[OSGeo Finance] Budget

[Dave McIlhagga]

Frank,

My one suggestion is to work with your biggest sponsor to pin down a  
committed amount for 2009 at the earliest possible date (preferably  
before finalizing the budget with the board) since this can have one  
of the bigger impacts on your overall budget for 2009. If I recall -  
it was $20,000 less than what we understood at the board meeting -- so  
this is an important element to get a commitment on, regardless of  
what the actual amount ends up being.

Re. the $8,000 -- I believe this covered a number of items including  
the payroll service (the largest item i believe?) + accounting / legal  
expenses which you will need some of -- for instance when we start  
filing our tax forms. So I doubt you'll be able to do away with this.

Tyler is paid in Canadian dollars -- so the budget amount fluctuates  
according to the exchange rate. A cost of living adjustment was made  
at start? of 2008. You can check in with the payroll company about  
typical COL changes for 2008 as you look at making any adjustments for  
2009.

Re. Tyler's travel expenses -- I'd take a look at it, but consider  
that if you are planning more money to be spent in marketing -- that  
probably means more events, and therefore more travel for Tyler. Also  
this was probably a "low" travel year for Tyler due to personal reasons.

As always -- be prudent in budgetting -- always better to come in  
under budget than over budget.

Dave



On 29-Sep-08, at 4:50 AM, Frank Warmerdam wrote:

> Folks,
>
> In the face to face board meeting yesterday the board
> developed some rough direction on the budget for the
> finance committee to fill in with detail and return to the
> board for approval.
>
> Noteworthy points:
> - A desire to up marketing funding to $50000.
> - A recognition that the board needs to bring in one
>   new sustaining sponsor, and a few more at lower levels.
> - A willingness to run at a modest loss this year if  necessary
>
> I have prepared a preliminary 2009 budget document at:
>
>  http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/OSGeo_Budget_2009
>
> I realize I have several questions as I go through it:
>
> 1) In 2008 there was $8000 budgeted for bookkeeping and
> accounting support.  I believe the hope was that a professional
> part time bookkeeper could be retained to take some of the
> routine work off Tyler.  Was this pursued? Is there any current
> plans in this regard?  For now I have dropped this budget item.
>
> 2) We should likely add an item for D&O insurance.  What
> was the last quote we had on this?
>
> 3) I would like some details on Tyler's payment arrangements.
> In particular I wonder if his salary is fixed in Canadian dollars
> in which case I imagine the cost to OSGeo in US dollars has
> changed with current adjustments in the last couple years.  This
> will make a material difference.
>
> 4) Has there been any cost-of-living, etc adjustments to Tyler's
> salary since he started?  I vaguely recall some discussion on this
> a while ago but I don't recall if something came of it, or if it was
> deferred to the 2009 budgeting process.
>
> 5) I wonder if we should be adjusting Tyler's travel budget based
> on actual expenses he has been having.
>
> 6) Tyler, you published several interim financial statements to the
> board-priv list in advance of the board meeting.  I'm wondering why
> those were done via -priv, and whether you can distribute them via
> the public finance list for consideration by the finance committee.
>
> Best regards,
> -- 
> --------------------------------------- 
> +--------------------------------------
> I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
> light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
> and watch the world go round - Rush    | Geospatial Programmer for  
> Rent
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