April 15th 2024 - Batcave Meeting Minutes

​Attendees:
Chattahoochie (CH)
Innuendo (ID)
Mothermushroom (MM)
Tripod (TP)
Make it So (MIS)

Chronicle (CL)
Lawless (LL)
The Intern (TI)
ZingZing (ZZ)
Minnie (ME)

 
Meeting Focus -
Summer Town Hall Agenda Items :
Generating ATTAINABLE Timeline
Processes that have been WORKING
 
General Discussion of Meeting Structure and Processes:
Attendance:

• TI: There are 18 positions in Batcave and currently 12 are filled.  Clarified that Area Advocates should attend Batcave meetings as they are voting members of Batcave. 

Meeting Agenda and Template:

• CH: A new agenda template has been posted on Google Drive.  Meeting Agendas will include a blank space for each Area. Area Leads/Advocates can add topics to their relevant sections up to the meeting.
• CH: A new, blank agenda will be posted for the next meeting and available for editing immediately following the current meeting.

Meeting Cadence:

• CH: proposed weekly Batcave meetings for now to support the volume of changes and updates required.  This can be re-evaluated and adjusted as needs change.

Meeting Minutes:

• TI: approved the minutes from 25 Mar 2024 meeting.
• CL: Moving forwards, Batcave meeting minutes will be shared in Discord for approval via poll.  Once approved, CL will send minutes to MIS for posting/sharing.  Expectation will be to have minutes approved and available within 1 week of the meeting.

Action Items:

• None

 
 
LLC  
TI provided the following updates:

• Progress has been made regarding locating and updating documentation (i.e. Bylaws, LLC documentation, NDAs, Job Descriptions, etc.)  Review/Update currently in progress.
• Job Descriptions (JDs) have not been signed by Leads in years.  This opens us to issues with cease and desists etc.  JDs are undergoing review and update.
• Once documents have been approved internally, TI will send them for legal review.
• A standard timeline for review and updates will be established moving forwards. 
• A new process for Grievance Management is being developed. NTXB is looking towards Flipside as an example to grow from. 
• Media Policy and Leadership Code of Conduct policies will be developed and sent for discussion and input from Batcave. 
• ID raised Concerns re: Minor Policy, which currently does not specify dates of event or term limit. This opens us up to risk.  TI agreed Waivers should have specific dates. This will be included in pending review and updates of documents.

Action Items:

• None

 
CITY 
ID provided the following updates.
General

• Contact leads about agreements - in Progress.
• What days in June is the LLC available to schedule both inventory and land recon? City planning isn’t available the weekend of June 7-9.
  • TI will create an LLC calendar of availability and provide dates.
  • ID can reach out to Hap regarding scheduling.
• Who contacts Brett Jones about scheduling?
  • TI will take this action item. ID requested multiple options for dates and time flexibility.
• Who is the City point person from LLC?  The Intern

Land Ops

• Is LLC aware that this inventory is at the lead’s house? No.
• Inventory is currently at the lead’s house. Does it need to be moved to the warehouse?
  • TI: Yes, for liability reasons. 
  • ID will inform the Lead

Mapping
Planning
Quartermaster
Radio
Site Ops

• ID has a person in mind who will possibly lead this department if no one else will and have an Ass Lead lined up too.  ID will contact them this week.
• Lead agreement states that all Leads have an Ass Lead, is this required?
  • TP proposed relaxing the language in the lead agreement.  Suggested “should endeavor/seek an Ass Lead”
  • CH agreed and emphasized a succession plan should be our goal.
• Discussion: Do we want to keep current community principles as they are or bring to Summer Town Hall for discussion?   Feedback from the community is they did not vote/have a say in deciding the principles. 
  • LL/ID discussed that this was previously discussed via a Facebook vote and then finalized at the Town Hall.
  • TI to be an official BM Regional, we would have to adopt their principles and perhaps alter some policies.  TI will reach out to the regional BM contact to provide additional details about this. TI suggested polling the community about whether they wanted to be officially affiliated with Burning Man. 
  • ID proposed a multi-part poll including
    • Yes/No Burning Man Regional?
    • Yes/No to keep each principle
• ID: City planning will write an “oh fuck, we’ve got weather and need to change things” plan to share with the community.   This should also be included in the survival guide.
• ID: can everyone check with their leads about inventory dates?

Theme Camps

• Who is this lead? Swift.  ID will reach out.

Zone Guide

• ID: proposed renaming this department if possible to Zone or Zoning to reflect the current roles and responsibilities of the lead position to recruit a replacement for Innuendo

Action Items:

• TI: provide a calendar of LLC availability for event planning.
• TI: contact Brett Jones re: scheduling.
• TI: provide details regarding process/requirements for official Burning Man affiliation and share at a future meeting.
• ID: inform the Lead that inventory should be relocated to the warehouse.
• All Areas: check with your leads regarding dates for inventory.  Requested Early June dates, if possible.

 
ART
ME provided the following updates
General

• Grants & Projects: Is there an original form that went out to participants?
  • TI: There is no official Art Grant Lead (Procession and Art Grant Leads resigned this week).
  • ME will start looking for an Art Grant Lead.
• Can we create a template for the Art Grant Process? 
  • TI: this was drafted by original creator, he will pass this along to Minnie.
• Have the art grant guidelines been reviewed this year? 
  • TI: this is on the list to review.  The plan is to have all policies available online year round.
• When does CITY need information regarding art placement. 
  • ID will discuss with City Planner but target having this finalized by September 1st.
• Do we know the budget for grants?
  • TI: LLC is not far along enough to determine budget.
  • ID: suggestsed Hillary (previous Lead) to take on this position

DMV

• ME: need to review Mutant Vehicle Policy and move to the website/share publicly. 
• ME: will speak to prior DMV leads about onboarding leads for that dept.

Fire Art & Safety
META

• ME: will reach out to the community for build locations.  May 11 Intent to Submit Timeline. 

• Discussion regarding the volunteer events spreadsheet:
  • LL: liked having the volunteer events on the spreadsheet but META events start earlier than other areas.  Suggested ME initiate a spreadsheet when needed for META and combining later, if needed. 

Procession

• Lead documentation and onboarding process pending

Pyro

• No documentation in place at all.  ME may need help developing these.

Sound

• There is currently no Laser Mgmt Policy. Suggested creating a new policy, perhaps under Sound.

Events

• Currently in Discord, Events are under Art.  This should be under participants.
  • MIS will adjust Discord to match.
  • Art Discord is disorganized. MIS suggested change requests via the Media Updates discord channel.
• Can we get an updated Leads Directory so Minnie knows who to reach out to? 
  • CH will provide and send an update when it is available.
  • TI: Earth guardian, Sound Marshall and Ice Leads have been interviewed, Just need approval.  We won’t open up to more applicants for those positions. 
  • Earth Guardians is confirmed to be under the Participants Area to relieve City.
• ME Requested clarity on what types of changes require a vote: 
  • TP: Always make a copy of historical document.  Any changes Leads want to make to your Area is within their purview.   Anything changing for Batcave requires a vote. 
• How do things get posted/shared?
  • MIS suggested using the Discord channel called Media Updates. Requests submitted here will be addressed by MIS as soon as possible.
  • TP clarified communications: Leads can post in Discord/Facebook regarding their own areas, but the larger departmental messaging should come from Batcave.
• ME: Request to set a deadline for Leads to get Survival Guide changes to MIS, but he said this has not been started yet.  TBD.

Actions:

• MIS: adjust Discord to reflect Events under the Participants area.

 
MEDIA
MIS provided the following updates       
General

• Google Calendar at this link is what they released last year, lots of people already have it connected
• Working on website updates. Make sure the Batcave Leadership Directory is updated so he can make sure this is kept up to date.
• Speaking to previous leadership and collecting suggestions and goals for improvement. Will provide frequent updates to Batcave. 
• Updating a lot of documents as they go through.  A lot of changes will be seen on the website. 
• Other updates: removing people’s access on discord (if no longer needed) and cleaning up discord site for ease of use.
• Planning to post volunteer spotlights where previous volunteers write a blog post about their past experiences. Goal is to help to shift the mood regarding volunteerism. 
• To streamline communication, we would like to ensure Media requests aren’t going to MIS directly. 

• MIS: considering a chatbox on the website.
• TP: said a lot of incoming messages are sent to the Mys Facebook. 
• Discussion of Access:  TI to verify if LLC has access, also TP/CH/MIS.  MIS will audit access privileges.
• TP role in Media: he has nothing to do a lot of the times. If you need help with something, reach out to TP because he’s probably available.
• ID: requested all leads have access to their department emails. 
  • TP: reminded all that emails will be forwarded to your personal email so any replies will likely be sent from your personal address.

Social Media
Survival Guide
Website

• TI: Batcave Leadership Directory is fully updated. Once updated, copy over to the 2024 Leads Tab.

Actions:

• All: Ensure your public photo is provided to MIS via link here
• TI/MIS – ensure necessary people have Facebook access

 
 
PARTICIPANTS
LL provided the following updates
General
Earth Guardians:

• Nominated Pebbles for Earth Guardian Lead. Approved.

Events:

• Nominated Raptor for Events Lead. Approved.

Greeters

• Lead Position is still open  .

Ice:

• Two candidates interviewed for Ice Lead.  Will discuss options with TI.  May explore Greeter Lead with one of them.  Will share nominations at the next meeting.

Parking

• Iris coming back, no other updates

Volunteers -

• Community feedback: Some form of consistent volunteer appreciation. Sure, stickers and patches are great, but that’s not balancing the emotional labor that many are experiencing.
  • ZZ/LL unclear where this point came from. 
  • TP: This was likely discussed in a previous meeting.  The goal will be to generate positivity around volunteerism.
• 2023 Volunteer Recap Report
  • All agreed this was very cool.
  • ZZ: on average BM had 248 volunteers per regional burn.  Myschievia had 390 volunteers last year - well above the median for volunteers at regional burns. 
  • TI would love to see the 2023 Volunteer Status Report from ZZ on a blog post.
  • CH: volunteer survey can help foster positivity around volunteerism, ensure volunteers feel heard and appreciated. 
• A volunteer software system specifically for Burns was shared from BAM regional leadership conference
  • TI: LLC unanimously agreed to move forward with this. ZZ forwarded the email to the point of contact to initiate this process.
• ID: was a moop map released last year? 
  • LL did not think one was released but will check.
• Concerns about Earth Guardian shift coverage from Mys 2023. LL can review and determine if shifts should be restructured. 
• ID suggested adding to the Leadership code of conduct: supporting fellow lead’s posts requesting volunteers. 
• MIS: suggests controlled communication regarding volunteer requests, to assess needs in real time.  MIS can adjust volunteer story posts to suite departmental needs.
• LL:  a lot of vol HQ is filling volunteer positions on-site during the event.   Many people are available and willing to help.  So it can be ok to have empty shifts going into the event.  Suggested ensuring the first day of shifts is covered. 

Actions:

• None

           
SAFETY            
MM provided the following updates
General.

• Safety Extravaganza date + venue by Aug 1st
• AAA Accommodation – Vote was proposed to establish this as an official Area ( and whether it should fall under Safety or Participants?)  There will be active volunteers during the event.
• ID: suggested Safety due to the importance of this function.   Voted and Approved.

Emergency Ops
Fire
Gates
Medical
Perimeter
Rangers
Sanctuary

• MM: Propose changing the Sanctuary shirts back to purple.  The shirts were an ugly periwinkle.  TI said that the purple might be used as Actual’s purple color. Intern will ensure Actual’s shirt color is changed if that is the case. 

Actions:

• TI: to discuss Actual shirt color with LLC, if needed

                       
FACILITATOR
CH provided the following updates:

• Lead Roles Filled –
  • CH has a list of people who expressed interest on their feedback form.
• Lead Agreements Signed
• Timelines for each Department
  • CH requested all bring these to next week’s meeting.  This will be used to determine the timing of Summer Town Hall.
• Short 1-on-1 Meetings with CH and CL
  • We can assist and support with document creation, lead job descriptions etc.