Meeting Tonight

[Robert Ward]

Just a reminder that we're voting on a number of important membership issues tonight. Please plan to be there or appoint a proxy to vote for you. Proxy appointments can be emailed to any member of the board.

Also, if there are any other important things that need to be discussed tonight, please let me know.

Thanks,

~Bob

[Frank Kallal]

I should be in attendance :)

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[John Reskusich]

I should as well.

[Joseph^2]

I will be in

[Amberly]

Hi all,

Sorry I failed to send this sooner, here are the notes on membership questions I collected last week Bolded comments are the consensus statements of the people I was talking with. YMMV

.

1.       Increase our monthly dues to between $40 and $50 a month starting in December, while encouraging members who can afford more to commit to a monthly tax-deductible donation in addition to their monthly dues.  The lower end of that range will just allow us to pay our rent with our current membership level, but we will still need donation drives for other expenses such as gas.  The higher end should allow us to build up more of a buffer over time so we have some wiggle room on our expenses.  We will remain committed to being as cheap as possible, and to that end the dues can and will be revisited so that if we are in a position to lower them in the future we will.

50 is preferred to cover all expenses. May be some difficulty for individual members.

2.       Get rid of the supporting member class, instead requiring new members to be in good standing for three months before they receive a key to a space.

Partial contributions. No key unless paying full member price. No storage space, no tool use unless member present. Current benefits of being supporting member? Difference from member who can not pay full price for a limited time?

Provisional for 3 months, then eligible to pay for key.

3.       Change the family member option to be a simple $60 a month for all members of a household.  Currently, family memberships are $10 per family member on top of the primary member's dues.

Keep at 10/person per adult. No family cap.

4.       Require sixteen hours per year of volunteering from each member for the space.  This could either come in the form of showing up for a work day to clean the space, working on a board member's committee, or participating in approved group projects.

Good. Simple tracking method (honor type system…A log book or whatever) Limits on including fire and ice, archcon etc?

5.       Allow members who engage in external fund-raising on behalf of the space to apply half of the funds raised to their membership dues, this would apply only to cash donations, not donations of materials, equipment, or services. Optionally, there would be a cap on the total value applied to dues from an individual event, e.g. even if a member raised $5000 dollars they would only get one years worth of dues credited.

-Check with lawyer

Only no strings attached cash money? Grant funds excluded? Cap on dues—max of one year, for multiple teacher/raiser activities only if enough is raised to cover everyone for a month should any one instructor be able to claim funds (ie: solder class, if 4 people taught but only 100 was raised, no discount—it would cost the space money instead of making the space money)

YMMV, IANAL, Etc.

Amberly

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From: Robert Ward <rob...@rtward.com>
To: "arch-r...@googlegroups.com" <arch-r...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 6, 2012 10:49 AM
Subject: (Arch Reactor) Meeting Tonight

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[Chris Weiss]

instructor compensation is totally separate and should apply on a
class by class basis. any fundraising reward from a paid class would
have to be on the net amount, after costs are covered. in fact, I'd
rather see direct instructor compensation than counting it as a
fundraising reward, though I do hope we continue to have volunteer
instructors for some time.

[Amberly]

And here are the Notes collected about fundraising:

My own comments:

These are not meant to be permanent methods of raising funds. These are for funding projects, creating a surplus in the bank account, allowing for classes, etc. Our "income stream" should come from members and increasing the number of members should be a primary goal.

I suggest we pick 3-5 of these to focus on for the next 6 month period.

Suggestions raised:

Coleasing the space: For a fee provide 24 hour access, WiFi, Printing, Coffee/tea/soda, free parking. Includes a key. (suggested by Kim)

                -this would be for those not interested in the space for hacking, but for “work”

Con: bad idea, lets people in, random, benefits without the price. Consensus last week: Don't do it.

               

Hack a Holiday—Various classes over a day/evening/weekend that pertain to making holiday related items or hacking holiday standards (print wreathes, make dancing Christmas lights, etc)  (suggested by Amberly)

                --Combine with soldering classes. Already in the works for December

 

Indigogo or kickstarter or equivalent online service (suggested by several)

    -requires description of goal project, fundraising levels, benefits (items) for each level, reach items, etc

T-Shirts available to purchase at the space with the logo. Either printed or through a website/store. (Suggested by Gene)

    -Work on this is ongoing. Probably will be a combination of DIY and store orders

Patches or other items with the logo (Suggest by Gene, others)

Grocery store scrip partnership (scan a card when you buy groceries) (Suggested by Gene)

Recycling metal/parts for money (suggested by Gene)

    Con: Storage of items to get enough to sell

Book Sale (like the geek garage sale, but for books only. Could collect the books over several months) (suggested by Gene)

    Con: Storage space of items, location, turn out

Stocking the fridge. Share sales, max out the soda’s when cheap. Pay for each can/bottle/etc you drink. More cash flow (suggested by Gene)

Video Game Night. Console games played on big screens or projectors. $5 or more per person entry fee. Possibly bring in other tvs and extra consoles for multiple games at once (suggested by Gene)

Sublet the space on a one-time basis when we are not using it for a donation to other groups. (suggested by Gene)

                -at least one AR member would need to be present due to the amount of personal stuff and equipment stored here

                -Zoning rules? Effects on non-profit status? Business license needed?  CAN NOT BE DONE-VIOLATES LEASE

 

Make things and sell them online (suggested by Gene)

Classes for Kids/Workshop for kids. Charge for materials, snacks, space. Parents present, but don’t have to participate (Gene)

Groupon discounts to get new members. Discount for first month then full price Gene (or for new members—pay for 2 get one free?)

Con: highly disliked by several members. Perhaps offer a coupon--attend a class get $10/first months membership?

Rapid prototyping/3 D printing (George)

Kit of the month/group hack: Vote on kits, purchase, build. Cost is a few  dollars over to make funds for space. (Ryan/basilisks)

    This was very popular on the list. Would need someone to organize, locate possible kits, arrange payment collection and order etc

Bake sale at large retailer (walmart, etc) (Amberly)

Requires a coordinator to contact local stores and find out rules. May need to wait until we have 501C3 status finalized

Pro: easy to set up     Con: cold out right now

Hodacks dinner: Rent the banquet room, sell tickets for 25-30, pocket the difference. Throw in a raffle, minor door prizes, trivia, a show, or something. Nerdapolooza (Deech)

                April time frame. Friday night dinner?(Popular idea)

Can/metal drive (Amberly)

Storage space, amount needed to be worthwhile

Restaurant profit sharing (Kim)

Classes: Solder class went really well--Currently working on December class. Arduino classes just started. Other classes as well

Parties

--not a good fundraiser? No overhead/low overhead only, Halloween made about $100.

--Fire and Ice is a good fundraiser. Keep working on it.

--Self Sustaining budget—must make funds to spend funds

Burners can NOT host parties here. They can come, but not host

General comments:

Increasing membership is more important. If it doesn’t get more people in, it doesn’t count. Needs to be a continuous, year round effort. Schools and universities need to be targeted.

Fix it night: Liability, man power, location

Get more butts in the door and keep them!!!

Defined recruitment officers, jobs/areas to recruit. Need a “playbook”, dedicated jobs and leaders, everyone involved.

UK guest comments: they allow whatever you can afford memberships. Large base and some pay only 5pounds, other much more.

 

Push classes. Next solder class in December—holiday themed kits

Welding class—need to find power for the arc welder

YMMV,

Amberly

---

From: Robert Ward <rob...@rtward.com>
To: "arch-r...@googlegroups.com" <arch-r...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 6, 2012 10:49 AM
Subject: (Arch Reactor) Meeting Tonight

[John Reskusich]

Won't be there until eight. Hold the vote.  I am also voting proxy for someone.

To unsubscribe from this group, send email to arch-reactor...@googlegroups.com.

[nfolken]

I also won't make it, but Derrik will proxy vote for me (ask him to check his email plz)

[EschewObfuscation]

So... vote results?

On Tuesday, November 6, 2012 10:49:09 AM UTC-6, Robert Ward wrote:

Just a reminder that we're voting on a number of important membership issues tonight...

[Hroller McKnutt]

On Tue, Nov 6, 2012 at 10:37 PM, EschewObfuscation
<ch...@mailfilter.endjunk.com> wrote:
> So... vote results?

It was CARNAGE!

I don't have the official results... but we're raising the membership
fees slightly, no family cap, not doing away with "supporting"
memberships but re-vamping them (name especially was an issue), umm, I
don't remember what else and I can't promise I'm right on these
either, too late a night and too early a morning)

Mike
--
Nullo edactore ligni, consilium cedet. - Countess Magda

[Travis Megee]

1) Increasing monthly dues
Motion passes to increase to $45

2) Removing supporting membership
Motion fails to remove supporting membership.  Tabled discussion for increasing supporting membership dues for next business meeting

3) Changing family membership to flat $60 for all members
Will not change. (Full membership for first and supporting membership price for each subsequent member)

4) Require sixteen hours per year
Motion passes to require 24 volunteer hours per year

5) Allow 50% of external fundraising brought in by a member to apply toward their membership dues (max of 1yr)
Tabled until next business meeting.


Regarding #1, it is not anyone's intention to kick someone out if they can't meet the $45.  As always, people are welcome to meet with the board to discuss.

Travis

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[George Fetters]

Yay should we post this on the website?

[Andrew Ricke]

We didn't clarify, but I assume the due changes are effective 12/1?

[EschewObfuscation]

Okay, so 24 hours labor, if that's in 4 hour blocks that's 6 trips, at $20 cost per comes to $120 annual incremental transport cost. Add $45 X 12 dues = $540, total minimum annual cost has risen from $360 to $660.

[Ben West]

W.r.t. to transportation expenses, it was discussed specifically that the hours may be spent remotely, i.e. by promoting AR events online, posting new content to the website, or other such tasks.  Also, the hours system would depend on the honor system, since members would self-report their hours.

Besides that, would attendance to meetings itself constitute 1hr or 30mins worth of the volunteer time per instance?

On Wed, Nov 7, 2012 at 7:46 PM, EschewObfuscation <ch...@mailfilter.endjunk.com> wrote:

Okay, so 24 hours labor, if that's in 4 hour blocks that's 6 trips, at $20 cost per comes to $120 annual incremental transport cost. Add $45 X 12 dues = $540, total minimum annual cost has risen from $360 to $660.

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[Hroller McKnutt]

On Wed, Nov 7, 2012 at 7:46 PM, EschewObfuscation
<ch...@mailfilter.endjunk.com> wrote:

Assuming you were coming in for nothing other than that work, also,
as Ben posted, there are things that can be done remote. Additionally
stuff like working a booth at a maker faire or a Con that promotes the
space would count.

[Chris Weiss]

other organizations allow for counting travel time as part of in-kind hours.

Good question on business meetings, committee/planning meetings too.
board members tasks count as well?

if someone is traveling in primarily for working on the space or for
assisting with an event, I think travel should count. and once we
have the 501c3 final, those travel costs become tax deductible too.

I would also support a motion to allow for "hardship" waivers or
reductions, same as for Dues. (i don't really want to call it
hardship, just can't think of a better word)

[Deech]

I think that Board members are assumed to be putting in all their hours working their respective responsibilities. (Unless they don't, then the board can deal with that)
I don't think that regular meetings/biz meetings should count. We will have enough "official" events to compensate.

We have always had in place a way for "hardship" and "starving hacker" rates. All you have to do is talk to someone on the executive board and they can help you.

-Deech

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[Greer Carper]

The gun club I frequent, a 501c4, also has a volunteer hours requirement to fix range stands, attend to the mowing, repairing the road, etc, but given many of the members are over 60 they allow members to pay an extra $200 in lieu of volunteering 20 hours a year.  Something to consider.

On Tuesday, November 6, 2012 10:49:09 AM UTC-6, Robert Ward wrote:

[Hroller McKnutt]

On Thu, Nov 8, 2012 at 9:02 AM, Greer Carper <daskr...@gmail.com> wrote:
> The gun club I frequent, a 501c4, also has a volunteer hours requirement to
> fix range stands, attend to the mowing, repairing the road, etc, but given
> many of the members are over 60 they allow members to pay an extra $200 in
> lieu of volunteering 20 hours a year. Something to consider.

Something to consider, buying our your hours. Obviously the dollar
amount wouldn't be that high but something more reasonable.

Mike (won't have any issue at all getting 2 hours a month of time in
working on stuff)

[kwalta]

Additional approach to find volunteers besides shouting into the abyss that is the list is to have it posted on the website. Members who need assistance with a project or event can outline exact help needed, number of people, and the timeframe. This would also have the added benefit of giving a call to action for new people stumbling onto the site who want to help, but don't have any project ideas or a reason to join AR yet.

[John Reskusich]

+1

On Nov 8, 2012 11:04 AM, "kwalta" <kimw...@gmail.com> wrote:

Additional approach to find volunteers besides shouting into the abyss that is the list is to have it posted on the website. Members who need assistance with a project or event can outline exact help needed, number of people, and the timeframe. This would also have the added benefit of giving a call to action for new people stumbling onto the site who want to help, but don't have any project ideas or a reason to join AR yet.

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[EschewObfuscation]

I was going to broach the topic of buying out hours (as odd as that sounds), as it could be cheaper than the transport for those of us w low mpg vehicles and long runs to the space. The numbers matter, of course.

[John Reskusich]

What is the difference between paying a penalty at the end of the year and buying out hours?

On Nov 8, 2012 6:33 PM, "EschewObfuscation" <ch...@mailfilter.endjunk.com> wrote:

I was going to broach the topic of buying out hours (as odd as that sounds), as it could be cheaper than the transport for those of us w low mpg vehicles and long runs to the space. The numbers matter, of course.

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[Hroller McKnutt]

On Thu, Nov 8, 2012 at 7:26 PM, John Reskusich <john.re...@gmail.com> wrote:
> What is the difference between paying a penalty at the end of the year and
> buying out hours?

Semantics...

Mike

[EschewObfuscation]

If the sole penalty is a fine, then none. If the penalty includes expulsion or excoriation, then some. Ultimately it's the numbers that matter.

[John Reskusich]

Nobody is going to be kicked out over it....

[Joseph^2]

Try not to loose the scope of the purpose of the volunteer hours.
In part, it is to try and get out of this cycle of members getting stuck with too much and burning out.
More importantly, it forces everyone to participate more.

Much like the cost of beer at AR, this is the suggested level. Membership is the only real power we can ever leverage, and I doubt missing volunteer hours would be seen as a good reason to loose someone.

[John Reskusich]

You won't be kicked out for messing up your volunteer hours...

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[Noah Norris]

Travel expenses do hurt. It would be like a 200+ mile round trip for me even so arch would be the closest hackerspace to me i believe.