[FreeGeek] April 7 general meeting minutes

[sean hill]

Hey folks,

Here are the minutes for the April 7th general meeting. Please review
and provide corrections.

sean h  :o)

====================================

Free Geek General Meeting - 7 April 2007
Video In

Facilitator - Scott
Regulator - Ifny
Scribe - Sean H

Attendance
----------
David Repa
Mark
Rusty
James
Kevin Stiller
Ryan Yeske
Sim
Paul Teehan
Scott
Joe B
Francisco
Bernie
Ifny
Sean H
Joe Thomson
Gerald
Josh
Fraser Hanson

-Definition of consensus
-Free Geek principles
    -FOSS definition
    -Provide low cost tech
    -democratic
    -non-profit

Agenda
======

Old Business
------------
Sista'Hood
VanLug
Windowless Wednesday
Movie Night
Charitable status

New Business
------------
Definition of Membership
Location
Massive Tech Show
$tate of money
Events - new dates
Mailing lists
BAN Movies
Recyclers
City
Martin's visit

VanLUG
------
    -Vancouver Linux User's Group
    -presentation at BCIT
    -went well - excitement generated
    -suggested recycler on VanLUG site
    -possible summer hardware drive

Windowsless Wednesday
---------------------
    -OpenOffice presentation by Sean Hill
    -received well

Sista'Hood
----------
    -Community Wellness Fair
    -well received
    -made a contact at CBC radio
    -open computer boxes for people to play with
    -provided info on women in computer history

Movie Night
-----------
    -Computer Chronicles from 1984
        -Tracked down host - Stuart Checton
    -Steal This Movie
    -Needs to be publicised better

Charitable status
-----------------
    -Delayed until bylaws are setup
    -new bylaws up on wiki - please participate
    -Must clearly define how we are charitable
        -Hardware grants?
        -Recycling?
        -Education?
        -It depends how we word it

Massive Tech Show
-----------------
    -Received booth for greatly subsidised price
    -Found out 6 days before show
    -Had to dress professional
    -Special brochure created for Massive
    -Working at Massive - Gerald, David, Ifny, Rusty, Joe, Sim
    -Received help from many people to create booth
    -Only recylcler present at show
    -Invited to Edmonton show
    -Standing invitation
    -BAN allowed FG to use media materials

BAN
---
    -Basil Action Network - Reference to international convention around
e-waste
    -BAN audits recycling processes
    -Not an environmental auditor
    -no current Canadian recyclers that are BAN approved
    -e-waste being shipped around the world and poisoning people and the
environment
    -movies - BAN documentaries show the current state of e-waste

Recyclers
---------
    -Chicago
        -Flexible and helpful
        -But will not release downstream recyclers
        -With more FG pressure they may release list to FG
        -Lawyers looked at BAN pledge but will not sign it over some
technicalities
    -Seattle
        -Total Reclaim
            -Follows BAN
            -Charge for equipment
            -TechCominco
    -Local
        -RC recycler - Delta
            -First NA recycler willing to share vendors
            -Seem to be working within BAN standards
    -Discussion over whether we can operate without a complete vendor list
        -For some, BAN certification may be acceptable
        -We are not fully transparent if we can't show the full stream
        -BAN is meant to stand in the middle and provide an assurance of
recycling process
        -BAN is not a government organisation and their certification is
not binding
        -May be difficult to get what we want right off the bat

Location
========
    -City of Vancouver
        -Been in contact with mayor's office since new year
            -Last week we received an email passing us on to City real
estate manager - Michael Flannigan
            -Spoke with him and it sounded positive for low price rent
            -Another contact said "little hope" - market value
            -Conflicting comments
            -Some concern over whether there may be political conflict
                -City staff tends to be separate from the politics
            -Michael Flannigan is fairly new to position
        -Gerald has been in contact with city regarding public benefits
development
            -Developer agrees to set aside some space for a non-profit
for other concessions
        -Getting to present to council might spur action
        -Might be able to piggyback on city workgroup regarding
municipal wireless
        -City doesn't want liability of sponsoring e-waste recyclers
            -Passed on to Encorp
        -Politically sensitive topic
            -Other recyclers may not be happy if we are able to get a
rent deal
    -Great Northern Way Campus - SFU, UBC, Emily Carr, BCIT
        -May have some derelict buildings available for use
        -Joe T feels we may be able to enter a partnership
            -Has done up a proposal
        -Would be local and likely accessible
        -Not currently highly transit accessible - will likely grow with
student population
        -To be discussed on locations mailing list
    -Also checking commercial real estate listings
        -craigslist
    -Would like to have a location no later than June 1 when city
e-waste communication comes out

State of Money
==============
    -Balance is -$217
    -Revenue is continually growing
    -Waiting for cheque from Canadian Studies grant
    -No word yet from Freedonia - their site says April 16th as last
decision date
    -Grant apps in to APC, MEC, Shaw
    -Department of electrical engineering at UBC may be a contact for
outreach and funding

Mailing Lists/Workgroups
========================
    -New hardware grants mailing list
        -Contact person to be setup for hardware grants
        -Clarify criteria for hardware grants
            -Currently using PDX's criteria
            -Non-profit or organisation of social change
    -Mailing list admin is now Joe B
    -Please sign-up to lists for info and to participate

Pick-ups
========
    -We need volunteers to do hardware pickups

Martin
======
    -PDX program developer coming up from 13-17 April
    -Will setup FG software and teach how it works
    -May do a ruby class

Definition of Membership
========================
    -Current definition to be posted to general

Action
======
-David R - Send out link for bylaw wiki
-Joe T - To contact Great Northern Way and provide proposal
    -Help from Scott
    -Discussion to move to location workgroup
-Contact Dept of Electrical Engineering
    -Booth at open house?
-Ifny - setup hardware grants mailing list
-Scott - migrate General mailing list once new server is active
-David - post current membership definition to general list