Stewards Council Telecom: 2009 September 2

Stewards Council Telecon: 2009 September 2 - call to start at 9:15 PST, 12:15 EST

Attending

 * Mary Ruddy
 * Drummond Reed
 * Daniel Perry
 * Kaliya Hamlin
 * Mike
 * Dean Landsman
 * Chris Reynolds
 * Elias Bizannes

Agenda

 * Review of agenda
 * Volunteer to take notes

ITEMS

1) Status update reports - 1-3 minute from each project.


 * OpenID, ICF, ID-Media and ID Futures, Project VRM, DataPortability, OSIS, ID-Legal, Kids Online, IIW, User-Centric Health, New potential group.

2) IIW - registration, sponsorship, etc. Looking to 75 registrants by September 15

3) CPA's recommended changes to articles of incorporation.

From Dan Perry:

As you realize now, we are on track (filing before November) to obtain recognition from the IRS as A 501(c)(6) organization. A 501(c)(6) is a business league devoted to the improvement of business conditions of one or more lines of business. It is not engaged in any regular business typically carried on by for-profits. Trade associations and professional associations are considered to be business leagues.

The CPA says with some minor modifications to the Articles/Bylaws we can obtain two benefits:

a) tax deductible membership fees (which we don't currently use as a revenue source). The CPA tells us that our lightweight structure will never permit us to have a 501(c)(3) structure (with tax deductions for donors because we are not setup for a "RedCross" or charitable structure.

b) we won't have to "flush" the cash out of the organization at the end of each year.

So, I propose an amendment and restatement of the Articles/Bylaws as follows:

=== "Identity Commons, Inc., expects to be recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(6). Identity Commons expects to further its mission by education, mentoring, and cooperative efforts to advance the interests of the Identity community. In furthering these interests, Identity Commons, Inc., directs its General Counsel to implement a conflicts policy and appropriate web site privacy and security policies."

We should also update the listing of the Chairperson Mary and other current officer as part of this amendment restatement. ===

I propose that we simply take the text above and submit it to the Stewards for vote for approval. Thanks. Dan Perry

PS One Steward has asked how much we have paid the CPA to date. I have tendered a payment of $3,000 (she had estimated $3,500 for the cumulative effort).

4) Progress on the blog.