2008/10/30 Michael Peel <email(a)mikepeel.net>et>:
All,
I've started off a page on Meta defining who can be a member, what
details they will need to provide, and what the valid reasons for
rejecting membership are. The page is at:
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_UK_v2.0/Membership
This is a _very initial draft_ at present, and none of it is set in
stone. Suggestions and comments are more than welcome.
Prior to the first General Meeting, I think (based off other people's
comments/suggestions) that we're probably best off sticking with just
Guarantor Membership, with a membership fee of £0. Membership fees
can then be decided on by the Members at the first General Meeting,
as can the other levels of membership. The concern with this is that
we won't have any operating funds from membership prior to the
General Meeting. Would this sit well with everyone? It would
obviously need to be agreed at a Board Meeting, following consensus
on the mailing list.
The major downside to not charging a membership fee prior to the
general meeting is that there are no funds with which to hold the
general meeting. We're hoping for a good turnout which really requires
hiring a room. I think there's a good chance of getting 20-30 people,
maybe more, and you fit those kinds of numbers round a table in a pub.
I think we need to hire a function room in a pub or hotel, which is
going to cost money (I honestly don't know what the going rate for
such rooms is). I was interested in trying to make the AGM a one day
conference about all things wiki with the AGM somewhere in the middle,
although it may be best to leave that for future AGMs and keep the
first one simple.
If you don't charge for membership at first, then you need to make it
clear that membership fees will most likely be due as soon as the AGM
finishes and membership will be terminated if they aren't paid with
the day frame set down in the Articles (30 days? or was it 60?). (I
don't think there is a legal requirement to make that clear, but I do
think it's important to do so anyway.)