OB’s General Assembly is hosted tonight, at 5:00 PM, by the Community Church of Boston, 565 Boylston Street, across from Copley Square Plaza. All are welcome!
http://www.communitychurchofboston.org/home/
Author Archive
This Financial Accountability Working Group proposal was consented to by Occupy Boston’s General Assembly, on 12/4/11.
Whereas, Occupy Boston has, at last count, 57 working groups listed on its website, and . . .
Whereas, the GA has previously authorized the Financial Accountability Working Group to disburse up to $100 per week to working groups, and . . .
Whereas, it is important to have a transparent process for establishing minimum standards for working group activity and membership for the purpose of receiving Occupy Boston funding,
The Financial Accountability Working Group Proposed the following process for authorizing working groups to receive Occupy Boston funds:
The process for obtaining authorization consists of three steps:
- The working group completes an Occupy Boston Working Group Funding Authorization Form, which includes, at a minimum:
- Name of the Working Group
- Mission and Goals of the working group and what the working group expects to accomplish
- Working group email address
- Names, email addresses and phone #s of 3 working group liaisons to FAWG who will be responsible for signing off on individual funding requests*
- Weekly meeting schedule of the working group
- Proposed or typical expenses of the working group
- FAWG reviews form for completeness and accuracy, and requests additional information or clarifications from the working group, if necessary.
- FAWG reaches a decision about authorizing funding for the working group, and let’s the working group know and publishes the information on the FAWG wiki.
If a working group is denied authorization for funding from FAWG, it may ask FAWG to reconsider its decision. If upon reconsideration, FAWG again determines that the working group does not meet the minimum requirements, as stated above, the working group may bring its proposal for funding authorization directly to General Assembly.
Once a Working Group has been authorized for funding, actual requests for funding should follow the Cash Disbursement Policy and Procedure.
Members of FAWG will sign up for all Working Group email lists to be able to monitor Working Group development and activities.
FAWG suggests that each Working Groups that is authorized for funding send a liaison to at least one FAWG meeting per month.
* WG liaisons to FAWG are simply the messengers and the WG assigned purchasing agents. Decisions on any monies to be spent are made at the WG level.
Proposal
To purchase three wifi hot spots, for use by on-site occupiers and the media working group. A computer will be setup (possibly in the library tent) for general use by on-site occupiers. In the event of an emergency, these devices would be distributed by the media working group to certain on-site and off-site individuals for the express purpose of video live-streaming. The purchase will be coordinated with the financial accountability working group.
Cost Estimate:
The cost would be ~$180 for the devices, ~$60 for the battery extenders, and ~$150 a month for the unlimited 4g data plans. For a total of ~$390 for the first month and ~$150 per month following to be paid on a month by month basis.
Statement of Autonomy
Occupy Boston is a people’s movement. It is party-less, leaderless, by the people and for the people. It is not a business, a political party, an advertising campaign, or a brand. It is not for sale.
Any organization is welcome to support us with the knowledge that doing so will mean questioning your own institutional frameworks of work and hierarchy, and integrating our principles into your modes of action.
We acknowledge the existence of professional activists who work to make our world a better place. If you are representing, or being compensated by an independent source in order to participate in our process, please disclose your affiliation at the outset. Those seeking to capitalize on this movement or undermine it by appropriating its message or symbols are not part of Occupy Boston. Any statement or declaration not released through the General Assembly should be considered independent of Occupy Boston.
SPEAK WITH US, NOT FOR US.
We welcome all, who, in good faith, petition for a redress of grievances through civil disobedience. We provide a forum for peaceful assembly of individuals to engage in participatory, direct democracy, as opposed to partisan debate and representative democracy. We welcome dissent.
We wish to clarify that Occupy Boston is not and never has been beholden to any established political party, candidate or organization. Our only affiliation is with the people.
If you have chosen to devote resources to building this movement, especially your time and labor, then this movement is yours.
We stand in solidarity. We are Occupy Boston.