2020-01-15 Hypha Worker Co-op: Governance

Time: Wednesday, Jan 15, 2020 @ 10am-12pm
Location: https://jitsi.hypha.coop/hyphacoop
Attending: dc, pc
Cultivator: dc
Notetaker: dc

Agenda

What do we want to get out of these meetings?
- pc: thought this was a co-work, is that style of work interesting to you?
- dc: meeting needed for where we are at
- strive half meeting, half work (about an hour each)
Scope of Working Group and Governance/Ops Boundary
- Check-in on proposal for Operations:
  - New tag for “in between” tasks (needs-review, ownership-issue, boundary-object)
  - wg:ops as new tag, rename existing to wg:infra
  - “Ops” work (potentially) addressed at Governance WG for now.
- dc: how should we check in on ops?
- pc: thought it would be a welcome proposal!
- dc: make sure we don’t neglect tasks
  - pc: add to triage
- pc: do we need a new template?
  - dc: happy to work off general
#140 Improve org-wide task flow
- dc, pc: reviewed issue but don’t feel it is a priority right now to approach in this way
- we’ll grow into it
Milestones into Objectives (Co-work below)
- Develop new list of objectives
- Identify where to update places
  - #todo ask any reason these might be sensitive info
  - #todo check about adding in with Biz Dev
  - Handbook
#102 Roadmapping to the AGM (Co-work below)
- Initial conversation about structure and dates
- #todo Develop plan of work to achieve milestones (with AGM as critical milestone)

Peer-reviewing
Role check-in
- Are there roles that you think we need to be successful? Which ones do you think are most important?
AGM goal-setting
- What makes a successful AGM? What is it not?
  - pc: Should feel celebratory. Assuming bare minimum requirements are already done. Shouldn’t feel rote/procedural (despite things being stacked in favour of that happening)
  - dc: Alleviates tensions from previous year and sets a course for upcoming, in motivating way. Not a place to initiate controversial convos. If challenging topics, should have prep. No surprises.

Combined milestone list (taken from last meeting):

✅ Tracked organizational actions via task tracker
✅ Conducted “informational interviews” with other co-operatives
✅ Drafted and submitted articles of incorporation
- ✅ Determined head office (mailing address)
- ✅ Determined “incorporators” and “directors”
✅ Submitted initial return
✅ Developed co-operative resolution and signing process
✅ Ensured compliance with WSIB expectations
✅ Established 2020 Q1 regular meetings and co-work session

New goals:

Write by-laws
- Draft initial by-laws [Q1]
- Build to consensus on by-laws
- Consult a lawyer over by-laws
Build [governance] relationships with “neighbours”
- [This is one piece of a larger goal that came out of something in the Strategic Plan seems mostly BizDev]
- Defined “Local Solidarity and Decentralized Neighbours”
Plan initial Annual General Meeting [Q1]
- Pick date for AGM
- Set agenda
- Develop checklist of what is needed from working groups, e.g.,
  - operations “implementation report”
  - year 2 financial plan
- [stretch] Determine first training/development activity
- [stretch] Develop peer interviewing protocol
Host AGM by year-end (June 30, 2020) [Q2]
- Outcomes:
  - By-laws adopted
  - Upcoming directors/board elected
Have by-laws and a formal governance structure after AGM [Q2]
Build organization-wide understanding of governance [Q2]
[Ops] Have a set of operating practices around organizational structure, roles, working groups, etc.

Process questions:

Milestones to live in handbook?
pc: Do we want to use a github milestones?
- dc: no strong feelings, might be overengineering
pc: wisdom from running looser event before AGM cap?
- dc: concern. pre-event can run over, and feel rushed
pc: how do we have a sense of whimsy and fun? terms, tone, how we speak of governance things
#todo goals share to larger group
we feel that there might be minor changes, but that they are close to essence
will need to know what our governance stuff is – those hours are considered board work
#todo future conversation to finalize language if needed

Discussions with Hema:
- Must have AGM before fiscal year-end this year. next year?
- Will need by-laws
- dc: auditor report needs to happen at AGM if needed!
  - accountant picture often common
Goal: Having AGM before June 30, By-laws adopted at AGM
- dc: late-May into early-June
- pc: nothing on Solstice
Remote participation?
- dc: nervous to have remote participation, understand that life happens
- pc: ask people to set intention to be in-person, select date with that intention
Amount of time:
- Most Saturday (Weekend)
- 1.5 days NOT all AGM, some team-building activity
Could include off-site! trip
Aspirationally: AGM in new location

Migrate items with #todo:person to task board
Publish meeting notes to GitHub
Publish meeting template for next meeting
dc: governance goals shared to larger group
dc: ask any reason milestones/goals these might be sensitive info (aka can we post publicly?
dc: get governing visioning questions answered at all hands
dc: develop plan of work to achieve milestones (with AGM as critical milestone)
future conversation to finalize language if needed

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