[Linux-aus] Council Meeting 2011-02-17

[Anthony Towns]

On Fri, Feb 18, 2011 at 08:11, Peter Lieverdink <me at cafuego.net> wrote:
> Values statement (drafted, but unfinished?)
> John will share Elspeths document with Kelly and Mary as well.

Has this been posted to this list?

> Diversity policy and harassment policy
> Visit this at face to face and sort it once and for all.

Gradual improvements sound much more achievable than "once and for all"...

> Budget progress (follows on from the Ada Initiative discussion, but now broader)
> Accountants are preparing the accounts for an audit. When done we can call an SGM and get it approved.

Uh, it'd be nice to actually see the figures before an SGM. There
should presumably be draft figures available if there's going to be an
audit. (Why is there going to be an official audit, rather than the
usual open source one of just making the draft public by sending it to
this list?)

> Donation to Ada Initiative: amount and timing
> Michael proposes LA donate $5k to the Ada Initiative
> Seconded by John
> The motion was carried with one abstention.

In the past, we've encouraged requests of cash for up to $1k to be
sent to this list for public comment before agreeing to them; it seems
a bit odd to be paying out more than that with less review, especially
when one it looks like it's going directly to one of the council
members...

(It seems more useful to me to name anyone abstaining, since at least
historically they've done that to explicitly avoid conflicts of
interest or the appearance thereof. Anonymous abstentions don't really
achieve that..)

Also, given John's response when I asked about this a couple of weeks
ago was "Details will come in due course. We need to put a budget
together for this year before we can make a final decision. Watch this
space!", I guess that means you've got a budget for this year ready
that you can mail to the list?

> HackerSpace Melbourne
> HackerSpaces have decided to incorporate and will not become a subcommittee.
> The council has agreed to hold a cash donation in escrow for HackerSpaces.

Is that a donation from LA's general funds; a specific donation that's
already been made to LA for some reason, or possible future donations,
or something else?

Cheers,
aj

-- 
Anthony Towns <aj at erisian.com.au>