[Occupymendocino] Minutes of May 6, 2017 Meeting

[Ann Rennacker]

Present: John, Richard, Irene, Daniel, Bob, Ann, John, Sheila, Guests Chris Rennacker, Leslie (potential webmaster), Margaret (Banking experience)

- May Day Event- well publicized but sparsely attended, perhaps because of timing and Day of week wrong.  SEIU Union members came and led a March, with a chant on the Bullhorn which was very effective and fun.  We went back to Bainbridge Park and shared a lot of good snacks and sack lunches, heard music be Richard and his friend, had an open Mic for speakers and it was good even though the day was very windy.  Many flyers were given out at the Earthday March but not many came to this March.  Next year we will not plan an event in the middle of the week - even though there is a bad economy, Union have been taken aback by employers, Privatization is moving in. But SEIU was very good and they are asking the City of FB to raise the pay of employees.

- John has a film 'Crazy' about the mental health crisis, which our County is privatizing in spite of the boondoggle with Ortner last year.  Sheriff Allman tried to get a bill passed to turn Howard Hospital in Willits into a mental care facility, but it lost on the election by a slim margin.  The County spends millions to outsource mental health because they do not want to deal with it here and they laid off most mental health workers, are using the remote "doc in a box" system in jails and hospitals, and want to send critical patients out of County.  As many homeless are in crisis, the Hospitality Center at the Old Coast Hotel is a mental health assessment center, and their grant was $1.2 Million but the services to clients is poor and the management is even poorer.  The City is cracking down and now is being sued by the Hospitality Center, but will not disclose the status of negotiations with their lawyers.  More will be revealed, hopefully.  Margaret was in SF when they integrated patients/prisoners and had everything outsourced. Sheila wants to put together a legal resource team. John notes that it all comes down to money for the officials. Telepsychiatry is cheaper than doctors seeing patients in hospitals, but it does not work effectively.  Margaret attributes it to very political "brain tripping" that is happening now. John wants to talk with James Marmon, a former County mental health professional who spoke out but now is very quiet. Richard mentioned Sonya Nesch, an advocate for patients who does the "Love in action" forums and meets with Hospitality House people.

- July 2 is a Sunday, and Annie Feeney will do a fundraiser in Mendocino if we do publicity, arrange the place - Richard says Mendocino Community Center is available. Annie has good C/Ds she can sell, and we need to sell 25 tickets at $25 each at minimum, we can split 60/40 if we sell more.

- 4th of July Parade - we don't know the theme yet, but traditionally we march with all the progressive and activist groups and Sheila will call Carrie Durkee.  Bob has his truck running and is willing for us to decorate it, use our Banner and signs, we will keep it more simple this year.

- The Golden Rule is set to sail into Noyo Harbor Sunday 6/11 around 2pm, and on Monday 6/12  we will help host a potluck with the community activists, at a location to be determined.  There will be a presentation at Silver's at the Wharf on Tue 6/13 with beer, wine, food. They will talk about their peace mission, activities, show tours of the sailboat, give boat rides out the Harbor while here. They are on a trip down the entire California Coast. They depart for the trip 6/14.

- We discussed doing a monthly film event at KNYO radio station. Bob has a film 'Gassed' about alcohol fuel. Margaret has a list of films about the economic recession 'Inside Job', 'Big Short', 'Heist' are 3 good ones.  Do publicity to get people to join us in watching films.

- Finances: In the P&J account we have $1,346 in savings and $356 in checking, but Sheila paid Mendo Litho for posters since January and Jesse has the other account for O/M in her name, so Sheila will do a Treasury report next meeting.

- Sheila wants a new Webmaster, and Leslie came to our meeting at her invitation.  She is unsure about us as yet, Mark Safron knows providers and details so John will contact him.  We need to ask Annie Feeney about her production poster so we can publicize the 6/2 event.

- John brought up the concern about private prisons in America, where they are more prevalent than in any other Country in the world and enrich some by incarcerating them for low level crimes and charging exorbitant rates for concessions, phone calls, bail, trial dates, fees of all sorts. They prey on the poor and impoverish those they target. Attorney General Sessions is ramping up the war on drugs, which never worked. And Immigration is related as well. We must get rid of the resent dirty administration to change this. Impeachment seems to be more likely than ever if the Republicans had the courage to stand up for Country over Party.



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