meeting:september_11

Minutes for September 11, 2012

Regular Items
- Treasurer's report
  - $1170 in bank
  - 19 full members, no associates
  - Previous rent was $892.50
  - Rent is now $997.50
  - Insurance is ~$375/yr
  - Total monthly income is $950/mo @ 19 members
  - No outstanding membership fees
- Reports on Committees
  - Door security
    - Now running on a Raspberry Pi
    - TODO: Put all components onto a PCB
    - TODO: Web interface for managing keys and logs
    - Still don't have Kyle's fob back, but it is deactivated
    - We will select somebody to go get it from him
    - Mike still doesn't have a keyfob
    - Bergo has an extra fob, so he'll give his to Mike until we get things sorted out
  - Workshop Committee
    - Classes
      - Electronics class (James): Not available until after October
      - PCB fabrication class (Al): 5 or 6 members already signed up. Scheduled for Sept 29th.
      - Home-buying class (Paul): 5 members expressed interest. Scheduled for Oct 10th.
    - New tools pledges: no news
- Open house review
  - Very quiet
  - No new members
  - Not enough advertising done this time
- T-shirts
  - Have not spoken to Steve
  - Bergo emailed him, but no reply
  - Paul will get Bergo Steve's number to contact him
- Special items
  - Changes to lease
    - No reply from Curtis on the status of the lease
    - They are appealing the tax increase with the city
    - This month's rent we paid with the additional occupancy cost added
  - Other options for the space
    - Location on 442 44th St:
      - The space is 36'x24' overall, with the back area being 23'x24' and the front office being about 12'x16'
      - Direct entry
      - Overhead door
      - Locked compound with 2-3 cars parking available
      - Price is $792 (rent) + $209.95 (occupancy) = $1001.95 + GST = $1052.05 per month, plus utilities (gas, electrical, shared water)
      - Estimating $1200/mo incl. util.
      - Advantages to moving:
        
        Direct entry
        
        Ground floor
        
        Overhead doors
        
        Able to do welding
        
        Safer neighborhood
        
        Landlord more amenable to making modifications to the space
      - Disadvantages:
        
        Not close to downtown
        
        No night time bus service
        
        More expensive
        
        Taxes likely to increase (but how much?)
        
        Capital cost required to prepare new space
      - Needs to be decided on right away because others have already expressed interest in it
      - Going to see it at 8:30pm
    - Other options are possibly the Easy Pawn or above Money Express, though Albert expressed that these would not be immediate options, but potentially for when more space is required.
  - Park(ing) day
    - 10AM - midnight, Friday Sept 21
    - They offered us a spot right out front
    - Curtis will bring robots
    - We have a few people willing to help out in the evening
  - Viewing of 442 44th St. E.:
    - All present members went to view the 44th St building.
    - After review of the building, a vote to move to the new building was unanimously in favor, contingent on not being locked into a lease with the Two Twenty and coming up with a plan to increase our income to meet the added costs.
    - Present members pledged to donate additional funds, in amounts each volunteered, to meet the added costs, with the expectation that a membership drive will be held to increase membership and eliminate the need for continuing support.
    - An informal tally was taken of pledges from those present and it was over the $300 necessary to make up the additional monthly costs needed in the foreseeable future.
    - Based on this, we expressed our intentions to the landlord of 442 44th St E and agreed to confirm with him on Wednesday, Sept 12, contingent on our lease with the Two Twenty and receiving an example of utility costs from another tenant.
    - If we are able to go ahead with moving out of the Two Twenty, we will not be participating in the Park(ing) Day events.