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--