[Osmf-talk] Do you want to be OSMF's next treasurer?

Frederik Ramm frederik at remote.org
Tue Sep 18 11:50:44 UTC 2018


Hi,

I am currently serving on the OSMF board of directors in the "treasurer"
role, which means that I watch our bank accounts, pay invoices, provide
the necessary paperwork to our accountant, try to set up spending
budgets, and provide financial reporting to the membership. I also do a
little paperwork, like setting up donation agreements or providing
receipts to donors who need them. And it's me who has to listen to the
bank's telephone hold music when our account is blocked once again for
making a totally legitimate transaction that somehow seemed odd to them ;)

(For the first time this year, the 2017 finances have been audited by a
volunteer auditor and there will be a public report about his findings
soon!)

I will not retire this December, but likely in December 2019, and at the
very least in December 2020 (the way elections to the OSMF board work,
it could turn out either way). I will not stand for re-election.

I would like to pass on the treasurer job to someone who is not only
interested in OSMF work generally but also interested in dealing with
the monetary aspects. Looking forward, the OSMF treasurer might have to
deal with questions like "do we have/want to register for VAT", "how do
we manage our Euro and GBP funds", "should we aim to become a registered
charity or maybe a CIC". Generally such things will not be decided
solely by the treasurer but the rest of the board is likely to trust the
treasurer's advice in financial matters. Also, a future Microgrant
programme and/or additional paid staff might be developments that will
involve some treasurer work. Brexit and its consequences for our
finances are also a huge question mark.

It would be ideal if whoever succeeds me in the treasurer role actually
had one year of overlap with me on the board so we could get everything
set up and transferred nicely.

Being in the UK or at least in Europe isn't strictly necessary but makes
some things easier. (I'm in Germany and this worked ok mainly, except
some minor glitches like PayPal insisting on a +44 telephone number or
the bank wondering why I was calling from abroad. At one time I had to
physically mail my VISA card to a contact in the UK so that they could
have the PIN re-set, which only works in UK ATMs.)

Now I don't get to decide who the next treasurer will be. The treasurer
is a full OSMF board member so first he or she has to be elected to the
board by the OSMF members. Then the whole board will decide who does
what job. Maybe you sign up wanting to become treasurer and later
everyone thinks you're better as a chairperson, or one of the other
existing board members suddenly fancies the treasurer position (they
didn't when I last asked them).

Anyway, I am saying this early in order to get people thinking if they
could see themselves in that role, and then if the time comes, stand for
election.

Bye
Frederik

-- 
Frederik Ramm  ##  eMail frederik at remote.org  ##  N49°00'09" E008°23'33"



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