diff --git a/meeting-notes/AGM_2019/Hackspace meeting notes 2019.md b/meeting-notes/AGM_2019/Hackspace meeting notes 2019.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2d97829 --- /dev/null +++ b/meeting-notes/AGM_2019/Hackspace meeting notes 2019.md @@ -0,0 +1,47 @@ +# Hackspace AGM 2019 + +What are we going to do with the space: + +**Tom:** + +> After this week more free - Sensors site developed so has more time. +> Would like to do that if he can. + +**Oly:** + +> Won't have time to run the space or come down regularly + +**Simon:** + +> New job and doesn't have the time to get down to the space + +**Ian:** + +> Likewise + +**Tom:** + +> What's the value of having a physical space + +**Simon:** + +> ... + +**Tom:** + +> Value in keeping the space open, happy to carry the torch and take over from Oly. +> Sam and Tom can unlock. + +**Ian:** + +> Will stay on for short time to hand over to someone else who can do a better job. +> Are we in the black? + +**Oly:** + +> cost £203 +> Membership is £203 +> We have 10 members + Tom would bring us back to 11. + +Agree that Knowledge be transferred over to Tom. +Can appoint Tom as interim Treasurer, until we can call the EGM diff --git a/meeting-notes/AGM_2021/AGM 2021 Notes.docx b/meeting-notes/AGM_2021/AGM 2021 Notes.docx new file mode 100644 index 0000000..665a643 Binary files /dev/null and b/meeting-notes/AGM_2021/AGM 2021 Notes.docx differ diff --git a/meeting-notes/AGM_2021/Hackspace meeting notes 2021.md b/meeting-notes/AGM_2021/Hackspace meeting notes 2021.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f68dea5 --- /dev/null +++ b/meeting-notes/AGM_2021/Hackspace meeting notes 2021.md @@ -0,0 +1,657 @@ +# Maidstone Hackspace AGM + +30 october 2021 at 2000 + +## Apologies for absence + +Oly + +## Attending + +Tom, Simon, Ian, Vic, Josh, Jake + +## Meeting started by Chairman + +**Tom:** +(Tom introduces himself as current Chairman, we approve previous AGM meeting notes.) +Tom stepped in last time as the chairman when Oly stepped down due to new family commitments. + +We can start building this back up following the pandemic. + +**Simon:** +(Simon Ridley introduces himself as current treasurer, and presents account summary) + +> as of 28th October we have £893.95 in the bank. +> £70.52 in Paypal +> Total of £964.17 +> Factor in rent £203 per month +> +> 3 month period for notice leaving £352.95 +> +> Members 10 paying brings in £217 per month +> +> Closed around August 2020 as a result of Covid doors remained shut for 13 months. +> Between March 2020 and May 2021 we had %46 loss in membership, at the end of September this year 25% increase in membership +> +> Between the period of March and may we were in loss and were talking about closing the space. +> We have not stabilised the position and we are now able to sustain the space. +> +> Josh, Vic and I have been reviewing the equipment in the space. +> We had 2 3d printers which were not functioning +> which brought in £130 +> Have an offer to purchase the remaining filament as a job lot. +> +> Financially we are currently in a reasonable position. + +**Tom:** + +> We managed 18 months, we were looking to close, we came up with creative solutions well done to everyone to keep it going. +> We can now plan the future. + +**Ian:** +(Introduces himself as the current secretary) + +> I stepped in due to the previous secretary leaving and wanting to keep the space going. +> However due to my job changing over the last few years I am not looking to step down. + +**Tom:** + +> I was equally place-holding, so would also be stepping down, but wouldn't want to leave you in the lurch. + +## Election of the 2021/2022 committee + +Ian and Tom looking to step down. + +### Nominations for Chairmen + +Simon Ridley volunteered to take the role of Chairman, no other nominations. +Simon Elected to Chairman - Proposed by Josh Oliver, Seconded by Ian Wilkinson + +### Nominations for the now empty role of treasurer + +Josh Oliver volunteered for treasurer, no other nominations. +Josh Oliver treasurer Proposed by Simon Ridley, seconded by Jake Jackson. + +### Nominations for secretary + +Vic Roy volunteered for secretary, no other nominations. +Vic Roy for secretary - Proposed Jake Jackson, seconded by Simon Ridley + +Confirmed that previous committee members are happy to hand over to new members over the next few weeks. + +Simon continued meeting as Chairman. + +## Hackspace legal structure + +**Simon:** + +> Discussions around if we should be a CIC or Charity. +> Josh and Simon have spent the last week or so investigating the options. +> +> - CLG company limited by guarantee +> - CCLG Charity Company Limited by guarantee. +> - CIO Charity Incorporated Organisation +> - CIC community Interested company +> +> **CLG** normally differs from a company by the members not being liable for any costs: +> +> - Registered with Companies house. +> - Will we need to be audited? +> - There's a cost associated because you need an accountant. +> +> For Charities, which covers **CCLG** & **CIO**. +> In order to be able to act as a charity you need to register with the charitable commission fees for this are £795 ex vat +> +> We can't afford this. +> +> **CIC** - It brings can have shareholders or no shareholders limited by liability +> +> - Members can vote at AGM +> - Fits well with current setup +> - Membership can be limited to directors, or to a wider membership. +> - No full accounts, only show income and expenditure +> - CT600 needs to be sent annually to company house, which does incur the costs of an accountant. +> - Using an online accountant at "people per hour" example cost £150 to file ct600 for you. +> - ACC net solutions charge £60 to submit a ct600. +> - If you have a physical accountant will pay significantly more. + +**Vic:** + +> Is there any advantage to being a CLG over a CIC? + +**Josh:** + +> being a CIC is more acceptable for funding. +> £27 to register at company house. +> Other hackspaces are generally CIC + +**Simon:** + +> The Maidstone Community Centre only allows Charities or CICs. +> Therefore we wouldn't be able to stay here. + +Simon proposes a Vote for moving forward with CIC. + _**All members voted in favour.**_ + +## Public Liability Insurance + +**Simon:** + +> Josh and I did some more research and discovered via the Hackspaces foundation that Engine Insurance specialises in Hackspaces. +> To get a baseline in costings, this covers minimum £2million, and Trustee indemnity at £250,000, legal expenses included, +> Contents included up to £2k. +> The total £336.67 per year, £28.05 per month. +> The current reality is that the space makes £17 per month so we can't currently afford public liability without growing our membership. + +**Question from a member:** + +> Why do we need insurance? + +**Simon:** + +> If you run classes, workshops, go to any events, technically even in your own space, if anyone should get injured with the the equipment. + +**Josh:** + +> If someone is using the equipment and they should sue, the insurance should cover this. Without this we would have to cover the costs. + +**Vic:** + +> Can we get members to sign to say they will not sue the space? + +**Ian:** + +> I've been told from other hackspaces that is unenforcible, they said we need insurance. +> I personally think this is something we absolutely need as a space. + +**Simon:** + +> yep, agreed. + +**Ian:** + +> We certainly can't invest or use any bigger equipment than we've got without equipment. +> Looking to grow the space, we have to have the insurance. + +**Simon:** + +> It's fair to say this will remain a continuing agenda item, closely monitored with the financial position. +> The committee has to accept the risk that if we were ever approached to being sued, because the CIC is limited, ultimately +> it would bankrupt the space and it would fold. This would be the financial fallout, it would just end the space. +> That would be the risk. + +**Jake:** + +> If it's such a vital thing, and we have a surplus in the accounts is it worth just starting it up on the assumption that we should be able to expand the membership? + +**Josh:** + +> It's an option to take the insurance on the basis that we expand membership. +> We can go on risk without insurance. +> We should investigate other providers, if we work through the asset list and see what else we can get rid of... + +**Simon:** + +> All the time we have additional profit over that three month period. +> We could commit the money to do it but the line is very thin. +> I think this should be an agenda item to carry this over to the next committee meeting to review. + +## Funding + +**Vic:** + +> We could have some of the silent members drop out. +> As a CIC can we apply for donations and funding. + +**Josh:** + +> We need to investigate the funding for CIC + +**Simon:** + +> We did some research and there's a group in the centre called "Funds For all" that specialise in getting funds for groups. + +## Assets and inventory list + +**Simon:** + +> Vic and I spent a lot of time organise the space. +> Some kit/items which are not being used and can be sold. +> +> Tools that don't work / are broken +> We own a lot of stuff that we don't know about. +> We've divided the space into two +> +> The room on the right is a space to store stuff to make the left room usable. +> +> We have a template which we can use to fill out the audit the space +> +> Pegboard is in progress to help tidy the space +> +> Can we set a date??? +> +> Aim to get the template setup. +> +> 27th November - date for Big Asset Management 1000 start. + +## Website development + +**Josh:** + +> I find the website completely unclear what we can provide or who are members +> Not clear about image +> or showing what you can access at the space which you might not have at home. +> On the current website has very clear lack of direction with you don't what members are doing or who are current members. +> +> I think if we need the website as a main site of connection. +> +> Other hackspaces have a wish list about tools etc, but not able to be found on ours. +> +> Pages are not easily linkable. +> +> Needs overhauling +> What tools we may have +> Who can help? +> Is a project feasible? +> +> Three or four methods of communication. + +**Simon:** + +> Can I raise a committee action to reduce the number of methods of communication. +> Managing that is extremely difficult. + +**Ian:** + +> This is a bugbear of mine. +> We have a forum that nobody uses, we have the email list that almost nobody uses. +> I wanted to replace those with Discourse, it's got the advantage of doing email if you want, +> you can use permissions that could tie in with the website. +> +> South East london use Discourse very well for almost all of their member to member communication. + +**Jake:** + +> Is this something we have to host ourselves, as there's a cost involved? + +**Ian:** + +> Yes, we use digital ocean for hosting. +> When we spun it up last time we ran into resource constraints. +> I believe we've expanded our droplets sizes since then so we should be ok. +> There's a [talk from a chap at EMF camp](https://www.emfcamp.org/schedule/2018/92-bootstrapping-a-hackerspace) from a EU hackspace about how they've merged together a lot of technology to give their members a very good experience. +> This is something I wanted to implement. +> I would love for our membership cards to actually be tied in with the membership system. +> The card doesn't currently know if you're an active member, what currently happens is that it makes an API. +> We know what then happens, when we lose WiFi you can't get in. +> Once you've got that working on the card, you can then use the card to unlock kit once you've completed your training. + +**Simon:** + +> Needs to have calenders, events, courses etc., added to website. +> +> To take an action - Simon to Reach out to Oly & Sam for a website 101. + +**Josh:** + +> Needs to show open evenings +> Getting the information out to the potential members. +> Members only sections need to be improved. + +**Jake:** + +> General announcements on discourse. + +**Simon:** + +> Ok, can we agree a date for the next committee meeting to discuss the following: +> +> - Remove mailing-list and forums - Action now - All members agreed. +> - Discourse and improving our communications - Action for next committee meeting. +> - Please can we have suggestions for platforms and feedback emailed in from members before the committee meeting please. +> - Action - Simon to Reach out to Oly & Sam for a website 101. + +## Community involvement - Generate membership and Funds + +**Simon:** + +> Around 2018 we came up with a sumo bot event. +> It was to encouraging competition. +> Have something ourselves +> Have something in the lead up to the event running sessions to tutor people. +> For those not familiar autonomous robots to push out of a ring. +> +> Open to either autonomous or remote control. + +**Vic:** + +> We can reach out to schools and uni's and run class good way to generate money can provide training in electronics. + +**Simon:** + +> We can charge a small fee for workshop/classes. +> Do we want to push this as a Maidstone hackspace event? + +**Vic:** + +> I have some experience in teaching kids. + +**Simon:** + +> These are all things we can push, do we want to do this? + +**Ian:** + +> When we were first talking about this we were talking about challenging other hackspaces, some sort of inter hackspace sumo bot competition. +> We built a non-standard ring, but that would be fine for running courses, + +**Simon:** + +> Good idea + +**Josh:** + +> We can use EMF camp to show off ourselves and if you have things in common. + +**Simon:** + +> As we've had good uptake from members here, we'll take an Action for next committee meeting for ideas for tutoring. +> We can try and firm up ideas for a sumo + +**Vic:** + +> I have a DBS check, +> **Ian:** +> So do I +> **Simon:** +> I do too +> **Jake:** +> Me too + +**Josh:** + +> Need other ideas to attract people to the space. +> Advertise here as well. +> Engaging events, one off events or ongoing tutelage to promote us + +**Simon:** + +> What was the even we went to in Essex? + +**Ian:** + +> Southend on sea raspberry jam. +> We went over there with some of our projects, and my robot I built for PiWars before I'd found the hackspace. +> They were running courses there, like building a radio. +> Running something like running a raspberry jam can be very beneficial. +> There used to be someone in kent running the raspberry jams, but I'm not aware of any significant raspberry jams recently. + +**Simon:** + +> Look into Raspberry jam in a bit more depth. +> Sounds like it matches the criteria we are looking for. + +**Jake:** + +> What about PiWars? + +**Ian:** + +> It's switched to home based, and probably isn't as much of a pull as before. + +**Simon:** + +> Action for the next committee +> +> - Firm up some activities - Josh +> - Vic - To refresh on previous teaching activities. + +**Josh:** + +> Jacky - Mentioned Six bricks? +> Is a lego foundation funded program to learn anything using just 6 lego bricks - bridge building, electronics. +> We can adapt something like that, use something like blocks to teach coding. +> +> With functional programming you don't have to worry about something like syntax. +> +> it's something we could possibly produce ourselves. +> We could 3d print and tailor make our own program inspired on 6 bricks. + +**Simon:** + +> Ok, what do you like to proceed? + +**Josh:** + +> We should research into six bricks and how it could be applied to our field. +> Ideas in how it can be adapted, use as a launch pad into pi bots. +> Introduce the building element. + +**Simon:** + +> With members like Jacky are invested and would be likely to promote it. + +**Josh:** + +> With 6 bricks being a Lego brand is well known, it brings in more interest. +> It is a well known things, it could be a Good jumping off point. + +**Simon:** + +> Action for the committee: by next meeting need to have the supporting material to start planning some events, such as six bricks. + +## AOB + +**Josh:** + +> Other hackspaces offer child memberships alongside adult memberships, concession rates for students, OAPs, etc. +> We are not in a position to support this. +> It should not look like we are pledging to something. +> We don't want to take away benefits, because it's about fostering a good environment. +> It's about fostering the interest, it's not as scary as it seems. +> We can break it down. + +**Simon:** + +> What would you prefer? +> Would you prefer we go down the route of if there's a member who has a child that wishes to join that we offer a child discount? + +**Josh:** + +> yes + +**Ian:** + +> Don't we already say that children are 50%? + +**Simon:** + +> We say nothing. + +**Ian:** + +> It's in the constitution. + +**Simon:** + +> It's in the constitution if you can find it. + +(lot's of people talking) + +**Ian:** + +> I thought there was no minimum membership. + +**Simon:** + +> I'm going to set you an action Josh of a draft proposal payment structure. + +**Ian:** + +> I thought we should have a minimum payment. +> Yes, The constitution says all junior members qualify for a 50% discount on the membership fee. +> In the constitution, it does say that. + +**Josh:** + +> But the problem is you don't want to be reading the constitution to find out. + +**Ian:** + +> No, but I don't think we have a minimum amount. +> We have a suggested £20. + +**Josh:** + +> the website is preset at £20. +> I think as a committee we can adjust due to circumstances. + +**Simon:** + +> I updated the website particularly around that from the feedback, so the website provides more context around what bang you get for your buck. +> Certainly open to expanding upon that. +> £20 should be the membership fee, but if there are individuals with financial hardship then in consultation with the committee look into it. + +**Ian:** + +> Looking at other hackspaces, Cambridge and South east london have minimum amounts, +> The main London hackspace has a pay what you want. +> The model we adopted was from the major London hackspace, which seems premature as they have hundreds of members. +> To bootstrap the space we need a guaranteed income. + +**Josh:** + +> Can investigate other kent hackspaces, and universities. +> With the pandemic people are more interested in more virtual stuff. + +**Simon:** + +> Hang on to the idea, but I don't want to overwhelm and go in lots of different directions. +> Stick with the actions we've got and carry it over. + +## Storage Space + +**Ian:** + +> I would suggest that we would be better off using our storage space for hackspace stuff and members do not get to store their projects here. + +**Simon:** + +> At all? + +**Ian:** + +> at all. + +**???:** + +> Or if they have do have to, we could charge them an extra on top of their membership. + +**???:** + +**Ian:** + +> I think that's a dangerous path to go down + +**???:** + +> (Unable to hear over recording) + +**Simon:** + +> So no to do it at all? + +**Ian:** + +> I think don't do it. +> The space we have is at a premium, + +**???:** + +> I don't think we have the space. + +**Simon:** + +> Ok, fine guys, if that's the unanimous view I'm happy. + +**Ian:** + +> I think it's a double benefit, we keep the space for things the Hackspace actually needs, the kit, the tools. +> We can organise them better because we don't have a whole bunch of member stuff taking up space. +> Secondly keeping the actual space clean and organised will be easier because you don't have a half finished project with tools things scattered around it. +> You can come, you can work on something, you can take it home. + +**???:** +(unable to hear) + +**Simon:** + +> Even recently We've got things in the space from members who hae joined and then gone during the pandemic. +> I've no idea what they are. + +**Ian:** + +> There was two things a chap from Oxford hackspace said, +> +> 1, You have to be very careful about people donating things to the space. +> You have to get them to sign something to state if it's a loan, or a change of ownership. +> Because if they come along and demand it back, you have to be able to back it up. + +**Josh:** +(mentions asset management, not sure exactly what was said) + +**Jake:** + +> And you don't know who owns it. + +**Ian:** + +> The second problem is if you have projects that are in progress in the space, you get this problem of ownership. +> At what point can you get rid of this? + +**Simon:** + +> With the current situation I sent a message out via email and via chat system, and said there were unfinished projects. +> If you don't let us know it's fair game. We have got rid of stuff already. + +**Ian:** + +> There was a 2b part of that, and I know I'm guilty of this. +> Hackspaces can become a place for people to dump stuff. +> I brought some radios because someone was interested, and turns out they weren't as interested, and they're still there! + +**Simon:** + +> Turns out Jackie is exceedingly interested. +> I know nothing about Ham radios, if you can educate her she would be exceedingly happy. + +**Vic:** +(mentions something about ham radio, can't hear) + +**Simon:** + +> Action: We will discontinue offering storage space for members - Agreed by the committee and members. +> +> ACtion for Simon: further discussion for Criteria for donations, + +**Josh:** + +> Access to the space, we need to fix the door access. + +**Ian:** + +> Maybe this is not an AGM issue, we might just need to go fix it. + +**Simon:** + +> the person who purchased the Taz is interested in the filament for about £200 +> Need to review as the committee. +> and get back to him. +> There's many drums in sealed bags, 2 or 3 \* 5Kg drums and lots of 1 Kg drums. +> We need to agree what to charge as a job lot. +> +> Need to agree a date for the next meeting. +> +> Provisional Date agreed: 4th December for committee meeting + +## Meeting called to a close at 2143 diff --git a/meeting-notes/AGM_2021/MH Finance Officer AGM Report 2021.pdf b/meeting-notes/AGM_2021/MH Finance Officer AGM Report 2021.pdf new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b6d0500 Binary files /dev/null and b/meeting-notes/AGM_2021/MH Finance Officer AGM Report 2021.pdf differ