Anthere wrote "though I tried to suggest a couple of journalists to connect to irc or only use emails, I really do not understand why they strongly insist on phone meeting or better, face to face meetings"

I suppose journalists then meet you at a place that is convenient for you. They are used to travel and send the bill to their employer.

Perhaps you just ment it to be an example of how external relations have their own dynamics.

Anthere wrote "Jimbo made the great suggestion that Angela meet us there [Paris] as well. It will allow her to meet with french wikipedians AND it will probably be the first and the last opportunity for the whole year, for the board to meet face to face for really low cost."

Does 'the board' now mean the three active members by default :) ?

In my own experience communicating only through (e)mail about sensitive affairs is a risky business. People easily misinterpretate the message. Emoticons are a meagre tool for building interpersonal relations. Correcting misunderstandings takes time, if they are recognized as such at all. It is quite possible that the board will have to discuss sensitive matters sometime or another. So to me paying Angelas' trip to Paris is worthwile.

I believe it is indeed customary for volunteer organisations to cover expenses. I also believe lots of wellfare organisations have a sliding scale over time for what is appropriate in this matter. In the Netherlands there was a huge uproar recently when the media disclosed that the president of the Dutch Heart Disease foundation earned more than our prime minister (volunteers for the organisation went on strike). I'm not a bit afraid things will turn in this direction at all, it is just an extreme example that makes a nice story, but there are many examples of wellfare orgs with large overhead costs and it makes peoples discomfort with a blank check understandable.

So maybe we could agree on a budget for representational costs. I'm sure if people can visit a page where board members log activities like external contacts and results together with major expenses (not every phone call), trust that this is money well spent will build. By the way other wikipedians may engage in similar activities, Erik Moeller already has a semi official role that comes close to this. How do we deal with that?

Maybe we should continue the discussion on meta where a vote could be held, first on Angelas trip then on the wider issues.

Summing up, I think covering expenses to let the board do a good job is only fair.

Erik Zachte