Bike Farm meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesdays for a general meeting at the shop at 7pm. All are welcome to attend and participate. Meeting notes from last night’s meeting follows…

Bike Farm meeting notes – July 13, 2010

In Attendance:

Steve (dutiful scribe)
Nick (new volunteer!!)
Jack (visiting from “right to move,” a bike-farm/bike church equivalent in Montreal)
Jeremy
Jesse-Bruce (facilitates)
Simon
Daisy (new volunteer!!)
Lindsey

Overview of meeting:

A) Shop Talk
B) Bruce raises discussion concerning shifts
C) Steve raises discussion concerning meeting structure (section includes an approved proposal)
D) Musings on meeting notes
E) Simon raises discussion concerning skill share
f) Next steps; actions resulting from this meeting

–

A) Shop Talk

-         On Friday we received a bunch of new inventory (tubes, tools, new double stand, etc.).  Some of the tube inventory will be kept out on display for purchase on the brown shelves.  The remaining tubes will go into the orange lock box in the back of the shop.  The idea is that when we have to move to the lock box to get more tubes, it is time to order more.

-         We decided to keep one of the portable stands in the closet unless it is needed, to open up the shop space and facilitate use of the more space efficient double stands

-         We need a point person to take on setting up the tabling kit.  We need to find where the previous one was, and make sure it has all the essential tools in it.

-         The Friday administration shift (10-12) has been very productive so far.  Bike Farmers have been setting up a membership database, writing down the Bike Farm manual, checking messages/replying to emails, etc.  It is noted that this time is especially good for new volunteers that are passionate about contributing but do not have wrenching skills…yet.

-         Lindsey would like to run an admin shift on Monday, but can’t do that if she is also covering on Saturday afternoon (see below).

B) Bruce raises discussion concerning shifts

-         Right now the Saturday afternoon shift is not consistently covered by anyone. We are open on Saturdays from 11-6, with Star Michael covering the morning shift from 11-2:30.  Dusty had the afternoon shift, but is now on a bike tour.  Bruce and Lindsey have been temporarily covering that shift, but already have other Bike Farm commitments.  Bruce also mentions that he is not a core mechanic; last Saturday this was okay, but we should have someone there that can assist all projects.

-         Bruce and Lindsey graciously offer that they can continue temporarily covering Saturday afternoon; they discuss trading off Saturday afternoons.  But it is agreed that we really need some permanent Saturday afternoon Bike Farmers – both a core mechanic and volunteers.

-          We also need a key-holder for the afternoon shift.  Bruce offers that he can run over to the farm at 6 to close up if that is needed in the short term.  Simon also offers that he may be able to take on at least part of the sat. shift temporarily, but he does work Saturday evenings.

-         Bruce speaks about creating an electronic volunteer calendar system.  We currently have a physical calendar in the shop, but it is often not up to date, and additionally often does not have every volunteer on it.  Creating a google calendar through the Bike Farm group is mentioned, but the problem is that there cannot e multiple users on it – only one person can modify the calendar.  This makes it difficult to keep up to date.  Bruce also mentioned that there would be too steep of a learning curve for some – the calendar has to be easy to use, or else it will not be used.

-         Bruce propounds a vision of an electronic calendar on the bikefarm.org website.  Each Bike Farmer would be able to update it with their volunteer schedule.  This is advantageous – a person can directly change it as soon as their schedule changes, without having to go through another person.  Once everyone is up on the calendar, it will be easy and transparent to see who is working when.  It may be that certain people want to volunteer on the same shift as other specific people, if they are working on a project together, if they just work well together, etc., and a transparent calendar will facilitate this.  Furthermore, each Bike Farmer could have the calendar send them reminders the day before they volunteer if they so wish.  New volunteers could see which day needs help.  We also talk about the possibility of the calendar sending out notifications to the entire list serve if any shift does not have enough volunteers, is missing a core mechanic, etc.  Essentially, this calendar would be a way to increase communication between Bike Farmers so that all shifts are adequately staffed.

-         Bruce wants to take this project on, and we give him our full support.

C) Steve raises discussion concerning meeting structure

-         Steve (yours truly) initiates a talk on a new potential meeting structure.  There was already some discussion about this on the email list-serve between Momoko and Lindsey.  The idea is to have the 2nd Tuesday meeting generally be a discussion meeting, and the 4th Tuesday meeting be a voting meeting.  The 2nd Tuesday meeting would be a time to raise proposals, and discuss them.  It would be a high energy meeting of getting all the arguments around a given proposal out for consideration.  If there is information missing that is needed, it would be identified.  The second meeting would a more reflective, voting meeting.  For each proposal, a person could give quick talks highlighting the major concerns for and against, and then we vote.  We identify that a major advantage would be that going into the 4th meeting, everyone would know what was being voted on, and would know to come if there is a proposal that interests them.

-         We decide against implementing this meeting structure.  Lindsey notes that for the many benefits of consensus decision making, it does take longer to make a decision.  By only having one voting jam a month, we may further lengthen that process.  If people can’t make the voting meeting, if we still don’t have all the information we need, etc., then there would be a delay of another month rather than a 2 week delay before our next opportunity to vote.

-         Lindsey also states that every proposal should be considered on a voting timeline based on its practicalities rather than a rigid schedule.  For instance a quick and easy proposal that is obviously good to everyone shouldn’t have to wait to be approved in 2 weeks when its approval could benefit Bike Farm immediately.  With bigger issues, we can elect to take more time.

-         Bruce mentions that we just need to share information about what’s going on in the meetings.  Steve proposes that one person could shoot out an email 4 days before the Tuesday meetings calling for agenda submissions to be emailed to them.  Then, on the Monday before the meeting, that person would send out one email to the list-serve with all of the topics for discussion that were emailed to him.  This would serve as a reminder about the meeting, peak interest in what’s happening at the meeting, and get mind’s rolling about the issues.  The meeting agenda will also be posted on the blog.  You could still just raise issues at the meeting too.

-         The above proposal is approved! Steve will take on this position.  Be excited!

D) Musings on meeting notes

-         It is generally agreed that whomever takes notes should send them out by the end of the next day.  We talk about the potential of having the scribe type the meeting notes on the computer as the meeting occurs.  This way, people could review the notes to make sure what they said is reflected as they wish it to be.  In the end, we note that people should just clarify via email if there is an aspect of the meeting notes that need clarification.

E) Simon raises discussion concerning skill share

-         Simon talks about how it would be sweet for there to be a more official way for volunteers to learn new skills.  This would benefit the shop greatly; we would have more core mechanics able to help more people (hello Saturday afternoon shift!).  Its also good just to share bike mechanic skills.  While this does occur in a casual way at Bike Farm – the person who wants to learn how to repack all bearings can go and look on when someone is repacking ball bearings – a more formal approach would greatly benefit Bike Farm.

-         Jack from Montreal’s Right to Move, mentions that they have “skill share days” where the shop is opened only to volunteers to go learn and teach skills to other volunteers.  Additionally, during the winter, one person leads a mechanics course that volunteers can sign up to take (they have to pay a bit for supplies and to show their commitment to come consistently).  Each week is a lesson on a different mechanic skill.

f) Next steps; actions resulting from this meeting

-         Bruce will work on the calendar.  He will also shoot out an email to the group concerning Saturday afternoon shifts.

-         Simon will table the idea to the group about some sort of skill share forum.

-         Steve will start sending out emails calling for agenda submissions, and then shooting the ones he receives back to the group in a single email the day before the meetings.

The meeting concludes.  Hazza!

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