To add another voice, I would love to see SkullSpace funds go towards projects and tools that benefit the whole membership, but I know that finding something that pleases the membership as a whole is challenging. To prove this point, just look at how the $100/mo project fund went. From what I could tell, no project got more than 25% of the vote and so the funds just kept being held over to the next month.
I like Jay's attitude towards the space's finances: put the money to where it *needs* to go and don't "waste" it on any specific projects. People can take the opportunity to vote with their wallets on the things that they want to see happen at the space. Our member fees are among the lowest in the country, so contributing to a project a few times a year should still see you ahead of those in other provinces, and you won't see your dues going towards subsidizing projects you don't personally have an interest in. Jay (and the rest of the board): thanks for managing things to give us all a creating space where we can get together and make projects happen (like funding a 3d printer in <$8 hours). Justin: thanks for pushing to see interesting things happen, and having SkullSpace as a whole foster that. Ron: I like the SkullSpace foundation idea. I think it hits a nice sweet spot between getting funding for projects and having a strong say in what gets done. Let me know when that starts so I can chip in and make a submission ;) On Thu, Jan 24, 2013 at 3:25 PM, Justin Lacko <[email protected]> wrote: > I maybe spoke too soon, but I'm banking on the possibility of being accepted > to a university outside of Winnipeg :P > > > On 24 January 2013 15:20, Aemilianus Kehler <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> You're leaving in September?!?!?! Whaaaa? >> >> Cheers!! >> >> On Jan 24, 2013, at 3:17 PM, Justin Lacko <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> The discussion is not meant to criticise any individual, I was just >> interested in hearing opinions on an alternate way of managing the budget >> and spending. >> >> If I wasn't banking on leaving in September, I would seriously think about >> running for the treasurer position, with the intention of creating a >> committee that could meet to discuss our day-to-day spending policies and >> budget handling. I'll help out where I can until then. >> >> >> On 24 January 2013 15:13, Jay Smith <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> Unfortunately I won't have the list in front of me until much much >>> later tonight, but I believe we've had six or seven new members since >>> November. >>> >>> Also, I do have to thank you for bringing this up. It's a great >>> subject, especially in light of board elections just around the >>> corner. >>> >>> On Thu, Jan 24, 2013 at 3:09 PM, Justin Lacko <[email protected]> wrote: >>> > Jay, >>> > >>> > For the benefit of this discussion could you tell us how many members >>> > we've >>> > gained since the start of November, when we moved? That would help to >>> > put >>> > things in perspective. >>> > >>> > >>> > On 24 January 2013 15:06, Jay Smith <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >> >>> >> One last thing to add: It's is ridiculously early to say our >>> >> membership applications have plateaued. We've only had two meetings >>> >> since Christmas holidays, and we were doing fine attracting interest >>> >> in November and December. >>> >> >>> >> On Thu, Jan 24, 2013 at 3:01 PM, Jay Smith <[email protected]> >>> >> wrote: >>> >> > Alternate title: "Keynesian economics in the context of a >>> >> > hackerspace" >>> >> > >>> >> > Let's not confuse macroeconomics with microeconomics. >>> >> > >>> >> > We're not a stable nation that can indefinitely incur debt to >>> >> > stimulate an economy. We're a hackerspace. Cool toys and equipment >>> >> > are >>> >> > great, but the most important thing for me to invest in is our >>> >> > members. Our members bring in new members, our members engage other >>> >> > members, our members bring in their own cool toys, and our members >>> >> > make each others lives all the more interesting by sharing the same >>> >> > space. >>> >> > >>> >> > How do I "invest" in members? >>> >> > How do I keep the budget process as fair to all members as possible? >>> >> > How do I ensure that members are getting what they pay for? >>> >> > >>> >> > By being as strictly and uncompromisingly libertarian as possible. >>> >> > >>> >> > Your membership fees are for things that we strictly need to spend >>> >> > money on to keep the space operational, nothing more and nothing >>> >> > less. >>> >> > Nobody will ever feel that their money is being undemocratically >>> >> > wasted because we're only spending it on things that are strictly >>> >> > necessary to keep the facility operational. If members want to buy >>> >> > cool things to make the place better, we encourage them to form >>> >> > teams >>> >> > to fund them. >>> >> > >>> >> > But what do I mean by investing in members? >>> >> > >>> >> > We're currently running a deficit but we haven't even considered >>> >> > raising membership dues (although the optional increased donations >>> >> > are >>> >> > great). In fact, lowering our dues to accommodate student members >>> >> > has >>> >> > been the best move for raising membership and income that we've made >>> >> > so far. By not jacking up fees, we can free members to invest their >>> >> > money into the space as they see fit and on their own terms. >>> >> > >>> >> > We all work together to build a better space. By being bold and not >>> >> > relying on a central committee to impose high dues and make >>> >> > financial >>> >> > decisions for us, we are all the more free and democratic for it. >>> >> > >>> >> > Mind you, in one months time our new treasurer might come along with >>> >> > a >>> >> > very different philosophy :) >>> >> > >>> >> > On Thu, Jan 24, 2013 at 2:19 PM, Justin Lacko <[email protected]> >>> >> > wrote: >>> >> >> The "official" policy of SkullSpace currently is that until we >>> >> >> balance >>> >> >> our >>> >> >> budget, we can't spend on anything except the basics - such as rent >>> >> >> and >>> >> >> power. This is a fiscally-conservative policy. I believe we need to >>> >> >> still >>> >> >> have nominal spending while operating at a deficit, for reasons >>> >> >> which I >>> >> >> will >>> >> >> outline below. >>> >> >> >>> >> >> We are currently operating at a deficit. We can pay our bills each >>> >> >> month >>> >> >> without a problem; we have three months of rent in our coffers. But >>> >> >> our >>> >> >> monthly income is less than our expenses. The targeted fix for this >>> >> >> problem >>> >> >> is to increase membership through whatever means available, such as >>> >> >> advertising at conventions. >>> >> >> >>> >> >> When I worked on the plan for SkullSpace 2.0, I knew that we had to >>> >> >> expand >>> >> >> our membership base and ask for more money. Looking back since we >>> >> >> moved >>> >> >> to >>> >> >> the new space at the beginning of December, we certainly have >>> >> >> worked on >>> >> >> this >>> >> >> goal. Lately, it seems membership has again plateaued (I base this >>> >> >> observation on the fact that there haven't been any recent emails >>> >> >> from >>> >> >> Courtney announcing new members). What I want to outline is that we >>> >> >> need to >>> >> >> continue to work on getting more members if we want to eliminate >>> >> >> our >>> >> >> deficit. >>> >> >> >>> >> >> I think that our current fiscally-conservative spending policy is >>> >> >> not >>> >> >> beneficial to the long-term goals of SkullSpace. I believe that >>> >> >> right >>> >> >> now is >>> >> >> the most important time to be investing SkullSpace capital into the >>> >> >> space, >>> >> >> in creative ways that will bring in new members. The constant >>> >> >> reminder >>> >> >> of >>> >> >> "we can't spend a penny until we break even each month" is not >>> >> >> encouraging >>> >> >> and dampens any creative thought for how SkullSpace can grow - >>> >> >> because >>> >> >> sometimes ideas/things need money. I offer the example of our >>> >> >> now-defunct >>> >> >> monthly $100 prize to be awarded to a worthy member-nominated >>> >> >> project. >>> >> >> While >>> >> >> we may not be able to afford $100 monthly now, we could bring it >>> >> >> back >>> >> >> at $50 >>> >> >> each month, or a similar level. >>> >> >> >>> >> >> A basic projection, without knowing exact numbers, is that it will >>> >> >> take >>> >> >> at >>> >> >> least 6 months or more to break even with our income and expenses, >>> >> >> with >>> >> >> the >>> >> >> assumption that membership continues to grow. I don't think that we >>> >> >> should >>> >> >> wait until this time before spending money. While deficit spending >>> >> >> is a >>> >> >> hotly-debated issue, it is beneficial as a means of injecting >>> >> >> stimulus >>> >> >> in >>> >> >> order to continue growth in a stagnant economy. The current >>> >> >> situation >>> >> >> is the >>> >> >> funding of a 3D printer for the space - much of which has >>> >> >> graciously >>> >> >> been >>> >> >> funded by the membership. A 3D printer would arguably bring in more >>> >> >> members, >>> >> >> with the promise of using a novel machine as an added bonus to >>> >> >> their >>> >> >> membership. A $100 donation from SkullSpace hardly seems harmful, >>> >> >> and I >>> >> >> think that we are missing an opportunity to contribute to a really >>> >> >> good >>> >> >> idea. >>> >> >> >>> >> >> I propose that we form a committee to assist with budgetary >>> >> >> decisions, >>> >> >> as >>> >> >> Jay is stepping down at the next election, and make the entire >>> >> >> process >>> >> >> much >>> >> >> more membership-oriented. The job of treasurer for a fledgling >>> >> >> organisation >>> >> >> is one with many duties, and understandably one person can easily >>> >> >> get >>> >> >> burnt >>> >> >> out with it. I would volunteer to sit on this committee. Currently, >>> >> >> our >>> >> >> funding decisions are resting with a single person, which is unfair >>> >> >> and >>> >> >> does >>> >> >> not follow the SkullSpace mantra/rule of members having a say in >>> >> >> the >>> >> >> running >>> >> >> of SkullSpace. >>> >> >> >>> >> >> I think that going-forward, SkullSpace is in a good position right >>> >> >> now >>> >> >> and >>> >> >> we are slowly working towards our goal of breaking even and >>> >> >> eventually >>> >> >> turning a profit. We need to continue to spend where members think >>> >> >> it >>> >> >> is >>> >> >> necessary or else we will surely stagnate. >>> >> >> >>> >> >> Please respond with opinions, criticisms, rebukes, death threats, >>> >> >> etc., >>> >> >> but >>> >> >> I'm hoping to keep this discussion on-topic. >>> >> >> >>> >> >> ~Justin >>> >> >> >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >>> >> >> SkullSpace Discuss Mailing List >>> >> >> Help: http://www.skullspace.ca/wiki/index.php/Mailing_List#Discuss >>> >> >> Archive: >>> >> >> https://groups.google.com/group/skullspace-discuss-archive/ >>> >> _______________________________________________ >>> >> SkullSpace Discuss Mailing List >>> >> Help: http://www.skullspace.ca/wiki/index.php/Mailing_List#Discuss >>> >> Archive: https://groups.google.com/group/skullspace-discuss-archive/ >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > _______________________________________________ >>> > SkullSpace Discuss Mailing List >>> > Help: http://www.skullspace.ca/wiki/index.php/Mailing_List#Discuss >>> > Archive: https://groups.google.com/group/skullspace-discuss-archive/ >>> _______________________________________________ >>> SkullSpace Discuss Mailing List >>> Help: http://www.skullspace.ca/wiki/index.php/Mailing_List#Discuss >>> Archive: https://groups.google.com/group/skullspace-discuss-archive/ >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> SkullSpace Discuss Mailing List >> Help: http://www.skullspace.ca/wiki/index.php/Mailing_List#Discuss >> Archive: https://groups.google.com/group/skullspace-discuss-archive/ >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> SkullSpace Discuss Mailing List >> Help: http://www.skullspace.ca/wiki/index.php/Mailing_List#Discuss >> Archive: https://groups.google.com/group/skullspace-discuss-archive/ > > > > _______________________________________________ > SkullSpace Discuss Mailing List > Help: http://www.skullspace.ca/wiki/index.php/Mailing_List#Discuss > Archive: https://groups.google.com/group/skullspace-discuss-archive/ _______________________________________________ SkullSpace Discuss Mailing List Help: http://www.skullspace.ca/wiki/index.php/Mailing_List#Discuss Archive: https://groups.google.com/group/skullspace-discuss-archive/
