[Board] Funding for OSGeo President to attend global FOSS4G

[Jeff McKenna]

Still awaiting responses on this from Mark and Anne.

-jeff




On 2013-07-14 4:55 PM, Peter Batty wrote:
> Dear Board,
> 
> I (and the Nottingham LOC) just recently found out that Jeff was not
> going to be able to make it to FOSS4G Nottingham because of lack of
> funding. Steven and the LOC would really like to have Jeff there, and I
> would too. While I support the growth of regional events, I think
> there's something special about the global event and I think it's
> important for OSGeo that our President is there. 
> 
> We have talked to Jeff and he has indicated that he will be able to
> attend if his expenses are covered. The LOC has budget for funding
> keynote speakers as needed, and could just go ahead and fund Jeff's
> attendance from that, which is a fallback option.
> 
> However, I'm raising this with the board as I think we should establish
> a principle that OSGeo should pay the President's expenses to go to the
> annual global conference every year (unless he or she is in a position
> to fund travel by other means). I think this is a very reasonable thing
> to do - like I said, I really think it's important for the Foundation
> that the President should be there each year. But it's not reasonable to
> expect whoever is President to fund that from their own pocket. I was
> opposed to automatically funding the whole board to go, just because
> that becomes a significantly larger expense for OSGeo and quite a number
> of board members, myself included, work for larger companies who are
> willing to fund them to attend. And while it's good to have a reasonable
> number of board members there, I don't think it's critical to the event
> to have all board members in attendance. But I do think it's really
> important for the President to be there.
> 
> Financially of course, it would ultimately amount to the same thing for
> OSGeo whether the LOC just approves the expense or whether the board
> approves this. But I think we should agree to do it on an ongoing basis.
> 
> Procedurally I don't know if I should propose this as a motion at the
> next board meeting, or whether we can just have a vote via email. Just
> in case, I propose a tentative motion:
> 
> OSGeo will refund reasonable travel and living expenses for the OSGeo
> President to attend the global FOSS4G conference each year. The
> President has the option of declining this funding if he or she can
> obtain funding from another source.
> 
> Please let me know what you think.
> 
> Cheers,
>     Peter.
> 
>