This is what Democracy Looks Like! Sebastopol approves 24/7 presence in plaza!

[Barry]

I just got back from a rather exceptional "emergency" Sebastopol City Council meeting. There was a high degree of ongoing public comments. The city tried to wrestle with an unsigned camping permit. Attorney David Bush did a good job, being both slightly testy and humorous, of portraying how that model didn't fit the rather organic reality.

Occupy Sebastopol had tentatively proposed a compromise (see below) of just keeping a 10x10 tent there 24/7 without overnight sleeping. Jonathan Greenberg proposed a first draft of it on this afternoon's General Assembly and it was further modified by the 6pm GA. However, it sounded like it did not have final GA approval.

About 30 citizens, some of which were directly involved in the occupation and some not, spoke passionately in support of the occupiers and the compromise, including Robert Jacobs of Executive Director of Peace in Medicine, Jim "Mr. Music" Corbett. and Ben Browner who is a Sebastopol resident who is an Occupy Santa Rosa participant who helped negotiate a permit obtained last week for camping at Santa Rosa City Hall. One citizen spoke against the occupation.

In the end, City Attorney, Larry McLaughlin, got on board with the occupation being a 1st amendment exercise of free speech, which substantially shifted the energy, IMO.

Basically the council accepted the compromise as is, with a Monday deadline. Overall, they were quite supportive! Sarah Gurney and Michael Kyes were openly supportive from the start. Kathleen Shaffer and Mayor Guy Wilson warmed up as the evening went on. Patrick Slayter was quiet until the end when it gave the occupation his full support.

Not only does this resolve the issue in Sebastopol, it seems like an excellent model for Occupy 2.0, especially over winter. It maintains a symbolic 24/7 presence, while sidestepping the homelessness issue, inclement weather, and assorted other practical concerns while providing a functional ongoing base of operations.

Police Chief Weaver won accolades from all sides, especially for showing up for a meeting with the Occupiers with ( un-magical) Brownies!
This is what Democracy Looks Like!

[Barry]

The Occupy Sebastopol Peacetown Compromise

From the General Assembly of Occupy Sebastopol
Draft November 16, 2011

We, the activists involved in the Occupy Sebastopol effort, have come to feel that the issue of permits and sleeping overnight in tents in our town square park is creating unnecessary friction with our city government and some members of our community. We believe that our community supports the protest of the Occupy Movement and that it is important to focus on the core issues and free expression of Occupy Sebastopol, and not be distracted, or conflicted, by the issue of a camping permit.

Occupy Sebastopol is standing up to express that the political and economic system of our society and government is not acceptable, that the class warfare of economic injustice, environmental degradation, and the corruption of our government by the 1% needs to end. We are standing up, and will not end this peaceful, legal protest until real change comes.

But we also believe in being the change we want to see. Our right to free speech, to assemble, and to petition our government are core principles which we will not compromise. Tents have been part of that symbolic speech, but we do not want to create a conflict with our police department, Council, or community. So, in the sprit of our progressive city’s naming itself Peacetown USA two years ago, we offer this Occupy Sebastopol Peacetown Compromise, with the hope that it can be used as a model of cooperation for cities elsewhere.

We require that Occupy Sebastopol be permitted to retain a protest presence indefinitely, in the form of a protest table, educational resources, and a tent enclosure to protect the area form the elements, in the form of the white pop-up tent that currently serves this purpose. We request notice of two working days if the City decides to evict this tent, to give us sufficient time to file a federal appeal on our First Amendment rights. We also intend to form an intergovernmental working group, and request that the City Council recognizes and agrees to work with this group as a new citizen’s advisory committee.

In return, we will disband all sleeping tents within 48 hours and agree not to have people sleep in the park. We will also continue to obey all applicable park regulations, and not interfere in any way with the normal community uses for this park.

And a draft resolution from Saray Gurney that was not voted on:

[msl]

Good for us, Sebastopol...for everyone involved in this solution!

The Occupy Sebastopol Peacetown Compromise

From the General Assembly of Occupy Sebastopol
Draft November 16, 2011

We, the activists involved in the Occupy Sebastopol effort, have come to feel that the issue of permits and sleeping overnight in tents in our town square park is creating unnecessary friction with our city government and some members of our community. We believe that our community supports the protest of the Occupy Movement and that it is important to focus on the core issues and free expression of Occupy Sebastopol, and not be distracted, or conflicted, by the issue of a camping permit.

Occupy Sebastopol is standing up to express that the political and economic system of our society and government is not acceptable, that the class warfare of economic injustice, environmental degradation, and the corruption of our government by the 1% needs to end. We are standing up, and will not end this peaceful, legal protest until real change comes.

But we also believe in being the change we want to see. Our right to free speech, to assemble, and to petition our government are core principles which we will not compromise. Tents have been part of that symbolic speech, but we do not want to create a conflict with our police department, Council, or community. So, in the sprit of our progressive city’s naming itself Peacetown USA two years ago, we offer this Occupy Sebastopol Peacetown Compromise, with the hope that it can be used as a model of cooperation for cities elsewhere.

We require that Occupy Sebastopol be permitted to retain a protest presence indefinitely, in the form of a protest table, educational resources, and a tent enclosure to protect the area form the elements, in the form of the white pop-up tent that currently serves this purpose. We request notice of two working days if the City decides to evict this tent, to give us sufficient time to file a federal appeal on our First Amendment rights. We also intend to form an intergovernmental working group, and request that the City Council recognizes and agrees to work with this group as a new citizen’s advisory committee.

In return, we will disband all sleeping tents within 48 hours and agree not to have people sleep in the park. We will also continue to obey all applicable park regulations, and not interfere in any way with the normal community uses for this park.

And a draft resolution from Saray Gurney that was not voted on: