SOCIAL ORGANIZATION Meeting Minutes

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Meeting Minutes

Jan. 31, 2005

Present: Ron, Renee, Electra, Steve, Jason, Jenny, Tim, Madge, Spring, Mair

Jobs: Note-taker - Madge; Time-keeper – Renee; Facilitator – Ron

1. Defining our group (what we’re about; why each of us is here): Interest in sociology, how groups work (or don’t work). Need to set up GoWillits so it’s harmonious with the community. Need a strong community for sustainability to work. Need to understand workforce, economy, to enable a whole social shift. Would like an eco-village. Need defined infrastructure. Want to make art relevant to future.

• Idea for a media subgroup or media collective. (Also work with KZYX and

Channel 3) Use each person’s strengths. Two aspects are structuring our own group and how to integrate into the community structure that already exists. Practice what we want to achieve – process, not goal, is key.

• Idea to call ourselves “New Willits.”

2. Phases: Inventory phase needed to find out what is before we move to change things. Today we’ll also begin envisioning for the future. Ron & Spring note that facilitation role is open to others. They met to put together today’s agenda. That’s all that’s needed to become facilitator. Group needs commitment, agreements to goals. Tasks will change in response to “outside”. We’re defined by what we’re part of (the “outside”), as well as what we’re apart from (trying to create something new). We’re still dependent on what we don’t like. Many subcultures exist in Willits area. Need to approach others thoughtfully to bring folks on board, not alienate. How to reach conservatives, landowners, etc.

3. How to use website: Ron shared his written piece with step-by-step instructions in plain English!

4. Reports on research done: a. Jason shared demographic info collected from an excellent website citydata.com, that combines data from census, USGS, State Dept of Finance (DOF), etc. and has info by county, zip, and incorporated city boundaries. How to define our study area seems solved by using zip code, which includes a pretty logical geographic scope (about 1/3 the way to Ukiah, 2/3 the way to Laytonville, and encompassing most of the watershed east and west). In that area, the current population is 13,000. Info on the site includes how many and how far people commute and other relevant data. DOF and MCOG projections of population (1.6% growth per year) are important because funds to local govt are tied to adopting those numbers. However, locals can get around that by having various constraints (traffic, water, etc.). City of Willits is very stable, growing by only 50 in the whole decade from 1990 to 2000. Unfortunately, that reflects lots of young adults leaving, so population is disproportionately young and old. b. Jenny raised idea of studying how Native Americans governed themselves. Tribes had “tribelets”, each with representation to main council.

• Idea: Important to define groups by size.

c. Mair mentioned how New Zealand reformed their penal system to bring in traditional tribal leaders or shaman to work with young Maoris, and recidivism dropped to almost zero. In addition to drawing ideas from other indigenous cultures, remember our own roots as once-indigenous peoples. d. Michael (not present) got lots of info from Chamber of Commerce and others, says Jason.

5. Add to/Define Research Questions: a. As suggested above, Mair with look at Native American governance models and also seek their and Hispanic involvement in our group. b. Electra will look at viability of developing local currency. (Coordinate with Michael who previously volunteered on this task. Also check out a book by Jackie Elek.)

6. Visioning. Where do we see Willits’ social org. in 3-5 years?

• Need meetings facilitated by “3rd-sider”. This can start right away,

using REDI office. Mair volunteers to be such a facilitator. Need to educate kids on issues and sustainable living skills. There’ll be no job shortage! Work across generations. Develop community-based leadership, but also work with other like-minded communities (maybe an annual meeting). Bring in key land-owners, before feudalism sets in! Need a better community center. Revamp City Council to represent zip code. Neighbors helping each other. Need parallel institutions on line as crisis hits to avert or deal with chaos. Local groups need to help with law enforcement; tax base won’t be adequate. In survival mode, will still need leadership and social org. to apportion limited resources. Become Ecotopia. On one hand, could radically drop out (e.g. stop paying taxes); but on the other, don’t call attention to ourselves, stay “under the radar.” Integrate our efforts with City Council, other govt. and non-govt. groups. Need lots of sub-groups working semi-independently but linked by web and sending reps to meetings. Also include music, art, and fun in our process!

Monday, January 3, 2005

Willits Community Center

Ron Charles facilitates, Spring Senerchia takes notes, attendance list attached

I. Jason introduces and explains change from EcoVillage/Farm to Social Organization

A. Other groups needed info on demographics etc.

B. Past research and outlining done by EcoVillage/Farm group will be posted online by Jason.

II. Introductions – people expressed involvement/interest/feelings:

A. Social services, education, non-local wants to see our model, want to work in Willits, works with homeless, local currency, dismayed academic scientist, psychology of social change, artist, hates to waste time in meetings, holistic thinkers, linguist, hard questions asker, new to area.

III. Ron goes over tonight’s goals, passes Food example format

A. Brainstorm questions – see outline document

B. Organize questions – see outline document

C. Three things to do today

1. Talk to someone who hasn’t been to a meeting

2. Take someone to lunch who doesn’t share your race, sexual orientation, class

3. Voice/challenge ideas on public media

4. Get to know your neighbors by initiating conversation or a shared meal.

IV. Informal discussion

A. Includes some talk about how ecological census relates to our topic, and education. It seemed everyone agreed that this does relate.