2018/05/15 BOTLab AGM
Date/time and location: 7:30pm, 15 May 2018 at the Hackspace
Agenda
- AGM
- Presentation of annual accounts for members' approval - link to follow meeting
- Committee report on previous year and objectives for next year
- Future direction of the Hackspace
- AOB - explanation of what the committee does and doesn't do
- Appointment of new committee members by election
- Pizza!
Attendees: Ian AS, Jon D, Tarim, Russ C, Joe D, Matt G, Pam D, Jon D, Toby S, Kaspar B, Nick G, Athur A, +3 people +Tom Garder (slightly late)
Chair: Toby S
Finances
Nick Gover: Hackspace Finances
- Unordered List Item
- Considerable increase in electricity costs
- Mostly estimated meter readings last year
- Increased membership
Toby Seely - what is emergency reserve?
- Russ: 9 months rent payent, if we have to move
- Nick G - we now have insurance so we rely on reserves less
- 5.5k reserve
- £6925 after reserve
- Hackspace specific insurance policy
Vote: passed unanimously to accept Accounts, submit to companies house (14/14 people)
Nick Gover: information about accounts is publicly available in the wiki
Update on activities
- Skillshares have ceased
- Sound things seems to be quite popular
- Games night still going on (Retro games)
- Hardinge lathe is SOLD but not shipped yet. To be collected early saturday morning 19th.
- Tidying and rearranging
- Potentially reclaim sub-let space
Vote: - Chase Gareth for back rent?
- Name of standing order was not passed to treasurer so took a while to notice
- At least £975 owed in back rent
- *Vote: 14/14 in favour of amnesty**
- Tarim: if he wants to keep space, he needs to pay
- Nick: an offer of lump sum of a year’s back rent
- Russ C: re-activated Hackspace facebook page
- 2-3 people per week asking about Hackspace
- Robot building group
- Biohack is still running
- Bristol Braille Tech has largely moved operations out of the hackspace, but still have a lot of activities in BV
- PAT test was done by Bristol Braille
- Russ: proposal to buy new lathe
- Joe: New power supply, reorganised electronics area
Next year’s tasks
- Toby: membership survey and find out why they join the hackspace.
- Pam: many love the laser cutter, 3D printer
- Some people are a bit scared, esp. Electronics, soldering
- Toby: converting from Limited company to community interest company (CIC)
- Just filling in 2-page form
- Not much change in reporting
- Toby: Code of Conduct - rights and responsibilities outlined more clearly
- Toby: visit other Hackspaces?
Pam: most other people impressed, but common question: metalworking Russ: Robert has large waiting list, does not want Hackspace to expand any further Joe: Bristol council has more space/buildings available Ian: we don’t want to duplicate functionality Lots of woodworking already Metalworking not provided currently Joe: council is quite approachable Arthur, Ian: Bristol City Council wants to see results, i.e. companies spun off from hackspace * AON2 * Bristol Braille
Tom Gardner: checklist to measure new sites against, potential to attract rates Pam: Laser cutter person making recycling bins, selling to Convent Garden, working in HS at night Windmill Hill city farm Matt: TG’s idea is good Use lathe sale to improve G10 layout to make it more usable Will put a proposal on forum +1 in support Russ: Conversation with BCC regarding closing libraries BCC favourable but libraries will not be closed * Toby: Slack groups for further discussion * Some people firmly against against using Slack / push messaging
- Toby: What the committee does and doesn’t do
- We run the behind the scenes activities, the legal requirements, pay bills etc. The members own & run the space and ultimately decide on the direction of future activites. The Committee would only step in to prevent activities or purchases that could impact the future existence of the space and it's fair use of resources.
Vote on new Commmittee:
Matt G wants to stand Ryan D H is not present, but wants to stand (Nick Gover speaking for him) Arthur Amarra - standing down as committee member Standing for election:
- Matt
- Ryan
- Joe
- Toby (standing down for re-election as per rules)
- Nick (standing down for re-election as per rules)
Remaining:
Ian Russ
Result
- Nick Gover
- Matt G
- Toby Seely
Voted in by majority vote. Changes to take effect at next committee meeting.
Tom G: gave thanks for outgoing Committee for hard work behind the scenes, often unnoticed by members.