Minutes 2010-06-29
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Wikimedia UK Board Meeting Minutes Tuesday 29 June 2010, 7.30-10.30pm BST Via Skype
Present: Andrew Turvey (AT), Mike Peel (MP), Thomas Dalton (TD)
Apologies for absence
Seddon has given his apologies; Steve will be ~ 1 hour late
Approval of Minutes
The minutes at Minutes 8Jun10 were approved by AT, MP, TD.
Email decisions
Funding of Hoxne Challenge lunch was approved by email.
Discussion over the microgrants committee was held over email; these were approved by AT, TD, MP. Ideally want approving by JS and SV; return to this later in the meeting.
Reports
Chair (Andrew Turvey)
Andrew's report at Agenda 29Jun10/Chair's Report was noted.
Solicitor's: meeting proposed for this Friday. MP not able to make it (but can be contacted during the meeting); TD is able to participate via telephone.
The auditor is no longer able to audit the accounts, so we need to find a replacement. Instead approach a mainstream auditor. Will cost ~£1k-1.5k. To avoid COI, will avoid companies that AT has worked at, and the WMF's auditors.
Secretary (Mike Peel)
Mike's report at Agenda 29Jun10/Secretary's Report was noted.
Blog posts: currently a blog post is sent around by email and left for 24 hours. MP suggests delegating this to two people.
First principle: aim is to check that the content being blogged in the name of the chapter is correct, and agrees with our goals.
Change to majority of the board approving, or no objection to an email within 24 hours.
ORG grant application: Noted we had previously decided to reject. Andrew to respond.
Wiki Takes Liverpool: good thing to do, but MP doesn't have the time. AT to see if there is interest amongst local Wikimedians.
Insight Radio: not able to provide funding for this.
Wikipedia Academy: still interest from Cancer Research UK about running one of these. MP is currently waiting for them to reply.
Treasurer (Thomas Dalton)
TD's report at Agenda 29Jun10/Treasurer's Report was noted.
Form to be posted to MP tomorrow; will then be passed to AT before being returned to TD to be given to the bank.
No response yet from Pavel; MP suggests that it might be worth escalating to WMDE's board.
Report to the WMF grant needs writing. AT and TD to meet on the evening of 15 July to discuss this.
Membership applications - none received through post, TD to check on CiviCRM.
Membership renewals - ACTION: TD to send around renewal notices when he has access to the bank account.
Steve
No report on the wiki. Currently working on the Somali project, and setting up wikimeets in Bristol. He is busy until mid-July, and will pick up on those items then. AT will contact those that attended the last Bristol wikimeet to see if they are interested in organizing another.
Seddon
No report on the wiki.
Durova: see whether she is at Wikimania, and talk to her then; otherwise will find someone else.
Staff recruitment update
Consensus is to go with internet advertising. Starting with Fish4jobs, and moving on to others if necessary. Try advertising first, and then doing the search of the database if advertising doesn't return results - but this would be a manually intensive job.
MP had a number of concerns about the job description and budget; the latter focusing mostly on the surrounding costs from hiring them. NI should be negligible. Sickness and maternity leave are things that can't be forecast. Holidays and bank holidays need to be included pro rata.
(SV joined the meeting at this point)
SV: Current phrasing/scope is aimed at someone that is able to work independently; not so much for those that are a "blank sheet" that needs more of a comprehensive list. AT: need a self-starter, and needs to be able to organize themselves.
SV: doesn't think that Fish4jobs is suitable; would be better to go via recommendations. Better to go via members, and those that work on Wikipedia generally. AT: Once it's up as an advert, we would advertise it via the blog, members, etc. SV: suggests going internal for a month, and then go external if that does not work. TD: not a bad idea. MP: also seems reasonable.
Need to be in place before the fundraiser in November. Starting September shoud be OK. Better to go with 21 days for advertising internally.
Probationary period? Length of contract?
Probationary period of 3 months. Length of contract 6 months from then - taking us up until June (9 months) with the possibility of extending.
Figures on costs of holidays/bank holidays - AT to formulate these over the next few days.
Source of contract wording - lawyer? TBD - discuss by email.
What information do they need to send to us? Cover letter and CV needed; needs to be added to the advertisement.
Formal quantification? Book keeping preferable. Office manager experience preferred. Can be covered by reading the CV.
Interview process? Two interviews: first over the telephone with one person (possibly also someone in the background observing and taking notes), then a second interview in person with two at a convenient location.
How do we quantify success? Several stages: during the interview process, how do we determine whether they are a suitable candidate? After 6 weeks, are they working out well? Are we utilizing them well enough? Time sheets to be filled in, which will allow some quantification. Should have a weekly conversation with someone (i.e. Andrew) about what they did last week, and what they will do the next week.
Outstanding issues: budget and contract. To be discussed by email. Advertisement to be agreed on by email.
Broadly thought that the best approach with the contract is to start with a standard one, rather than going via lawyers. Check with other organizations on how they have done the contract (e.g. Open Knowledge Foundation?).
GLAM-WIKI organizer hire
Discussed in camera; minutes on the board wiki.
Wikimania 2010 in Gdansk
Who is going? TD, MP. AT might be going.
No formal activities that would have WMUK input.
Chapter-selected Foundation Board members 2010
Discussed in camera.
Fundraiser
- Decision in Principle on participation
- Approach - Direct Debits, cheques, Joomla, PayPal, CiviCRM, Agreement
- Who? - TD, AT, staff
Decided to wait on the fundraiser until we have received the draft agreement with the Foundation - discuss on the 20th July. TD to outline principles involved with this.
Charity update & plans
Meeting on Friday.
Advisory Board
(Not discussed)
Member Communications strategy
(Not discussed)
A.O.B.
Conflict of Interest policy & of interests annual declarations
AT requested that everyone update their CoI declarations on the Board wiki.
Activity report under the Chapter Agreement
Need to do a proper annual report. Pending audited accounts. AT and TD to revisit the previous plan, updating the actions and sending around the revised actions.
Steve
Publicacity - may be interested in helping us with PR pro bono. Need a list of training that would be useful. Not only training - but also doing some publicity.
Date, time and content of next meeting
Proposed: Tuesday 20 July 2010, 7.30-10.30pm
Content will be the fundraiser. Advisory board doesn't need to be carried forward. Communications strategy can be incorporated in the reports.