[Noisebridge-discuss] General Meeting Notes 7 October 2008

Mitch Altman maltman23 at hotmail.com
Wed Oct 8 10:32:39 UTC 2008


Nice job David!  Thanks!
 
I feel really good about tonight's meeting.  We have a really great group of people.  
And we now have 29 really cool people with keys, so I expect that there will now
be lots of really cool stuff happening at Noisebridge just about any time of day or 
night.  :)
 
Mitch.
 
-------------------> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2008 02:22:53 -0700> From: dmolnar at eecs.berkeley.edu> To: noisebridge-discuss at lists.noisebridge.net> Subject: [Noisebridge-discuss] General Meeting Notes 7 October 2008> > Hi all,> > Here are my notes from the meeting today. Please let me know if you have> any additions, questions, or amendments, etc.. I'll wiki-fy them after a> day or two, including any fixes people send me, unless someone else> feels like doing it.> > Roughly 32-35 people in attendance.> > 1) Incorporation Status> > * Secretary of State has accepted the incorporation documents> * The first Board resolutions to activate the corporation have been> drafted, need to be slightly fixed up, redrafted, and then signed by> Board members. Then we are an active California Public Benefit> Non-Profit corporation.> ** ETA: Wednesday 8 October 2008> ** Andy and Mitch take responsibility for obtaining signatures> * David Molnar will file online for a Tax ID number> * Noisebridge will then open an account with Wells Fargo> ** There is a branch down the street> ** Question about Wells Fargo's stability - they appear to be stable> (they are eating other banks, not being eaten)> ** Question about credit unions -- they appear not to be a good fit for> small businesses> * Wells Fargo can be changed later if membership desires, but we need a> bank account now> > 2) Keys, Dues, Membership> > * Shannon Lee sent out to make many copies of the key to the space> ** People are getting keys tonight> > * Bootstrap Membership process> ** We have talked about a 3 month contribution/waiting period> ** Do not want to prevent people from being members who have contributed> so far!> ** Therefore invite people to join now> ** Initial members will help us all make a membership process> ** Goal: simple 1-page document to sign stating agreement with> Noisebridge mission, disclaim liability, and agree to pay dues on time> > * Dues: where does it go?> ** Rent - $1975/month> ** Electric bill - we're not sure exactly, but $300-$600?> *** Previous tenants paid $365 for 1.3 megawatt-hours (13,000 100-watt> lightbulbs on continuously)> *** House can use 2 megawatt-hours per month> ** Connectivity - DSL + cable bill> ** Consumables - toilet paper, resistors, etc.> > * Board exists to fill will of membership> * Want to trust the members. "We're not sacred cows. Don't be afraid to> kill us."> ** "Don't actually murder us."> > * Want to collect 2x rent every month> ** Cushion because we don't know our monthly expenses yet> ** Will be moving target until we work this out> > * Two proposals for membership fees, assuming 55 members:> 1) Baseline fee of $75, "starving hacker" fee of $50> 2) Baseline fee of $80, "starving hacker" fee of $40> > * We accept donations above membership fee> ** If you want a "Corporate Rate" of $5000/month we can do that> > * Pay 3 months or more at a time if you can> ** Helps Noisebridge figure out what to expect> * Jake promises to sink as much money as needed to keep Noisebridge> running for one year more> > * Feeling that $10 makes a difference to starving hackers, so $80/$40> * What do members get for their dues?> ** Need to work that out with members> ** Keys at a minimum> * Membership lapses? 1 month behind on dues?> ** Another thing to figure out> ** Won't take away key because you're one month behind> > * Door lock progress> ** Goal: keycard lock> ** Thomas is obtaining bill of materials for AnonAccess keycard system> ** We will be obtaining a quote for SALTO DESFire system, too> ** Contact David Molnar to be on the Lock Team> > * For now, trust the members to do the right thing with keys> * Do we redo key discussion when we have a new lock?> ** Probably not, but we will talk about it> ** Likely scenario: trade in key for keycard> * What if income is low enough that $40 is too much?> ** Gender issues, women work for 50 cents/dollar> ** Scholarship program - Noisebridge forgives some dues?> ** Sponsorship/patronage program - one member sponsors another?> ** We will try to work something out> * The $40 is not "hard wired"> * Grants?> ** Jake looking at $150K grant for "hacker in residence" program> * Want to make Noisebridge accessible as possible> * Even if not member, not paying dues, welcome to hang out at space!> * Members will also be part of consensus process> ** Welcome input from non-members too, but members decide> * Greg wanted to point out that the $80/$40 can be reviewed at a future> time, even if we agree to it now> ** Put as agenda item for meeting on wiki> * Treasurer will open source accounting> ** Subject to privacy of donors - $1k in anon donations already> > * Should ask "does anyone disagree" with consensus rather than "does> everyone agree" - easier to hear when there are dissenting voices> ** Adopted> > * After Shannon arrived with the keys (at the end of the meeting), Jake> then asked people to sit down. Then Jake asked people to stand up if> they felt they had made a contribution, that they would continue to make> a contribution, and they were OK with paying dues. Many people stood up,> they all got keys.> > * Consensus: Move forward with $80 baseline, $40 "starving hacker" dues,> with concerns noted about payment in kind, sponsorship, or scholarship> for people that can't afford $40 but still contribute. Also noted that> these numbers are open to revision.> > 3) Consensus Process and Running Meetings> > * Proposals for improving meeting and consensus process:> ** 90 minute time limit to meetings> ** Recorder reads back consensus to everyone, asks "Does anyone disagree?"> ** Do not decide big things in same meeting when introduced> ** Limit ad-hoc agenda items (see also 90 minute time limit)> * Who joins the consensus process? "Wander in off the street" issue.> ** Have to be a member> ** Person has to be a member of a group for consensus to work> ** This deals with "out of nowhere" problem> * Can we get IRC channel to discuss beforehand?> ** Yes. See #noisebridge on irc.freenode.net !> ** Sadly, this by itself does not shorten meetings> * NYC Resistor - need to do a cool project to be a member> * What about members interested but not present?> ** Some weeks people can't leave the apartment> ** People travel> * Ubuntu Boston meetings: webcam, IRC> * Space will have projector, webcam, microphones> * Work on telepresence and tele-consensus needs doing> * Process discussion will go on wiki> * Consensus: we are not done yet discussing the consensus process. More> work needed.> > 4) Safety Committee> > * Seth Schoen is starting a Safety Committee. He couldn't make it> tonight, but he has already started adding things to the space.> * Currently 2 fire extinguishers, some goggles, earplugs, etc.> * e-mail the list and start a wiki page about Safety Committee> * Action items for Safety Committee: figure out agenda items for near> future meeting> * Question - are board members on Safety Committee? Jake is.> * Consensus: we have a Safety Team.> > 5) Kitchen and Chem Lab> > * Shannon previously had suggested on list that we scrap the kitchen and> use it exclusively as a chem lab.> * Shannon stated at the meeting that he felt the consensus was to keep> the kitchen. No one disagreed with this.> * Meredith described plans for a fume hood on casters.> * Meredith and Shannon will form the Chem Lab Team. Talk to them if you> want to help out with building out the chem lab.> > * Consensus: we keep the kitchen. We have a Chem Lab Team.> > 6) Insurance Status> > * David Molnar is handling interactions with insurance agents.> ** One agent gathering a General Liability quote for us> ** Another agent has given us application forms> ** Forms sent to board at lists.noisebridge.net, archives public> ** Check wiki page, ask David if any questions> > * We are applying for the following insurance:> ** $1MM of general liability, $500K per occurrence, because the lease> says we need to have it. Covers slip and fall, accidents, etc.> ** Property theft insurance - $15K replacement cost, $1K deductible, but> this may change depending on the premium. This covers Noisebridge> property of the space only, so it covers the oscilloscope but it DOES> NOT cover your laptop! We will ask about coverage for member property> and see how much it costs.> ** $1MM of Directors & Officers insurance. Protects board and officers> in case a donor sues the corporation for mishandling a donation among> other things. At a previous meeting Alameda County Computer Resource> Center people suggested seriously having this.> > * These are starting points for insurance so we can get up and running.> We can revisit in the future. In particular we may want to increase the> coverage for member property. That depends on our finances and the cost.> Our priority now is to get the basics in place to cover operations.> ** Until then, please don't leave your laptop in the space.> > * Two people pointed out that renters' insurance may cover personal> property lost in the space. Check your coverage!> > * Consensus: David M. should continue to pursue insurance.> > 7) Safari> > * Brian/endenizen is researching Safari, online book service for> O'Reilly books> * Current status is we can get a corporate account at no cost to> Noisebridge proper, then that enables individuals to access cheaper> plans than they could obtain on their own. Need minimum 5 people.> * Plans are pre-paid, cheapest is $153/year in advance> * Cheapest plan is 10 books / 30 day period, not downloadable> * Slightly more expensive plan allows downloading> * Plans rocket up in cost from there> * Still need individual accounts under the corporate account, but these> accounts are transferable> * Brian asked if group is OK with having a group account, also asked if> there were at least 5 people interested> * More than 5 people raised their hands> * Meredith pointed out competing services may be available.> * This does not establish a precedent that all no-fee corporate accounts> are automatically OK. For example, would need to discuss a corporate> Zipcar account. Settle on case-by-case basis.> > * Consensus: Brian can move forward with a corporate account for> Noisebridge and organizing Team Safari. Several members have concerns> about being associated with a service that uses Digital Rights> Management, but these concerns are not blocking. In addition, future> corporate accounts must be discussed on a case-by-case basis.> 
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