Minutes:10 NOV 2021 Members Meeting Agenda

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Meeting begins: 1905

Meeting ends:

Participants: Nate Y., Victoria W., David G., Joe D., Andrew C., James K., John T.

Agenda

  • Announcements/new business - 10m
  • Membership - 5m - Joe
  • Financial - 5m - Joe
  • Old business - 30m

Notes

  • Announcements/new business:
  • Membership:
    • We lost one standard member, gained one volunteer member
  • Financial:
    • Financial health outlook: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MTjgdvGJI9-FI7OFxkDdw-hJbirdUaxwBpERWVGVSQs/edit#gid=0
    • Some back-pay received that buoyed our finances a bit this month.
    • SBA grant money, loan money?:
      • Grant of around $15k
      • Loan is low-interest (<3%), more like a mortgage -- 30 year payback
      • The money from the loan by itself would sustain us over 30 months, given current financial trends.
      • Is it worth it to take the loan unless we have a long-term plan on how to use it?
      • Could it be used as a reserve to dig into, i.e. invest it (assuming that's possible), then use it as-needed? If it turns out we don't need the money, then we can return it.
      • Would it make sense to take the loan money in any case, since the deadline is approaching (12/31/2021) to secure the money beforehand, then decide on a deadline to figure out some plan to use it.
      • Not clear yet on whether the requested amount on the application will guarantee us getting that amount, or if it's merely an approval to later receive that amount.
      • Board votes 5 to 0 in favor of adopting the form "ODA Form P-022 (08-2021)" with James Kruth and Nathan Yost as executives of the SBA loan.

Old business updates

  • Membership:
    • Lost three members (2 full, 1 reduced); but three members got their autopay fixed and settled their tab. Lost members mostly due to lack of finances, or lack of use for AHA at this time.
    • Meet to discuss membership retention - Joe and James
  • Fundraising/outreach:
    • TechGlow - Nate & David
      • Coming along to the "assembly phase" -- need to build a frame to hold the quilt, and it needs to break down to fit reasonably in a sedan.
    • Tech Trek debrief - Nate
      • Met a lot of interested folks, gave out lots of flyers; got some contacts for volunteers/interested groups
      • James suggests creating a "go-kit" for events -- flyers, donation jar, other merch?
    • Go Fund Me update - Joe
      • Met goal! Hooray! Send out thank-yous to everyone. - Joe
    • End of Year fundraiser scheduling - Joe
      • Set up a meeting for next week
    • Casual recurring payment platforms? Patreon -- cool badge in Matrix chat as reward?
  • Operations:
    • Board Elections: nominations open, Nov. 11 voting closes - Nate
    • Google poll of members to see when they might be able to hold open hours? - Nate
    • Membermatters successfully installed on our server, but has a decent amount of setup still required - Andrew
      • Nate will give access to Andrew
    • Plotter: ink-jet plotter, *almost* ready to use. What should we do with this? - Andrew & James
      • Craigslist it -- seems to be the general feeling?
    • Pick and Place machine -- No takers. Use for parts? Use for fancy plotter?
      • Nate will take the gantry off, keep the controller board, and then break down the cabinet.
    • Organizing parts and things from donated equipment, sorting items, for November - James
    • Open hours -- could use some more help -- could use more help on Thursday?
    • Emergency Exit signs on the alternate door -- vinyl cutouts? Arrow pointing at the deadbolt knob? - James and Joe
    • Networking equipment:
      • Security gateway still needs to be hooked in - James
      • Bug Comcast about modem issues? - Nate
    • Organize sink installation - Joe
  • Education
    • Restart training events - document how to use the main machines, start running classes on how to use them again.
    • Require folks to run the machines as part of the training
    • Regular (quarterly?) check-ins on how the education mission is going
      • Set up an initial meeting before next Members' Meeting.
    • Do classes more on a schedule, vs. on-demand, since it is more sustainable
  • Outreach/fundraising
    • Go around to local techie businesses and see if any of them would be willing to kick in some sponsorship money? - James
  • Finances
    • Add James and Joe to bank account - Joe and James will send Nate some dates/times to do this
  • Operations
    • Tool library - Joe (DONE, but available tools must be added to Lend Engine. Joe/Andrew will add info on the Wiki)