AVACON EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING MINUTES

Date: Sunday, February 22, 2015
Time: 7:00 PM EST
Location: Skype

BOARD MEMBERS

Attendance: Joyce Bettencourt, Chris Collins, Jane Haniefy, Kathey Fatica (absent)

Quorum present: Yes

AVACON BUSINESS ITEMS

Bank of America Signature Card Paperwork

  • Paperwork Update:  Joyce will use the passport for Kathey, Jane provided a scan of her license.

Arizona Newspaper Posting

  • Update on Status:  Jane sent the required Application for Authority, Chris contacted the paper and paid the invoice.  The application will be published the first week of March, and a paid invoice receipt and copy of the affidavit will be mailed to our headquarters address.

Annual State Tax Returns

  • Update on Status:  Chris is working on finishing the state returns and ensuring that they are properly recorded in QuickBooks.

AVACON STAFF

  • Jeroen Frans:  Frans is interested in volunteering for AvaCon for a few hours per week.  Joyce will invite him to our next staff meeting and Jane will contact him to get his volunteer staff onboarding paperwork started.
  • Overtime Reminder to Staff:  At the next staff meeting, we will review the schedule for the next two weeks and will remind staff to schedule their hours the week of the FCVW event so that they don’t go over 40 hours per week.

AVACON PROGRAMS & EVENTS

Rockcliffe University Grid Hosting / VWBPE15

  • Contract Update:  Chris is continuing to work on the draft contract
  • VWBPE:  The Rockcliffe regions have been added to the AvaCon Grid and Chris believes that Kevin and team have everything they need for preparations for VWBPE.

Agile Workshop Event Hosting

  • Contract Update:  Chris is continuing to work on the draft contract, we are waiting on information from Bill Krebs.

Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds 2015 Workshop

  • Contract Review:  Chris and Jane reviewed the contract to ensure that we have completed all checklist items.  Chris will draft a letter to Doug to document what has been completed, what is in progress or will be done at the live event, what was not done due to changes in the program (ie no sponsors or Exhibit Hall and Poster Session content), and what additional items we completed above and beyond our contractual obligations.
  • Remaining Build Items:  Briefly reviewed remaining build items and schedule issues.

VIBE – Biology Summer Camp

  • Stephen Gasior:  Joyce will contact Stephen this week to discuss how AvaCon can help with his event.

Meeting adjourned at 9:12 PM.  Next meeting is scheduled is for Sunday, March 1, 2015 at 7:00 PM.  Meeting minutes submitted by Clerk (Interim) Jane Haniefy.

AVACON EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING MINUTES

Date: Sunday, February 15, 2015
Time: 7:00 PM EST
Location: Skype

BOARD MEMBERS

Attendance: Joyce Bettencourt, Chris Collins, Jane Haniefy, Kathey Fatica (absent)

Quorum present: Yes

Review and Edit/Accept Last Meeting Minutes

  • Jane Haniefy made a MOTION to accept the prior meeting’s minutes.  Joyce Bettencourt SECONDED the motion.  The motion passed unanimously.

AVACON BUSINESS ITEMS

New Business

  • Rockcliffe University has requested to have four regions on the AvaCon Grid. Chris is working on contract
  • Do we know any good Opensim scripters? AvaCon GitHub repository?
    • Add to AvaCon staff meeting for discussion.
  • AvaCon Collaborators Chat Channel – Skype, IRC, Teamspeak, G+?
    • Add to AvaCon staff meeting for discussion and decision.

AVACON PROGRAMS & EVENTS

FCVW Build Issues Discussion

  • Discuss last minute region/schedule changes
  • Discussed building deadline and items remaining

Other Program & Events

  • Agile workshop – Chris is working on contract details.
  • Stephen Gasior – VIBE – Biology Summer Camp


Meeting adjourned at 9:00PM.  Next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, February 22, at 7:00 PM.  Meeting minutes submitted by Clerk (Interim) Jane Haniefy.

AVACON EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING MINUTES

Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Time: 7:00 PM EST
Location: Skype

BOARD MEMBERS

Attendance: Joyce Bettencourt, Chris Collins, Jane Haniefy, Kathey Fatica (absent)

Quorum present: Yes

Review and Edit/Accept Last Meeting Minutes

  • Jane Haniefy made a MOTION to accept the prior meeting’s minutes.  Joyce Bettencourt SECONDED the motion.  The motion passed unanimously.
  • Reviewed Top Trello Board Cards

AVACON BUSINESS ITEMS

Extension for filing Federal and MA (Form PC) Annual Corporate Tax Filings

  • Chris Collins made a MOTION for filing an extension.  Joyce Bettencourt SECONDED the motion.  The motion passed unanimously

Matching Business Expense Practices to our Accounting Procedures

  • Reviewed the accrual accounting system method, and how that matches with our current reporting processes.  Emphasized the need for timely reporting and recording of expenses and income.

Structure and Content of AvaCon Staff Meetings

  • Review Trello boards at the end of the meeting
  • Discussing the Trello board is not to be used for status updates, the updates should be in the card.
  • Executive board members should model behavior
  • Make this a recurring agenda item (structuring AvaCon staff meetings)

AvaCon Board Meetings Rescheduled to Sunday Evening 7PM – 9PM

  • Touch base meeting on 2/15
  • Full meetings starting on 2/22

AVACON PROGRAMS & EVENTS

FCVW Build Issues Discussion

  • Discussed last minute region/schedule changes
  • Discussed building deadline and items remaining

Meeting adjourned at 9:10PM.  Next meeting is scheduled is for Sunday, February 15, at 7:00 PM.  Meeting minutes submitted by Clerk (Interim) Jane Haniefy.

AVACON EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING MINUTES

Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Time: 8:30PM EST
Location: Skype

BOARD MEMBERS

Attendance: Joyce Bettencourt, Chris Collins, Jane Haniefy, Kathey Fatica (absent)

Quorum present: Yes

Donations

Reviewed https://www.avacon.org/blog/donate/ page

Chris explained the various donation classifications in Quickbooks

Earned vs Contributed, Restricted vs. Unrestricted, Conditional vs Unconditional.

Payroll Review

Chris demonstrated the payroll processing steps for Joyce and Jane for the AvaCon bi-weekly payroll using Quickbooks, Excel spreadsheets, and Google Docs.

Budget Review

The board members Reviewed AvaCon budget actuals for Jan 2015 and projections for Feb  – April 2015.

Meeting adjourned at 1o:30PM.  Next meeting is scheduled is for February 10, at 7:00 PM.  Meeting minutes submitted by Clerk (Interim) Jane Haniefy.

AVACON EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING MINUTES

Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Time: 9:00PM EST
Location: Skype

BOARD MEMBERS

Attendance: Joyce Bettencourt, Chris Collins, Jane Haniefy, Kathey Fatica (absent)

Quorum present: Yes

Budget & Accounting Review

  • Reviewed accounting procedures, and profit and loss statements for 2014.
  • Finalized tax reports for printing W-2s for employees and for sending accountant’s copy from Quickbooks files to accountant for 2014 tax preparation.
  • Discussed and updated spreadsheets for budget projections for year 2015.

Meeting adjourned at 10:50PM.  Next meeting is scheduled is for February 3, at 7:00 PM.  Meeting minutes submitted by Clerk (Interim) Jane Haniefy.

AVACON EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING MINUTES

Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Time: 7:00PM EST
Location: Skype

BOARD MEMBERS

Attendance: Joyce Bettencourt, Chris Collins, Jane Haniefy, Kathey Fatica (absent)

Quorum present: Yes

AVACON 2015
Planning for Success

 

  • Time Commitment & Work Schedules: 
    • Officers reviewed all board and staff schedules, and added current board member schedules to the calendar for 2015.  All board members committed to working the agreed schedule and tracking time appropriately with the Time Reporting form.
    • The board will review staff schedules in next AvaCon staff meeting. Will suggest Trello board as a tool for staff to track status reports for FCVW project
  • DRAFT 2015 Organization Chart for discussion:  
  • The board reviewed assigned areas of responsibility and made several suggested changes.  Every org unit must have a responsible board member assigned.
    • Media & Creative
      • Marketing – Jane
      • Graphic Design – Joyce
      • 3D Content – Chris
      • A/V – Joyce
    • Programs and Services –
      • MCS – Joyce (On hold until TBD)
      • Virtual Land For Social Good – Joyce
      • FCVW – Chris
      • OCSS – Chris
      • Add 5th box (event grid hosting) – Chris
    • Admin & Finance
      • Because Chris is performing almost all functions in this area, she is currently the responsible board member for all units except HR (Jane Haniefy, and Grid Administration (Michael Cerquoni).
  • TO DO ITEM:  Chris will make suggested changes to the org chart for the next meeting for final review.
  • DRAFT 2015 Budget for discussion: 
    • Reviewed the 2014 and projected 2015.  Discussed cash flow projections for 2015.
    • Goal:  Grow donations and contributions in 2015
    • Goal:  Find other revenue streams
  • Hiring Process
    • Update staff handbook for Onboarding Process (Chapter 8)

Meeting adjourned at 9:00PM.  Next meeting is scheduled for January 20, 2015 at 7:00 PM.  Meeting minutes submitted by Clerk (Interim) Jane Haniefy.

 

AVACON EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING MINUTES

Date: Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Time: 7:00PM EST
Location: AvaCon Grid – Board Zone Region

BOARD MEMBERS

Attendance: Joyce Bettencourt, Chris Collins, Jane Haniefy, Kathey Fatica (absent)

Quorum present: Yes

AVACON 2015
Planning for Success

Chris presented her thoughts on changes AvaCon needs to make in order to be successful in 2015:

  • Must treat AvaCon as a workplace, not a hobby:  As our team grows, and our programs and activities grow, so do the number of people who depend upon us.
    • People and families depend upon us for paychecks and to not mess up their taxes or finances.
    • Donors depend on us to follow through with our promises and use their donations as they intended.
    • The metaverse community depends upon us to represent them and the metaverse space with professionalism and courtesy.
    • The professionals we work with depend upon us to treat their time and work with respect.

What does it mean to be COMPETENT?

– Have knowledge and expertise and use them to produce high quality results.

What does it mean to be HONEST?

– Interactions are truthful, act with transparency, good record keeping. 

What does it mean to be RELIABLE?

– People can count on you to do what you said you would do when you said you would do it, accountability.

  • What’s on paper must reflect reality:  Everyone on the team must follow our own policies and procedures – no exceptions.  If the policy needs to change, then let’s change it.  If the org chart doesn’t reflect reality, let’s change it.  See TRUSTWORTHY above – moral authority comes from behaving in a moral and ethical fashion.  Respect is earned, not bequeathed with a title.

Next week, will discuss the following items with these success factors in mind:

  • Time Commitment & Work Schedules
  • DRAFT 2015 Organization Chart 
  • DRAFT 2015 Budget

Meeting adjourned at 9:30PM.  Next meeting is scheduled for January 13, 2015 at 7:00 PM.  Meeting minutes submitted by Clerk (Interim) Jane Haniefy.