Home » Committees » Steering Committee » Steering Committee Minutes » Steering Committee Meeting March 19th, 2023

Steering Committee Meeting March 19th, 2023

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1J7RYEQj2BOpn1re7I0EWont81C96-lhB05njqd_s4L8/edit

Location: EBDSA Office with Zoom Option!


https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82027231334?pwd=VDNxWUJIZzJETXVkaFAySDNHZkxIQT09

Meeting ID: 820 2723 1334

Passcode: 150960



East Bay DSA

Steering Committee Meeting Agenda


March 19th, 2023

10am-12pm


  1. Settle in [5 minutes]
  2. MAddy GW
  3. Renee P
  4. Shane R
  5. Matthew L
  6. Yari G
  7. Graham D
  8. Max M
  9. Benny Z
  10. Carlos O
  11. Michael S


  1. Ella T
  2. Susan
  3. Izzy

  5. Approval of Agenda [5 minutes]
  6. Approved via clear majority - 
  7. Discussion
  8. OEA/OUSD [25 Minutes]
  9. Debrief Meetings with Electeds [Benny]
  10. Hiring freezes; school mergers, classified class layoffs resolutions postponed - then brought back, amended and passed. 
  11. DSA firm stance: no cuts, no closures.
  12. Met with the one trustee on Mon and the other on Thurs, with no OEA members
  13. One board member was feeling pressured and the other did not. 
  14. Increase communications
  15. Present more “chop from the top” alternative
  16. FCMAT is required to approve, but not without including mergers. 
  17. Add people that want to look into policy in detail. 
  18. Jennifer B said she wasn’t worried about FCMAT
  19. An expert can give a 101 on writing school budget resolutions
  20. We didn’t put a formal position before the meeting. 
  21. What body can take OUSD matter to put out a position and make strategy?
  22. A “socialist in office model” supported by socialists outside of office should be set up. 
  23. Coming out of receivership?
  24. Which mergers could DSA approved? Speak with dual members?
  25. CTA is planning to file an ULP - when filed will allow them to go on strike. 
  26. Future of Campaign–
  27. Wildcat Strikes & Strike Readiness
  28. OUSD?
  29. Hiring Update [5 minutes]
  30. Three candidates
  31. A write up for later - can check out the application; will start interviews. 


  1. New Business [80 minutes]
  2. Resolution to Increase Staff Healthcare Stipend to $400/month
  3. Facilitated by Shane
  4. Motivated by Yari
  5. Q&A
  6. Debate: No against
  7. VOTE: Adopted via ACCLIMATION
  8. Resolution to Update Staff Rules and Expectations
  9. Facilitated by Maddy GW
  10. Motivated by YAri G
  11. Debate
  12. Amendment 1
  13. Motivated by Shane R
  14. Debate: no one against
  15. Passed via Unanimous Consent
  16. Amendment 2
  17. Motivated by Shane
  18. Debate: no one against
  19. Unanimous consent
  20. Amendment 3
  21. Motivated by Shane
  22. Debate
  23. MOTION to postpone resolution to next meeting shane and yari and renee for compromising text - seconded
  24. Debate: no one against
  25. PASSED via Unanimous Consent
  26. Resolution to Clarify Steering Committee Task Delegation
  27. Facilitated by SHane R
  28. Motivated by Yari G
  29. Q&A
  30. Debate: No objections
  31. PASSES by UNANIMOUS CONSENT
  32. Resolution to Engage the Wood Street Camp
  33. Facilitated by SHane
  34. Motivated by Izzy
  35. MOVE to Committee of the Whole
  36. What is our position in emcapments?
  37. MOtion to extend meeting by 5 minutes; seconded, PASSED unanimously
  38. Motion to strike the cost and replace “lumpin” with “people”; the money and propagandizing
  39. PASSES via UNANIMOUS CONSENT
  40. RESOLUTION vote: Passes via UNANIMOUS CONTENT




New Business


Resolution to increase staff health care stipend to $400/month


WHEREAS, health care is expensive, and reasonable plans on the market are in the $400/month range,


WHEREAS the Employment Agreement Between East Bay DSA and Ella Teevan effective Dec. 19, 2022 provides Teevan “$100/month to help defray the costs of securing health insurance”


THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Employment Agreement Between East Bay DSA and Ella Teevan effective Dec. 19th shall be updated to provide Teevan “$400/month to help defray the costs of securing health insurance.” 


THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the $400/month stipend will be provided retroactively, effective Dec. 19th, 2023 


THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that future staff contracts will also include support for health insurance. 


 

Resolution to Update Staff Rules and Expectations


WHEREAS, East Bay DSA has experimented with having staff for several months


WHEREAS, the East Bay DSA Steering Committee has had many substantive conversations about the role and expectations of staff


WHEREAS, clear rules can help the chapter move forward with the experimentation of having staff in a productive way,


THEREFORE be it resolved that we adopt basic rules for future hires that help clarify and delineate the role of staff, the relation of staff to Steering Committee, and expectations of staff


THEREFORE be it resolved that these rules are:

  • When staff attends Steering Committee meetings, the default is that only Steering Committee members are permitted to speak during debate and discussion, unless a particular agenda item is denoted as one where the staff may enter the stack
  • When Steering Committee enters executive session, the default is that only Steering Committee members are to be present, unless Steering Committee votes otherwise
  • The orientation of the staff's role is to build up the organizers and systems such that they run smoothly without a staffer’s involvement in the given segment of work
  • Staff may not campaign or participate in a campaign for an elected role within East Bay DSA or DSA, and there is a 30-day cooling off period before the former staff is permitted to participate in such activity
  • Prior to the staff’s start date, they must recuse themselves from participating in an ideological caucus within DSA 
  • If staff has a problem they should address it through the following steps, in order:
  • Speak to the manager
  • Manager speak to the rest of SC
  • Staff speak to entire SC
  • Staff writes a resolution to be heard either by the SC or GM 



Resolution to Update Staff Rules and Expectations w/Amendments


WHEREAS, East Bay DSA has experimented with having staff for several months


WHEREAS, the East Bay DSA Steering Committee has had many substantive conversations about the role and expectations of staff


WHEREAS, clear rules can help the chapter move forward with the experimentation of having staff in a productive way,


THEREFORE be it resolved that we adopt basic rules for future hires that help clarify and delineate the role of staff, the relation of staff to Steering Committee, and expectations of staff


THEREFORE be it resolved that these rules are:

  • When staff attends Steering Committee meetings, the default is that only Steering Committee members are permitted to speak during debate and discussion, unless a particular agenda item is denoted as one where the staff may enter the stack unless a majority of the present steering committee would like staff input on a particular agenda item.
  • When Steering Committee enters executive session, they will take a vote on whether the staff will be included. default is that only Steering Committee members are to be present, unless Steering Committee votes otherwise
  • The orientation of the staff's role is to build up the organizers and systems such that they run smoothly without a staffer’s involvement in the given segment of work minimize the administrative burden on our members and maximize the amount of time members spend on political work. To this end, the staff will seek volunteers for most administrative tasks, but may need to execute specific administrative tasks if there is not a volunteer available or there is a time-sensitive task that requires immediate execution. The manager will decide which tasks require direct staff execution, not the staff. 
  • Staff may not campaign or participate in a campaign for an elected role within East Bay DSA or DSA, and there is a 30-day cooling off period before the former staff is permitted to participate in such activity
  • Prior to the staff’s start date, they must recuse themselves from participating in an ideological caucus within DSA 
  • If staff has a problem they should address it through the following steps, in order:
  • Speak to the manager
  • Manager speak to the rest of SC
  • Staff speak to entire SC
  • Staff writes a resolution to be heard either by the SC or GM



Resolution to Clarify Steering Committee Task Delegation 


WHEREAS Steering Committee plays an important role in helping the chapter function


WHEREAS the roles of Steering Committee are numerous and often quite time consuming


WHEREAS by default many tasks fall to the Chairs


WHEREAS increased delegation and clarification of bottom-liners can help share work more evenly, reduce burnout, increase efficiency, and reduce the likelihood that key tasks fall through the cracks


THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Steering Committee will clearly assign Steering Committee members to bottomline key tasks, and there will be an assignment sheet that will be regularly updated


THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that at Steering Committee meetings, there will be regular check-ins to support Steering Committee members in successfully bottom-lining their tasks, including shifting the distribution of tasks around to different Steering Committee members as needed


THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that once a Steering Committee member is assigned to bottomline a particular role, they are responsible for ensuring that any processes that are associated with the role are initiated in a timely manner, that any additional member support for the task is recruited for, that any agenda items associated are brought to the Chairs in a timely manner for agendizing, and any other subtasks associated with with task initiation, execution, and follow-up are handled


THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the assignment sheet is dynamic, and tasks/roles can be removed/added without requiring a resolution




Resolution to Engage the Wood Street Camp


Whereas, there has been an extended period of intense rain, snow and wind in California.


Whereas, our endorsed elected official Carol Fife has asked for our help aiding the residents of the Wood Street Camp,


Whereas, the working class, including East Bay DSA members, are at risk of having their lives disrupted by the deepening ecological and economic crises,


Whereas, developing the capacity to help workers meet their basic material needs provides opportunity for leadership development and stabilizes the lives of workers,


Whereas, this will help us develop connections with an organized group of workers and lumpenproletarians engaged in a class struggle with the state (fighting eviction),


Whereas, showing that we are on the side of humanity by directly intervening to help with the problems of homelessness, improves the credibility of our organization among workers,


Whereas, Right wing forces like the chamber of commerce have been posing anti-homeless tactics like sweeps as solutions to workers concerns about quality of life,


Whereas, we need to develop the capacity to meet our basic material needs as the economic and ecological crisis of capitalism deepens.


Therefore be it resolved, a group of volunteers from the Climate Action and Social Housing committees will speak with the residents of the Wood Street Camp to ascertain their highest priority needs with respect to the storms specifically and quality of life generally,


Therefore be it resolved, we will spend up to $500 on material to meet their needs and help in the deployment of said material


Therefore be it resolved, the committees involved will publicize and propagandize around this work, making clear to members of the camp and the public that this aid is coming from DSA, 


Therefore be it resolved, this is intended to further the workers and lumpenproletariat at the camps’ self organization, and is intended as an experiment in combating developing right-wing solutions for houselessness.



AMENDED:

Whereas, there has been an extended period of intense rain, snow and wind in California.


Whereas, our endorsed elected official Carroll Fife has asked for our help aiding the residents of the Wood Street Camp,


Whereas, the working class, including East Bay DSA members, are at risk of having their lives disrupted by the deepening ecological and economic crises,


Whereas, developing the capacity to help workers meet their basic material needs provides opportunity for leadership development and stabilizes the lives of workers,


Whereas, this will help us develop connections with an organized group of workers and peoplelumpenproletarians engaged in a class struggle with the state (fighting eviction),


Whereas, showing that we are on the side of humanity by directly intervening to help with the problems of homelessness, improves the credibility of our organization among workers,


Whereas, Right wing forces like the chamber of commerce have been posing anti-homeless tactics like sweeps as solutions to workers concerns about quality of life,


Whereas, we need to develop the capacity to meet our basic material needs as the economic and ecological crisis of capitalism deepens.


Therefore be it resolved, a group of volunteers from the Climate Action and Social Housing committees will speak with the residents of the Wood Street Camp to ascertain their highest priority needs with respect to the storms specifically and quality of life generally,


Therefore be it resolved, we will spend up to $500 on material to meet their needs and help in the deployment of said material


Therefore be it resolved, the committees involved will publicize and propagandize around this work, making clear to members of the camp and the public that this aid is coming from DSA, 


Therefore be it resolved, this is intended to further the workers and people lumpenproletariat at the camps’ self organization, and is intended as an experiment in combating developing right-wing solutions for houselessness.



About Us

The East Bay Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) are working for both an economy and society run democratically to meet human needs, not to make profits for a few.

Made with love by your East Bay DSA comrades 🌹