, Jean Rainwater, Hannah Sommers, Julia Trimmer, Terrie Wheeler, Alex Viggio, Joe Zucca
LG and SG members:
Paul Albert, Ann Beynon, Robert Cartolano, Mike Conlon, Christian Hauschke, Violeta Ilik, Muhammed Javed, DJ Lee, Mark Newton, Ginny Pannabecker , Jean Rainwater, Hannah Sommers, Julia Trimmer, Terrie Wheeler, Alex Viggio, Joe Zucca
Duraspace:
Erin Tripp
Regrets:
Federico Ferrario, Doug Hahn, Tom Cramer (apologies), Anna Guillaumet, Andrew Woods
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android:
https://duraspace.zoom.us/my/vivo1
(New call-in numbers were corrected on 5/10/2018)
Or iPhone one-tap :
US: +16468769923,,9358074182# or +16699006833,,9358074182#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 646 876 9923 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 408 638 0968 or +1 408 638 0986 or +1 646 558 8665
Meeting ID: 935 807 4182
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/cex8G1kjQ
Review agenda (Julia, 5 minutes)
Review Travel Policy and Procedure (Julia, 5 minutes)
Discussion of VIVO "debt" (Julia, Mike, 30 minutes)
Clarifying processes for VIVO committers (Julia/Mike, as time allows)
Review agenda (Julia, 5 minutes)
Reviewed and proceeded with no changes
Review Travel Policy and Procedure (Julia, 5 minutes)
Reviewed the policy and discussed it. The focus of this policy is to keep control of travel spending to ensure VIVO travel expenses fall within the year’s approved budget.
Highlighted points:
All expenses need to be requested via email to both Leadership Group Chair (Julia) and the Project Director (Mike). This needs to happen before and following travel.
Discussion of records of past travel: These have not been kept in detail, though each year travel records are kept through resolution and recording of budget and financials. The 2018 travel records spreadsheet is still available and will be shared with the Leadership Group as an example.
Discussion of VIVO "debt" (Julia, Mike, 30 minutes)
Introduction of this topic by Robert (Treasurer, Duraspace Board of Directors): As part of the review of the Duraspace financials, the Duraspace Board discussed some losses over the previous five years, shown as debt for each year in the VIVO 2013-2017 overall financials. The Duraspace Board is looking to resolve this issue to the satisfaction of the VIVO community and Duraspace.
The “losses” were created when VIVO’s membership targets were set too high and direct and indirect expenses were budgeted based on the projected revenue.
Starting in 2018 VIVO had an MOU with Duraspace, which clarified some aspects of the budget related to compensation for the VIVO Project Director. Also contrary to prior years, 2018 will show income of about $85,000 for VIVO, versus a loss.
The group reviewed the 2013-2017 side by side budget summaries, and discussed the numbers shown and the labels to better understand each category. For example:
In 2016 and 2017, when Mike Conlon became the Project Director, DuraSpace recorded his voluntary effort as revenue (see the In-kind category). The Director’s salary was then also shown as a VIVO expense in Project Salary & Benefits.
The Indirect Common Good Overhead Allocation reflects VIVO’s contribution to Duraspace office and operations expenses (lines 13-18 of the 2013-2017 budget comparison sheet). For example, Office Expenses shown in line 15 is VIVO’s contribution to a physical office for Duraspace. This was ended in about 2017 and now all Duraspace employees work from their home and the organization has a P.O. Box. Distribution of the mail, the P.O. box, etc. are part of the other expenses shown in lines 13-18 and VIVO pays a portion of these.
Duraspace has been identifying ways to reduce costs in order to save money for Duraspace and partner organizations such as VIVO.
Discussion about budget review: In the past the budget should have been reviewed yearly by the VIVO Leadership Group. Comment: It was, but only 1 year at a time and with some confusion. The intention today is to shed light on these issues, on the budget information, and make sure the leadership group understands its responsibility to review, question, discuss, request modifications, and/or approve annual budgets.
In 2017 VIVO had the opportunity to create an MOU with Duraspace which has greatly helped in clarifying VIVO’s contributions to Duraspace operations and management, as well as Duraspace’s contributions and responsibilities to the VIVO Project.
Regarding the current debt
These are real annual numbers and losses. Duraspace did pay people and made purchases for which they did not receive money from the VIVO Project. We need to identify a method to resolve the deficit costs and move past the debt.
Deciding on the amount of the debt: One goal to move forward is to resolve and define the debt owed by VIVO to Duraspace as a specific amount - this amount will be between $0 and $324,519. This will then be entered into the records of both the VIVO Project and Duraspace.
The next goal is to decide on a plan for repayment and move forward.
Proposal to resolve the current debt
Suggestion that Mike, Julia, Robert, and Erin prepare a proposal for the Duraspace Board prior to their February 11th meeting.
This proposal will be shared with the VIVO Leadership Group for feedback at the February 1st meeting, prior to it being sent to the Duraspace Board
Additional questions from the Leadership Group that will be addressed at the February 1st meeting
Q: Could we see the current 2018 numbers or projected 2018 number or preliminary numbers alongside the 2013-2017 budget numbers to better see how things have changed. Yes, we can add those numbers.
We will address remaining questions, review the past budgets from 2013-2017 with 2018 numbers added, and review a proposal for defining and resolving this debt.
Q: Can we see the detailed 2018 travel budget? Yes, we’ll make that available to the LG.
Q: Can we see the list of attendees going to the January 21st fly-in? Certainly, we can do that.
Clarifying processes for VIVO committers (Julia/Mike, as time allows)
See more information about VIVO committers on the VIVO Committers wiki page
Joining the Development Interest Group and their calls and other communication methods is one way to start getting involved in learning more about current VIVO development work
Clarification:
Anyone in the world can write and suggest code for VIVO and it can be reviewed by anyone
The VIVO Committers have the authority and access to make new code part of VIVO’s official code base. There is a procedure for having code reviewed and a voting process prior to code being committed.
See pages under VIVO Committers, such as: Committer Rights and Responsibilities, Community Decision Making, and New Committers page
We may begin allocating time during some Leadership Group meetings for some updates on development.
It would be beneficial for LG members to review the work being done by the committers.