I vote to delay 2-3 weeks.
Jessica
On Jan 6, 2022, 11:14 AM -0600, Bob Russin <funbobby9107@xxxxxxxxx>, wrote:
I vote to begin on Tuesday.
On Thu, Jan 6, 2022 at 11:09 AM Thomas Hensle <tomhensle@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Thank you for the information and your opinions.
I will admit I'm somewhat torn about how appropriate it is to re-vote on
something like this. We hardly ever truly vote on something, and to so
soon reconsider a vote in this manner somewhat undermines the legitimacy
of our decisions as a body. We have the luxury of being a reasonably
sized board comprised of people who agree most of the time on important
and day-to-day issues. Were we a board with different stakes and members
who consistently challenged each other's views, we would have to stick by
the decisions we make lest chaos ensue.
I am ok with taking another vote by email based on the developed opinions
of some members. Can every board member please email with one of the
following:
• I vote to begin band next Tuesday
• I vote to delay the start of band 2-3 (TBD) weeks
• I abstain
Tom
On Wed, Jan 5, 2022 at 9:44 PM Jessica Johnson
<jessica.a.johnson@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I can see the point about polling not being necessary or beneficial
at this juncture. Honestly, the main reason I recommended it was to
just buy us some time to process this decision a bit more, especially
in light of the information Jimmy shared and the massive increase in
cases that Warren just mentioned.
I talked with a good friend who works full time at a hospital in
Austin (not the same one I’m at). He genuinely thought I was joking
when I told him about the plans to start this Tuesday. That’s why I’m
concerned about this. Along with:
-Short-staffing due to RNs, PTs, techs, etc having left the field
over the past year
-Short-staffing due to COVID+ personnel
-Even if a patient is hospitalized for say, a broken bone, and they
are found to be asymptomatic COVID, the staff still have to take
extraordinary caution to not spread it to their next pt.
-Omicron is spreading so rapidly that there is a good chance (not a
guarantee, but a good chance) that this wave will burn out more
quickly than others, meaning that postponing wouldn’t be a months
long delay like it’s been for us in the past.
-***No one is more tired of this damn pandemic than hospital staff.***
I’m not sharing this to guilt trip anyone. It’d just feel shady(?) if
I didn’t.
Jessica
On Jan 5, 2022, 8:32 PM -0600, Warren Gill <mymaestro@xxxxxxxxx>,
wrote:
First, I agree a poll at this time is not going to change anything,
and would not be helpful in making a decision. For those and other
reasons Tom brings, polling won't work.
Two things changed my outlook, since last night.
1) Advice from a trusted professional (other groups also not
rehearsing, and cases hitting "close to home")
2) A look at the latest stats. 1250 new cases TODAY will probably
tip the scale to move into Stage 5 (another source shows 2,310 new
cases but 0 yesterday (hmm)
https://g.co/kgs/obRjzq
https://austin.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/39e4f8d4acb0433baae6d15a931fa984
3) My gut feel is this will pass quickly, with the new variant
being very contagious but not loading the hospitals as deeply.
On Wed, Jan 5, 2022 at 7:51 PM Thomas Hensle
<tomhensle@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Team,
My first question is: what has changed since last night? I
don't think that circumstances have shifted significantly since
our meeting. We touched on the possibility of postponement, but
no one expressed interest in it or pushed for further
discussion of it that I recall.
I don't really like the idea of another poll. It feels like a
punt of responsibility after we've already discussed and made
the decision. If we really do want to postpone, we can decide
to do so without a poll.
Part of our decision was acknowledging that band members are
capable of deciding what risk they will tolerate in the current
era of Covid. This is somewhat of a shift from our earlier
pandemic reasons for postponement when there was less
information and no vaccines and/or boosters. Would a poll save
us a wasted hour if only 12 people show up next Tuesday? Yes.
But is that really a wasted hour at this point, given the
framework for how we came to our decision last night?
I do think we should be flexible enough as a board to change
our collective mind and re-vote on a decision we made if the
need arises and/or we get new information. My opinion is that
we do not need to in this case.
We should continue this discussion relatively quickly so that
we can inform the band of what is to come.
Thanks,
Tom
On Wed, Jan 5, 2022 at 6:21 PM Marc Frazier
<marcdfrazier@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Polling wouldn’t hurt anything.
Short delays might be easier for everyone to stomach than
on again-off again.
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 5, 2022, at 5:12 PM, Jessica Johnson
<jessica.a.johnson@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I support the idea of polling the membership to see if we
should postpone starting rehearsals for 2-3 weeks.
Jessica
On Jan 5, 2022, 4:48 PM -0600, Caroline Soper
<caroline.m.soper@xxxxxxxxx>, wrote:
I'm thinking it might be best to postpone 2-3 weeks
atleast with the latest surges going on after the
holidays. That would give people additional time to get
boosted. There have been a number of cases at my work
place too in the last month. What is our current plan
if Travis county moves to stage 5?
Caroline
On Wed, Jan 5, 2022, 4:17 PM Ellen Knapton
<eknapton@xxxxxxx> wrote:
We could poll members to see who would actually
return now vs postponing a week or two.
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 5, 2022, at 4:00 PM, Warren Gill
<mymaestro@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Much as I hate second-guessing, a week delay?
On Wed, Jan 5, 2022 at 2:27 PM James Bigham
<jbigham98@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
*pokes head up out of trenches* "stuffs
really on fire, yo.
Hi gang. Just wanted to give a heads up that
things are grim on the front lines. I've had
3 minions go down with a case of covid over
the last 2 days. Lots, and I mean lots of
tests are coming back positive. As much as I
want to be back and playing again, an
unbiased assessment of the dumpster fire
we're in is necessary. It might behoove the
group to postpone.
Alright, back to the trenches. More shells
incoming. Stay safe out there.
Jimmythetuba
On Wed, Jan 5, 2022, 1:59 PM Marc Frazier
<marcdfrazier@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Nicely done.
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 5, 2022, at 12:32 PM, Warren
Gill <mymaestro@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
The acweboard@xxxxxxxxxxxxx email
address does not accept mail from
outside the group.
In fact I sent one to this mail from
another account, and I don't see it in
the forum.
On Tue, Jan 4, 2022 at 10:50 PM
Thomas Hensle <tomhensle@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Let me know if there are changes to
be made or things I missed. Thanks
for the notes Melissa!
Hello Band!
Happy New Year!
The Board voted last night to go
ahead as planned with beginning
ACWE's season next Tuesday the 11th
at 7:30 PM. Vaccinations are
currently required to attend
rehearsals. Please read through the
points below for all of the
information regarding rehearsals
and the Band's Covid Protocols.
• Vaccinations are currently
required to attend rehearsals.
Participants must be fully
vaccinated, by the CDC definition
(currently 2 doses of Pfizer or
Moderna or 1 dose of J&J). Please
bring proof of vaccination to the
first rehearsal you attend. Once
Travis county drops to stage 2 of
Covid Alert, proof of vaccination
will no longer be required.
• If you are exposed to someone who
tests positive for Covid, or is
showing Covid symptoms, please do
not come to rehearsal for at least
one week.
• Any member who gets Covid agrees
to inform the ACWE board by email
(acweboard@xxxxxxxxxxxxx). The
board will then notify all ACWE
members who were at the previous
rehearsal with that band member.
Please wait to return to rehearsals
until one week after symptoms
disappear.
• Attendance will be taken at each
rehearsal. Minimum attendance
requirements will not be enforced.
Please stay home to be safe as
needed.
• Masks are required in the
Covenant Church building, please
wear a mask when outside of the
rehearsal area.
• Brass players, please bring your
own cloth to catch spit each
rehearsal.
First rehearsal items to bring:
-proof of vaccination
-mask
-spit cloth for brass players
-your horn
-you!
We hope to make the best of this
season while maintaining a
reasonably safe environment for our
friends. Please do not take any
risks you are uncomfortable with.
The Board has spent a lot of time
discussing the Band's return to
music in person. We've tried to
find the appropriate balance of
risk and reward, and more than
anything we look forward to being
able to play music together again.
Thank you,
Tom
