PNC 01/28/2024

The January 14th, 2024 PNC Meeting was one of the weekly meetings of the Pirate National Committee (PNC). This meeting took place on IRC.

Meeting Minutes

21:00:15 <DreadPirateDrew> ok are we ready for ID's?
MichaelC_Scribe has joined
<MichaelC_Scribe> ahoy ahoy
<MichaelC_Scribe> shall i make an announcement to discord again?
<DreadPirateDrew> Drew Bingaman USPP captain
<mavsben> Ben Horlick - PNC Beancounter & TX Rep
<DreadPirateDrew> yes please michael
<LightRiderTX> Frank Flores, TX Treasurer
<MichaelC_Scribe> Michael Cadwallader, Scribe, NJ-hope-to-be
<DreadPirateDrew> do we have any reports?
<LightRiderTX> TX is drowning in fascism, but what else is new
pmchi has joined
<pmchi> Ahoy
<DreadPirateDrew> TX is nearly declaring war on the US
<mavsben> We're doing our best to avert open warfare
<mavsben> but its touch and go
<DreadPirateDrew> no kidding. 
<pmchi> Piratas de Tejas, how are you all holding up with the chaos?
<DreadPirateDrew> any other reports to come in? any other updates?
<LightRiderTX> We endure
<mavsben> indeed
<LightRiderTX> I'm glad to be a pirate rather than either other side right now
<DreadPirateDrew> any business that needs discussed?
<LightRiderTX> I noticed that at the top of irc chat, the crew.uspirates.org link doesn't work.
<DreadPirateDrew> the floor is open
<DreadPirateDrew> I am pretty sure there are a couple of issues related to the IRC and a couple of web links
<mavsben> No big updates on my end - Joes got the rest of the financial records that the bank needed to provide hardcopies for in the mail to me, so I'll have a handle around the audit duties
<mavsben> based on what he's sent so far, it's all been as it should be so I'd anticipate a clean bill from the beancounter
<LightRiderTX> Honest pirates?
<pmchi> I have an open ended question:
<pmchi> Is there a limit you all are comfortable with individually spending for the June conference?
<LightRiderTX> I don't expect to be able to attend
<pmchi> I think the conference should/will be live-streamed for those not able to attend
<MichaelC_Scribe> great question. i *think* i may have a family vacation planned for around the same time but not entirely sure yet
<pmchi> What I may do is create a google survey. Just to get a rough idea of who may or may not attend anyways
<MichaelC_Scribe> is that right after memorial day?
<mavsben> I guess my question would be do you mean all-in or for the ticket itself 
<DreadPirateDrew> there is a limit, and my funds are limited for this. but I do expect to attend
<DreadPirateDrew> I think a survey would be great. also if we can get people to pre register maybe
ElmoMusk has joined
<pmchi> I suppose the question pertains to hotel/conference costs. Plane tickets should be factored as well. I’d hate to have folks really fork out the money just for the PNC conference
<MichaelC_Scribe> yeah looking at the dates i think i unfortunately may be unavailable? if there's any possibility to join virtually at all, i'd probably be able to attend
<pmchi> UNLESS we wanted to make this like Wrestlemania 2 and have multiple in person locations, but that sounds like a logistical nightmare
<mavsben> honestly I dont have a great perspective for what those "should" be
<mavsben> if you're getting quotes back from venues, id throw them in a doc and we can talk about whats achievable maybe?
<pmchi> Ty and I are looking for hotel/conference room package deals. A doc compiling that info is a good idea
<mavsben> like I know what a hotel is going to cost roughly but not the other space reservations and ancillaries
<mavsben> hotel room&
<MichaelC_Scribe> what's the location looking to be as of right now?
<mavsben> *
<DreadPirateDrew> Chicago is the general location
<pmchi> Location is Chicago it would seem, but that’s all the information that’s confirmed. It’ll be somewhere close to O'Hare seeing as that’s the airport you’re all likely flying into
<DreadPirateDrew> IIRC
<pmchi> I’ll work towards getting my proper days off. Just know that I’ll, to the best of my abilities, chauffeur anyone who flys into the city for the conference
<pmchi> It’s difficult to gauge if only because the number of attendees for the conference ≠ number of hotel guests. I have to imagine Rose (if they’re coming) isn’t getting a hotel and nor am I. I guess this just means the google survey is all the more necessary
MilesW_PPAU has joined
<DreadPirateDrew> we should use the teaser of the in person conference, along with the survey could net us some hype and some contact info
<DreadPirateDrew> like sign up for details as they are released
<mavsben> Just to ask the question - does it necessarily need to be a physical convention? Depending on what the survey responses come back as, it might make sense to plan it as a primarily online event
<MilesW_PPAU> ill try tune in for some online sessions :)
<mavsben> welcome Miles :)
<pmchi> That’s true actually. Maybe wouldn’t be a bad idea to use it promotionally as well as functionally. As for mavsben: is there a necessity? Not necessarily. Conferences have been online forever. I think the aim has been for an in person conference to finally happen, just so happens to be at a time when things are expensive and plans are tough to make lol
<pmchi> I think it’s a good precedent for the Pirates to have in person conferences, even if it’s not every year
<mavsben> ahhh would this be the first in-person one? Didn't know that
<mavsben> Yeah, I think thats a good goal. Wasn't advocating for it, just posing the question. I should be able to make it out
<MilesW_PPAU> aus pirates always try to use our "AGM" the national congress as a promotional tool
<DreadPirateDrew> this would be the year for an in person
<MilesW_PPAU> we used to do hybrid remote/in person from the start in about 2009 through to about 2019
<MilesW_PPAU> i'm pretty proud of how well we used to do it
<MilesW_PPAU> the tech in those days was rough and we had to use donated/borrowed gear. it's a lot easier these days with the accessibility of streaming platforms
<mavsben> do you know roughly how much it costed yall per head?
<LightRiderTX> Would be cool to see everyone together in hats/eyepatches
<mavsben> that was the question pmichi asked originally
<mavsben> yarrr
<MilesW_PPAU> we ran fairly cheaply, most of the cost went into venue hire iirc
<MilesW_PPAU> i think some years we paid out for high quality AV gear hire
<MilesW_PPAU> it was also always self catered, except for the one year we scored a sponsor for venue and catering
<mavsben> oh thats a good idea
<mavsben> get a local seafood spot lol
<mavsben> but that makes sense though, thanks
<LightRiderTX> Sorry everyone I have to leaver early. Adios. Vote Pirate!
LightRiderTX has left
<DreadPirateDrew> any other business tonight?
<mavsben> nada on my end
<mavsben> motion to adjourn
<MichaelC_Scribe> well i can't say yay or nay
<mavsben> well in the case of a single voting member, i believe the motion carries
<MilesW_PPAU> see ya 
MilesW_PPAU has quit
<MichaelC_Scribe> well... 49ers are going to the super bowl and i'm unhappy
21:54:49 <DreadPirateDrew> good night all