Community Village Meeting Minutes
June 10, 2021
Council Attending: Brooks, Nathan, David,
Council Absent: Diane (work obligation), Tim (last minute conflict)
Villagers Attending: 15-20 villagers
Facilitator: Brooks
Host and Minutes: Nathan
1. Hello – in breakout rooms (15 everyone – Host)
We visited with one another in three breakout rooms.
2. Set Intention (5 Minutes, Facilitator)
Brooks set our intention to have a great meeting filled with love and kindness.
He encouraged us to manifest the change we want to see in the world beginning here with each other in this meeting.
3. Agenda Review (3 Minutes, Facilitator)
Brooks reviewed the agenda, noted he would combine council retreat report, diversity report, and tipi replacement.
All agreed to the agenda, and Jain expressed her hope we could finish in under two hours.
4. Fair Announcements (5 Minutes)
David encouraged us to pitch in on fair site maintenance during our long absence by pulling invasive weeds.
Stinky Bob has crown above ground level, can be grabbed by the fistful without digging. Let’s get after it!
5. Announce in-person + Zoom meeting survey
We inadvertently skipped over this agenda item.
We returned to it later to note that council would survey villagers on preferences for in-person and/or online meetings before we resume regular meetings in September.
As a reminder, no village meetings in July and August, though council may meet to debrief on fair event; village meetings will be Sept., Oct., and Nov. and then Jan. through June.
Expect to see a survey.
6. Onsite meeting announcement
This agenda item was amended to “onsite meeting discussion” at the suggestion of John Flannery.
We discussed the onsite meeting tentatively scheduled for Sunday, June 13 at 12 noon in the village and resolved to hold the meeting rain or shine.
The purpose of the meeting will be to gather and visit and hopefully to video record an opening ceremony for the village stream during virtual fair.
Kim asked if the meeting was mandatory; it is not mandatory (no village meeting is, though there are meeting attendance requirements for passes).
We hope to see many villagers onsite. Bring your rainbow umbrellas.
[Brief interruption due to Zoom bombing interlopers who made caustic remarks and abusive chat.]
Nathan apologized to all for failing to prevent this. Zoom meeting details are publicly available and it’s difficult to tell who is a bomber.
7. Site Report – David (5 Minutes)
David reported that Shady Grove Maple is geriatric and self-pruned the dangerous rotting branches.
Site Crew cleaned it up including the branch that fell towards the Village blocking our Path.
Some of the burls were left for later.
Visit the site!
8. Diversity Report / Council Retreat – Brooks (15 minutes)
Brooks summarized recent developments in diversity efforts at fair level.
He noted that board members are in receipt of diversity consultant’s report; that meeting is scheduled for board and consultant to review and clarify.
Brooks noted the report would be made available to fair family likely before or shortly after virtual fair.
Report will recommendations for the fair to improve diversity; how the fair takes up those recommendations will shape the future of fair
Brooks summarized the council retreat, noting it was great to be together on a beautiful day.
We had fun visiting, discussing village business, sharing a meal. And council recorded a fun spot for the virtual village stream!
Brooks summarized council discussions, noting much of it centered on issues on diversity in the village– past, present, and future.
Topics the council discussed included:
creating opportunities for involvement of diverse individuals and groups in village programing;
creating a more welcoming village environment for diverse individuals and groups, including possibly replacing tipi if viewed as offensive;
how to incentivize and accommodate diverse involvement, including worker passes and camping space;
adding a Native land acknowledgement to website and opening ceremony;
Brooks noted the council resolved to introduce a theme for the next in person fair in 2022: “Honoring our Roots” or similar.
This theme has the potential synergize with our diversity efforts.
Brooks summed it up by noting the coming year will provide a great opportunity for the village to review and reinvigorate its mission, goals, and operations in relation to issues of diversity and in concert with broader fair diversity efforts.
Regarding the tipi, John suggested that discussion begin with outreach to the tipi steward to determine the tipi’s history in the village and any relation to Native American heritage.
Brooks agreed that was the first step.
9. One Fun Thing – (5 Minutes, Facilitator)
Brooks led us in a game of “I spy with my little eye.”
10. Mission committee – Kim (10 minutes)
Kim reviewed her concern that the village form a committee to review the mission statement and engage the village in a revision process.
She noted her call for participants did not receive many responses and she likely would not be able to chair herself but would love to contribute.
She asked if the council had discussed during retreat. Brooks noted it did not as they wanted to wait to hear from her.
We reviewed the current mission statement (from the village guidelines), and other summary language about the village (on the website).
David noted that the mission statement does not address stewardship for the land.
Kim suggested the committee review the history of the mission statement as part of the effort: when it was written, when it was revised, who was involved.
She recommended we get this rolling in the fall.
David noted that the mission statement had been revised and discussed multiple times in the past; Sue and Jain thought it was last revised around 20 years ago.
Brooks noted that potential for review of mission statement and other aspects of village operations to be aligned with fair level efforts in response to diversity consultant report.
Kim will circulate an invitation to get involved. And she will bring copies to the onsite meeting to spark conversation.
11. Village Cloud FairEz committee report w/website update (Tim et al, 15 Minutes)
Nathan noted opportunities for villagers and booths to get involved in virtual village fair: stream hosts, live workshops, recorded content, booth hangouts.
Please contact a council member or go the village website and make your intention known as soon as possible. June 20 is the deadline for content submission.
Nathan noted efforts to develop village website to include a page for every booth so that our information and activities may be communicated year-round.
Nathan is drafting a page for each booth based on information in the Village Connectory, and will reach out to booth coordinators to review, revise, and augment content.
Brooks encouraged booths to simply schedule a booth hangout for a booth meeting during the fair; an easy way to reconnect with booth mates and contribute to the virtual event.
We definitely need more entertainment and booth content.
David asked how to direct Master Gardener text content; to Nathan please as soon as possible.
12. Booth Reports (10 minutes)
Kim reported on Intentional Communities, noting potential vacancy at booth coordinator position.
Brooks reported on Rainbow Village activities, noting they are doing two workshops (consent and healthy relationships) and a hangout.
Brooks noted that Peace and Justice put together a video. Sue noted that Michael is hoping to receive more videos.
Billy noted Health and Healing will be doing a few workshops so Health and Healing will be well represented.
David noted Community House / Klamath Bird Observatory / Extension Master Gardeners are active year-round.
13. Unfair Announcements (5 minutes, All)
David noted that female on male abuse is still abuse and ought to be specifically proscribed in village and fair guidelines; anti-abuse policies are not just for protected classes.
Fred noted that all abuse is proscribed, and that protection of classes of people (women, LGBTQ+, BIPOC) is reasonable given historical oppression.
Brooks recommended we take this up with our review of village operations and diversity in the fall.
John recommended we begin by identifying failures in current policy to see where it fails.
Kim suggested we might need a workshop on fragility.
Brooks reminded us of Eugene Pride event (in person!), Saturday August 14 at Alton Baker Park, march at 10 am, festival at noon.
Non-profit booths are available at discount; please inquire at eugenepride.org
14. Strokes and pokes (5 minutes, All)
Poke: Obnoxious interlopers! We need a better system.
Stroke: Thanks to Brooks and Nathan for stepping up at short notice.
Stroke: Fun one fun thing!
Stroke: Breakout rooms were great!
See you on Sunday, rain or shine!
Meeting adjourned at 8:35 PM.
Community Village 