[sudoroom] Meeting Minutes Tonight
Michael Scroggins
michaeljscroggins at gmail.com
Thu May 24 22:56:04 CEST 2012
True, we can do both.
Credit Unions have their own form of insurance - NCUA - which is
essentially identical to FDIC insurance.
Delaware is a popular spot (50% of public companies are incorporated
there) not simply for consistent laws but for also for the lack of usury
laws. Think of the payday loan industry... made possible by the
Delaware legislature.
Aside from the slick web interface, the only difference between WePay
and Paypal (take a look at the Patriot Act disclaimer on the WePay
website) is that WePay doesn't freeze accounts as often as PayPal.
Their association with Occupy has essentially allowed them to run the
textbook business case of insurgent start-up vs the entrenched
competitor. First rule, find out who your competition excludes and make
them your advocates - check!
Flattr is a different beast altogether. It looks more promising.
The most interesting idea last night was the possibility of forming a
Super PAC. I think we should give it serious though and consideration. I
would love to run a campaign against the Delaware legislature.....
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Eddan Katz <mailto:eddan at oaklandlocal.com>
> Thursday, May 24, 2012 11:50 AM
>
>
> Thanks for anthropologicizing the situation, Sudo Agent! No reason why
> we can't do both.
> We'll open a local credit union account, and use WePay for online
> transactions.
> Any credit union recommendations?
>
> WePay, by the way, is associated with mid-size banks in order to
> qualify to be FDIC insured. Otherwise, if you lose your .02c, you'd
> have no hope of getting it back. The fact that the banks they are
> associated with are based in Delaware only tells you that Delaware's
> corporate laws are the most predictable for resolving disputes.
>
> As far as I understand it, WePay is basically serving as an
> intermediary enabling a wider population to be able to make
> transactions. They've figured out how to extend the assurance they can
> guarantee; so that people and organizations could make transactions
> they otherwise couldn't.
>
> You're absolutely right though, that WePay is not based in Oakland.
> They're in Palo Alto. Maybe we should offer to build one of the local
> credit union's web interface? I think the combination of WePay and
> Flattr for online transactions would probably be a good idea.
>
> -Eddan
> [self-appointed Exchequer]
>
>
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> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Eddie A Tejeda <mailto:eddie.tejeda at gmail.com>
> Thursday, May 24, 2012 10:40 AM
>
>
> Great research Micheal.
>
> I think keeping money in the local economy is definitely a higher
> priority than friendly web interface.
>
> --
> Eddie A Tejeda
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Eddie A Tejeda
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Matthew Senate <mailto:mattsenate at gmail.com>
> Thursday, May 24, 2012 12:13 AM
>
>
> ** Please Read Voting + Motions at bottom of minutes **
>
> In short, tonight at the meeting we decided that all who are present
> at our weekly meeting are welcome to vote on making non-binding
> decisions for Sudo Room during this interim period, with the
> requirement to report back via email and record these motions on the
> wiki. This is a great way to move forward in this period before we
> figure out the exact terms of decision-making (who, how, etc) which we
> can now figure out as we actually move forward to opening a room.
>
> I'll move this over to the wiki tomorrow, must sleep.
>
> ----
>
> *5/23/2012 - Meeting Minute**s*
>
> *Attendees*: Patrik, Timon, Marina, Phil, Eddie, Victoria, Michael,
> Michel, Angela, Rick, Eddan, Patrick, Matt
>
> *Marginalia:*Space and Time form a curved surface - and our new
> business. *- Nerd Night Bay Area happening near last week of October
> talk to Rick - *
>
> *Old Business*
> 1. Model + Budget + Income investigations (e.g Noisebridge, other)- Jenny
>
> * (ping via email)
>
> 2. Tax Structure Options:Eddan, Matt, Eddie
>
> * ** Eddan and Timon (zoning) have done research, neither as Lawyers
> (see below)
>
> 3. Distilling Decision Maker/Community Options (Matt, Marina, Rachel,
> Jenny, Timon)
>
> * This is translated into future decision-making options (once we
> open a space), since we have an interim solution for now
>
> 4. Most transparent process for making decisions
>
> * This is also touched on below
>
> 5. Determining important deadlines
>
> * Done, please expect an email to be directed to a space on the wiki
> for this!
>
> 6. Clean up listing of table of properties
>
> * Begun, needs more love, more listings, etc.
>
>
> == Break-out Groups ==
> 1. Note-cleaning and -posting
> 2. Notable date / deadline / calendar comprehension (initiated, will
> be posted for editing on wiki)
> *Decisions That Need Deadlines: *
>
> 1. Space. (Before end of June = negotiation w/ EBALC; space would be
> ~November)
>
> 2. Banking Structure (i.e. what to do w/ our donations collected)
>
> 3. Interim/ Long-Term Tax Structure (interim vs permanent) (501c3,
> fiscal sponsor, LLC, B Corp)-- how long does it take to apply for
> each one of these?
>
> 4. Membership Structure/ Pricing/ When Begin to Pay
>
> 5. Decision Making (once have paying members)
>
> 6. Revenue Models
>
> 3. Sudo Room option listings (begun, on wiki)
>
> *New Business*
> + Focus on concrete goals and deadlines
> *====Space and Time====*
> Update from Timon about Zoning
>
> * @TODO investigate zoning laws esp in Oakland. Learned much from
> oakland city website "CBD Central Business District Zone Regulations"
>
> * Eddie suggests that "playing as we go" is not the way to go.
>
> Update from Eddan about Tax Structure
>
> * @TODO fill out wiki with all options and comparative analysis for
> both tax structure and organization structure
>
> * Eddan wants some feedback--but it would be wise to have an
> environment that enables different types of innovation funding.
> Fixing computers, teaching classes, etc.
>
> * The diversity here is how you could fund publicly-minded
> projects. This could be beneficial, we should consider ways of
> fostering this.
>
> Eddan is not acting as a lawyer. Looking at tax structure, ways
> to organize it - 501(c)3. Also have the jobs act and crowdfunding,
> very new. Comparing to different structures of organizations. Wants to
> ask everyone a question:
>
> 1. Become a non-profit?
>
> 1. Can't do lobbying (too much), supporting candidates, other
> reporting requirements. Potential for pigeon-holing.
>
> 2. Could be advantages to being forced to foreclose, be
> transparent--but that can also be a choice to be transparent.
>
> 2. Keep going, loosely bound collective, move forward without
> worrying about other things?
>
> 3. Options include all the way to a Super PAC
>
> 4. LLC - $900 / year
>
> 5. *Pop-up lease opportunity.*Oakollective + Popup Hood are great
> examples of this.
>
>
> == Voting ==
> The group recognizes that we have critical decisions to make, and
> everyone wants to move forward with making decisions. Further, the
> group points out that we need an interim decision-making process and
> that this should (and will) change once we have a room [the ultimate
> goal]. It is also recognized that we must make a leap of faith in
> order to begin with interim decision-making.
>
> *Motion: In this interim period, non-binding decisions will be voted
> on at Sudo Room meetings by those attending and interested in voting,
> these will then be shared with the email list and recorded on the Wiki.*
> 11 Vote in Favor (2 abstain, for sociological and journalistic reasons
> respectively ;)
>
> *Motion: To aim to find an initial location, a Sudo Room (rather than
> a full-fledged Sudo Space), targeted for the end of July*
> 10 in Favor - One dissenter, Patrik's offers that Techliminal is a
> sufficient platform and that it is not necessary to strive to open
> another space. There are advantages and disadvantages to this
> position, it is good this position is visible for thought and moving
> forward. (Again 2 abstain for obvious reasons).
>
> *Strawpoll (not a vote, just ): Willing to pay on a regular interval
> for Sudo Room as a hackerspace (no discussion of membership,
> responsibilities, benefits, etc.)*
> 10 - One dissenter, Patrick based on the lack of an option to
> contribute without financial payment. A valuable sentiment, and brings
> up that one topic from the last meeting included strategies for
> allowing folks without funds to contribute and participate in the
> space. This is on our radar as we move forward! (2 abstain ' ' ' )
>
> *Motion:*To create an interim solution for storing our current
> donations by (a) using WePay on the condition that it acts just like a
> bank and won't charge us any fees! (WePay is encouraging since its
> used by Occupy for its flexibility.) If this fails to qualify such
> conditions, then (b) the alternative is to have Matt and Eddan sign a
> Doing-Business-As and sign up at a local Credit Union for a free
> account to store this money. The caveat is that this can be changed
> easily, we can always move money to some other bank, or under
> different names or a corporation, but our current situation is non-ideal.
> 10 - (One abstains ' ' ' ) The emphasis behind this motion is to (1)
> deal with the fact that we have donations from our fundraiser in three
> locations and it would be good to consolidate them (2) this makes
> things more transparent for everyone and (3) it allows us to easily
> start adding more income to the coffer at the apporpirate times, and
> (4) spend money easily when that is appropriate.
>
>
>
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