Meeting Minutes 02/05/2025

Meeting Minutes in draft, Notes provided in the interim.

• Committee Structure and Responsibilities: Jack Briggs explained the committee's role in managing contract risk, overseeing budget item specifications, and ensuring a fair selection process to avoid bias. They will vote on budget item specifications and shortlist candidates, with the final selection made by an internal team. Terence McCutcheon clarified that the committee's primary function is to approve documentation and processes, with community input welcomed but not requiring voting seats. They also described a sub-committee to pre-review proposals before they reach the main committee.

• Diversity and Representation: Simon Register raised concerns about geographical representation on the committee, noting gaps in South America and Australia. Tim Harrison IO suggested adding language to the charter emphasizing their responsibility for broad representation and consensus-seeking, rather than mandating representation from every continent on the committee.

• Budget and Proposal Details: Michaela Burle-Sore requested more detail in the budget proposal, particularly for the top half of the line items and the ROI section. They also noted the need for clarity regarding the ADA exchange rate used for dollar valuations. Jack Briggs suggested linking to external documents to avoid lengthy explanations. Wes Parkinson clarified the existence of an ROI list for each line item, though some details might have been lost during earlier edits. Michaela Burle-Sore emphasized the need for specificity considering the six-month timeframe of the budget and the annual nature of the process. Laura Mattiucci raised the issue of long-term planning for events, and Rand McHenry suggested including a line item for venue selection for future years. Discussions also focused on clarifying the distinction between various event types, such as conference takeovers and industry events, and addressing potential redundancies. The difference between community-led events and MCC-proposed events was also clarified.

• Hackathon Locations and Representation: Concerns were raised about the selection of locations for hackathons. Nathaniel Acton explained that the choice was based on team expertise rather than regional prioritization. Kit Willow advocated for a regional approach rather than focusing on specific countries to increase inclusivity and avoid alienating community members from underrepresented regions. Laura Mattiucci agreed to rename the hackathon entries to represent broader regions.

• Budget Adjustments and Future Considerations: Simon Register noted that the current budget exceeded the allocation received from the bashing committee. Laura Mattiucci and others agreed to address potential redundancies in conference takeovers and other entries, with further discussions planned for the following day. The issue of handling emerging events was also raised, and they confirmed that this aspect would be addressed.