Folks, First I apologize for the delay in the financial report. I have sent to the Cascadia Wikimedians board a spreadsheet detailing the activity on our three BECU accounts & a balance sheet. It requires some tweaking. There are some two deposits for $210 & a check for $20 for which I was unable to glean their source / destination. I am hoping our Treasurer can fill the board in on those items on that email thread. If anyone wants to see the spreadsheet, let me know & I can forward it to them as well.
I am somewhat flummoxed that an internal matter to the board & the Cascadia Wikimedians membership has been discussed on this much broader list. I am all for transparency, but I think a delayed report got far more attention than was warranted. It is certainly absurd to contemplate the dissolution of the organization because of it. As far as the comment that I "lack the time and interest to continue with the Cascadia organization", I would point to my recent activities on behalf of Cascadia Wikimedians: my presence at the Art+Feminism edit-a-thon at the Jacob Lawrence Gallery & my attendance at a UW class that Amanda Menking teaches, both in late February, plus online attendance & support earlier this month at the Portland Art+Feminism edit-a-thon concentrating on Jewish women artists (although I ended up helping other edit-a-thons; it was International Women's Day, after all). I am also attending the Wikimedia Conference 2018 in Berlin as one of the two Cascadia Wikimedians representatives. I may have different view as to the criteria & priorities about how a user group functions than some, & am certainly flexible about adjusting those in concert with anyone who is part of the team actively supporting Cascadia Wikimedians. Now, I need some help in determining where to put the report when finally finished. I do not see where Wikimedia NYC puts their financial reports (I don't think it is on meta). I see that Wikimedia DC had put some on meta several years back. What repositories are other user groups using for spreadsheets? I am thinking that it would be appropriate to place a more general balance sheet on meta. Yours, Peaceray On Wed, Mar 14, 2018 at 2:25 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > I'm familiar with user groups that operate on $0 funding levels. Here in > Portland there is the Portland Linux/UNIX Group (aka PLUG), which has > operated for years with no real source of money -- just volunteer labor & > donated server resources & using public spaces to meet in. For years it was > vital to more than the few of us interested in Linux & UNIX, because it was > one of the venues people interested in technology could meet & exchange > ideas. PLUG was one reason O'Reilly held their Open Source Conferences in > Portland for several years. (One restaurant in downtown Portland liked to > host our meetings because it brought in more customers than their Monday > Night Football specials.) Nevertheless, the man who led PLUG, David > Mandell, was well informed about how important being an incorporated > non-profit was, & had ownership of the incorporation papers for another, > now defunct, non-profit for the time it made sense that PLUG become a more > formal organization. > > My concern in my previous email was that all of the labor & money to > become a non-profit was about to be wasted because someone had decided to > drop out without completing the paperwork to keep the Cascadia UG in good > standing, both with the Foundation & the State of Washington. Maybe at the > moment the Cascadia UG doesn't need to be a formal group; that's fine. > However, there are certain benefits to being a formal organization. Saying > that one is a member of a formal group opens certain doors that saying, > "I'm a Wikimedian & I make edits to this Wiki" doesn't. Another benefit is > that if one needs money to do something, having a formal organization to > handle the grants or contributions makes life much less complex. > > Lane, so if missing a report this year isn't going to sabotage the > Cascadia UG, that relieves a lot of worry on everyone's part. Although I > believe it would be good for all in the long run if someone from the > Foundation were to explain to the person involved that while a volunteer > can walk away from any of the projects at any time with very little effort, > there are certain responsibilities in life that when assumed one cannot > just walk away from before they are done. And the financial reporting is > one of them. Especially when, in your words, it requires a couple of hours > a year of work. > > One reason I want a Cascadia UG -- or a US Wikimedia Chapter, or some kind > of formal group in North America -- is that it provides a sense of > community that an online Wiki fails to provide. For one thing, it's been > documented that a healthy online community flourishes when there are a lot > of off-line back-channels. Another is that IMHO a lot of Wikipedians would > be more interested in advocacy or partnering with outside groups if they > knew of similar work being done near them; not everyone is eager to be a > solo pioneer setting off into unexplored territory with no one to support > or even be aware of their work. Sometimes we simply want to share one of > the minor successes in making a contribution to Wikipedia (or a similar > Wikimedia project). The other week I shared with my wife a success in > getting one of my articles on Roman consuls figured out, only to have her > blandly reply, "So?" And there's a large amount of unwritten knowledge > around the Wikimedia projects that either is not documented online, or will > never be documented online, that each of us knows; sharing it would only > benefit us all. > > I'd also like to hear more about what my fellow Wikimedians are doing. > Even if it's unrelated to outreach or advocacy. Boast a little on this > mailing list. Especially since there's no good place on any of the Wikis to > do this, & we all need to brag a little once in a while. IMHO, doing that > can inspire others to take on tasks that need doing. > > In other words, anyone who spends more than a little time away from the > computer working on a Wikimedia project knows that such activity is > socially isolating. This UG could address that issue to some degree. And > this is why I find watching the Cascadia UG fall apart over a trivial > matter discouraging. > > P.S. To Jason -- Pete Forsyth & I met the other week & were discussing > ideas about outreach & how to support Wikimedians in ways the Foundation > either won't do, or is unwilling to do. You should join us in our next > discussion. One reason I'd like to restart Wikimeetups here in Portland. > > Geoff Burling > en: llywrch > > > On 2018-03-14 09:11, Jonathan Morgan wrote: > > Agree with Lane and Joe that we should keep this going since it's easy and >> valuable. I know I'm not that active, but as long as we're talking about >> doing what's necessary to keep the organization afloat, rather than active >> program management and administration, I am happy to use my convenient >> dual >> staff/volunteer role to attempt to expedite any necessary communication or >> coordination stuff between Cascadia and WMF. Let me know. >> >> - J >> >> On Wed, Mar 14, 2018 at 8:24 AM, Lane Rasberry <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >> Hello, >> >> Pine, I think that you have much higher personal standards for Wiki >> Cascadia than the Washington Secretary of State has for organizations or >> than the Wiki Affiliations Committee has for official partner >> organizations. When you were on the board you set ambitious goals for Wiki >> Cascadia. Even now with its challenges it ranks favorably against other >> registered wiki groups, being easily among the top 50%, likely in the top >> 25%, and perhaps in the top 10%. Most wiki user groups are casual >> operations and I feel that Wiki Cascadia already accomplishes beyond the >> norm. I am happy with the ongoing activities of Wiki Cascadia. >> >> llywrch - typical Cascadia group events are organized by committees of 2-4 >> people. The board does not centrally review programs, and instead provides >> a centralized project space for announcing and reporting any events which >> are aligned with typical wiki community interests. Wiki Cascadia teams >> have >> done some interesting and innovative projects but nothing that I would >> call >> radical and in need of thorough oversight. Almost anyone engaged in any >> wiki project in the region can affiliate with Wiki Cascadia if they like. >> This governance format is usual for wiki user groups at the ~$0 funding >> level. >> >> If there is any winding down ever, then probably winding down WMF >> affiliation would come before disbanding as a nonprofit because the WMF >> has >> higher standards for reporting than the state government. If Wiki Cascadia >> stays in good standing with the WMF then it can meet the lower >> expectations >> of the state government. >> >> The administrative burden for an organization with near 0 budget is about >> 2 >> hours/year from the perspective of the Washington Secretary of state. If >> there are challenges with this then the answer is to pass the work on >> through the network of Wiki Cascadia supporters. While I personally have >> been hands-off for administration, I see a lot of value in the >> organization, and am here to help sustain the organization and identify >> other board members if there is a crisis and the organization needs some >> support. There are other people like me who care and would support if >> asked. >> >> I anticipate being in Seattle in mid-April and would meet with anyone to >> talk about next steps. My schedule is not yet firm, but to the extent that >> I am able I would show support. There are always ways that I and others >> would support remotely. >> >> Thanks, >> >> On Tue, Mar 13, 2018 at 3:46 PM, Pine W <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Hi Joe, >> >> I haven't heard anything from Peacray about this in awhile. However, he >> appears to be active on English Wikipedia (see >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/Peaceray), so I >> suggest >> that you ask him on his talk page. >> >> The impression that I get is that he and Brian lack the time and interest >> to continue with the Cascadia organization, and if that is the case and >> no one else is interested and willing to keep the organization alive, then >> the organization should be wound down and any remaining assets (like the >> camera and camcorder) should be handled in the manner that's specified in >> the >> bylaws: >> >> "ARTICLE XIV - DISSOLUTION >> "Vote Required. The Corporation may be dissolved by a two-thirds vote of >> the Board. >> "Donation of Remaining Assets. Upon the termination, dissolution or final >> liquidation of the Corporation in any manner or for any reason, its >> assets, if any, remaining after payment (or provision for payment) of all >> liabilities of the Corporation, shall be distributed to, and only to, one >> or more organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable >> or educational purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt >> organization or organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Code as the >> Board shall >> determine by majority vote. Such distribution of assets shall be >> calculated to carry out the objectives and purposes stated in the Articles >> of >> Incorporation. In no event shall any of such assets or property be >> distributed to any member, Director or Officer, or any private >> individual." >> I wish that I had better news. :( >> >> Pine >> ( https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Pine ) >> >> On Sun, Mar 11, 2018 at 10:14 AM, Joe Mabel <[email protected]> wrote: >> It's mid-March. Has something been filed without the Board having a >> chance to review? Or has nothing been filed? >> >> JM >> >> On 1/30/2018 8:16 AM, Joe Mabel wrote: >> >> Is anything happening on this? >> >> JM >> >> On 12/29/2017 9:40 AM, Raymond Leonard wrote: >> >> Joe & all, >> >> I am still working on this. Right now I have a $16.49 discrepancy >> > that > > I need to figure out before it will balance. >> >> Yours, >> Peaceray >> -- >> [email protected] >> >> On Wed, Dec 27, 2017 at 11:34 AM, Raymond Leonard < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >> Joe & all, >> I've been preoccupied with holiday activities w/family & friends >> > since > > the annual meeting, & I am currently in Portland. I will be >> > returning > > to Seattle this afternoon & will work on this, hoping to complete by >> tomorrow >> morning at the latest. >> >> Peaceray >> -- >> >> [email protected] >> >> On Tue, Dec 26, 2017 at 9:56 PM Joe Mabel <[email protected]> >> > wrote: > > At the annual meeting we were told that the financial statement >> > would > > be available in time for Board members to review it before the end of >> > the > > year and sign off. I realize we are just coming out of a holiday, >> > but > > there are only 5 days remaining in the year, 2 of which are another >> holiday weekend. If the report has been posted, I don't see where. >> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Cascadia_Wikimedians/2017_report >> > still > > says "To be posted." >> >> JM >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimedia-Cascadia mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-cascadia >> >> -- Sent from Gmail Mobile >> >> _______________________________________________ >> > Wikimedia-Cascadia mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-cascadia > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-Cascadia mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-cascadia > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-Cascadia mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-cascadia > > -- > Lane Rasberry > user:bluerasberry on Wikipedia > 206.801.0814 > [email protected] > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-Cascadia mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-cascadia > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-Cascadia mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-cascadia > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-Cascadia mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-cascadia > _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-Cascadia mailing list [email protected] https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-cascadia
