2012-03-07 Minutes

Action Overview

Actions are now kept on the Action List

Roll Call

Board Members

• James Hayward (JH)
• Dominic Morrow (via Skype)
• Michael Erskine
• Matt Lloyd (MLl)
• Matt Little (MLi)
• David Hayward (DH)

This meeting was quorate

Members

• Jon
• Tony
• Jake (left after second agenda item)
• David
• Kate
• Hayley
• Pat
• Andrew
• Craig
• Marcus
• Daniel

Board Meeting Time

Jake has asked to move the board meeting to 8pm, so that train users are able to attend. Other members said they would also like to get home a bit earlier.

JH raised concern that it would be cutting the open hack night short

Kate suggested we have a rota of volunteers to look after guests

DM says in lots of hackspaces open hack nights are only meetings

ME say it would make last hour of a quarter of open hack nights dead, which wouldn't look good.

JH suggests making meeting open to non-members too, without voting privileges.

Jake suggests trialling for next meeting.

No objections, JH to take action.

Actions Update

Update of actions from last meeting 2012-02-01_Minutes

• LVL1 sponsorship - no action
• Hot water - Bizspace - new manager to chat to bizspace about it
• Electric Bill - Bizspace - raised, billed this month. Closed
• Spraying booth - build - design done
• Security camera to mailing list - no longer applicable after security meeting Closed
• Add Open day (5th May) to calendar and mailing list - done. Closed
• Give Andrew access to blog - done Closed
• Global Game Jam blog post - DH did Closed
• New server to replace Holly - done Closed
• Buy 2 ring electric hob - done, may also be free Closed
• Add copying details to wiki - started

Financial Update

To be put onto the wiki by MLl

Hackspace is currently running at a deficit of around £150 a month.

MLi asks about membership and growth

DH informs us that winter has slowed growth and some members lost. Growth shows improvement again now. Feb 5 new members, March already 1 new.

MLi - we need to market to potential people further afield from core group

Marcus agrees to take on action to start discussion about how to reach out to potential members.

Agreement to reduce capital expenditure for now.

Managing Money

JH - currently cash in the hackspace is in various locations and unaccounted for. Proposal to move everything into one place and manage as a petty cash account.

MLl - we'll need an in/out book

JH will get

DM - who will manage?

JH offers, no objections.

DavidC - we need to keep donation tins around the space, with money in to imply that people regularly donate.

Agreed.

Constitution

JH - need to have written constitution about membership, board of trustees, how they are elected, etc.

After a fairly involved discussion, the following is agreed:

• 7 trustees
• elected at AGM
• 2 year term normally, but this year 4 random trustees will stand down (or trustees that want to stand down).
• trustees can stand again
• no limit to terms at this time

JH also raised that we need to have how to remove troublesome members in the constitution. Made clear that we don't have an issue at the moment, but better to agree before a problem arise.

DH stated that it would be a big discussion, so better to do away from the meeting.

Agreement to have members-only discussion as airing this publically may affect reputation. JH to start

JH to also write up draft constitution and start public discussion about it. Constitution to by ratified at AGM

Keys, access and member audit

DH - long overdue for a code change, and we have ex-members who still know how to get in. We need to audit them out and do a code change.

MLl - Would also like to get rid of the emergency PIN. Make sure no one is passing the PIN on, and we'll know when Bizspace are accessing the space.

Hayley: If you lose your card, you'll have to come in on a Wednesday.

JH - Matt can re-eneable a PIN to set up a new RFID card via email

David C: Can I assume you're setting up a new backdoor PIN?

MLl: Yes.

DM asks whether bizspace have once only PINs?

MLl - would make it difficult for tradesmen, likely to leave door open, they can have a card

Pat - we need to get yale key back or change locks

MLl - as padlock code is changing it is not important.

JH suggest we remove dual membership. No changes to how members pay us, but record keeping wise we split the payment in two and have two individual members. Parent and child can still be one, as issued only one RFID card.

No objections

Security meeting update

JH - most painful 2 hours of my life

MLl - only 1.5 hours!

Conclusions: Security cameras were deemed okay, but only in the realm of overall security.

Marcus and Tony working together on a prioritised list of security needs for the space.

Discussion of this currently on the members only mailing list.

AOB

A01

Marcus: Are we still buying an auto welding mask and soldering station?

Max: I have a soldering station space could use

MLl and JH - How about pledges for an automatic welding mask?

Max: Did a lot of welding the other night, but it filled the workshop with smoke. Matt: Teaching with the MIG rather than arc, which would mean less fumes.

Max: Suggests welding booth combined with spray booth. Design with Tony.

A02

Marcus: minutes missing from the wiki, added to page.

DH and JH to try and find them.

A03

Marcus: Flyers. Knows some people who have a Risograph. We could print cheaply on A4, chop into A5, and make flyers for £1 per master and 1p per flyer.

MLi: They looked great for Abundance, because it looks quite rough and hand made. Multiple colour, never quite register well.

JH: Do some test runs and see?

DM: Suggest speak to Jake he is a good designer and give him the brief of how this works

A04

David C has bought quite a few things for the space, and not asked for reimbursement yet. Total cost: £86.73. JH suggests we reimburse.

No objections, passed. DavidC points out he was only after 50%! but we're happy to reimburse the full £86.73

A05

Tony: Dominic has been main point of contact for Bizspace. Now he's moved to Bristol, can another board member take that on?

JH: Should be changed on the lease to Nottingham Hackspace Ltd. Dominic: Says they won't allow it, needs to be underwritten by a single person rather than a company.

DM: Maybe when we renegotiate rent

A06

Pat: Proposal to put up a head height shelf above the brewing station. where projects that need to be left for a few days, i.e. for soak testing things. THings would be dated and left for only a few days.

Hayley: Agree. Sometimes things have to be left to dry.

JH and DH think it's a good idea.

MLi: Good idea, but it shouldn't be above head height.

Pat: Maybe so children can't reach it.

Hayley: It could fold down.

DH calls bikeshedding

Pat to bring more thought out proposal to next meeting

A07

Marcus would like action clarified at the end of board meetings, JH goes through them

A08

David C: Red chest now in members storage with two lockable compartments. Can lock up valuables if you're nipping into town.