[Board] Potential Vietnam Chapter

[Frank Warmerdam]

Jeff McKenna wrote:
> By the way, I can't seem to remember anyone else making a similar 
> request like this.  Can someone point to me the process for deciding how 
> we spend OSGeo budget on travel?  What is the process for these 
> decisions?  How do we decide how the budget is spent on travel for OSGeo 
>  members (Directors, EDs, officers)  I must be missing these email 
> threads with those travel requests...I just see messages about notice of 
> travel, but never do we vote on what events are important to spend 
> budget on.  I guess I am missing something here?

Jeff,

Generally there have not been many travel funding requests, except for Tyler
who has a dedicated travel budget he can spend on travel as he sees fit.

One exception has been Wolf B. travelling to GSoC meetings in California.
I believe I have approved those as treasurer on the basis that it is a
cost of participation in the GSoC program and is just consuming a bit of
the GSoC mentor money which is normally left with OSGeo.

Early in the foundation's establishment we had a number of requests for
funding to get directors to meetings.  These were mostly paid by ADSK out
funds outside the OSGeo budget though we certainly can't expect that anymore.

On one or more occasions we have also provided travel funding to people out
of Tyler's travel budget, particularly when he wasn't able to travel much and
there was lots left over.  Such a decision would (arguably) be one that Tyler
can make on his own.

You mention "events", and often attending events to promote OSGeo falls
within the marketing budget.  Such travel and expenses just need to be
approved by the marketing committee.  I'm not sure if the marketing
committee would feel that meetings to promote the launch of a local
chapter falls within their objectives or not.

But if the money isn't coming out of an existing budgeted area with the
agreement of the part of the organization responsible for that budget then
it generally comes down to a request to the board as a motion.

I personally would not have any objection to passing a special motion
authorizing up to $1100 USD for flight/hotel for Jeff to visit Vietnam
and promote establishment of a local chapter.   Based on my experience
in China, I'm thinking that $600 for local travel (taxis?) is rather high
and I'm less comfortable with that.

Best regards,
-- 
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