Meeting log for 2009-11-11

[MJ Ray]

A pretty quick meeting with President bdale missing without apologies
or report.  Anyone know why?

I think the membership expiry resolution wording relies on a British
notion of common sense and I'm not convinced that the US legal system
is reliably that sensible.  In any case, it would have been polite to
have rejected the suggested changes by email, rather than silently
ignore them until a few minutes before the meeting.


HIGHLIGHTS

20:04:06 <Ganneff> [item 1, Opening] Welcome to today's Software in
the Public Interest board of directors meeting, which is now called to
order. Today's agenda and details of pending resolutions can be found
on the web at:
http://www.spi-inc.org/secretary/agenda/2009/2009-11-11.html

[item 2, Roll Call]

20:04:11 <cdlu> David Graham
20:04:12 <Ganneff> Joerg Jaspert
20:04:13 <Hydroxide> Jimmy Kaplowitz
20:04:14 <luk_> Luk Claes
20:04:16 <schultmc> Michael Schultheiss
20:04:19 <Noodles> Jonathan McDowell

[item 3, President's Report]

<Ganneff> No president, no report

[item 4, Treasurer's Report]

<schultmc> routine treasurer's report was sent out.  Helios' negative
balance is again due to our use of cash based accounting.  this month
I plan on holding a discussion on whether to switch to accrual based
accounting.

<schuldmc> [recognizing money when SPI receives it instead of when you
deposit it] wouldn't solve it since they're drawing on pending credit
card donations which our credit card processor hasn't mailed us a
check for yet. [there is some risk of chargebacks], but they're very
rare.  [SPI is floating the money for Helios until we receive it from
the processor.]

[item 5, Secretaries Report]

<Noodles> Yeah. Zobel apologies; is extremely busy with preparations
for the new baby/work.  He will sort out the 2 outstanding sets of
minutes. I'll do todays.  We have outstanding requests from Sidux and
Yafaray (for associated project status). I think they just need
resolutions drafted.

[item 6, Items up for discussion]

voting results for "Spi resolution 2009-11-04.jmd.1 (Contributing
membership expiry)": Yes: 6

[item 7, Any other business]

[item 8, Next board meeting]
<Ganneff> If I am right this will be the 9th December, again 20:00 UTC

20:20:20 <Ganneff> *GAVEL*


TIMED LOG

20:04:06 <Ganneff> *GAVEL*
20:04:06 <Ganneff> [item 1, Opening] Welcome to today's Software in the Public Interest board of directors meeting, which is now called to order. Today's agenda and details of pending resolutions can be found on the web at: http://www.spi-inc.org/secretary/agenda/2009/2009-11-11.html
20:04:06 <Ganneff> [item 2, Roll Call]
20:04:06 <Ganneff> Board members, please state your name for the record.  As we have nine board members, quorum for today's meeting is six. Guests (including board advisors), please /msg your names to zobel if you wish your attendance to be recorded in the minutes of this meeting
20:04:11 <cdlu> David Graham
20:04:12 <Ganneff> Joerg Jaspert
20:04:13 <Hydroxide> Jimmy Kaplowitz
20:04:14 <luk_> Luk Claes
20:04:14 <Noodles> No, msg Noodles.
20:04:16 <schultmc> Michael Schultheiss
20:04:19 <Noodles> Jonathan McDowell
20:04:46 <Noodles> zobel gave me his regrets earlier (hence why I did the agenda/reminder).
20:04:46 <Ganneff> Ok, msg noodles already if you are a guest.
20:05:04 <Hydroxide> that's 6 == quorum. anyone else?
20:05:46 * Hydroxide suggests we move on
20:06:06 <Ganneff> [item 3, President's Report]
20:06:06 <Ganneff> No president, no report
20:06:11 <Ganneff> [item 4, Treasurer's Report]
20:06:11 <Ganneff> Michael, have fun.
20:06:33 <schultmc> routine treasurer's report was sent out.  Helios' negative balance is again due to our use of cash based accounting
20:06:43 <Hydroxide> schultmc: one question about that
20:06:49 <schultmc> this month I plan on holding a discussion on whether to switch to accrual based accounting
20:07:36 <Ganneff> ok fine.
20:07:43 <Hydroxide> schultmc: I know we discussed it before, but if you just recognized money when SPI receives it instead of when you deposit it, which is the proper way to do cash-based accounting anyway (instead of my quirky/lazy way), why would that not solve the problem for helios?
20:07:49 <luk_> so how can they spend what is not there yet?
20:08:23 <schultmc> Hydroxide: it wouldn't solve it since they're drawing on pending credit card donations which our credit card processor hasn't mailed us a check for yet
20:08:42 <luk_> ah that's how it works
20:08:43 <schultmc> luk_: it's been pledged to them already
20:08:44 <Hydroxide> schultmc: oh. I think we should recognize credit card donations when we receive it at our processor
20:08:48 <Noodles> Is there any risk of chargebacks there?
20:08:55 <Hydroxide> schultmc: that counts as one of our asset accounts I'd say
20:08:58 <schultmc> Noodles: some, but they're very rare
20:09:04 <jello> schultmc: so, SPI is floating the money for Helios until we receive it from the processor?
20:09:11 <schultmc> jello: yes
20:09:18 <jello> k
20:09:24 <Hydroxide> credit card accounts for the cardholder are usually considered an asset account even under cash-based accounting
20:09:30 <Hydroxide> so that's the simplest fix and it's what I'd suggest
20:09:36 <schultmc> ok
20:09:47 <luk_> yes, that would make more sense than actual accrual accounting IMHO
20:09:48 <Ganneff> ok. fine. anything more for this meeting or go on?
20:09:55 <schultmc> nothing from me
20:09:57 * jello agrees with Hydroxide 
20:09:57 <luk_> go on :-)
20:09:59 <Ganneff> [item 5, Secretaries Report]
20:09:59 <Ganneff> Zobels/Noodles task. Though I thought next month will hand over to Noodles its this month already. :)
20:10:13 <Ganneff> (it seems : ) )
20:10:21 <Noodles> Yeah. Zobel apologies; is extremely busy with preparations for the new baby/work.
20:10:38 <Noodles> He will sort out the 2 outstanding sets of minutes. I'll do todays.
20:10:56 <Ganneff> and you continue to be secretary from now on, i guess
20:10:57 <Noodles> We have outstanding requests from Sidux and Yafaray.
20:11:12 <Noodles> (for associated project status)
20:11:16 <luk_> tnx to zobel for his efforts and good luck with the kids!
20:11:20 <Noodles> I think they just need resolutions drafted.
20:11:38 <Ganneff> so for next meeting then. do we have any spi board member behind them getting it done?
20:12:10 <Noodles> It's fairly boiler plate, right? If anyone has an affinity to either project they're probably best placed, otherwise I can churn out the standard resolutions.
20:12:14 <Hydroxide> (correction for whoever's writing up the minutes or reading the logs: I got the wording wrong but not the meaning. credit card accounts are liabilities for the cardholder but merchant accounts are assets for the merchant. doesn't change my suggestion except terminologically)
20:12:35 <Hydroxide> Ganneff: I think zobel took responsibility previously - someone else probably should. I'm too busy myself
20:12:42 <Hydroxide> Noodles: yes, rather boilerplate
20:13:05 <luk_> Hydroxide: I did not want to nitpick on the terminology :-)
20:13:09 <Ganneff> ok, lets leave it with noodles then. :)
20:13:12 <Hydroxide> luk_: I did :)
20:13:14 <Ganneff> anything else or next topic? noodles?
20:13:18 <Noodles> I'm done.
20:13:20 <Ganneff> [item 6, Items up for discussion]
20:13:20 <Ganneff> Thats also Noodles. Should be SPI resolution 2009-11-04.jmd.1 (Contributing membership expiry)
20:13:36 <Noodles> I claim it's cdlu and I'm just tweaking. ;)
20:13:41 * Ganneff assumes Noodles has the voting foo ready?
20:13:53 <cdlu> the tweaks are fine with me
20:14:00 <cdlu> so my vote is yes in case my connection craps out between now and the call :)
20:14:00 <Noodles> Yeah, I have the script. Does anyone want to discuss it or straight to bote?
20:14:01 <jello> is there a final resolution posted somewhere?
20:14:06 <cdlu> jello, in the agenda
20:14:07 <Hydroxide> one comment
20:14:19 <Noodles> Go for it.
20:15:22 <luk_> I think it's ok as is for voting
20:15:25 <Ganneff> jello: jftr - during meetings talking is usually limited here to spi board only.
20:15:25 <Hydroxide> one consequence of this is that we won't be able to use this mechanism to fix the membership roster before next july/august, and so won't be able to fix our bylaws before then. that might indeed be fine if we need that time to prepare revised bylaws anyway, which is likely
20:15:49 <Ganneff> we definitely will :)
20:15:55 <Hydroxide> ok :)
20:16:00 * Hydroxide ready to vote
20:16:01 <luk_> Hydroxide: how so, the membership committee can still change things
20:16:09 <Ganneff> vote vote.
20:16:10 <cdlu> Hydroxide, that seems strangely low risk.
20:16:11 <Hydroxide> luk_: that's true, in which case we don't need the resolution at all
20:16:38 <Ganneff> luk_: the mc might do something. but we cant generally apply that rule for something in the past.
20:16:41 <luk_> we don't NEED it, we just want it to be an addition to what the membership committee can do already
20:16:50 <Noodles> Yeah, it gives us a procedure people will know about.
20:16:56 <Hydroxide> ok, so it's just giving people notice that it will happen in addition to membership committee's powers
20:17:00 <Hydroxide> that's good then
20:17:01 <Noodles> And thus can't complain about the same way as a random cleanup.
20:17:03 * Hydroxide ready to vote
20:17:12 <luk_> right
20:17:14 <Noodles> Voting started, 6 people (cdlu,ganneff,hydroxide,noodles,luk_,schultmc) allowed to vote on Spi resolution 2009-11-04.jmd.1 (Contributing membership expiry). - You may vote yes/no/abstain only, type !vote $yourchoice now.
20:17:20 <Ganneff> !vote yes
20:17:21 <Noodles> !vote yes
20:17:21 <schultmc> !vote yes
20:17:23 <luk_> !vote yes
20:17:23 <Hydroxide> !vote yes
20:17:36 <Ganneff> cdlu: 
20:17:57 <Noodles> He said his connection might die and he was voting yes. :)
20:18:06 <Ganneff> yes
20:18:06 <Noodles> Forced vote yes on cdlu
20:18:11 <Noodles> Current voting results for "Spi resolution 2009-11-04.jmd.1 (Contributing membership expiry)": Yes: 6, No: 0, Abstain: 0, Missing: 0 ()
20:18:14 <Noodles> Voting for "Spi resolution 2009-11-04.jmd.1 (Contributing membership expiry)" closed.
20:18:18 <Ganneff> we have a winner :)
20:18:23 <Ganneff> so that was this, lets go on
20:18:26 <Ganneff> [item 7, Any other business]
20:18:26 <Ganneff> Anyone with a topic?
20:18:52 <Ganneff> going once
20:19:15 <Ganneff> going twice
20:19:30 <Ganneff> [item 8, Next board meeting]
20:19:30 <Ganneff> If I am right this will be the 9th December, again 20:00 UTC
20:19:30 <Ganneff> [item 8, Next board meeting]
20:19:30 <Ganneff> If I am right this will be the 9th December, again 20:00 UTC
20:19:39 <Ganneff> wuhuu. one meeting only. :)
20:19:48 <Noodles> That's what I'd calculated too. Works for me.
20:19:56 <schultmc> works for me 
20:20:00 <Hydroxide> fine
20:20:01 <luk_> works for me
20:20:17 <Ganneff> ok. fine. thanks everyone for attending.
20:20:20 <Ganneff> *GAVEL*

-- 
MJ Ray (slef)  Webmaster and LMS developer at     | software
www.software.coop http://mjr.towers.org.uk        |  .... co
IMO only: see http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html |  .... op