[Board] OSGeo vs 501c3 status - inpur required

[Cameron Shorter]

Jeff,
I'd be wanting to see your proposal fleshed out into specifics before 
I'd be likely to be convinced.
Ie, specify specifically what a paid role is expected to do. Estimate 
how much time/cost that will take. Establish what value it will bring to 
the OSGeo Foundation. Then we can assess the expected return on investment.

At the moment, I'm still in favour of OSGeo act as a light weight 
organisation.
I do also note that a relationship with Eclipse/LocationTech will has 
the potential to address the financial management requirements we are 
considering.

On 12/11/12 01:11, Jeff McKenna wrote:
> Frank,
>
> I just feel it's time to "bring in the heavies", a funded person (if we
> can budget something like $1,000 per month) to manage this.  I sit on a
> provincial board that does that, hires an accountant, and yet that Board
> doesn't have the international issues that we have here.  I feel we are
> spinning wheels, working very hard to figure this out, but we are out of
> our "wheelhouse".
>
> I guess my comments/feelings are too general for your questions.
>
> -jeff
>
>
>
> On 12-11-10 11:39 PM, Frank Warmerdam wrote:
>> On 12-11-10 01:32 PM, Jeff McKenna wrote:
>>> For what it's worth, here are my feelings briefly:
>>>
>>> - keep the project sponsorship program
>>> - hire a professional bookkeeper to manage the financials as of January
>>> 2013 (among the responsibilities such as mentioned in this email [taxes,
>>> IRS, non/profit status, financial institutions etc.], his/her main
>>> responsibility will be a monthly financial report submitted to the
>>> Board, preferably as short as one side of a page)
>>> - create a taxable subsidiary
>>>
>>> I think this would lesson the load on our great (yet small) pool of
>>> OSGeo volunteers, and at the same time let us continue with the
>>> sponsorship program (and hopefully expand it someday).
>> Jeff,
>>
>> Are you suggesting then that we aim for 501c3 status which implies
>> at least on paper narrowing our focus to educational goals?
>>
>> I believe that the responsibilities you are describing go well
>> beyond that of a bookkeeper and so the pay would be substantially
>> more than just for bookkeeping.  I imagine someone with more business
>> experience than me should comment.
>>
>> Best regards,
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Cameron Shorter
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