DebConf13/Meetings/minutes-20120416

DebConf13.ch Finances Team meeting minutes - 2012-04-16

When and where

• Donnerbühlweg 33, 3012 Bern
• 19h15 - 21h45, Swiss time (trains leave Bern around 2200)

Attendees list

• OdyX
• Raphael
• cate
• gaudenz
• gismo
• hug

Agenda

Who will be the person in charge?

• [gismo] no more power than the others
• [OdyX] need someone who keeps in mind the deadlines, schedule, etc.
• [cate] many of these things are in the GlobalTeam, we need someone who says we have a lot of money, then we can spend them here, etc.
• [Raphael] interesting to have different teams, but not enough man power for now
• [gaudenz] finance/budget in one part, sponsor in the other
• [OdyX] linked: formal dinner needs deadline (provided by the finance team)
• [OdyX] team organization is up to the people
• [gaudenz] two persons for the LocalTeam for finance
• [hug] no two "general" teams (Global and Local), but two subteams:

1. financial: define how things should be done (accounting, payments, etc.), ask the sponsor team how much money they can get, one/two people who work together with the GlobalTeam
2. sponsor: do things

• [hug] more interested in financial stuff
• [Raphael] interested in financial stuff

hug and Raphael will be mostly interested in financial stuff

How do we work together?

NOT-DISCUSSED

Make a decision on the legal structure

• [hug] on the wiki no correct separation between Debian and DebConf money, so there should change
• [Raphael] bank account (CHF)
• [Raphael] try to be recognized as an organization in the public interest would be better to find money
• [hug] only relevant for private persons
• [hug] not the organization that has all the money (e.g. SPI)
• [OdyX] three possibilities:

1. on our shoulders (NO)
2. debian.ch
3. DebConf13 under the Swiss laws (my preference)

• [gaudenz] keep budgets separated
• [hug] not possible to create a DebConf organization in the public interest, because it should be more broad (e.g. SPI)
• [gaudenz] people can donate to debian.ch
• [hug] they can get money only from the organization
• [OdyX] debian.ch will close in case of any problem
• [gaudenz] debian.[ch|li] domain can disappear
• [gaudenz] additional bureaucracy
• [OdyX] every time I heard about similar events they created a new organization (done for a reason)
• [gismo] we have an organization and we can exploit it
• [gaudenz] 10k CHF and reputation
• [Raphael] capitalize the already-established reputation of debian.ch
• [hug] no advantage in using debian.ch if we do not go for in the public interest or a non-profit organization (NPO). CORRECTION: correct term is "tax-exempt" organisation
• [OdyX] the next meeting send the bylaws for the new association
• [gaudenz] would the GlobalTeam be happy with a new association?
• [Raphael] copy&paste of debian.ch into a new one, approximately with the same people

Final opinions

• [gaudenz] new association, bylaws correct from the beginning, stuff thrown out (membership rules, connection to the Debian DPL), also doable with debian.ch
• [cate] separate association, also because it is easier to choose the people that can sign
• [OdyX] new one, debian.ch is one thing and DebConf organization is different, an organization that fits this new way of working, many things specific to DebConf's work, simplifying stuff
• [hug] two options;

1. if debian.ch, we need to fix bylaws, NPO, etc.
2. if we do not do that, easier to have a new organization (no tax exempt for separate organization)

• [gismo] debian.ch
• [Raphael] capitalize debian.ch

Problems

• [gaudenz] tax exempt not be solvable now
• [hug] definitions: you need to go to the tax office and then they decide, an organization that does something for the general public
• [Raphael] work with hug and find out the details
• [hug] tax office in Bern
• [Raphael] we need facts
• [OdyX] new association: where and which language?
• [hug] French or German
• [OdyX] 'Le Camp' in French .ch, or either in Genève or Zürich

Open questions

• do we want to go on with debian.ch as tax-free?
• possible to have tax exempt for debian.ch or DebConf13.ch?
• VAT conditions for this kind of stuff? In our case we will have most of our incomes comes from donations, so will the donations count or will them be exempt?

answers for the last two questions for the next meeting on mumble/IRC on 2012-05-03

How do we raise funds?

• [Raphael] use DebConf12 to make a campaign to make interest about DebConf13, raise awareness, for that something ready end of June 2012
• [guadenz] good idea, but tight schedule for the sponsoring brochure
• [OdyX] two points:

1. RMLL in Genève will have a live-screen from DebConf12
2. translate DebConf11 report in local languages (many local corporations appreciate to have it in their languages)

• [cate] translate also the report?
• [OdyX] sponsor brochure must be in local language, parts of the report in local or in references to the English part
• [gaudenz] translate the sponsoring brochure, but not the report
• [cate] DebConf12 sponsoring brochure is online
• [OdyX] the brochure should contain the budget, one small A4 what Debian is, one/two what DebConf is/was, pictures and explanations of DebConf13
• [Raphael] PDF and other ways
• [OdyX] some sponsors tie and paper things
• [OdyX] define not only the expenses, but also the incomes
• [hug] no budget out until is finalized
• [gaudenz] separate numbers for where the money goes
• [gismo] we need a logo
• [gaudenz] low down the numbers of sponsored people
• [OdyX] different levels of budget (necessary, good enough, perfect conference), clear or not for ourselves as well
• [hug] rough estimate, then if asked be more specific
• [gaudenz] merge food & accommodation
• [OdyX] levels for sponsors
• [hug] no need for levels given the ranges
• [gaudenz] sponsors for the DayTrip
• [gaudenz] start from the Nicaragua brochure
• [cate] in SVG, so to be converted in another format (LaTeX)

translate the sponsoring brochure

Logo

• [cate] no answer from Michael
• [gismo] do we have any idea?
• [gaudenz] we need to discuss, not give inputs approach professional/semi-professional if for free not part of the contest
• [cate] cowsay?
• [gismo] cowsay would be really nice!
• [hug] logo and design are done together
• [OdyX] non-professional contest or ask professionals only?
• [gismo] I would not like an Adobe Illustrator's logo
• [OdyX] offer professional options to be visible on the website, etc.

no professional are already available ATM, so let us find someone (gaudenz's colleague, Kevin's, Michael and Raphael's friend) or go with the contest in one month

How do we track funds?

NOT-DISCUSSED

How do we forecast income and outcome?

NOT-DISCUSSED