[Davisgig] Fwd: Meetings + Fiscal Responsibilty/Organization

Wed Aug 19 11:20:10 PDT 2015

Thanks to Rob for raising the organizational topic. As you read my message,
keep in mind that I'm a long-time DCN volunteer and board member.

I think that DavisGig operating under DCN's organizational umbrella is a
great idea. Some of my reasons:

   1. Staying organizationally light allows DavisGig to be an agile,
   activist organization without having to spend time adopting bylaws,
   electing officers, having regular board meetings and such.
   2. DCN's goals in this matter are basically identical to DavisGig's, and
   the board/staff is happy to deal with the tedious stuff. DCN wants and has
   endorsed municipal fiber. And, DCN would be happy to bring onto its board
   nearly anyone that has a long-run interest in these issues.
   3. DCN already has a 501(c)3 designation as a tax-exempt organization.
   This may matter a lot if we receive any contributions large enough that
   someone cares about the tax deduction. Or if grant money becomes available.
   4. There is not necessarily a point for DavisGig to exist
   organizationally beyond the activist phase. Maybe there will be a successor
   organization, but we probably don't want to worry about its structure now.
   5. DCN is a credible and known partner in dealing with the COD, DJUSD
   and UCD as well as lots of local organizations like PTA/PTOs.

One question that's come up: if this comes to a bond or tax issue, would
DCN be able to use contributed funds to advocate for the issue? The simple
answer is: no problem. IRS regulations forbid electoral intervention in
favor of candidates. There is no problem with issue advocacy even if the
issue is before the voters. We just can't work on behalf of or against
candidates. I doubt that anybody in DavisGig has any interest in having the
organization be involved in advocating for or against any candidate for
office.

On Wed, Aug 19, 2015 at 8:54 AM, Robert Nickerson <rob at omsoft.com> wrote:

>
>
> Hi Davisites
>
> Some announcements and meta organizational structure discussion follows.
>
> 0) Discussion of DavisGIG with City of Davis IT staff
>
> This is today at 9:30am. Although am very busy tomorrow, I'll try and
> write something about it.
>
>
> 1)  Round table discussion hopefully with seasoned Sr Sales Manager from
> Fujitsu Networks. Friday September 4th likely some time in the am, im
> shooting for 10-1, venue and exact time to follow.
>
> This person has done numerous deployments and has provided us with a
> generic proposal they give to City  governments they work with to build
> fiber optic networks.  Their recently completed build is Taos, NM.
>
> http://www.bbcmag.com/2015mags/May_June/BBC_May15_KitCarson.pdf
>
>  Im looking for 2-4 DavisGIG volunteers who are serious about assisting
> efforts, and have the technical,  financial, organizational knowledge to
> hear a detailed analysis of strategies and challenges relating to
> municipal community fiber buildouts. If you want to come, or just want
> to read it, Ill send you the copy of the generic proposal. It is very
> interesting.
>
> Plan to have some additional folks from the City or County to attend
> this informational session, Ill be checking with relevant staff.
>
> 2) Fiscal Responsibilty/Organization
>
>  One of the main issues we currently face is dispensing funds to achieve
> our goals. An exceptionally committed individual has donated another
> $200 this month, and we are ready to get some full color lawn signs
> going to raise our profile in the community and further raise funds.
>
> Presently, we have a draft MOU before us from DCN acting as a fiscal
> agent and providing its long established 501c3 non profit network status
> for the cause of Davis GIG, which is a group of volunteers working to
> implement community owned and operated fiber optic network for all Davis
> homes and businesses.
>
> At the last board meeting, we have come to the same realization that we
> came to, at the DCN board meeting which was, DavisGIG volunteers are a
> loosely formulated ad hoc committee of Davis citizens with out a formal
> operating structure. So no one is authorized to sign any agreements or
> MOUs to disperse non  profit collected funds collected through the
> website or in person.
>
> So some organizational structure is required, and is a rather necessary
> thing at this point. Need to buy signs, and check the prices from only
> local vendors,  I'm collecting at the Trello card BTW. Subscribe to that
> card to get updates.
>
> Thankfully a volunteer has provided a contact for possible legal
> guidance on creating a separate but minimal framework for having a board
> of Directors, though not pursue any non profit or corporate status or
> charter.
>
> I had thought to myself, to short circuit this, we could simply govern
> this project fiscally and orgnizationally, as a special committee of
> DCN. DCN has traditionally had a variety of committees, Web team
> committees dedicated to things such as DCN.org and other hosted domains,
>  website development; Resource Allocation Committee, awarding free
> resources to  community  non-profits and PTAs; Technical Operations
> Committee which guided maintenance and growth of the network. There were
> others.
>
> We could propose to the DCN Board our group be considered the DavisGIG
> Committee, that way we don't need to do anything else structurally.
> DCN's structural operation is documented through our website, and there
> have been heavily attended volunteer committees in the past that were
> fairly active, so organizationally, structurally this is a worked out
> thing with DCN.
>
> Although I have been a DCN board member since 1998 or so,  the
> importance of having community owned and operated fiber optic and the
> timing in  the market is such that, this is a great chance to work in a
> broader community sense, to make this one time acquisition, planning and
> installation happen correctly and with full citizen input.
> I was not President, when this email list started, just a citizen, but
> network operator advising the community and proposing a preferable way
> of deliver Internet, available freely in many other nations. Too many
> good things accrue with this project not to  do it carefully and with as
> much considered community input as possible.
>
> DCN as a 23 year plus organization carries its own reputation and
> opinions  in the community, and its important that DavisGIG be given the
> best effort at succeeding there.
>
> So before I thought I would contact the attorney contact we have, I
> thought I would throw this question out to the group and take measure of
> the idea.
>
> Does anyone have opinions one way or the the other? Put it on the Trello
> card.
>
>
>  Seriously though Do,  we need a doodle poll called existential question ?
>
> I've setup a Trello board with three cards and voting. Put your opinions
> one way or another on the particular card that is pertinent and VOTE your
> choice.
>
> 1) Form a board of directors, seek legal advice, form some sort of
> formal organization and governing document.
>
> 2) Be a sub committee of DCN folded under its bylaws and board of
> directors.
>
> 3) Someone suggest an alternative.  A Coop?
>
>
> Thanks for anyone who has any input.
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> Please ref our wiki for details, documents and contacts:
>
> http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~help/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=start
>
> Davisgig mailing list
> Davisgig at list.omsoft.com
> http://list.omsoft.com/mailman/listinfo/davisgig
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://list.omsoft.com/pipermail/davisgig/attachments/20150819/28b5ed1d/attachment.html>