[Board] Funding for OSGeo President to attend global FOSS4G

[Mark Lucas]

+1 from Mark


On Jul 31, 2013, at 12:06 PM, Jeff McKenna <jmckenna at gatewaygeomatics.com> wrote:

> 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.
>> 
>> 
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