Minutes:2005 BOSC Meeting
Venue: Renaissance Center in Detroit, on the first floor next to the Starbucks.
Date: June 23, 2005, 16:15.
Call to order:
- Board members present: Chris, Hilmar, Ewan, Andrew
- Others: Jason Stajich
Chris / Treasurer’s Report
- Review of the accounts / passing the statements around
- Summary of response to the fraud attempt
- Request to activate the debit card. Granted.
- The account got a $9,000 deposit but we don’t know who it comes from. Chris will investigate.
- We have not yet received our money from the Glasgow BOSC. Chris will follow up on that.
- Chris will pull the current credit report for Open Bio.
- Develop a succession / “hit by the bus” plan for hardware and people. Eg, can we get access to the account if Chris decides to be a beach bum in the S. Pacific?
- We did not pay Delaware to renew our corporate registration. Chris will look into getting the right person to fix that and pay any penalties.
- Some discussion about letting Chris make minor (<$1,000) payments without a counter-signature. Hilmar pointed out that’s in the new bylaws
New Bylaws, Membership
Hilmar presentation of the new OBF bylaws. We reviewed it and made comments. Some time later he finished.
Discussion: how does someone become a member?
- Paypal? No, some people don’t like Paypal.
- Apply in person at BOSC or sending contact information to the Parliamentarian?
- Perhaps have two existing members vouch for a new member?
Proposal from Ewan: Move to accept the bylaws as presented with the membership criterion to be developed by the Parliamentarian and adopted in the future. Chris seconded. Motion passsed by unanimous consent.
Hilmar proposes to increase the board membership by one. Chris seconded. Motion passsed by unanimous consent.
Hilmar nominiates Jason Stajich for a member-at-large seat. Chris seconded. Motion passsed by unanimous consent. Secret ballot carried out and counted as per the new bylaws. Jason elected; 4 yeas – 0 nays
Chris nominates Hilmar for Parliamentarian. Jason seconded. Motion passsed by unanimous consent.
Ewan presents his written resignation notice for his position as President.
Hilmar proposes that the membership requirements for Jason to be a board member to be waived. Chris seconded. Motion passsed by unanimous consent.
Hilmar nominates Jason as president. (Allowed under the new bylaws.) Andrew seconded. Motion passsed by unanimous consent. Election took place. Jason elected; 4 yeas – 0 nays
Hilmar proposes that the membership requirements for Ewan to be a board member be waived. Seconded by Jason. Motion passsed by unanimous consent.
Hilmar nominates Ewan to fill the now empty board-at-large seat. Seconded by Jason. Motion passsed by unanimous consent. Election took place. Ewan is now an at-large board member with 4 yeas – 0 nays
Ewan proposes that the people who apply for membership at BOSC will be accepted as members and that the Parliamentarian will incorprate this into the membership requirements. Seconded by Andrew. Motion passsed by unanimous consent.
Action item: Hilmar will prepare forms which will be acceptable for the membership requirements.
Discussion of the events leading up to the recent hackathon attempt. The big problems were: lack of funding for room and travel, short lead time for scheduling, and requirement that all people also be at the WWDC, meaning two weeks away. The OBF is willing to help with some of the funding for a hackathon. We will bring this up with Suzi.BOSC 2006
Travel to Brazil is expensive and out of the way. Not everyone on the Board is sure they can make it for next year. Should we consider subsidising board travel?
Action item: Does Darin want to organize BOSC for next year? Request for people to volunteer.
Outreach & Diversity
A general lament on how we’re a bunch of white men and we should encourage more diversity. For that matter, we’re rather close knit, which is good, but it doesn’t help bring in enough new people to lead projects, help with BOSC, be on the Board, etc.
Chris: Move to adjourn.
Jason: Seconded.
Motion passed by unanimous consent.
Closed at 18:15. A two hour meeting.