Board meeting 2018-01-11

Gregory Marler 2018, Minutes

Meeting started 19:30

  • Present: Adam, Rob(chair), Jon, Greg(minutes), Nick(invited guest).
  • Apologies (Brian)
  • Minutes of last meeting: 14th December – approved

Matters arising not on this agenda – none

Tileserver/UK/Welsh render (Nick Whitelegg)

  • BIRT (Birmingham in real-time) server. They’ve switched servers, no time scale/guarantee as to when new server would be ready for us. Discussed with Jerry Clough to make use of the style used by Andy Townsend as base of “UK style”.
  • There is now a github repository for the CartoCSS style, and a repository for the code, anyone welcome to focus on either. Nick’s skills more focused on the code side of things.
  • Thoughts on the process for discussing how to manage contributors? Do we need a way to mentor/manage if people come with code skills and people with style skills, to pair them?
    • Bit of a case of inviting people to contribute, and some how encouraging them.
  • Do we need a budget for running the tile server into the future?
    • Bytemark is a good option for tileservers, can change spec/level if popularity increases. £10/month as basic non-popular.
    • Digital Ocean is similar hosting provider, similar prices
    • RAM is the main requirement/cost. Previously we had looked at 8GB = £75 on Bytemark.
    • Other option is too look at universities, and see if they would be interested in hosting.
  • Would be good to get some insight/advice from Andy Allan on our plans to run a tile server.
  • Action: AH to contact Tom Hughes/Grant Slater about Bytemark relationship and if we could ask Bytemark about hosting for an OSM tileserver.
  • Action: AH to also talk to Andy Allan about advice on spec.
  • Should we go for a Bytemark server, even if no discount?
    • Is £10/month enough hardware? Is it going to be a development server forever?
    • Limit for 6 months and review interest?
    • Table decision until we’ve heard back from others/AH.
  • Discussion on non-cartography features, and whether we should focus on that?

Report on enquiries to the board (all)

  • ODI asked us about a scoping document they have, with regards to all the . Rob to review the details and report back further later.
  • Request via Twitter for a #geomob, passed onto a Loomio thread

Financial report (Jon)

  • £1451.20 in account.
  • Spate of new memberships.
  • Could do with some corporate members.

Membership report (Greg)

  • Now 64
  • +7 since last meeting, 4 that seem to be new (not renewals from free period)

Website (Rob/Greg)

  • Bios published by Rob
  • Rob still to promote things, like Ilyia’s data tool
  • Greg has added content on the Help page and got more minutes up
  • Commitment from all to speed up posting of minutes

Satorilab grant funding proposal (Adam)

  • Rob has responded to say happy to join their Basecamp management, but not got access yet
  • Not enough detail about this yet to respond
  • Not sure of their time-scale, possibly ending March 2018? But mention about us running the infrastructure further.

App (Adam/Jon)

  • Not had much interest when asking for help, still worth going on with.
  • Proposed suggestion: use Loomio to plan and discuss the design. If anyone wants to contribute (jump in), go for it. Aim to get design done in next month, prototype in following month, and something release lately. Not completely decided on that yet. Thinking of imgur to host images(free). Timeline could slip, no strict reason, but want to get something happening/done.

Membership drive for organisations (Greg)

  • Spreadsheet started for sponsors we could contact.
  • Corporate members are non-voting.
  • Should we list on the website? Blurb? More? We should say in letter we’ll open conversation of what we can do together and also how they can help our aims
  • Action: GM to draft letter in next 2 weeks

360 camera scheme (Rob)

  • should be able to get announcement to members soon. Time for a new newsletter.
  • Jon now has all costings to plan for depreciation and replacements if needed.
  • Simple terms of use/rental have been added

Pool of volunteers to attend events (Rob)

  • Reward people, how?
    • Lack of specific goals, what people can work towards? Not “we’re thinking about what to do”
    • Are people waiting to see what “we” do? Do they need to do things done?
    • At AGM we’re considering workshops, how about project “codesprint” style sessions too?
    • Do we need to organise things more publicly? Use public Loomio more.
      • Public telephone call? Phone calls specific for projects/work?
    • Action: RN to plan a call for planning the AGM.
  • We might also get some response from the Loomio thread regarding #geomob

Geospatial commission policy statement (Rob)

  • This is now published. Good relationships built with ODI in the process.
  • No immediate work, waiting for the commission to be setup, and see who’s on it.

2018 plans/strategy for achieving AoA aims (all)

  • Brian started a thread about this with Directors.
  • Mixed thoughts from other directors. Could be discussed/worked on at AGM day?
  • Various discussion on call about this, including what the “cohesion” part of our aims means.
  • Action: ALL, respond Brian, with thoughts, feedback, or what we should do about it?

AGM Manchester May 2018: format decision (all)

  • Format decision to be put to Google hangout in a couple of weeks. Should also set someone to find a venue at that time.

Budget (Jon)

  • Brian prepared a budget, and Jon’s been fleshing that further
  • No figure for printing case studies if we take them events.
  • Will need to get a chartered accountant to approve our accounts. Advice sought from OSMF, ours should be simpler. Could be £300-400.
    • Choice to be made on which accountant?
    • Action: RN to ask an accountant that might offer a discount of pro-bono.

AOB – None.

Meeting ended 21:20 (1 hour, 50 minutes)