March 2024 - Board Meeting
03/06/2024 – Area 515 Board Meeting
03/06/2024 – Area 515 Board Meeting
Attending:
President: Dave
Vice President: Jake
Treasurer: Meg (by phone)
Secretary: Brad
Director: Carlin (by phone)
Director: Jason
Director: John
Votes by Email Since Previous Board Meeting
None
Approval of Minutes from Previous Meeting
Vote to approve minutes of February Board meeting
Yes: 7
No: 0
Result: Passed
Financials
We received $500 in matching funds from Wells Fargo thanks to one of our members employed there.
Jake went through our past Amazon purchases and itemized them.
2024 Budget
Our Treasurer presented a budget for 2024. Round numbers were used in many categories. The budget doesn’t assume any member increase. Among the changes the board made to the initial draft after some discussion:
Each Tool Fund receives $500 instead of the initial $250
$6k was set aside for a large tool buy
The budget gives a net $10k at the end of the year. The board agreed this is good since it helps increase our nest egg for when we do move.
When the board moved to vote on the amended budget the Secretary reminded them that the bylaws require budgets to be voted on by the members. This will be added to the agenda for the upcoming member meeting.
Vote to approve the amended 2024 budget
Yes: 7
No: 0
Result: Passed
Current Members: 98
Major thanks go to John and member Debbie for filling out a Prairie Meadows grant application for a new laser! Results should be announced sometime in June.
Membership numbers have not dropped since the rate was increased. Most other maker spaces we know of charge much higher fees, by comparison we’re still a bargain.
Treasurer refunded one month to a member who is having surgery and a possible long recovery.
We were contacted about a possible new location in Grimes. The traffic there isn’t great. Dave said he would ask for a ballpark rent estimate.
John also noted that a 6k sq ft location at Dixon and Guthrie has dropped its price.
CEC still hasn’t distributed the survey of where members live.
Space Updates
One of our members passed away. The Member Meeting and Steward Meeting will be moved to accommodate a memorial service for him. See below for new date.
Among the supplies we need to order are more Simple Green Concentrate and toilet cleaner.
Dave will help set up the Synergy drive we purchased. In addition to shared file storage, it will also help manage computer accounts.
The Left Hand Laser is working! The Laser computer is not.
The Secretary noted that we can sell a K40 laser someone donated to us several years ago. Brad tested it; it’s working. Brad said he would work with Carlin to sell it.
The Wood Shop got a major clean up.
Jake is still waiting for the new dust collector to go on sale.
The Lead CNC is still down. The space’s copy of Vcarve needs to be updated so members can install the new makerspace version on their home computers. Jake made Caroline and Brad software controllers.
Derek will look into parts for the Metal Shop’s sandblaster to make it work again. Carlin wants to make some modifications to it and will discuss it with the other Metal Stewards.
Dave wants tools for the Auto Shop. (For what it’s worth, the Secretary believes this statement can always be held to be true, regardless of the state of the Auto Shop.)
Two members volunteered to be Wood Shop Stewards
It was noted that we haven’t used the Trello board for a really long time.
The “In for $10” for the metal brake press is not dead. Dave needs to go figure out how much has been donated so far so he can proceed with it.
Member Meeting & Steward Meeting Date Change
These will now be held on Saturday, April 6th.
Meeting Adjourned
Did you know? Carlin’s laser makes cartoon-like noises.
On the topic of software updates in general… “I like the new vulnerabilities better than the old vulnerabilities.”
“PEW! PEW! PEW!” – Brad, eruditely explaining that the left hand laser is now functional.
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