looks like drew made a typo, i think he meant or
<yari> I can take point on this
<DreadPirateDrew> Ok thank you that works.
<iAmV> thank you yari
<DreadPirateDrew> Yes I meant or
<MichaelC_Scribe> though i guess it doesn't matter since it's already been rephrased so just ignore me lol
<DreadPirateDrew> My bad autocorrect 
<MichaelC_Scribe> all good drew
<DreadPirateDrew> So the assignment then is for you guys to talk and bring us a proposal when you're ready
<yari> yep!
<DreadPirateDrew> Is there any other business old or new?
<MichaelC_Scribe> yari, if this adds something that's a bit too much to your plate, i'm willing to be point person for this if need be
<yari> motion to adjourn
<iAmV> just to keep adding to the talklike a pirate day event and nominate swarmcare manager
<jokeefe> 2nd
<yari> drew: plenty
* iAmV waits anxiously for all in favor
<DreadPirateDrew> OK well since we have a motion All I. Favor?
<DreadPirateDrew> In 
<yari> aye
<haborym> aye
<MichaelC_Scribe> real quick... yari, are you saying you're cool to leave the business for next week?
<pmchi> Aye
<jokeefe> aye
<yari> Michael, yes of course
<MichaelC_Scribe> okie gotcha
<iAmV> cool cool cool
<yari> I will happily sacrifice an agenda to not go an extra hour overtime
<jokeefe> aye
22:06:26 <DreadPirateDrew> Looks like the ayes have it