2016-11-24 AGM Transcript

Rob Hunt [6:56 PM]  
Welcome to the 2016 Nottingham Hackspace AGM being held on Thursday 24th November at Antenna

Rob Hunt [7:05 PM]  
Okay we're quorate at 103 members, 37 present, 8 represented by proxies and 58 proxied via email

Rob Hunt [7:24 PM]  
AGM started at 19:24

[7:25]  
No AOB like every other AGM

[7:25]  
Agenda:

[7:25]  
Roll Call

[7:25]  
State of the union

[7:25]  
financial report

[7:25]  
special resolution: definitions

[7:25]  
special resolution: elections

[7:25]  
Patrick McDonald

[7:26]  
1. State of the Union (hackspace)

[7:26]  
up to 494 members

[7:26]  
average of 8.9 members/month

[7:26]  
Feel free to ask questions, Daniel will provide a mic

[7:27]  
Tasos: question about members per month

[7:27]  
Members per month is joined - left

[7:27]  
Some team are struggling for members, especially #membership and #comms (edited)

[7:28]  
Question about team membership: Can we sign up at any time if we didn't do it on the way in?

[7:29]  
Yes

[7:29]  
Kate: Comms team is currently only 2 people

[7:29]  
James: We will be running some drives over the next year for teams

[7:29]  
New Tools: mini lathe, milling machine, bench PSU, CNC mill, projectors, new fridge

[7:30]  
Complaints: 14 since November last year, 1 still active

[7:31]  
EMF: Electro Magnetic Field - big geek festival, we had a huge village there

[7:31]  
Every 2 years, next one is 2018, keep an eye on the google group

[7:31]  
We took 2 big things to EMF: Fire Pong by Mouse and Ian, also took Toby's Mystery machine

[7:33]  
Hackspace 2.5, took on new space last December

[7:33]  
Had loans from members in April this year

[7:33]  
Also got a £10,000 lottery grant around the same time

[7:34]  
Since December we've taken down many walls, cleared 4 skips and 2 lorries worth of rubbish

[7:35]  
Hack evenings on Tuesdays making progress

[7:35]  
Doors are taking much longer than expected

[7:35]  
Budget was predicted at £1000 for 10 doors last December

Ben Seeley [7:35 PM]  
joined #meetingminutes

Rob Hunt [7:36 PM]  
Doors orders being finalised over the next few weeks

[7:36]  
Progress should speed up once the doors are in place

[7:36]  
We plan to move into the back of the downstairs around March/April next year

[7:37]  
Question from Tasos: can we get an idea about what sort of things the complaints were about? (edited)

[7:38]  
Things like misuse of tools, data protection issues, number of behaviour (safe spaces) complaints things like that

[7:38]  
James F: I know the hackspace 2.5 has a lot of questions about progress, I'd just like to thank all the volunteers

[7:39]  
Froggy: for those who weren't there the front floor in HS2.5 was raised, it was about 6-10 flat pack MDF boards with carpet glued to it and nailed

[7:39]  
All the wood was damp and all the help to remove that was appreciated

[7:39]  
James: Was everyone aware about the survey we sent out?

[7:40]  
First question was to thing of a word to describe the hackspace

[7:40]  
(word cloud on screens at Antenna)

[7:41]  
Tried to classify them as negative/positive/neutral (edited)

[7:41]  
12 negative 12 neutral and 38 positive

[7:41]  
We asked people if they volunteered at the hackspace

[7:42]  
35 said they did, 25 didn't

[7:42]  
of people who did they spent 0-10 hours at the space

[7:42]  
We had some questions on diversity - we wanted to figure out the make up of the space

[7:43]  
to see if we could improve the situation in some way

[7:43]  
vast majority is white, male, middle aged

[7:44]  
we will release the full results at a later date

[7:44]  
Quesiton: what was the percentage that was not white/male/middle aged

[7:44]  
about half not middle aged (edited)

[7:46]  
less than 10% is none-white or other

[7:46]  
we have 494 members but only had around 70 responses so far so it's not fully representative

[7:48]  
Matts going to move onto our financial report for the year

[7:49]  
Turnover £62k, Expenditure £51k, Surplus £1725 (edited)

[7:49]  
fixed assets £3822

[7:49]  
current assets, stock £52, debtors £6850 (rent deposit), £30k in bank (edited)

[7:51]  
Richard: question about surplus

[7:51]  
Toby: question - over the last year we've been looking at how much members pay per month, has this worked

[7:51]  
Yes, positive improvement over the past 12 months

[7:52]  
Additional £1500 fixed assets is from new fridge, 2 projectors and embroidery machine

[7:52]  
Took in £41,761 in membership payments

[7:53]  
Average of about £8.80 membership payments

[7:53]  
Workshop income much higher this year: due to more workshops being run, EMF (sweets, barbot)

[7:54]  
Snackspace £3,991

[7:54]  
Tool Usage £4323

[7:54]  
(all the laser cutter)

[7:54]  
Tool Inductions £820

[7:54]  
Donations £452

[7:55]  
Members Box and RFID cards £63

[7:55]  
Material Shop £291

[7:55]  
Materials shop was missing a good portion of money so we're not sure we can continue it (edited)

[7:56]  
Might have a solution to this in near future

[7:56]  
Expenditure

[7:56]  
£27k rent (due to new space downstairs)

[7:56]  
£7k electricity

[7:57]  
Other Utilities £1119

[7:57]  
Infrastructure £319

Joe [7:57 PM]  
joined #meetingminutes

Rob Hunt [7:57 PM]  
Hackspace 2.5 £656

[8:00]  
Martin F: Heating solutions - electric heaters are expensive

[8:00]  
We're considering electric panel heaters for HS2.5 and upstairs

[8:00]  
Possibly have them on timers to prevent them being left on

[8:01]  
A lot of the electricity is actually from the old light fittings upstairs

[8:01]  
LED lighting is a significant outlay but long term savings

[8:02]  
Other ways of heating the space is gas heaters but Bizspace have put restrictions on their usage now

[8:02]  
Dominic: Questions about teams

[8:02]  
some teams are meant to make money can you clarify which

[8:02]  
Yes, snackspace and materials shop

[8:04]  
Events expenditure is high because of several workshops where equipment was needed and EMF

[8:04]  
End of the finances

[8:05]  
Kate: thanks to everyone who has run a workshop this year, it has bought in money and more members

[8:05]  
Next: Constitution

[8:05]  
Going to quickly go over the 2 parts

[8:05]  
First will be definitions

[8:05]  
https://wiki.nottinghack.org.uk/wiki/2016-11-24_AGM_Agenda/Special_Resolution:_Definitions

Rob Hunt [8:12 PM]  
Can 6.3.2 be change to a total of 4 or more

[8:13]  
Can "normal decisions" be clarified for 6.3

[8:14]  
Josh: can you clarify what benefit the complex definition gives you

[8:15]  
James H: the point is to help when there is a strong disagreement amongst the board, it leads to compromise and better decisions

[8:15]  
Michael E: is it worth having this section 6 defined where it's used

[8:16]  
Dominic: Just to confirm that this is something you already do but want to formalise it in the constitution

[8:16]  
James H: Yes

[8:17]  
Michael E: 6.1 use of dash make it looks like -N-1

[8:18]  
Change 6.3 to 6.3: with the definition

[8:19]  
Moop: does the majority mean the majority of all current trustees?

[8:19]  
Vote:

[8:20]  
Clear Majority in favour

[8:21]  
Next up will be Special resolution: Elections

[8:21]  
https://wiki.nottinghack.org.uk/wiki/2016-11-24_AGM_Agenda/Special_Resolution:_Elections

Rob Hunt [8:31 PM]  
We're looking at elections now - we've had quite a lot in the last 12-18 months and have rewritten some of the constitution based on what we've learnt

[8:31]  
1.7.1 covers stuff about standing down

nick_b [8:32 PM]  
joined #meetingminutes

Rob Hunt [8:33 PM]  
Michael: did trustees have to announce they didn't intent to re-stand in the past

[8:33]  
No, but some did

[8:33]  
Richard: standardise the capitals on Trustee

Rob Hunt [8:39 PM]  
James F: 5.3.4 slight modification "ana election for all trustees should be run"

[8:39]  
David C: in the vent that 1 steps down within the end and another steps down this is requiring an election to be run?

[8:39]  
Yes (edited)

[8:40]  
David C: would it make sense to defer to the upcoming man election?

[8:40]  
5.3.5 can accommodate this

Mouse [8:41 PM]  
joined #meetingminutes

Rob Hunt [8:42 PM]  
Josh: 5.3.5 why did you choose to have all the trustees rather than an EGM?

[8:42]  
James H: it's not an easy thing to do or organise - 14 days notice is required

[8:42]  
James H: may not be time to run one before the election needs to be run anyway

[8:43]  
Michael E: 5.3.5 refers to deviations in 5.3 including itself

[8:43]  
should be 5.4 to allow deviations from 5.3

[8:44]  
Moving onto 5.4 (will become 5.5)

Rob Hunt [8:49 PM]  
5.5.7 allows us to run elections with terms of different lengths

[8:49]  
the winning candidate will be appointed the longer of the terms

[8:50]  
Dominic: with 1 candidate what happens with a draw with the RON

[8:50]  
next section deals with ties

[8:51]  
Any more questions about these changes?

[8:51]  
(none)

[8:52]  
Abstain: 1 (via proxy in room)

[8:52]  
Against: 0

[8:52]  
Vote passes

[8:53]  
Constitution will be moving to Read The Docs type formatting we have used on the new rules

[8:53]  
Pat McDonald

[8:54]  
You should have seen an email regarding a temporary ban

[8:54]  
Pats been a member for many years, been an ex member for the last year and rejoined a month ago

[8:55]  
in the first 3 weeks of his membership we had 4 safe space complaints

[8:55]  
in the past there has been 2 informal and 1 formal warning

[8:55]  
Last Tuesday the trustees decided to enact section 4.4 of the constitution to remove a member

[8:56]  
Given a letter informing him of 21 days to attend a meeting to decide on the ban

[8:56]  
Pat tried to access the space and was given a copy of the letter

[8:56]  
Russell was assaulted at the space and the police were involved

[8:57]  
Pat wrote a letter with various complaints which various members may have received

[8:58]  
Passed onto our legal representive who will deal with communications

[8:58]  
Question: do you think he is a danger to the space?

[8:58]  
James H: he has verbally abused members in the past

[8:58]  
Question: are we/you in danger

[8:59]  
James H: not likely unless he'd directed them at you

[8:59]  
Kirsty: In his email he mentioned Women in Tech

[8:59]  
Froggy: they have been emailed about the situation and have both responded

[9:00]  
Dominic: I just want to say I have had great reason to be made uncomfortable by his actions in the past

[9:01]  
Dominic: I don't think he is generally physically dangerous

[9:01]  
James H: we need to decide what to do at the meeting in a few weeks regarding his membership

Leah Hallissey [9:02 PM]  
joined #meetingminutes

Rob Hunt [9:02 PM]  
James H: we don't think this will be a permeant ban but with a opportunity to be reviewed at some point

[9:02]  
Matt L: is there any example of other hackspaces banning memebrs

[9:03]  
Kate: Noisebridge has banned several members in the past

Tony Shannon [9:03 PM]  
I believe Southampton did 4-5 years ago

Rob Hunt [9:03 PM]  
London has also banned members for a period of time

[9:03]  
Temporary ban is part of the complaints policy not the constitution

[9:04]  
Toby: understand this is a difficult and new situation, thanks

[9:05]  
Andrew: would this ban include open evenings?

[9:05]  
Possibly if the decision is passed at the meeting

[9:06]  
Tasos: can he collect belongings?

[9:06]  
Yes, but he has to give 7 days notice and provide a list of items to allow us to sort it out

[9:06]  
Question: I'm just wondering if you have anything in place to prevent incidents in the future?

[9:07]  
Mouse has proposed new members inductions to possibly help but we don't think that would have worked in this situation

[9:08]  
Andrew: If there is a way you can stop him sending more messages to us?

[9:09]  
Richard: there is already a harassment warning which was centred upon when he tried to access the space but it's not related to his communications via email so please let trustees know

[9:10]  
James H: I don't think he'll force himself into the hackspace - you don not have to let anyone into the hackspace

[9:11]  
Matt Little: you shouldn't try and restrict someone if they are trying to force there way in, call the police and contact the trustees

[9:11]  
James F: the email that several members got sent to - already people asking questions, wise not to have uncertainty on it

[9:12]  
James H: we will be sending out an email to all members regarding this

[9:13]  
Hazel: I introduced a new member to the space called Patrick Mcdonald

[9:13]  
We'll make sure this is handled properly to avoid issues

[9:15]  
(prize draw)

[9:15]  
Thank you everyone for coming to support the space

[9:15]  
--End of AGM--