[Board] Re: [OSGeo-Conf] FOSS4G 2009 Finance Oversight

[Tyler Mitchell (OSGeo)]

Sounds spot on to me Frank.  Thank you Paul for offering to do it  
again, it will be very helpful.

Tyler

On 15-May-08, at 3:07 PM, Frank Warmerdam wrote:

> Folks,
>
> I believe there have been some questions about how the OSGeo board  
> will be
> overseeing FOSS4G 2009.  Traditionally (well given a tradition of  
> at least
> one year), we try to appoint some general OSGeo representatives to the
> annual conference committee (often referred to as the LOC), one of  
> whom is
> intended to play a financial oversight role.
>
> For FOSS4G 2008 that is Paul Ramsey who obviously has excellent  
> experience
> from 2007 on issues of conference budgeting.  Paul has kindly  
> agreed to play
> this role for 2009 as well.  Paul is of course also a director (and  
> can so
> can easily report on status to the board) and is on the OSGeo Finance
> Committee which will be expected to recommend the budget to the  
> board, and
> keep an eye on things.
>
> Generally we try to have an approved budget in place (approved by  
> the board)
> before major financial commitments are made for the conference.  
> This includes
> signing venue contracts and hopefully signing PCO contracts, though  
> I'm not
> sure if we can actually put together a solid budget before we have  
> the PCO
> in place.  Once that budget is approved, Paul will help keep an eye on
> operations and identify if the LOC is materially varying from the  
> budget or
> if any other warning flags arise.  He will also be a "voting  
> member" of the
> LOC, and have any priveledges pursuant to LOC members (possibly a free
> conference pass).  He is also an invaluable source of additional  
> advice.
>
> So, more so than Tyler, the FOSS4G 2009 LOC should explain  
> financial details
> to Paul and work with him to get a budget approved through the Finance
> Committee and the board.  Once that is in place Tyler, Paul or  
> myself can
> sign contracts on behalf of OSGeo that stay within the parameters  
> of the
> budget (after any suitable legal review, etc).
>
> I hope this helps clarify roles, and steps forward. If anyone  
> thinks I'm
> off base, or that we need some additional discussion around the  
> proposed
> process please let me know.
>
> Best regards,
> -- 
> --------------------------------------- 
> +--------------------------------------
> I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam,  
> warmerdam at pobox.com
> light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
> and watch the world go round - Rush    | President OSGeo, http:// 
> osgeo.org
>
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Tyler Mitchell
Executive Director
Open Source Geospatial Foundation
tmitchell at osgeo.org
P: +1-250-277-1621
M: +1-250-303-1831