[Board] Travel Expenses

[Frank Warmerdam]

On Tue, Aug 28, 2012 at 2:02 PM, Jeff McKenna
<jmckenna at gatewaygeomatics.com> wrote:
> Hello Board,
>
> I am in contact with several local committees to do some talks/keynotes
> as an OSGeo ambassador at their events.  I have done enough travel for
> OSGeo now to know that there are many more expenses during these events
> other than "flight & hotel".

Jeff,

This also suggest we ought to revisit how Ambassador funding is
allocated.  I see we have about $8K left in our budget for it this year.
I believe previously the procedure was that if Arnulf *and* Daniel
agreed about a proposed activity that was sufficient (within the
budgetary limits).  The effort earlier this year to add more structure
to the program morphed into the OSGeo Advocate effort which while
laudable doesn't give us any more guideance on how to approve
funded ambassador activities when they are judged to be strategic.

> I would like to see us (the OSGeo Board) agree on standard rates for
> travel expenses for OSGeo representatives (i.e. a per diem that covers
> food and misc expenses during OSGeo travel).  I don't mind starting that
> wiki page draft, if the Board feels this is a good idea.

While I *prefer* us to be only reimbursing expenses for which there
are actual receipts I can understand that this isn't always practical.
I am open to a proposal but I want to stress that I would want it to
err on the side of frugal.

> I hope I am not off-base in bringing this issue up publicly to the Board.

I can't see how it would be off base and with such financial matters
it is particularly important that we be as open as possible.

Best regards,
-- 
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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    | Geospatial Software Developer