The day before yesterday, the finance committee posted here on OO’s website that there was a meeting, yesterday, October 17th, at Awaken Cafe at 6pm. Curious about the rumors that have been circulating, I decided to go because I really want the finance committee to have a chance to counter those rumors, to explain their side of the story.
http://occupyoakland.org/2012/10/finance-committee-meeting-oct-17-2012/
I have never asked for money from Occupy Oakland but do feel myself to be a part of it as I have participated in many protests, paid bail, put money on commissaries, donated food, gone to court support and maintained Chalkupy at OO plaza where we have fed people and disseminated information. I am only taking an interest now, because truth is very important to me and because I feel a certain responsibility.
If money that could be going to good causes isn’t, then that’s a problem. If people are being unfairly accused of mismanaging money, that’s a problem. I don’t know that what is the case, but that’s the problem. I don’t KNOW anything. Nobody seems to know WHO the finance committee is.
We need a transparency. 99% of OO was not at the meeting. In fact, what was going on was a fundraiser for an anti-plastics initiative that seemed really great but wasn’t what I was there for. I checked SF Pizza twice. Nobody was there. I also went to the plaza. No Finance Committee.
I have nothing against any of my comrades. But this is weird and we need to get to the bottom of it. No?
Naomi Pitcairn
Well done GNUWorldOrder. Thank you.
In an ideal world I wish there were more hard working comrades that trying to solve social problems than those dividers-and-or-very-likely-undercover-cops which only mission is to demoralize us, so we fall apart and quit.
I think if we understand that possibility, we can read the person who is just honestly doing a check and balance (I’m ok w that) or is just destroying the movement by inflicting all kind of emotions that end result is to push us to quit.
Naomi, I don't know who is on anything, I am a disaster when it comes to names (though since I've been working with the group for a year and it has been steadily contracting for most of that period, I'm starting to get a handle on a few of them). I know someone came to GA a couple of weeks ago and spoke about what was going on with the group and that there hadn't been a finance committee meeting per se in a long time. She delivered a report which was posted to the web site on revenues and expenses recently.http://occupyoakland.org/2012/10/oo-general-fund-2012-financial-transactions-as-of-92112/
http://occupyoakland.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/OO-General-Fund-2012-income-and-expense-transactions2.pdf
I do know that it is a thankless task being on the Finance Committee. I remember during my first Web Committee meeting at SF Pizza the Finance Committee was meeting at the same time and people were there screaming at them and demanding money. I get the feeling we don't really take in much geld these days, I don't think folks are greasing their palms, but that is a perception I've heard often enough. I also know that at least one and possibly both of the Finance Committee web delegates have recently resigned from the Finance Committee, which means possibly sending an email to finance@occupyoakland.org may not get a reader, much less a response. The email I read announcing the resignation of one of the web delegates said that (s)he felt intimidated and harassed and could no longer serve on the committe because of fear for personal safety. This is a terrible state of affairs. If another Finance Committee meeting is ever called I might show up just to help provide members with a sense of security. It is not at all clear to me that there is anyone to take the place of the resigning finance committee delegates, at least one of the people mentioned by the email is out of time for the time being.
On the subject of finance, one of our major outlays these days is paying $200 a month for the storage unit. I'm not sure that all the stuff we have in there is worth much more than a couple of months rent. I'd offer my backyard and basement, but I live up a hill 2 flights of stairs (just to get to my basement).
I've made a couple of contributions to the organization, but generally prefer to simply buy stuff that I think we need out of pocket and not worry about reimbursement (food, generally, but not exclusively). That way I feel like I can be sure the money is going where I want it to go & there is less paper work.