March 20th, 2014 IRC Meeting

Decisions

1. Plan for 5/9 Fundraiser
   1. Goals
      1. How much? Does it go up at the door?
      2. How much do we aim to raise?
      3. Schedule & Performer Slots
      4. How much should we compensate the acts?
   2. Finances
      1. What other ways can we fundraise at it?
   3. pad

Upcoming Event List

1. 3/22 - 3/23, LibrePlanet 2014 Conference, MIT, Cambridge, MA
2. 3/25, Tues., Net Neutrality and the Future of Internet Access, 7-9pm, at Tufts University.
3. 4/26, noon, Jobs Not Jails: Rally to End Mass Incarceration and Fund Job Creation, Boston Common

Participants

• jokeefe (James O'Keefe, Somerville)
• srevilak (Steve Revilak, Arlington, MA)
• Kendra
• JCF
• Bluestreak

Observers:

• ageis
• davidd

Summary

Fundraiser.

Donation page: http://do.nr/g08B

Goal: to raise $1000--$2000 after expenses.

Seems to be a consensus on asking for $20 in advance, $40 at the door (activists ball had $40 @ door). For students, ask for $10 in advance, $20 at the door.

Food: perhaps budget $5/head.

Budget $200 for entertainment, but leaving discretion to person hiring the entertainment.

Tentative schedule

• 7pm people arrive and mingle. Possibly with DJ in the background
• 8pm. Political portion of the schedule. Panel discussion or candidate Q&A
• 9-11pm. Entertainment. One or two acts.

We can use the fundraiser to recruit candidate volunteers.

Meeting Minutes

<nowiki>

[9:02pm] JCF: Hi Jason Fiero West NY, NJ. [9:02pm] srevilak: hi all [9:03pm] Bluestreak: Ahoy srevilak! [9:04pm] jokeefe: ids - James O'Keefe, Somerville [9:04pm] jokeefe: hi all [9:04pm] Kendra joined the chat room. [9:04pm] Bluestreak: Lucia Fiero, Medway, MA [9:04pm] Bluestreak: KENDRA! [9:05pm] Kendra: Hi, Kendra Moyer, Highland Park, MI [9:05pm] Bluestreak: Kissy kissy love love [9:05pm] srevilak: jokeefe: are you working on meeting wiki page? [9:05pm] JCF: Hi Kendra! [9:05pm] jokeefe: aye, srevilak [9:05pm] Kendra: How's it going? saw the parade pics on the blog. [9:05pm] srevilak: jokeefe: will wait for you [9:07pm] jokeefe: agenda at http://masspirates.org/wiki/March_20th,_2014_IRC_Meeting [9:08pm] jokeefe: Any objections to settling as much of the Fundraiser details as we can? [9:08pm] Bluestreak: What do you want to discuss, sir? [9:08pm] srevilak: jokeefe: no objections [9:09pm] jokeefe: going once [9:09pm] jokeefe: going twice [9:09pm] Bluestreak: Dude, it's your show. [9:10pm] Kendra: What is left to be settled? [9:10pm] Bluestreak: LOL [9:10pm] jokeefe: k, How much to charge? Does it go up at the door? [9:10pm] Bluestreak: yes [9:10pm] srevilak: Kendra: items listed on http://masspirates.org/wiki/March_20th,_2014_IRC_Meeting [9:10pm] Bluestreak: up at the door encourages pre-reg [9:10pm] jokeefe: yes [9:11pm] jokeefe: $10/$20? [9:11pm] srevilak: If we're doing a range of donation levels, how does "up at the door" work? [9:12pm] srevilak: Perhaps minimum suggested donation goes up at the door? [9:12pm] Bluestreak: 10/15 better [9:12pm] Bluestreak: IMO [9:13pm] srevilak: I like 10/20 as minimum. Round numbers [9:13pm] Kendra: Pay more at the door thatn in advance. Maybe a sliding scale of no less than $10 but ask for $30-50 recommended donation. With no one turned away for lack of funds. It is a fundraiser, might as well aim high. [9:14pm] srevilak: Agree with Kendra. If someone wants to give 50, or $100, I'd like to give them that opportunity [9:14pm] JCF: Dont think anyone can give more than $50 cash due to the wierd donation regulations.. [9:14pm] Bluestreak: I am in negotiations with another entertainer. Kendra, remember this guy? https://www.facebook.com/pages/Light-Painting-Portraits/269077289774224 [9:14pm] jokeefe: The web page looks like: http://do.nr/g08B [9:14pm] srevilak: JCF: will check MGL ch 55 [9:15pm] JCF: >50 has to be check or CC or something "trackable"...Steve am I right about that? [9:15pm] JCF: thanks [9:15pm] jokeefe: yes, JCF [9:15pm] JCF: we might want to get a CC thing that we can use thru a smart phone at some point... [9:16pm] srevilak: jokeefe: donor page looks good to me [9:16pm] JCF: yea... if they can donate thru the site that would rock.. [9:16pm] jokeefe: should the tiers mean anything? [9:17pm] jokeefe: Gunner gets you a T-shirt, Navigator gets you a signed t-shirt? [9:17pm] srevilak: jokeefe: we could say what we'd do with $x dollars [9:18pm] srevilak: IMO, no T-shirts for under $100 [9:18pm] jokeefe: So folks are happy with $10 as the starting price. but we aren't sure if it is $15 or $20 at the door [9:18pm] srevilak: make them special [9:18pm] JCF: we can make some badges/buttons.. for smaller donations [9:18pm] srevilak: jokeefe: $20 at door. [9:19pm] jokeefe: like the idea, JCF [9:19pm] JCF: Make it so [9:19pm] jokeefe: aye, do [9:19pm] srevilak: if we've decided not to turn people away for lack of funds, no harm in asking for 20. If they can only give 10 or 15, then fine [9:19pm] Kendra: So maybe how about $20 at the door $15 in advance? [9:19pm] jokeefe: Get a flag for the Sailing Master Ticket ticket? [9:20pm] jokeefe: lets think about it this way. [9:20pm] jokeefe: How much do we want to raise? [9:20pm] jokeefe: The space holds 100-150 [9:20pm] Bluestreak: Doh [9:21pm] srevilak: I'd like to raise $1000 (ie. 100 @ $10) [9:22pm] jokeefe: right, srevilak, but what does it cost us to raise the $1000 [9:22pm] jokeefe: ? [9:22pm] srevilak: and spend no more than $400, preferably $300 [9:23pm] srevilak: so, $1000 gross receipts, $400 expenses = net $600 [9:23pm] srevilak: but hopefully we take in more and spend less [9:23pm] JCF: we clear ~1500 we raise 1K... yea that would be a decent goal. [9:24pm] jokeefe: net of $600 seems small. [9:25pm] Bluestreak: OK [9:25pm] JCF: try 1K + expenses... thinking a little bigger... [9:25pm] Kendra: To break even and get about $1000-$2000 after expenses it needs to be promoted. This weekend would be a good time to show that it will be a fun event. It's hard to guage who will attend, but if enough people know and it seems like a fun event, you can probably at least clear $1000. If the right people show up, more. Is there a limit on the one time donation? [9:25pm] Bluestreak: We CAN ask for donations there like they did at the Cammy Dee fundraiser. [9:25pm] Bluestreak: And we can "sell" swag [9:25pm] Kendra: sorry i said "fun event" so many times, but it is a butts in seats issue. [9:26pm] jokeefe: agreed. [9:26pm] jokeefe: on all points [9:26pm] Bluestreak: agreed to what? [9:26pm] Bluestreak: lol [9:26pm] JCF: Limit on annual donations is $500/person/yr.. can be all at once.. [9:26pm] srevilak: sounds like we're getting some consensus around $1000 net as a goal [9:27pm] srevilak: I'm fine with that [9:27pm] jokeefe: what to shoot for. If we can go higher, all the better. [9:28pm] jokeefe: so, in terms of expenses, we have $100 for the space. How much for food and performers? [9:28pm] Bluestreak: Capiora group is asking 300 min! [9:28pm] Bluestreak: Nope [9:28pm] Bluestreak: Nogotiating with https://www.facebook.com/pages/Light-Painting-Portraits/269077289774224 [9:29pm] srevilak: For food, do we want a total budget, or budget it per head? [9:29pm] Bluestreak: He did Dance Friday 100% for exposure. [9:29pm] Bluestreak: English muffins are already paid for! LOL [9:29pm] Bluestreak: 100% free that is [9:29pm] jokeefe: probably budget per head, though some of the expenses could be in-kind [9:30pm] Bluestreak: Going to work on him do work for donations at our thing. [9:30pm] Bluestreak: expense in kind... send me the memo... [9:30pm] Bluestreak: (Don't know what that means!) [9:31pm] JCF: sounds like it will be hard to hold costs below 500 unless we really limit our range of entertainment and food.. need to find entertainers who will work for exposure.. [9:31pm] srevilak: re food: I'm thinking, if we get 75 people and spend $5 each, that's $375 [9:32pm] srevilak: that's like 2 slices of pizza and a glass of soda [9:32pm] srevilak: thoughts on per/person food budget? [9:33pm] Bluestreak: My thoughts: That sounds like abysmal fare [9:33pm] JCF: well... what if we get Andy LuLu?... those stuffed breads.. awesome [9:33pm] Bluestreak: Will he work for free? [9:33pm] Kendra: If you do $250 on food (cheese, crackers, veggies, hummus, pita bread, soda, and a dessert like cookies), it would be nicer given the door price. You can get most of that at Market Basket cheap. [9:33pm] jokeefe: well if that is the case then $10 at the door is way too little, Bluestreak [9:34pm] JCF: 15/20? [9:34pm] Bluestreak: I think is my least favorite job since joing the MPP [9:34pm] JCF: I know Steve likes whole numbers but.. [9:35pm] Bluestreak: Activists' Ball was 40 at door [9:35pm] jokeefe: $15/$20 doesn't give as much of an incentive to register early [9:35pm] srevilak: how about 20 advance, 40 @ door? [9:35pm] Bluestreak: (They just keep printing money til what we have's not worth nuthin'!) [9:35pm] Bluestreak: There you go! [9:35pm] Kendra: More of a party atmosphere tohave a nice range of food. The recommended door should be $20-50 with emphasis that the event is a fund-raiser. [9:35pm] Bluestreak: Massive savings fgor pre-reg [9:35pm] Kendra: It's a range but you could start high. [9:35pm] JCF: yea food is going up and natural gas even more... [9:36pm] JCF: yea 20/40 .. me likey [9:36pm] Kendra: I like the 20/4 split as well. [9:36pm] Bluestreak: 2nd [9:36pm] jokeefe: srevilak? [9:37pm] srevilak: ok w/ 20/40 [9:37pm] Bluestreak: Don't even need to vote! [9:38pm] Kendra: Also, get a carbon copy receipt book with the address stub and # to keep track of who donated what. It's a lot easier. [9:38pm] jokeefe: aye [9:38pm] Kendra: aye on 20/40 [9:38pm] Bluestreak: aye [9:39pm] srevilak: Kendra, jokeefe: I'd be in favor of having a laptop (or two) where people could type in their information [9:39pm] jokeefe: what about 10/20/40 with 10 before March, 20 before the door, 40 at the door? [9:39pm] jokeefe: whatever way works srevilak, though I think multiply paper works well [9:39pm] jokeefe: 10 before April that it [9:39pm] jokeefe: is [9:40pm] srevilak: jokeefe: I like 20/40 more than 10/20/40 [9:40pm] Kendra: I think $10 is too low, but a good student price. [9:40pm] Bluestreak: Genius! [9:40pm] Bluestreak: Student pricing [9:40pm] jokeefe: are we 18+? [9:41pm] Kendra: No alcohol at DC, so I would say all ages [9:41pm] srevilak: I don't recall the democracy center having an 18+ restriction. Kendra, do you remember? [9:41pm] JCF: hmmm can discourage budding Pirates so we sould welcome all ages [9:41pm] jokeefe: including younger than 18, Kendra? [9:41pm] jokeefe: all ages [9:41pm] JCF: can = can't [9:41pm] jokeefe: maybe $10/$20 with student id? [9:41pm] Kendra: I don't think they do, but you should check. It is a sober space. [9:42pm] srevilak: jokeefe: I'm in favor of 10/20 w student id [9:42pm] Bluestreak: 2nd [9:42pm] srevilak: of even if they claim to be a student [9:42pm] Kendra: aye [9:42pm] jokeefe: id if they look too old [9:42pm] JCF: ok [9:43pm] jokeefe: great [9:43pm] jokeefe: seems settled [9:43pm] jokeefe: schedule [9:43pm] jokeefe: 7-11? [9:43pm] srevilak: 7-11 seems good [9:43pm] srevilak: request that part of the evening be dedicated to politics [9:44pm] srevilak: e.g., panel discussion, or candidate Q&A [9:44pm] JCF: what kind of forum Steve? [9:44pm] JCF: ok.. [9:44pm] JCF: I like both [9:44pm] jokeefe: how about panel 6-7pm [9:44pm] srevilak: rationale: if people donate to political party, they probably have an interest in politics [9:44pm] Kendra: Candidate speeches and upcoming campaigns. state of the union, surveillance state update, etc [9:45pm] srevilak: jokeefe: if we're starting at 7, how about panel from 7-8 [9:45pm] jokeefe: so, panel 7-8, three sets 8-11? [9:45pm] JCF: too early to have it immediately .. late arrivers will be disruptive .. possibly.. [9:45pm] Kendra: Maybe mix and mingle 7-8, then panel 8-9 and then partay. [9:46pm] JCF: yea.. agree with Kendra' [9:46pm] srevilak: Kendra: I like that idea [9:46pm] Bluestreak: I have no opionion [9:46pm] Kendra: It will also shorten the time to pay the performers and save some $$ [9:46pm] Bluestreak: I defer to y'all [9:47pm] Bluestreak: YES! Kendra good point [9:47pm] jokeefe: true, but 2 hours for performers seems small [9:47pm] srevilak: jokeefe: If we pick one act, two hours is a good time period [9:47pm] Kendra: There can be a set during the mix and mingle part too, even just a dj [9:47pm] Bluestreak left the chat room. (Quit: Web client closed) [9:47pm] srevilak: Kendra: true [9:48pm] jokeefe: true, but then we need to rely on the act being very good [9:48pm] JCF: hmmm didnt pay our fios bill>? [9:48pm] Bluestreak joined the chat room. [9:48pm] Bluestreak: OOPS [9:48pm] JCF: heh [9:48pm] Kendra: Not to jump ahead, but have we chosen the acts yet? [9:48pm] Kendra: Is it going to be background music, or a concert? [9:48pm] jokeefe: nope [9:48pm] Bluestreak: I am working on getting that light portrait guy to work for free/donations [9:49pm] Bluestreak: That is very entertaining IMO [9:49pm] Bluestreak: Also, Chance is 100% on board [9:49pm] jokeefe: thanks [9:49pm] Bluestreak: For free because he love us [9:49pm] Bluestreak: He can find us a DJ [9:49pm] Kendra: Seriously, we need to have one of the Berklee bands that was above average play if we want to charge and make it worth it. [9:49pm] jokeefe: he is ok with the date change? [9:49pm] Bluestreak: Yes. [9:49pm] jokeefe: agreed [9:49pm] Bluestreak: I am in constant contact with Chance. [9:50pm] srevilak: Question: if chance performs, are there other folks he'd like to perform with? [9:50pm] shep joined the chat room. [9:50pm] Bluestreak: Yes, I like a lot of the Berklee responders. Just one woudl do tha job [9:50pm] • srevilak waves to shep [9:50pm] jokeefe: hey shep [9:50pm] srevilak: Could do two acts: chance + one other [9:50pm] Bluestreak: OK here is the scoop: Sam wants me to cooke her something so I gotta bail. [9:51pm] jokeefe: bye, good luck & thanks! [9:51pm] Bluestreak: Call me later JCF, thanks for attending! [9:51pm] srevilak: night Bluestreak [9:51pm] Bluestreak: Goodnight my dear Pirates! [9:51pm] jokeefe: so 7-8, mingling & food, 8-9 panel, 9-11 one (or two) acts? [9:51pm] Bluestreak left the chat room. (Client Quit) [9:51pm] Kendra: Nite Lulu. So maybe the best available performer who contacted us, I think the school will still be in session. [9:52pm] Kendra: That's plenty for one evening [9:52pm] srevilak: jokeefe: that seems reasonable for a schedule [9:52pm] JCF: aye [9:52pm] jokeefe: DJ for the mingling part? [9:52pm] jokeefe: seems to me that the panel would bring down the energy [9:52pm] srevilak: DJ would be nice. [9:52pm] srevilak: $200 for entertainment budget? [9:52pm] shep: I have someone in mind... [9:53pm] jokeefe: oh? [9:53pm] shep: they said yes right away. I would have to reconfer with them [9:53pm] jokeefe: if only one act, then $200 sounds reasonable for a 2 hr set [9:53pm] jokeefe: DJ or band? [9:53pm] shep: DJ [9:54pm] jokeefe: nice [9:54pm] jokeefe: thanks! [9:55pm] jokeefe: So Chance, maybe the guy Lucia is asking and one other [9:55pm] jokeefe: ? [9:55pm] JCF: maybe .. but it depends on the focus of the panel and audience interaction... fierce Pirate retoric and impassioned campaign speeches might fire people up eh? [9:55pm] srevilak: JCF: would hope so [9:55pm] jokeefe: would hope so as well [9:56pm] srevilak: Panel could be as simple as "ask questions to officers and candidates" [9:56pm] jokeefe: oooh sexy [9:57pm] srevilak: jokeefe: I wouldn't go that far [9:57pm] jokeefe: [9:57pm] JCF: I think that we need to work on a couple short speeches that the candidates can deliver focus on privacy..and use some of the alarming facts and figures that are coming out but which dont get much main stream media play [9:57pm] jokeefe: sounds fine to me [9:57pm] srevilak: agreed [9:58pm] Kendra: the candidates need to come out with a strong platform and a good intro to the public. Might need to get them to write something up in advance to work on in the mean time. [10:00pm] Kendra: Might also want to invite some of the press to this. [10:00pm] JCF: I agree... also good if they have slighly diffrent angles on our issues becasue they have vastly diffrent contiuentcies.. [10:00pm] JCF: ie.. Joe is rural and Noelani(sp?) is in the City [10:00pm] jokeefe: aye [10:00pm] JCF: Joe's district is much more conservative... [10:01pm] srevilak: JCF: that's a good idea. What would a pirate do in Bellingham, and what would a pirate plan to do in Somerville [10:01pm] Kendra: It's good to get an idea of how they engage the public in advance and might make sense to help them through some test speeches or short debates. [10:01pm] JCF: need to present Pirate issues to people in ways that will appeal to what they are accustomed to [10:02pm] JCF: we are doing that now by getting signatures [10:02pm] JCF: some older folks wouldnt sign Joes candicay papers becasue we dont have a specific pro-life agenda [10:02pm] Kendra: It's also a good time due to the Snowden revelations and people are interested right now. [10:02pm] JCF: sorry I spell terribly [10:02pm] jokeefe: Back to nuts & bolts [10:03pm] JCF: \aye [10:03pm] jokeefe: We have a tentative suggestion for $200 for the one act. Suggest that be the goal, but leave some discretion to the ones hiring performers. [10:03pm] srevilak: jokeefe: I agree [10:03pm] jokeefe: Also, Chris R. offered to do a stand up act. [10:04pm] srevilak: I'd like to see that. How much time does he need? [10:04pm] JCF: good political comedy can be a win.. or offensive and a flop... yea we have to preview it [10:04pm] JCF: 30 min is usually a good comedy set..15 min [10:04pm] jokeefe: fair enough, JCF [10:05pm] JCF: 15 min is minimum..can't build good comedic audience momentium in less than 15 mins [10:05pm] jokeefe: well, lets work it out. [10:05pm] JCF: you need to be a fantastic comic to do anything >30-40 mins... [10:06pm] jokeefe: so, not hearing any problem with $200 for the act + discretion ... [10:07pm] JCF: 2nd but its running into 500-600 for a budget then including food [10:07pm] JCF: fyi [10:08pm] JCF: I think that is ok.. if we promote it enough.... we will [10:08pm] srevilak: JCF: seems in line with goal you mentioned earlier: take in 1500, keep 1k or so [10:08pm] Kendra: The food can be gotten pretty cheap and made very nice with a little window dressing. [10:09pm] srevilak: we [10:09pm] JCF: I can get 10 people there ... I think they will throw down 40-50 each at least ... yea I like stuffed bread... can do meat and veggie.. [10:09pm] srevilak: we're at 22:08 [10:09pm] JCF: even if our field wont come do stuffed bread we could get the recipies and pull it off easil y [10:09pm] JCF: field = friend [10:10pm] JCF: basically calzones... [10:10pm] srevilak: mmm. calzones [10:10pm] JCF: enough covered for you tonight cpt?. [10:10pm] jokeefe: aye, we have. [10:10pm] JCF: what else was on agenda.>? [10:11pm] jokeefe: What other ways can we fundraise at it? [10:11pm] jokeefe: but we got the main points, so we can leave it at that for now. [10:11pm] JCF: shwag... um... unofffical pirate store can be there... [10:11pm] srevilak: Not fundraising, but we could try to recruit campaign volunteers [10:12pm] jokeefe: agreed [10:12pm] Kendra: we can sell stuff I would imagine. We can just out right ask say "we really need your support, every little bit helps" [10:12pm] jokeefe: all of the above [10:12pm] jokeefe: like srevilak's special t-shirt idea [10:13pm] Kendra: I am ok if it is time to adjourn, actually need to go now. I'll see you guys this weekend. Nits all. [10:13pm] Kendra: Nite [10:13pm] Kendra left the chat room. [10:13pm] shep: or copies of pirate books like were available at the freedom rally [10:13pm] JCF: Nits ! [10:13pm] jokeefe: get get copies of the Pirate Party book for less. Will ask. [10:13pm] JCF: Falvinger stuff? [10:14pm] jokeefe: agreed. [10:14pm] srevilak: jokeefe: if we give tickets, could draw out of a hat and give door prizes [10:14pm] shep: I was thinking _no safe harbour_ I gave out my copy