[Board] Fwd: Demand for support from OSGeo Europe to OSgeo

[Angelos Tzotsos]

Forwarding to the OSGeo board.

There is now a motion for approval:
https://www.loomio.org/p/5rodPlm4/motion-to-support-osgeo-eu-request-for-1916-52-eur


-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: 	Demand for support from OSGeo Europe to OSgeo
Date: 	Fri, 25 Feb 2022 16:46:22 +0100
From: 	Dirk Frigne <dirk at osgeo.org>
Reply-To: 	Dirk Frigne <dirk at osgeo.org>
Organization: 	osgeo Europe
To: 	Angelos Tzotsos <tzotsos at gmail.com>
CC: 	codrina at geo-spatial.org <codrina at geo-spatial.org>, Michael Smith 
<michael.smith.erdc at gmail.com>



Dear Angelos,
Dear OSGeo Board,


During the last general assemblee of OSGeo Europe on FEB 17, 2022, the 
meeting decided to mandate me with the liquidation of the organisation. 
See also meeting minutes [1].

In short the reason is a lack of income for the organisation due to:
- the strategic decision not to compete with the local chapters
- get income from events that sponsor members bring together to promote 
OSGeo on events.
- no events since the pandemic and hence no income
- extra recurrent costs due to new ligislation for organisations

The assumptions at the start where:
- having an EURO account for OSGeo.org was rather expensive at that 
time, so having an account Europe was an opportunity. (also to act as an 
umbrella for the European FOSS4G conference)
- creating a bank account was for free for NGO's
- running an organisation was a low cost process (except for the monthly 
VAT liability, for which we needed the support of an accountant)

Since end 2019, the legisiation changed resulting in reccurent costs to 
hold a bank account.

during the pandemic there were no physical events and hence no income, 
but the recurring costs continued.

The start in 2018 and 2019 didn't result in a sufficiënt financial 
buffer to survive the pandemie.

The organisation has an outstanding dept of 1916,52, including the 
amount needed to close the organization nicely.

Since filing for bankruptcy would mean that current board members are 
associated with the failure of an organization (including OSGeo), in a 
public Belgian register, and as we are all volunteers promoting OSGeo 
projects and initiatives, I dare to ask if the OSGeo board would 
consider to help OSGeo by transfer 1916,52 EUR to our account so that we 
can pay our debts and close the organization.

If we recieve the saldo on the accoount of the organisation before MAR 
11, 2022, We can pay for our debts and shut down avoiding further costs.

Thank you in advance for considering this request with the board.


-- 
Dirk Frigne
President OSGeo Europe

Bank account OSGeo Europe VZW:
BIC:  ARSPBE22
IBAN: BE47 9731 8951 3580

OSGeo Europe VZW BE 0689915666

[1]https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/europe/2022-February/000273.html

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