Annual Meeting 2016

Purpose

From the HacDC Bylaws, Article III, Section 2:

At the annual meeting, the voting members shall elect the Board of Directors, review and vote on the standing rules and policies of the corporation, receive reports on the activities of the corporation, approve the budget and determine the direction of corporation in the coming year.

Time and Location

February 9th, 2016 (postponed from January 23)

Meeting called to order at 7:45pm by Enrique.

Members Present: Ethan W., Matthew H., Julia L., Michael C., Nick S., Phil S., Tom I., Bill B., Don J. Sumter T., Kevin C., Pat B., Shawn W. Others Present: Quorum met? YES

Recognition

• HacDC Members and Volunteers: This year we had a whole new board. We applied, appealed and were accepted as a Combined Federal Campaign charity, renewed our non-profit status with DC, fixed some years-old problems with our finances paperwork even after we lost our treasurer mid-year and had a horrible transition. We gained three sponsors this year: Lulzbot, Accelebrate and Newark element 14. We put up a microwave tower on the roof, the radio transceiver online and took a large-format laser cutter from design to operational project. Plus we significantly cleaned up the basement, moved much of the workshop down there, updated our inventory, moved the classroom to another suite and built custom shelving for it. On top of all those accomplishments, between 3D Thursdays, Amateur Radio and Microcontroller Mondays, HacDC has held about 100 free, public workshops in 2015. This doesn't include all the Radio Contests, Field Days and Licensing Exam Sessions, Capture The Flag, Web Scraping, SEM Workdays, the Intro Security Workshop, the Raspberry Jam, CNC Mill Class, Lockpicking, Virtual Reality Night, Table Top Gaming, our table at the Columbia Heights Farmers Market many Saturdays, and participation at the Greenbelt Maker Faire, the Silver Spring Maker Faire and nearly two full days at the National Maker Faire. So for all the hardships and frustrations we've had this year, thank you to everyone who makes HacDC awesome.

Director Reports

Vice President's Report

Ok, so I have been too hot under the collar about this lately, so I'll step back from leading the charge. Please give some thought to improving basement/shop policy.

Also, obtained copies of File:MakersmithsRules.pdf, File:MakersmithsDisclaimer.pdf, and File:MakersmithsSignIn.pdf sheet. Please consider these documents as rough examples.

Members, please consider the impact of negativity towards the successful OpticalTableRobot, as well as the concerns of hard working volunteers who have sometimes endured more debate or distraction than support.

BoD candidates, please consider the need to form a cohesive body of leadership for HacDC.

HacDC has a lot of options right now, both in terms of equipment and goals.

HacDC has the potential to offer advanced tooling and support quality research. Or, HacDC can focus on less difficult, perhaps less polarzing aspects of its mission. In the former case, we need to make basement/shop areas more insulated from politics and recklessness. In the latter case, it would make sense to liquidate assets that will not be used, such as the OpticalTableRobot, extra electronics test equipment, high-voltage transformers, etc.

Treasurer's Report

• Dwolla ballance: $5,030.00
• Paypal ballance: $5,140.66
• BB&T ballance: $2,105.47

• January Income from membership dues: $1500
• January donations: $190

Secretary's Report

(Will update before meeting)

• We have 34 members in good standing. Quorum is 9, majority 18 and two-thirds is 23.

Project Awesome Reports

Project HAMRADIO

Putting up a repeater; will coordinate with HacDC next year when Don moves to Uganda.

Project SEM

Nothing much to report, bought a penning gauge.

Project SUPPLIES

Anticipating minor IT services related expenses, including $20 for VoIP services.

Project EXPANSION

Approved an ~$215 computer purchase to reinstate classroom web conferencing and presentation functionality.

Some proposals for funding structures are already served by this fund. Please consider working within the democratic, yet efficient, Project Awesome framework.

Audit Committee Report

The Committee will update the members on progress thus far and discuss the plan forward.

Member Reports

• Enrique. Hosted two Introduction to Linux nights. Attendance was very sparse though; maybe 7 people total. Also Kerbal Space Program. I've asked Brian about improving signage to direct people to HacDC from the St. Stephen's main entrance because I found one attendee pacing back and forth there looking for the address. Let's open the Newark stuff and take some photos! Also Julia, myself, and Dan and a few volunteers fixed the TV! I made a video. If people like it maybe it'll be online.

Old Business

Membership Dues Waiver for EdTechDMV / Representative

• Old problem, new example: An outside organization wants to use HacDC facilities during business hours. The organization is EdTechDMV, an educational non-profit organization, wants to offer IT workshops and computer training classes in HacDC's classroom. The two examples are an upcoming workshop the evening of February 17th, and computer training classes during 9-5 hours they want to offer this summer. Are these events something HacDC wants to facilitate/host? What are the pros and cons? If we do, how would we give EdTechDMV access to the classroom when members are not available?

Bylaws Amendment

• Proposed Amendment to Bylaws Article II, Section 6: Add "For substantial cause, the Board of Directors may indefinitely suspend a member's access to the space by a 2/3 majority vote of the board. By voting at an official meeting with quorum, members may reinstate or suspend, access or membership, for any member whose access has been suspended by the board. The board may suspend the access of no more than two members per month via this procedure. Access to the space may not be re-suspended by the Board of Directors for the same actions or incidents. Explanation of such suspensions must be submitted electronically to all members." (This proposed bylaws amendment must be signed by 3/4ths of all members before it is adopted)

Restrict Workshop and Tool Access

• Approve a non-binding resolution that access to the workshop in the basement should be restricted to HacDC members who have undergone a safety briefing and use of certain tools (CNC Mill, Lathe, PCB Etch Supplies, OTR) restricted to members authorized by an approved custodian of each tool (to be determined).

Proposal text was send via email to members was was approved by large majority: "I propose that we change the access control policy to the basement, establishing a "basement custodian", who has the authority to control who has access to the basement, and the responsibility to restrict access to those who are able to use the equipment and space without being a disturbance to the use of the machinery and space by others. Regarding my second proposal, I would like the initial basement custodian to be selected by the board, with replacements selected by the standing custodian. The board should be empowered to replace the custodian only through a membership vote at a membership meeting with quorum." This proposal was approved by a large majority vote, with the understanding that the custodian is subject to replacement at the next meeting if members are not satisfied with the rules and procedures required to certify members for basement access before then. The custodian was renamed Dungeon Master. The board voted to appoint Julia as the first Dungeon Master.

Reimbursements

• Approve reimbursement of $95.14 to Enrique for purchase of an 8' step ladder for basement use. (replaced 8' wooden ladder) - This was Approved.
• Approve $2,000 for fully recomissioning the OpticalTableRobot. - This was Tabled.
• Approve $500 for an off-the-shelf throw-away eBay laser cutter. - This was Tabled.

New Business

• Colloboratively discuss, consider, and adopt policy reforms to protect volunteer contributions to the basement/shop areas.
• Invited speakers. The Amateur Radio club finds and hosts invited speakers monthly and I think that's something HacDC could do even more often. What topics are we interested in hearing about? Off the top of my head: quantum computing, and something a bit more social like epistemology online.
• Review our year long experiment of having $60 dues, and possibly vote on whether to continue requiring $60. - This was temporarily approved for the month.

Board of Directors Elections

Results of the elections are as follows:

President

Julia Longtin

Vice-President

Ethan Waldo

Treasurer

Enrique Cobas

Secretary

Tom Iddings

At-Large Directors (two)

Michael Chelen

Matthew Hines (mirage335)

New Members

John P.

Adjournment

Adjourned at 10:20 by Enrique.