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

[Thomas Barris]

Hi Frederik,

wouldn't it be good to have some kind of Financial Working Group for that? I tend to assume that the importance of OSMF's financial topics will growth in future. Having it concentrated on one person is some kind of risky as the organisation will loose a lot of knowledge when the only guy familiar with these topics goes, regardless how good the takeover will be prepared. You announced your "retirement" well in advance but maybe the next treasurer will leave for any reasons without notice.
I mentioned it to you already, I think that OSMF's backoffice structure may need to develop somehow.

Kind regards
Thomas

On Sep 18 2018, at 1:50 pm, Frederik Ramm <frederik at remote.org> wrote:
>
> 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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