As many of you already know we are quickly approaching the “why does the wind hurt my face” months here in the Midwest. We have completed some maintenance on the boiler and will have it up and running here shortly. I would however currently recommend that you bring a sweatshirt to the lab if possible. 

The board would like to thank everyone for their proactivity in coming in to get cards replaced! If you have yet to do so please make sure to email [email protected] to get a time scheduled. Just a reminder that we no longer have access to the front of the building. That means please do not knock on the front door, try to enter through the interior glass dividing door, or try to enter the front area through the front set of basement steps. The tenets are a completely separate entity from the Co-Lab and deserve our respect. Furthermore on this subject. Please make sure you are not propping open doors, specifically during the winter months as it leads to a large increase in our utility costs. 

This winter we will be implementing a new policy around using stains, paints, and finishes in the lab. We now share our plenum and thus air with another tenant and it is only fair that both the new tenants and the rest of the QC Co-Lab membership have a comfortable and collaborative space to work. The new policy reads as follows and can be found on qccolab.com under Policies. 

• Any use of paint or finish that creates a poor working environment for the rest of the lab will not be permitted. In our mission statement, we are designated as a place for collaboration and that isn’t possible unless this policy is followed. Violations could result in changes to membership status or termination.

If you have any questions please feel free to reach out via email to [email protected].

The last bit of information I have for you is that we have set a date for our annual membership meeting. The membership meeting to vote on new board members, as well as any bylaws changes, will take place on Sunday, March 13th at 2:00 PM with a meeting of the new board to follow. PLEASE put this in your calendar and make an effort to attend. This is our chance as an organization and your chance as a member to make your voice heard and contribute to our continued success!

As many members already know we have moved out of the front of the building. This means we will not be able to use that front door to gain entry to the building. This also means that we will be retiring the old access system. The new system is currently set up on the middle side door and will soon also be available at the rear door by the dumpster.

If you do not have a new access card please reach out to [email protected] to set up a time to get one. We have been in the process of converting people for a little over 6 months now; however, the current situation is forcing our hand. The process takes about 5 min to complete. Furthermore, on 10/30/2021 and 10/31/2021 the lab will be staffed after 7:00 PM to get you a new card if you were unable to schedule ahead of time.

The QC Co-Lab board of directors has voted to adopt a list of policy definitions to help describe and convey the policy of the QC Co-Lab. The list of current definitions can be found here or by navigating to the Info tab and then looking under Policies. This will hopefully be a living document that will be updated regularly to help increase the understanding and enforcement of our policies.

The QC Co-Lab has decided to simplify our membership offerings.  The goal for this change is to  increase inclusivity and to  better manage 
the training  and  access of members  that are currently  using the QC
Co-Lab’s family membership option.

Effective  September  31st we will be ending our family membership option.  In its place,  we will be making all memberships family memberships.  We are primarily hoping this action will remove any monetary roadblocks that could prevent members from working with and involving their families at the QC Co-Lab.

The new standard membership will include up to 4 family members, over the age of 18,  that are currently living in the same household that is listed with the QC Co-Lab. Each family member will need to fill out membership paperwork in order to receive their entry badge.  These memberships will maintain  1 vote per family during membership meetings,  and may only nominate 1 person from the family to a board position.  A majority board vote would be needed to allow exceptions to any of this,  all of which will be timeboxed and audited exceptions.

Any member that currently has a family membership will automatically see their payments reduced to the standard $35 a month.  Members that paid for their family members with the yearly option will be receiving a pro-rated reimbursement for the difference in the price of the time remaining in their membership.  If in  October you see that your rate has not changed or you have not received the reimbursement stated above  please contact us so we can correct the issue.

In the same theme as the membership simplification,  we are also simplifying and expanding access to our discounts.  Previously we were offering a few different types of discounts, and they weren’t all clearly publicized on the website. We are hoping to correct this and continue to break down monetary barriers by offering a single hardship discount that anyone is able to apply for. These discounts will be offered for 3-month  timeframes, with the option to re-apply every 3 months,  and will be determined by a majority vote of the Board of  Directors.

We have thus far been able to keep the dues for members significantly lower than other metros in the Midwest and at the lowest rate in  Iowa. As stated above we would very much like to remove any type of monetary barrier that might be standing in members’ way of their creativity or passion to make. The Co-Lab’s continued existence and progression are only possible due to the support of our members.

The Co-Lab has decided to have the building sprayed for insects. This will be a building-wide process that will happen a minimum of once per month for two months. An exact date for the spraying has not yet been set but as soon as it is there will be notice given on the Announcements page of the website, a pinned post in Teams as well as signage on rented rooms and around the lab in general. Be on the lookout for updated dates regarding the insect control timeline.

The Co-Lab has decided to allow all members to return the cans that are located in the lab. This is to lower the number of cans left around the lab at any given time. Please feel free to remove the cans from the lab as long as they are being returned or recycled.