Board/Minutes/2020-07

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Participants

Board members

Biographies.

Guests

Open to all OSMF members.
Guests are welcome to speak at the end of the meeting on the topics that have been discussed.

Not Present

Administrative

Previous minutes

Circular Resolutions

Board_Rules_of_Order#7._Circular_Resolutions

2020/Res33 Adopt update to Board Rules of Order to cover working groups and special committees

The proposed changes are in version "Version for circular vote" of https://hackmd.io/4GF96W4uSFeG1beH9iMoVQ. Also attached*.

If and when agreed, will follow up with public note inviting feedback and openness to updates, and open up further discussion about additional needs.

Accepted on 2020-07-11 with 6 votes in favour: Paul Norman, Guillaume Rischard, Allan Mustard, Joost Schouppe, Tobias Knerr, Mikel Maron.
1 did not vote: Rory McCann.

* (file type .odt, file size: 21 KB)

2020/Res34 Approve financial hardship fee waiver 2020070410000111

The Board currently decides on membership applications for a fee waiver due to financial need on a case-by-case basis.

Did not pass on 2020-07-13 with 3 votes in favour: Tobias Knerr, Joost Schouppe, Allan Mustard (they have mapped 62 days this year, 1,627 changesets as of today).
4 did not vote: Paul Norman, Mikel Maron, Rory McCann, Guillaume Rischard.

Please note that there will be a second voting on this application, to try and reach the participation quota.

2020/Res35 Make progress towards a hiring framework

Tobias will send out the latest draft of the hiring framework for community consultation. The consultation will be open until the July board meeting. The board will use this document as a preliminary framework for any hiring-related steps until then.

Link to document.

Accepted on 2020-07-17 with 6 votes in favour: Paul Norman, Joost Schouppe, Mikel Maron, Rory McCann, Allan Mustard, Tobias Knerr.
1 abstained: Guillaume Rischard.

2020/Res36 Accept the new Local Chapters Agreement template for future applications

Link to document*.

Accepted on 2020-07-26 with 6 votes in favour: Joost Schouppe, Mikel Maron, Tobias Knerr, Guillaume Rischard, Allan Mustard, Rory McCann.
1 did not vote: Paul Norman

* Please note that any OSM US specific parts will be substituted.
This will replace the current Local Chapter agreement.

2020/Res37 Approve financial hardship fee waiver 2020070410000111

The Board currently decides on membership applications for a fee waiver due to financial need on a case-by-case basis.

Accepted on 2020-07-28 with 6 votes in favour: Tobias Knerr, Joost Schouppe, Mikel Maron, Guillaume Rischard, Allan Mustard, Rory McCann.
1 did not vote: Paul Norman

Second voting on this application, as the first one did not reach the participation quota.

Previous action items

See Board/Action_Items.

Topics: Hiring framework | SRE hiring | Funding core infra. projects | CWG | AB split | TM subcommittee | Survey | Argentina LC appl. | AB update | AOB: DeepL | Guests: Comment on AB split | Thanks

Monthly Local Chapter presentation - OpenStreetMap France

OpenStreetMap France is an OSMF Local Chapter since 2017.

About this section: New idea: Invite a LC to speak at each OSMF Board meeting.

Rory

Topic carried over from the June public board meeting but the presentation did not take place, as the OpenStreetMap France representative was unavailable.

Topics: Hiring framework | SRE hiring | Funding core infra. projects | CWG | AB split | TM subcommittee | Survey | Argentina LC appl. | AB update | AOB: DeepL | Guests: Comment on AB split | Thanks

Adopting the hiring framework

The board recently decided to send this hiring framework draft for community consultation (to be open till July 30th 2020) and use the document as a preliminary framework for any hiring-related steps until then.

Any updates to the hiring framework will first appear on this working document.

Suggested by Tobias.

Changes after community consultation

Voting

Motion to adopt the hiring framework.

Unanimously accepted with 6 votes in favour (1 board member was absent).
Topics: Hiring framework | SRE hiring | Funding core infra. projects | CWG | AB split | TM subcommittee | Survey | Argentina LC appl. | AB update | AOB: DeepL | Guests: Comment on AB split | Thanks

Proposal to hire a senior site reliability engineer

Proposal to hire a senior site reliability engineer to help the sysadmin team. Keeping core technical infrastructure which the OpenStreetMap project relies on running is one of the key responsibilities outlined in the Foundation’s mission statement.

Membership consultation (same link as above): 24 July to 30 July 17:00 London time.

Suggested by Guillaume.
  • Most feedback received from membership was about clarifications.
  • The current draft was written with the sysadmins.
  • Adopting the current draft will mean that we will look for someone for that job and there will be a separate decision for the candidate.
  • If we end up with someone in the UK, our accountant says that the employment procedure will be easy.

Suggestions:

  • Guillaume volunteered to be the board liaison.
  • Establishing an HR committee, so we have a consistent way of working with people who work for OSMF.

Voting

Motion to adopt the current draft.

Accepted - no objections.
Topics: Hiring framework | SRE hiring | Funding core infra. projects | CWG | AB split | TM subcommittee | Survey | Argentina LC appl. | AB update | AOB: DeepL | Guests: Comment on AB split | Thanks

Funding of projects used in core infrastructure (Nominatim, osm2pgsql, Potlatch, iD)

Suggestion to fund three core infrastructure projects:

Suggested by Guillaume.

Sarah Hoffman (Nominatim), Richard Fairhurst (Potlatch) and Jochen Topf (osm2pgsql) were present at the meeting.

Nominatim, osm2pgsql, Potlatch

The proposals for osm2pgsql and Potlatch were originally submitted as Microgrant 2020 proposals (Potlatch 2 proposal, osm2pgsql proposal) but were not selected. Suggestion to fund these projects directly, together with Nominatim and iD.

Potlatch 2 - Proposal

  • Still used by significant number of users: ~ 1.4% of users (and 1.2% of all edits).
  • Flash will be disabled in browsers in December.
  • Suggestion to port to desktop.

osm2pgsql - Proposal to board

  • Used to run OSM website and used in other places.
  • Old piece of software - suggestion for core improvements to make it ready for next 10 years.
  • The requested amount is bigger than the Microgrants proposal, as Microgrants were limited to EUR 5000 and Jochen wants to work more on it.

Nominatim - Proposal to board

  • Geocoder used in osm.org and other places.
  • Proposal to make it more user friendly to install and run.

Proposal to vote on funding. Follow-up discussion:

  • We have not done a community consultation.
  • December deadline for Potlatch.
  • Community consultation for Microgrants was positive for Potlatch (endorsements) and osm2pgsql (endorsements) - we could do a community consultation for Nominatim.

Question to Richard Fairhurst about how we are on time regarding Potlatch.
> As long we are before December, it is fine.

Voting

Motion to move the proposals for Nominatim, osm2pgsql and Potlatch to community consultation.

Accepted, no objections.

Action item: Guillaume and Joost to draft the email for community consultation and then the board to decide via a circular.

Post meeting addition: Consultation on the OSMF-members mailing list (If you are an OSMF member register here. Archive accessible to all).

iD

  • Similarly, we want to do a community consultation first.
  • Deferred to August board meeting.

Topics: Hiring framework | SRE hiring | Funding core infra. projects | CWG | AB split | TM subcommittee | Survey | Argentina LC appl. | AB update | AOB: DeepL | Guests: Comment on AB split | Thanks

Mostly inactive state of Communication Working Group

Carried over from the July mid-month meeting. Suggested by Paul.

Overview of Communication Working Group activity: January to July 2020

Points mentioned during discussion

Decision

Addition of topic to the agenda of mid-month chat, when Paul (who suggested the topic) will be present.

Topics: Hiring framework | SRE hiring | Funding core infra. projects | CWG | AB split | TM subcommittee | Survey | Argentina LC appl. | AB update | AOB: DeepL | Guests: Comment on AB split | Thanks

Advisory Board split

The Advisory Board members are separate from the OSMF board of directors - individuals are either representatives of Gold/Platinum Corporate Members of the OSMF, Local Chapter representatives or invited directly by the OSMF board of directors.

Suggestion to split the Advisory Board in at least two separate bodies.

Suggested by Mikel.

Points mentioned during discussion

  • Need feedback from community and the Advisory Board.
  • Have a broader set of corporate members?

On having representatives from smaller organisations as well:

  • Suggestion to add this on the community consultation.
  • Ask Gold Corporate Members if this would make a difference to them, as they get a representative on the AB due to the Gold membership.
  • Local community groups might also want a voice, even if they are not official.

Voting

Motion to do a community consultation on splitting the Advisory Board into two parts: Corporate Members and Local Chapters.

Accepted, no objections.

Action item: Mikel to ask for community feedback with the intention on voting during the August meeting.

Topics: Hiring framework | SRE hiring | Funding core infra. projects | CWG | AB split | TM subcommittee | Survey | Argentina LC appl. | AB update | AOB: DeepL | Guests: Comment on AB split | Thanks

Trademark subcommittee

The Trademark licence subcommittee has two members of the Licensing Working Group and one board member who decide on licence requests that are covered by the OSMF Trademark policy, with the understanding that
  • the subcommittee has the authority to grant licences in the "quick licence" (aka licence application for which we have a form template) framework.
  • licence grants that are of a bespoke nature will be processed by the full LWG and potentially escalated to the OSMF board.
  • licence grant refusals can be appealed to the OSMF board.
  • licence grants will be publicly documented in an appropriate fashion.

Heather Leson was the previous board member on the subcommittee, but when her term finished the board did not replace her. A board member needs to volunteer. Paul would, but his term ends next election.

Suggested by Paul.

Rory volunteered to succeed Heather and be the board representative on the Trademark subcommittee.

Topics: Hiring framework | SRE hiring | Funding core infra. projects | CWG | AB split | TM subcommittee | Survey | Argentina LC appl. | AB update | AOB: DeepL | Guests: Comment on AB split | Thanks

Community survey before the end of the year

The previous community survey by the board was on the global and local communities in OpenStreetMap (2019 Aug - blogpost).

A list of surveys by the board or Working Groups is at the OSM wiki.

Suggested by Joost.

Points mentioned during introduction

  • Past surveys informed the board about ideas in the community.
  • New information from surveys.
    • Africa: use of mailing lists.
  • Half a dataset from previous survey still needs to be analysed.

Suggestions

  • Next survey: limit the amount of data and do more multiple choice questions.
  • Time it together with OSMF updates.
  • "Ask the board anything" sessions.
  • Iterations of survey and to be voted by the board before it goes out.

Allan offered to help on survey.

Topics: Hiring framework | SRE hiring | Funding core infra. projects | CWG | AB split | TM subcommittee | Survey | Argentina LC appl. | AB update | AOB: DeepL | Guests: Comment on AB split | Thanks

Argentina feedback discussion

Asociación Civil Geolibres has applied to become the OSMF Local Chapter (LC) for Argentina.

Joost had calls with Geolibres.

Suggested by Joost.

Points mentioned during introduction

  • Main issue: not easy to join the organisation (by design).
  • Their model is similar to the Belgium one.
  • Geolibres: does the "boring work" (structural support) and the "fun work" is done by working groups, one of which is OpenStreetMap Argentina (no formal structure).
  • On joining
    • People who want to be a Geolibres voting member need another member seconding their application and approval by the board.
    • Only once there was an application which didn't get seconded, because the form was not properly filled. After it got fixed, they were accepted.
  • Not the typical way of how things are done in Argentina.

Discussion about options, including

  • Accept Local Chapter application as is, with the new Local Chapter Agreement.
  • Accept Local Chapter application as is, with the old version of the Local Chapter Agreement. (Diff)
  • Have amendments to the Local Chapter Agreement,
    • so that they report about new membership applications.
    • if the informal group becomes formal, then the LC status automatically shifts to them.
    • specifying that open membership is needed.
  • Addition of a clause in their bylaws so that any Geolibres new member will be automatically approved by their board barring justification.

Other points mentioned during discussion

  • Not good to set precedent for letting go of the openness of the membership.
  • Ratio of Geolibres voting members to informal OSM group in Argentina: around (15-20) / 200
  • Amendments to LC agreement could be specific to Argentina.
  • Concern over hypothetical case where the organisation discriminates against a minority which is also disliked by the general OSMF membership. In this case we might not be able to enforce open membership, because they could appeal.

Decision

Do a circular, specifying change to the Local Chapter agreement for Argentina, so that: 

8.2. The Chapter is required to inform the Foundation of any planned or actual change in the by-laws, non-profit legal status, or other changes of the Chapter that might affect the Foundation or the continued existence or effectiveness of this agreement.

Reads as:

8.2. The Chapter is required to inform the Foundation of any planned or actual change in the by-laws, non-profit legal status, membership applications or other changes of the Chapter that might affect the Foundation or the continued existence or effectiveness of this agreement.
Topics: Hiring framework | SRE hiring | Funding core infra. projects | CWG | AB split | TM subcommittee | Survey | Argentina LC appl. | AB update | AOB: DeepL | Guests: Comment on AB split | Thanks

Advisory Board - monthly update

The Advisory Board members are separate from the OSMF board of directors - individuals are either nominated by Corporate Members of the OSMF or invited directly by the OSMF board of directors. The OSMF Board of Directors will publicly minute, in the board meeting minutes, any communication sent to, or received from, the AB members. This monthly section is reserved for this purpose.

Overview of board communications with representatives on the Advisory Board.
(single page displaying all the monthly updates that are linked below)
2020 Jan, Feb, May, Jun
2019 Jan, Mar, Jun, Jul, Aug, Oct
 2018 Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Dec
2017 Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May (F2F), Oct

Joost
  • Meeting with Advisory Board (AB) Corporate Members on attribution - Minutes.
  • Email from Chairperson to Corporate Members of the Advisory Board to have another meeting on attribution.
  • Rob Nickerson (UK LC) emailed the AB regarding a virtual meeting on new UK open data and towards mapping more UK addresses.
  • Email by Rory McCann to AB representatives about donating ODbL legal advice to the OSMF board/Foundation. No responses.
Topics: Hiring framework | SRE hiring | Funding core infra. projects | CWG | AB split | TM subcommittee | Survey | Argentina LC appl. | AB update | AOB: DeepL | Guests: Comment on AB split | Thanks

Any other business

DeepL

Background: We got a licence for DeepL's API. Acces is currently provided to [weeklyosm.eu/ weeklyOSM] and to CWG.

Received first invoice for EUR 8.17

Topics: Hiring framework | SRE hiring | Funding core infra. projects | CWG | AB split | TM subcommittee | Survey | Argentina LC appl. | AB update | AOB: DeepL | Guests: Comment on AB split | Thanks

Guest comments or questions

Comment on Splitting the Advisory Board

Clifford Snow (guest) commented that the board needs to ask whether it is making good use of the Advisory Board.

Comments:

  • We know we don't and that's the reason we want to split it.
  • We are also splitting it to have more communications with the Local Chapters (LCs).
  • Totally different interests of Corporate Members and the LCs.
  • Concern that some part of ecosystem might "whisper to the board's ear", so the AB needs to be as open as possible.

Thanks

The board was thanked by sadless74 (guest).

Meeting adjourned 86' after start.

Topics: Hiring framework | SRE hiring | Funding core infra. projects | CWG | AB split | TM subcommittee | Survey | Argentina LC appl. | AB update | AOB: DeepL | Guests: Comment on AB split | Thanks

Next meeting

Board meetings take place online once a month.
New recurring date and time: On the 3rd or 4th Thursday of the month, at 17:00 UTC.

See the Monthly Board meetings page to find out where board meetings are announced and for a subscription link to have future board meetings automatically added to your calendar.

Acronyms

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