Minutes:14 Oct 2015 Board Meeting Agenda

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AHA Mission Statement
We seek to establish, build, and support a collective of individuals organized around the principles of community-driven education in the arts and sciences, and to ensure ready access to the tools needed to pursue the realization of those principles.

  • Meeting attendees: Larry W., Mike Z., Cindy L., Esty T., Alec M., Tyler S., Alex W., Nate Y., Amanda P., Lauren W.
  • Meeting starts at: 19:10
  • Meeting ends at:


Board Meeting Protocol

* Standing Committee Reports - Individual Updates by Assigned Director/Officer presented in the time allotted.

* Open Time: For anyone to bring anything up to the Board. IF the Board agrees the item requires action, it will be put into New Business and addressed at the end of the meeting.

(15m) Open For All

  • All Are Worthy. All Are Welcome.

Tyler asks for a timeline on removing the front desk. Nate says do it ASAP! Mount register stuff to the wall somehow.

Cindy is doing ethnographic research on hackerspaces in Ann Arbor and Detroit. Started a DIY biocollective in Singapore, recently studied Indonesian hackerspaces. She is curious about the protocols for running such a study at AHA, in terms of engagement with members, becoming a member, etc. Suggestion is to check out the public hours to meet people and get to know how things work.

Tyler is working with Huron Science Olympiad team.

We have some PC issues -- a couple non-working machines, and a dead monitor for the security cams. Mike Z. has a couple of extra PCs he wants to donate, could be used as a supplement or replacement.

Amanda P. discovered that the LASER machine's PC's software does not support the newer Inkscape format.

Minutes Approval

  • September 2015 Board Minutes

No objections, but no quorum to vote.

(90min) Standing Committee Reports

Financial - from Larry W./Deirdre D.

Lauren W. is our new accountant! Welcome, Lauren!

Finances since early June are now set up in Xero.

Decided not to go ahead with Costco, opting for GFS.

Alec asks wants to know if there will be sufficient transparency with the new system.

Larry and Lauren filed paperwork with Paypal to get our withdrawal limit lifted so we can take more than $500 out of our account per month. They have floated the space for rent this month until we can get this money.

  • Oct 2015 P&L - [1] Temporary Board Report

Fundraising - Greg G.

  • Monthly Fundraising Report - LINK HERE

Greg is absent this meeting, but Larry says he should have most of the information he will need to start getting grants.

Governance - Esty T.

Maintenance update - Tyler S. and John N. rocked out the bathroom catastrophe. Gerald (maintenance) offers to snake out the toilets yearly, but Esty is wisely saying this is not often enough. We've had reports of toilets bubbling up again.

As an aside, Esty would like more guidance on onboarding new members.

Election is happening later this time. Esty's proposal is the second build night (11/12) of November. The thought is to have a slightly shorter term for the new Directors, but to keep the dates more or less the same going forward.

Larry is going to help Esty with the membership process, giving-of-keys, etc.


Volunteers - Tyler S.

  • Monthly Volunteer Report - [2] Temporary Board Report

Education/Classes/Events - Donnie J.

  • Monthly Report - [3] Temporary Board Report
  • Upcoming Special Events - [4] Temporary Board Report

(30m) Unfinished Business

* Carried over from previous Board Meeting.

  • AUGUST ITEMS
  • If addressed, need to update status.
  • ACTION ITEM - Greg G. - How we can get volunteers more in-line with our mission statement?
  • ACTION ITEM - Alec M. - Should there be formal agreements between BYB, or any other group and AHA? Open discussion about whether there should be and/or if yes, how often to review.
  • ACTION ITEM - Many - Should we stay OR should we go? - Monthly Member Meetings will begin on Sunday, August 23rd - Tentatively set for 2pm-3pm.
  • ACTION ITEM - Greg G. - Would like to speak to AAACF about how to build an external board of directors for AHA. AHA directors could report to this board.
  • ACTION ITEM - Larry W. to Propose a 2015 Budget for Board Approval (based on 2014) - will present as part of new Accounting Cycle
  • ACTION ITEM - Larry W. to setup online accounting system by September - On track.
  • ACTION ITEM - Greg G. to submit for 1 grant (dependent on receiving required documents) - documentation not received.
  • ACTION ITEM - Nick R. will work with Tyler W., Nate Y., Brandon D., Alec M. for a user-account solution for computer log-ins.
  • ACTION ITEM - Nick R. to prioritize Tools & Parts Spending Request - submitted to Larry W.
  • ACTION ITEM - Tyler S. to recruit and train 3 new volunteers


  • SEPTEMBER ITEMS
  • ACTION ITEM - From Alec M. - Election process needs to be documented clearly so members know the consequences of the point system.

Nate will document this in a central location for future Board Members. OR, use an alternative, more direct voting process. - Esty (topic for All-Members Meeting Sun. Aug. 23rd). Wasn't discussed.

  • ACTION ITEM - From Jacob M. - What about a "Bounty Board"? Put up in the space offering prizes for doing various duties in AHA (ie. prizes). Approved by 2 Board members. - Larry W.

Waiting on room to be made by the front desk.

  • ACTION ITEM - From Jacob M. - would like to construct 4-6 workstations (ie. small alcove) - Retro Fun! Win95, iMac G3, BOS5, PowerPC Amigo's (on their own LAN) - All Peoples Meeting Topic

Nate Y. noticed some activity based on IRC conversations? Nothing concrete yet.

  • ACTION ITEM - Larry W. - Washtenaw Area Maker Meeting went very well. Will forward minutes.

Forwarded to members and Directors mailing list.

  • ACTION ITEM - Jacob M. - should AHA make a proposal to Sylvia's for a non-profit rent write-off for Sylvia's.

Alec suggests creating a proposal. Larry or Jacob to write this? Larry maybe can work with Dena? [edit]

(30m) New Business

* A Director/Officer or Member must champion action items to ensure the work gets done.

  • ACTION ITEM -