Occupy Central Vermont

Notes for 8/4/12 Occupy Central Vermont General Assembly

~10 in attendance

Plainfield pop-up review:

• Rushed in prep, so not a lot of outreach. Short notice
• Had flyered at the Farmers’ Market
• Conversations were good
• On-going discussion continues regarding the Red Store
• 18 people attended total – 8 of them OCV regulars
• Did a lot of listening

Barre meeting regarding an upcoming pop-up

• Good meeting. Proposed date: Saturday, September 22
• http://www.occupycentralvt.org/2012/08/10/barre-922-pop-up-planning-notes/

Do we want to plan a pop-up for Hardwick?

• Sue will check with people in Hardwick to see when they want us. Late September, or October.

Next week, another pop-up in Montpelier?

• [Update from Direct Action: Next Saturday (8/11) we are planning a 1-hour event in Montpelier. From 12 to 1 pm we will have our banner and signs at the Farmer's Market where we will use the People's Mic to present our viewpoint. Please come and bring with you text (poems/prose/ideas) that we can use with the people's mic to present to the folks there. If you like, let the Direct Action Working Group know that you can make it, and let us know if you have any questions.]

Bread & Puppet action

• First was 2 weeks ago. A success; “We should go back.” 4 from OCV, 5 from Newport (Northeast Kingdom 99%)
• Next Sunday (8/12) at 2 PM. Get in touch with Jay if interested in going up

Abenaki Powwow this weekend – we are invited

• Jay planning to attend tomorrow (8/5) and possibly stop by Bread & Puppet, too.

Pipeline walk – 2 weeks ago

• Walked 22 miles of the pipeline, from West Burke to Irasburg
• Up to 40 people in attendance
• Media coverage: the Barton Chronicle ran a good story. Part of a few other stories. 350.org is organizing around this issue

Burlington action review (Governor’s Conference) Jul 29&30

• Sunday was excellent. About 500 marched, more at the rally in Battery park
• Numbers were “adequate to the task” and a good diversity of groups were represented
• Main organizers were focused on the tar sands issue
• The blockade of buses was more or less spontaneous, not well coordinated, and did not articulate a goal. However, the issue was clear that governors and premiers were meeting behind closed doors, making decisions about governance without transparency to or input from the people affected.
• Many issues being protested. Suggestion: Education and Empowerment Working Group put together a program regarding Hydro Quebec’s history and issues.
• For the future, we (OCV) should be prepared for the contingency of non-violent direct action. Have affinity groups, etc. Clarity regarding our purpose in actions.
• Monday was cool. Probably 100 people; again a diversity of issues. Good discussion about what people are doing in different places. Someone created a New England-wide website and are asking people to post their actions (couldn’t find a link – if you have one, please post in the comments).
• Parts of the Monday meeting were “flaky” – too much personal vs. movement actions

Sept 15 – 17 The World Goes to Wall Street – 3 days of education, celebration, and resistance

• Anniversary of OWS. Some of us will be headed down, coordinating.
• http://s17nyc.org/

Discussion about OCV, where we are

• When we invoke “Occupy,” people know what we are talking about
• Ideas: We could get a column in The Bridge. We could hold more public forums on the issues that concern us. We need to be at all local actions as OCV – people are understanding more that all these issues are related.
• What’s the status of the Facilitation Working Group? Only 3 of us still active – not in strong shape.

Next GA – Saturday, September 8 (Proposal was passed to move it to the second Saturday, so as not to conflict with the People’s Convention on 9/1). Faciliation call, for those interested, will be the Thursday before in the evening. Get in touch with Facilitation if interested.

Arts Working Group will have more discussions about Occupy Café plans before then.

Education & Empowerment will try to plan an event before then.

People’s Convention – Burlington – Sept 1 & 2

• http://www.vtpeoplesconvention.org/
• OCV role – tabling, or holding workshops?
• Possibility of holding a GA, if our group took the initiative
• Occupy presence seems important, but not necessarily a GA
• Table: Jay & Sue will organize. Library and pamphlets, banner and signs
• Jay & Brian will check out what Occupy Burlington is planning, if anything