A. Secretary - Michael Cook

B. Treasurer - Richard Zimmerman

C. Director - Thomas Brown

Total postings 2422 posts, 17041k

User Summary

Total postings: 279 posts, 981k

User Summary

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Treasuer's Report

Current Balances

Checking	$5287.00
Savings	$3977.00
TOTAL	$9264.00

I can't call it an audit because we never had correct balances when I took over the books.

When Jay Schlatter resigned prematurely, I was elected at the October, 2006, Board meeting to take over the books. Due to a backup failure (read bad floppies) we were never able to import the books directly into Gnucash. So Thomas Brown gave me his best guess based on the bank statements and previous printed reports. The dollar amount he gave me was too low by $144.09.

Checking account

October 2006 - Opening balance: $4,184.86 with a $-3.43 transaction before it. I dunno, but it's there.

October 2006 - Bank Statement $3,748.16 with our books showing $144.09 LOWER then the bank statement.

Thomas and I never really came to an answer as to the difference so we dropped the issue since we were to the black. The error favored us, not the bank.

I finished the verification as best as I could. Thomas sent me the September transactions, and I need to enter them.

As it stands right now, we are -$00.94 with the following exceptions:

1. $144.09 - Original balance off
2. $7.14 - Thomas paid the 2007 Indiana Corporate renewal. Did we actually pay him? Our books say yes; the bank says no.
3. $200.00 - Thomas took out petty cash for the IUSB recycle event. Our books say yes; the bank says no. Thomas may have used personal money for the petty cash box.
4. $49.71 - Open transaction that will clear in Sept 08 statement = $400.94 as balanced through August 2008.

Recommendation:

1. Make an adjusting accounting entry to balance the books to the bank.
2. Investigate Thomas's two transactions to find out WHAT account they were paid out of. They are not on the bank statement. Reimburse Thomas if need be.

3. The $49.71 transaction should show on the Sept 2008 bill.

Savings account

The opening imbalance is $481.00.

Recommendation: Make a one-time adjusting entry to balance the books to the bank.

Richard Zimmerman, Treasurer

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Director's Report

Programs

FreeBox Program

This past year Free Geek Michiana has continued to receive donations, recycle and refurbish computer equipment.

We have a reasonable business relationship with a scrap yard in South Bend and Elkhart.

Recycling is our major revenue source for operations. Donations, aside from monitor recycling fees, are minor. I will ask the Board of Directors to consider allowing FGM to post suggested fees to receive and handle all computer equipment donations.

Our FreeBox distribution program advanced much more slowly this past year than we planned. In recent months the outlook is better as we have solid support at Perley Primary Center and St. Adalbert's parish school. Aligning ourselves with schools seems to be a reasonable way to establish better distribution and community support. However, there is no money in it unless we gather statistics and apply for education grants in cooperation with the schools.

FreeLab Program

The Colfax Cultural Center director wants to work with us on a lab and FreeBox distribution, but the director and staff are moving terribly slowly toward achieving those goals.

FreeLan/Nerds4Nonprofits Program

Finally, we now have a colo server ready to install at a local data center. Once the server is installed, we can begin to construct or reconstruct our web site. Also, we can offer web services to other non-profit organizations in exchange for financial and other forms of support.

General

Business Model

Our business model needs a review and possibly a makeover. We are operating more or less as a voluntary service organization, not much different from a Kiwanis, Rotary or other community service club. Free Geek Michiana needs a plant and machinery to operate and regular hours in which the public can interact with us. Therefore FGM is different from most service clubs. We might benefit from operating a thrift store. We have experimented with some success selling on eBay. I will recommend that our Board of Directors thoroughly discuss alternative business models and consider reconstituting itself to adapt to a new business model.

Volunteers

We've begun attracting volunteers again, and it is clear we are outgrowing our meeting and working space. Even if we clear out all the computers in our offices to gain space, we will still need to expand to three nights per week from two. FGM needs at least 2 new volunteer supervisor-trainers. If we want to increase volunteer participation among Hispanics in the area, we will need a Spanish speaking supervisor as well.

Affiliation with Free Geek

Since Free Geek Michiana became the first Free Geek affiliate and later a franchise (if not the first franchise), the requirements for maintaining a relationship with Free Geek Galactic have increased. I will recommend that our Board of Directors assess the resources, policies and procedures we will need to implement to meet the new franchise requirements. For example, new affiliate applicants are given the following guidelines. The example is quoted from a recent response to an applicant on the East Coast of the United States.

1. Your organization develops and works with us on business plan, a plan that includes reaching out to other community groups, increasing your volunteer base, increasing your skill set, attaining a space in which to operate. The plan will include time-frames for completing your goals. You must demonstrate that you are meeting them.
2. Your organization demonstrates transparency wherever it can. You will provide reports at least annually about vendors used, the amount and type of materials and gizmos flowing in and out of the organization, wherever relevant, numbers of active volunteers, whatever skills your organization has and lacks. The frequency of reporting and the nature of information it contains is subject to change. Your email lists (with few exceptions) should be open to representatives of other Free Geeks, your meeting minutes public.
3. Your organization supports and upholds Free Geek's principles and openly demonstrates that you are doing so.
4. If these terms are reasonable, and you satisfy the first requirement and promise to observe the rest, please mail a copy of this letter with your signature and we will give you provisional status as long as these three terms are observed. We will ask you to apply for a more permanent trademark status when we feel it is appropriate.

Plant and Facilities

FGM needs to search for a new plant. Our current benefactors are actively seeking a new plant for themselves. FGM will not be included in our benefactors new facilities. I will recommend that the Board of Directors seek help searching for a new benefactor. There are non-profit organizations which own or lease physical space which could be donated or rented to FGM. As a last resort we might rent commercial storage and operating space.

Thomas Brown, Director

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Page last updated: Sun Feb 8 19:01:53 2009