Budget for future purchases?

General
21

Andrew, I was just merely bringing attention to it so we could figure that I out. I simply threw out random items I could think of.

The real solution, which I will bring up again at the board meeting, is to have money available to the COO for simple replacements. For instance, the missing clamps – it sucks they went missing, but if we need clamps we should replace them. You can’t glue together a cabinet with just fury and indignation, believe me, I’ve tried.

The mailing list is sort of resembling a chore list sometimes. It’s clear we need to make these mundane things easier. I’m just gently reminding people that we’re a bit behind on mundane and un-fun things, so just a heads-up.

If we don’t have a crappy chisel, then what will I use to break cinder blocks with?

22

The COO had a small budget or has that beem canceled? Add the Warden budget, this should cover some if not most of these replacements. (Excluding power tools which can add up quick.)

Regarding not supplying sharpened tools, I would clarify these under the same aspect sanding belts, paper, or even the saw blades which has been covered under the Warden budget.

Tl:Dr I agree with Loren that items need replaced, maybe warden budget for alot of these? I disagree with Andrew saying we shouldn’t cover items that need sharpened as we have supplied “disposable” items (or items that need upkeep) in the past.

23

Andrew, I was just merely bringing attention to it so we could figure that I out. I simply threw out random items I could think of.

Okay, I understood, I just disagree with everything on your list, and can’t think of anything we’re missing personally. The theory is sound, in practice I’m not seeing the need.

The real solution, which I will bring up again at the board meeting, is to have money available to the COO for simple replacements. For instance, the missing clamps – it sucks they went missing, but if we need clamps we should replace them. You can’t glue together a cabinet with just fury and indignation, believe me, I’ve tried.

It’s also now going on two months because I attempted to buy them through the warden budget at Elly’s suggestion. We might buy some clamps this month, but I’m not holding out much hope, we have other things we need to do with that budget. If we don’t buy something this month it’s going back to a vote.

If we don’t have a crappy chisel, then what will I use to break cinder blocks with?

Cold chisels which would be used on cinder blocks don’t need to be sharpened.

@Daniel - The coo does not have a budget, it was moved to the warden budget, and Greg just puts things on the sheet like the rest of us.

Regarding not supplying sharpened tools, I would clarify these under the same aspect sanding belts, paper, or even the saw blades which has been covered under the Warden budget.

Please explain. The other stuff you mentioned requires somebody to buy something, a quick and simple chore. Sharpening a chisel properly is a much more involved chore and requires special equipment which the hive also does not own. Same with hand planes. Then we get to the demands of sharpening lathe chisels, which need to be sharpened about ever 5-10 minutes of use.

If these tools are not properly sharpened and setup, they’re not usable.

Most of these sorts of tools are cheap to buy, (like $5-10 for a cheap chisel, maybe 20-30 for a hand plane) and require a responsible owner. Far better for this to be owned and maintained by the individual hive members.

So essentially you’re voluntelling hours of my time for something that is likely going to be used as a screw driver by the next idiot. Sorry, not going to happen, you can talk to Greg about getting me removed as a warden, but I’m not going to waste the necessary amount of time on it.

24

No, COO has 100$ or so budget per month plus the budget for wardens.

25

No, COO has 100$ or so budget per month plus the budget for wardens.

Not seeing any info on that, bylaws or otherwise, and every project I’ve seen Greg do puts things directly on the warden sheet.

26

The COO budget wouldn’t be in the bylaws. It was just something that was voted on counts on fingers forever ago (2012ish?) and is presumably in the meeting notes from then. In deference to your point, it wouldn’t hurt to have it written down somewhere easier to find. Jim Dallam did in fact point out to me a month or so ago that our finance website does not currently include “Variable monthly expenses” (i.e. COO budget/Warden budget) however I had not gotten around to looking at it. Another pie chart perhaps?

  • Ian B.
27

The COO budget wouldn’t be in the bylaws. It was just something that was voted on counts on fingers forever ago (2012ish?) and is presumably in the meeting notes from then. In deference to your point, it wouldn’t hurt to have it written down somewhere easier to find.

Yeah, I was expecting something like the Warden Addendum. It also doesn’t explain why I don’t see Greg using it instead of the Warden budget. My assumption was there was no longer such a thing.

It might be nice if other things voted in that are still in effect, but are from some meeting a long time ago were on the wiki somewhere. For example I’ve heard Elly say a few times that budget not used from a vote in 3 months is no longer valid. I can’t find any info about that anywhere. It also seems to be surprising to people like Lorin and Tiffany who have been members for a while. Not sure what’s going to happen when Lorin turns in his receipts for the Electronics area which has been in progress for 6-8 months.

Jim Dallam did in fact point out to me a month or so ago that our finance website does not currently include “Variable monthly expenses” (i.e. COO budget/Warden budget) however I had not gotten around to looking at it. Another pie chart perhaps?

That would be great!

28

If it is hard to remember… and is lost track of, then bylaws are exactly where it should be imo. Pia yes… but motions are quickly in the realm of verbal knowledge… and that gets diluted by turnover pretty fast.

29

Bylaws, or some place to put important votes. Trying to dig through 5 years of past meetings to find some vague statement that is no longer clear isn’t helpful for new members (or old ones with faulty memories).

30

It wasnt needed in the bylaws, just like rent isn’t. Warden addendum is in there was it gives discounts to memberships which is part of the bylaws currently.

31

Lemme tell ya about verbal knowledge and turn over. Lets say you can teach a subject, and 85% is retained. Then those people teach the next, and 85% is retained… well… the original training dilutes fast. I used to show up at introductory rappelling lessons at a quarry every few years… and whew boy! “Hey, why are you doing that that way?” “We’ve ALWAYS done it this way.” “No, no you didn’t.” “Yes, yes we did.” “You realize that your technique is both contrary to established club guidelines and immediately dangerous to life and limb?” “Ey! Who are you anyway… you came here to learn right?” “Does it matter who I am if I am right?” “You are friggin wrong, this is how we do it.” “When we first secured permission to use this quarry… the rocks regularly fell right where you are standing the group of learners. See all the rocks? You might want to make sure people’s helmets are on.” Yup, helmets and rockfall zones… day one vertical safety. Usually some fellow they recognized would arrive as the debate raged, and greet me by my caving nickname. That’s when it was verified that yes, it wasn’t always that way. Once I stopped people practicing belay techniques with the climber exposed to a 50 foot fall. Practice should not include risk of fatality eh?? Seeing as said practicee is not proven to be able to catch a fall and is learning.

Ah well… it is why I am on about getting stuff written down… it could be as simple as an area book, which lists the motions passed as an operators manual for the area.