[Noisebridge-discuss] Where we're at organizationally, plus call for Board of Directors nominees

[Rachel McConnell]

Here's a brief overview of Stuff, some of which some of you have already 
heard.

So you all may recall that Jake, Andy, David, Mitch, and I were meeting 
with this lawyer specializing in nonprofit corporations (Matt was 
planning to come as well but he has been sick).  We did that last week 
and got a lot of good information, as well as a $300 bill, so that's 
where all our money is going so far!  (My vote is to do what we can sans 
lawyers going forward, although I do believe this was money well spent.)

The basics of the meeting are that we really ought to be a CA nonprofit 
corporation, and file for federal 501-c3 tax exempt status as soon as we 
can get the paperwork together.  The several other ideas we had about 
organizing ourselves did not make as much sense as this.  Apparently it 
is quite fast to file the papers and get Official Corporation Status, we 
mostly just have to file Articles of Incorporation and bylaws, list our 
board of directors, and pay a fee the amount of which I do not recall.

The lawyer has just sent us a set of bylaws for nonprofits that she 
uses, which we are able to alter and use for ourselves.  Anyone wants to 
read the originals, let me know, but I advise you to save your lawyer 
hat for the revised versions which JADMM&R will be working on and will 
send out for discussion when we are happy with them.  I don't think it 
will be too long, actually; imho what we got is pretty good.

One thing that is worth thinking about now is the board of directors. 
We are required by law to have one.  There are some restrictions on the 
number which I haven't looked up yet, but I suggest we have no fewer 
than 5 and no more than 11, assuming that's a legal range.

I am nominating Jake, Andy, David, Mitch, Matt, and myself - anyone else 
want to be on the board or nominate someone to be on the board?  Any of 
you I just mentioned, NOT want to be on the board?

We may also need officers (I am not clear if this is required by law or 
not) but if so they can be assigned from the board later, with the 
exception that we already have Mitch as Treasurer by consensus from a 
while back.  It looks like all officers are automatically board members 
so we can wait on assigning titles until we have a good director pool.

Speak up!  Don't be shy!  Yay for the organizational crap!  All Hail 
Noisebridge!

Rachel (takes a deep breath and lets it out again)