[Board] [EXTERNAL] Re: Support fot OSGeo officers (Re: My attendance in Portland)

Wed Jul 16 05:20:52 PDT 2014

I agree, a very strong +1. I would also say that something like a
membership fee could help support travel activities for designated OSGeo
Board members. While we are a volunteer organization, I do not believe
that OSGeo officers should have to fund OSGeo required/desired travel.

Mike

-- 
Michael Smith

US Army Corps
Remote Sensing GIS/Center

On 7/16/14, 8:12 AM, "Daniel Morissette" <dmorissette at mapgears.com> wrote:

>Strong +1 on everything Arnulf wrote here.
>
>Daniel
>
>
>On 14-07-16 4:07 AM, Seven (aka Arnulf) wrote:
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>> Even,
>> this is well summarized, thanks.
>>
>> (...if you missed the thread go check the board list)
>>
>> Further to this I mut say that the president should get all the
>> support from OSGeo to travel to events - very obviously also including
>> FOSS4G. I never asked directly because I felt awkward. Stupid but
>> honest. Towards the end of my presidency I did ask and also got some
>> travel support because otherwise I would not have been able to sustain
>> it. I have it all in plain numbers before me now because my accountant
>> made a point of tagging everything I did for OSGeo or for business. In
>> 2011 I spent more than 35k US$ for travel - all out of my own pocket
>> except for 10% out of OSGeo budget. This is in low cost
>> accommodations, just to put numbers into relation. Traveling at a
>> higher standard would have pushed my travel budget to 70$ or 100k
>>easily.
>>
>> Next: Yes, my business suffered a lot during my presidency. It is one
>> of the reasons why I think that the term should be limited. Oher than
>> Jeff I think that one year president elect followed by one year full
>> president is enough. There is nothing worse than burning out your
>> presidents and discarding them when they are done. Not good.
>>
>> Yes, being president connected me with many "important" people and
>> yes, I expected to get great job offers. This did not happen. People
>> expect that you get paid if you meet them at conferences in the role
>> of OSGeo president. They all get paid to get there themselves. They
>> cannot even imagine that you would go there on your own, private cost.
>> It is usually only the odd single consultant who has to pay "on their
>> own". Everybody else gets sent by their company. Strangely all OSGeo's
>> last presidents at one point were odd single consultants and had to
>> pay for conferences, cater for their own travel and accommodation. So
>> if you like these folks to reperesent you then make sure they can
>> afford it.
>>
>> Ha, this developed a bit into a rant, please excuse.
>>
>> But please give our president and the board and all the OSGeo officers
>> all the support they need. Rest assure that they deserve it and also
>> rest assured that they will not misuse any funding they get. I
>> personally vouch for each single one of the folks on the board right
>> now and before. Hard working nice people who just have this extra edge
>> to drive OSGeo forward.
>>
>> And if you don't like how anybody in these roles acts then nominate
>> and vote differently next time. It is very straight forward, really.
>> Stand up yourself and do things, after all we declared it a do-ocracy
>> not a complai-no-crazy.
>>
>> Have fun,
>> Arnulf
>>
>> PS:
>> I am currently offline on holidays and only chimed in by pure chance
>> so please do not expect anything else from me until beginning of August.
>>
>> /me waves...
>>
>>
>>
>> On 07/15/2014 10:02 AM, Even Rouault wrote:
>>> Cameron,
>>>
>>> I agree in principle with the accountability, but I don't think we
>>> should make Jeff's life harder than it needs to be. In the end, the
>>> board is elected and if people are not happy with how the budget is
>>> spent, they will say it with their votes. Let trust people, and
>>> especially when their past accomplishments speak for them. And for
>>> having been in Notthingham last year, I can remember having seen
>>> Jeff many times on the OSGeo booth.
>>>
>>> Best regards,
>>>
>>> Even
>>>
>>>> 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
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________ Board mailing
>>>>> list Board at lists.osgeo.org
>>>>> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/board
>>>>
>>>> -- Cameron Shorter, Software and Data Solutions Manager LISAsoft
>>>> Suite 112, Jones Bay Wharf, 26 - 32 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009
>>>>
>>>> P +61 2 9009 5000,  W www.lisasoft.com,  F +61 2 9009 5099
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________ Board mailing
>>>> list Board at lists.osgeo.org
>>>> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/board
>>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>
>>
>> - --
>> Seven of Nine
>> http://arnulf.us/Seven
>> Exploring Body, Space and Mind
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>
>
>-- 
>Daniel Morissette
>T: +1 418-696-5056 #201
>http://www.mapgears.com/
>Provider of Professional MapServer Support since 2000
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