Meeting Notes 2010 11 30

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The 137th Meeting of Noisebridge[edit]

Crew[edit]

  • Meeting called at 8:15pm. Moderator Dr. Jesus, notetaker MCT.
  • Approximately 21 people in attendance.

Agenda[edit]

Introduction and Names[edit]

  • What Noisebridge is about: "Noisebridge is a 501c3 nonprofit that provides a space for creation, collaboration, and learning about technology and creative projects. Noisebridge provides space, power tools, and infrastructure to help the public learn new skills and create cool things. Noisebridge continues to exist through and depends entirely on membership fees and donations. Our code of conduct is 'Be excellent to each other'."
  • Round of introductions: What's your name, what do you do, and if you are new, how did you hear about Noisebridge? Start with the moderator and go left.
  • A brief primer on consensus process: We agree and so should you!

Announcements[edit]

New Weekly things happening at Noisebridge[edit]

In addition to the ones already listed on the meetings form page:

  • Ruby Tuesdays is now happening
  • Carl is teaching Unity to people who show up on Wednesdays
  • Over the next month, Pwn Your Own is focusing on wireless security.
  • Friday Night Shop Class meets Friday nights at Midnight, with the current project of building a CNC machine.

Payment of dues or donations to keep Noisebridge operating[edit]

Rachel points out that there are many ways to pay dues, including giving them to a board member, who will give you a receipt.

Shannon says we're currently paying out about twice as much as we're taking in. This projects us running out of money in February.

Shannon speaks briefly about the distinction between affiliate vs. full membership. If you use the space regularly, but don't want to take place in the consensus process, you should at least consider being an affiliate member.

Financial Report[edit]

Treasurer wasn't able to make it tonight, but left a very helpful, detailed report here with the current state of affairs:

Hey guys, can't make the meeting tonight. Have 3 grad school apps due tomorrow. Wish me luck! --Hurtstotouchfire 02:44, 1 December 2010 (UTC)

Here's the update on our finances:

We paid rent for December ($3600) and renewed our insurance for the next year ($1982) and still managed to end the month with a higher aggregate balance than last month. This is thanks in part to several members resuming dues payment and paying back-dues, as well as several SponsorADay donations, and a belated matching donation from Google ($2K).

The treasury minions and I have made good progress on nagging our membership about dues payment. We're basically going through and emailing the hundred or so people that comprise our membership. Of these, roughly thirty were paid up in their dues, and another 20 or so were on "official" hiatus, so that left about 50 people that we're emailing. In the next week or two we should have those people all sorted into either hiatus members or active members who are paying dues or have made an agreement to do so shortly.

Once I have the membership clearly accounted for, I can start giving more detailed financial reports. I'll have some numbers next month for how we did on dues and donations for the month of November, once I finish reconciling it all.

Funds in bank: $9,795

Fun Fact: As of this month, there is only one hacker who is paying Doing Well dues, and I bet you can't guess who...

Donations[edit]

We keep records of cash donations at Noisebridge.

For money collected from the drinks bin on the fridge: https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Beverage_Bin_Record

For money collected from the donation bins at the front of Noisebridge: https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Donation_Bin_Record

For money collected from the spiral coin wells: https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Coin_Bin_Record

Membership Binder[edit]

  • Read off any names from the binder for the past month.
  • Anyone up for join this week should introduce them selves then leave the area in search of gifts for the rest of the group.

What's Going On at Noisebridge[edit]

One short sentence about each of the following:

Weekly[edit]

For locations at Noisebridge, see a map of the 2169 location of Noisebridge.

Non-weekly[edit]

Project Updates[edit]

Consensus items[edit]

Up for membership tonight: John (neurofog/NeuroTech). Signatures by Al Sweigart and one undetermined person. No one blocks; John is a member.

Discussion Items[edit]

John proposes an event somewhat similar to 5mof, but for the purpose of showing off the space to outsiders. Could be done in presentation form, with someone from each "area" of Noisebridge (shop, sewing, etc) presenting for 15-20 minutes. Miloh mentions we did something like this for the 1 year anniversary at the new space. Other ideas were discussed, such as doing one minute on each area at 5mof, maybe. Discussion was taken offline.

Frantisek will very sadly be leaving the US shortly for somewhere yet to be determined. There will be a going away part on Tuesday, December 7th, where he hopes people will come and hang out. He'll start preparing the meal around 2-3pm, with the event starting between 6-7pm, breaking briefly for the meeting, and then continuing afterwards. After he's gone, Frantisek requests that everyone put effort into figuring out some of the ongoing cleaning issues at Noisebridge, especially with the kitchen, which he's put a huge amount of work into. (Thanks, Frantisek! We'll miss you!)

Mike brings up an idea that was discussed some time ago at 83c, that everyone bring in personal dishes to use, to avoid the problem of dirty communal dishes piling up.

We all agree that "leave the place better than you found it" is a good guiding principal.

Benny asks that when we're done using the AV cables attached to the projector we plug them back into the machine where you found them.

Bikes: Shannon reiterated that last week he and Andy taped parked bicycles to the bicycle stand on the wall. Any taped bicycles remaining will be taken away, either to the Bike Kitchen, or to Ace Monster Toys.

We briefly discussed the procedure for ordering more softdrinks when the refrigerator is empty: Take money from the donation box, buy more drinks, and give the profits to the treasurer. Miloh states that if you take cash from the box, you should write it up on an existing wiki page documenting donation box intake. Search the wiki for "drinks". (Does anyone have a link to this page?)

Frantisek wants to donate a bicycle to the space when he moves, however it was pointed out that we already have one (or more?) communal bicycles. If it isn't wanted or needed, he says that we're welcome to tell him and he'll donate it to the Bike Kitchen.

An individual at the meeting stated that when he comes in early in the morning he's finding people sleeping in the space, and suggests that it would be worth mentioning on the wiki that sleeping here isn't a good idea. We briefly rehash the recent history of people sleeping in the space, saying again that it's not okay to sleep here, and that this is already well documented. The individual states that he has overheard some regulars in the space telling friends, etc passing through that it's okay to crash here for the night. However, the individual is reluctant to state who these regulars are, as part of a personal general anti-snitching policy. The rest of the discussion was taken offline. (Add any new items for consensus to the Current Consensus Items page.)

End of Meeting[edit]

  • PGP Key Signing could happen now, check the list to see who wants in on the action.
  • Put back the membership binder by the Shrine at the northeast corner.
  • Save the meeting notes to the wiki.
  • Send a copy of the meeting notes to the discussion list.
  • Copy the Meeting Notes Template for next week's agenda and update the main wiki page's link to it.
  • Enjoy a cocktail with your fellow hacker or robot.