[Board] My attendance in Portland

Mon Jul 14 15:27:15 PDT 2014

Hi Jeff,
I acknowledge that you do a lot on behalf of OSGeo, and would hasten to 
add other things that you do, such as traveling to and presenting at 
various conferences about OSGeo. (There are also many others amongst the 
OSGeo membership who do much, often with very little public recognition).

Following are a few points for my opinion:

What OSGeo is very good at is being efficient in how we spend our 
limited budget by drawing upon our talented membership (see Board 
priorities [1]).

There are specific tasks which the board should be addressing, and 
funding if required.   One of these I think is important is the setting 
up and manning of an OSGeo booth at the annual FOSS4G conference. It is 
an excellent way to meet face to face with the greater community. This 
task can be done by anyone from the community, but it does help to have 
people with deep OSGeo experience, such as a board member or president.

Personally, I don't see what the big issue is regarding setting up a 
booth. I've done it a number of times. I really enjoy being at the OSGeo 
booth because it attracts lots of really interesting people who would 
love to know more about OSGeo. All that is required is for someone to 
bring an OSGeo banner, and have a laptop showing OSGeo-Live on it. (Some 
people do more, but that covers the essentials).

The board should be accountable to our members for all budget spent. If 
we pay for someone's travel budget to a conference, what does OSGeo gain 
from that sponsorship beyond what is already provided by existing 
attendees? It is an easy question to answer if the money is going toward 
manning a booth, where we evangelise OSGeo.

So anyway, it is possible we have a misunderstanding over how much 
effort is required to be involved in an OSGeo booth, and hope that you 
can re-consider.

[1] 
http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Board_of_Directors#OSGeo_as_a_low_capital.2C_volunteer_focused_organisation

On 14/07/2014 9:30 pm, Jeff McKenna wrote:
> Hi Cameron,
>
> I would agree that it is very important to have a face of OSGeo
> representing the foundation at the main FOSS4G event.
>
> As I grow into this role (I've only been President for about 1.5 years
> now) I realize the demands of the position, and how important it is to
> build and maintain relationships (especially with other foundations and
> groups in our 'ecosystem').  There is a lot to the position, and a lot
> that no one sees (I am brought into discussions as OSGeo president
> almost every day it seems).
>
> With that said, adding to my responsibilities, with already so much on
> my plate, is not possible.  Plus you can search the OSGeo Marketing
> mailing list for questions from me about this time last year for booth
> materials for Nottingham (unanswered, materials non-existent).  The
> reality is that it always comes down to boots-on-the-ground for making
> the booth happen (massive thanks to Ian Edwards last year in Nottingham,
> as an example).  As president I will be already pulled into so many
> things in Portland.
>
> As an example, the LOC is already on me about the AGM...and I must soon
> start the Sol Katz process...likely help Jorge with elections....    get
> my drift?
>
> Also, unfortunately again charter members send me private messages
> saying great things that I want the whole community to hear - but in the
> end it is me bringing it public again. So, here it is again: I got
> several responses privately to this 'attendance' message that it is
> terrible that i must ask for funding as president, that there should be
> a separate president travel budget and i shouldn't have to justify
> publicly travel..that this message is noise and we should be talking of
> more important things etc etc...all true, but i wish they would bring
> this public and not me have to say it.  well here again i am.
>
> So to answer your questions directly Cameron: I am more than ready to
> represent OSGeo in the Portland event.  I feel it is very important to
> have this constant and stable face of OSGeo at events.  As for
> increasing my role, that is really physically impossible; I will do my
> best, but I would ask that we rely on a local chapter for gathering
> booth materials etc.
>
> Your President,
>
> -jeff
>
>
>
> On 2014-07-13, 4:26 AM, Cameron Shorter wrote:
>> Hi Jeff and others,
>> I think that it is important for an official OSGeo representative to be
>> at the FOSS4G conference to facilitate evangelising OSGeo, and OSGeo (or
>> FOSS4G) should cover expenses of this person. Ideally, this person
>> should be the OSGeo President, but could be someone else if the
>> president is not available.
>>
>> I would envisage the representative would play quite a public role,
>> likely talking with many people at an OSGeo booth. This would typically
>> involve the representative also playing a lead role in ensuring the
>> OSGeo booth is set up and running smoothly.
>>
>> Jeff, would you be ok with taking on this type of role? Could you please
>> expand on how you would envisage this working.
>>
>>
>> On 11/07/2014 3:34 am, Jeff McKenna wrote:
>>> Hi Board,
>>>
>>> We're about 2 months away from FOSS4G-Portland, and I just want to be
>>> open that no one has contacted me to represent OSGeo at that event.
>>> Other (regional) events give me lots of notice, handle flights, hotels,
>>> meals, for the OSGeo President to attend; however I learned last year
>>> that for the main FOSS4G event it is just assumed that I will be there
>>> in person.  Well to avoid that last minute chaos again, I am here asking
>>> the Board for use of the "Strategic travel" funding (as listed in the
>>> budget http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/OSGeo_Budget_2014) to cover my
>>> flights, hotel, and misc expenses (transfers) for FOSS4G Portland.
>>>
>>> Last year there was a debate as to whether this should be funded by the
>>> FOSS4G committee or in fact by the OSGeo Board, and it was decided it
>>> made most sense for the OSGeo Board to cover it.
>>>
>>> Thoughts?
>>>
>>> -jeff
>>>
>>>
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Cameron Shorter,
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