Board Meeting 2012-11-15

This board meeting originally scheduled for the 2012-11-22 has been re-scheduled for the 15th of November 2012 at 20.00 UTC on IRC and follow up voting on Skype or by email.

Agenda

• roll call
• appoint meeting chair, meeting scribe/secretary
• Review and approve past minutes: Board Meeting 2012-10-11
• Review FOSS4G 2013 budget provided by Peter and Steven (on board-priv).
• Finance update (501(c)(3) status). Options as per http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/board/2012-November/010340.html
  • A- A non-profit 501c3 foundation with a focus on education with a new taxable subsidiary to handle the project sponsorship program and any other taxable activity that won't belong in the 501c3.
  • B- A non-profit 501c3 foundation with the educational focus, and drop completely the project sponsorship program and any other taxable activities (restricting ourselves to non-profit educational activities)... note that a conference like FOSS4G, other than for the (minor) sponsor advertizing aspect that comes with it, is a guenuine educational activity, so that should not be a problem
  • C- If we don't respond then I guess we'll be treated as a taxable corporation by default (this is my guess, not verified)... note that if our goal is not to make profits and manage our finances accordingly then we probably don't pay much taxes, but once again those are my guesses and would remain to be verified
• LocationTech relationship
  • updates/thoughts
• please add items

Minutes

• logistics
  • detailed conversation log: http://irclogs.geoapt.com/osgeo/%23osgeo.2012-11-15.log
  • Attending: Frank, Cameron, Anne, Peter, Jachym, Jeff, Daniel
  • Absent with regrets: Michael, Mark
  • Chair: Frank
  • Secretary: Cameron (retrospectivel)
  • Guests: dbb (Brian Hamlin)

• previous meeting minutes.
  • MOTION: Cameron moved to accept prior minutes, motion carried: http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Board_Meeting_2012-10-11

• FOSS4G 2013 budget:
  • General trust mentioned in current foss4g 2013 board.
  • MOTION Peter Batty moved to accept FOSS4G 2013 budget, motion carried.

• corporate status - 501(c)3, etc
  • Reasonable discussion over options A, B, C from agenda.
  • MOTION: FrankW makes a motion to continue to pursue 501(c)3 status with an educational focus and adjusting programs as needed to comply. (This is option B). motion carried.
  • Suggestions to reach out to others, especially SF foundation center (through SF OSGeo chapter), and Eclipse Foundation
  • ACTION: Daniel to be leading the response to the IRS
  • ACTION: FrankW and dbb talk to the SF foundation center,
  • ACTION: FrankW to initiate discussions with the Eclipse lawyer

• Next meeting
  • 13th of December 2012 at 20.00 UTC http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?year=2012&month=12&day=13&hour=20&min=0&sec=0

Assigned Tasks

• • ACTION: Daniel to be leading the response to the IRS
  • ACTION: FrankW and dbb talk to the SF foundation center,
  • ACTION: FrankW to initiate discussions with the Eclipse lawyer

Motions

• • MOTION: Cameron moved to accept prior minutes, motion carried: http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Board_Meeting_2012-10-11
  • MOTION Peter Batty moved to accept FOSS4G 2013 budget, motion carried.
  • MOTION: FrankW makes a motion to continue to pursue 501(c)3 status with an educational focus and adjusting programs. Carried.

All the motions were officially voted on by email on the board list and approved: http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/board/2012-November/010376.html