26 May 2021, Microsoft Teams video-conference.

1. Welcome and introductions

  • RGr - Opened the meeting and welcomed the five members of the Board
  • IN - Introduced himself.

2. Approval of agenda

  • All OK
  • RGr - JA suggested re looking at risk as didn’t get an opportunity to be discussed in the SC. My proposal
    is that this is not urgent and would be good to discuss when other partners available at the SC in September 2021.


  • WQ and JT - agreed.

3. Declaration of delegates

The current Board members are:

  • Rémy Giraud (RGr), Météo France [MF] - Managing Director: Chairperson
  • Weiqing Qu (WQ), Bureau of Meteorology [BoM] - Managing Director: Vice-Chairperson
  • Jeremy Tandy (JT), Met Office [UKMO]
  • Patrick Benichou (PB), Météo France International [MFI]
  • Mr. YUN Hyuk Jin (HY), Korea Meteorological Administration [KMA]

All attendees were content with the following:

  • KMA - Sungsoo Do (SD) representing with authority from KMA Director Mr. YUN Hyuk Jin.
  • MFI - Loïc Le Gallou (LG) representing MFI and Nathalie Dureisseix (ND) with authority from MFI President - Patrick Benichou

Other attendees:

  • Inmook Na (IN) Korea Meteorological Administration [KMA]
  • Jude Anthonisz (JA) of the Met Office (OpenWIS Secretariat) (UKMO)

4. Approval of previous minutes

  • All - approved

5. Outstanding actions

  • None, all covered in the agenda


6. OpenWIS Association Membership

6.1 Status update - designation of current Partners


-
RGr - At present no potential new partners.



6.2 Approve new Partners recommended by the Steering Committee (SC)



  • RGr - We did discuss having DWD be part of the pre-PMC for WIS2.
  • All - No other comments.

6.3 Fees, subscriptions, and contributions to become strategic or associate partner
  • RGr - At present. A Strategic Partner has one of payment of 200k Euros. An Associate Partner pays either a one-off fee of 40k Euros or annual fees of 10k Euros. Looking at the budget, we have funds in the bank, I propose we keep funds unchanged and not ask for additional funds.
  • All - agreed.

RESOLUTION RESOLUTION - The Board agreed that there no changes to fees and no new partners.

7. Election of Managing Directors (see article 12.6)

  • RGr - The Managing Directors are: myself, Weiqing and Nathalie, all with two-year mandates which can be renewed once, other than the Treasurer role , which is continuous. At present, we are all at the end of our first year. So, no need for a vote unless there is a proposal.
  • All - agreed for current Managing Directors to continue.

RESOLUTION RESOLUTION - The Board agreed that there no changes to current Managing Directors

8. Reports and recommendations from the SC

8.1 Review governance and compliance status escalated by the SC

-

RGr – No new items. Work on changes to by-laws is continuing.



8.2 Approve initiation of Projects and amendments to Project Charters recommended by SC

  • RGr - Only a pre-project items were discussed by the SC.

JT - The Board agreed that the informal project can be managed by the SC and JT will oversee, with a six-month timescale to become a potential formal project.
  • RGr - I propose a small SC and Board meeting at the end of 2021 for discussing risks and the pre-project status re WIS2, say a 2-hour SC and 1-hour Board.
  • All - agreed.

9. Review and agree mitigation of OpenWIS Association risks, including those escalated by the SC (https://github.com/OpenWIS/openwis-documentation/projects/4)

  • Please see item 2, above and nothing escalated by SC.

  • All - agreed.

10. Approve of any changes to Internal Rules (see article 12.17)

  • RGr - has anyone looked at whether the Internal Rules need changing?
  • JT - Let’s review the rules as part of looking at the retention period of non-personal data by Sep SC.
  • JA - Look at terms of roles such as TC ?
  • RGr - These may be part of by-laws
  • JT - I believe they are.

ACTION - ALL review of IRs to see whether any changes are needed in time for forming recommendations to the SC in September 2021. https://github.com/OpenWIS/openwis-documentation/issues/629

11. Approve the annual accounts from 2020 (Treasurer or Treasurer delegate)

  • LL - Profit and Loss Account: Total income was 203,900 Euros. Expenditure was 198,900, of which 31,484 was for operations. This gives a net position of 28,184 deficit.
  • LL - The Balance Sheet is valued at 506,982 Euros. This is made up of funds of 510,762 and an accrual of 3,780.
  • LL - Bank Accounts: 507,745 Euros in the current account and 10,017 in the savings account. The proposal from the SC is to transfer 400,000 to the savings account.
  • LL - Benefit in Kind: NWS and MFI were the main contributors. However, please note these are declarations and some members do not make declarations.

12. Review the budget set by the SC Chair.

-

LL - The budget for 2020 financial year was 40k and we spent 33k for Secretariat, Treasurer, and Accounts preparation. Also budgeted was - procurement, trademark fee, 10k for OpenWIS 3.x middleware ,and 5k for the OpenWIS 3.x CICD environment. OpenWIS 3.x middleware was delayed, so less spent in 2020.


13. Approve the 2021: annual budget, budget amendments and extraordinary expenditure; and reserve fund set membership fees (see articles 12.5 and 10.3)

  • LL - For 2021: We have the same items for Secretariat, Treasurer, Accounts, Dropbox, and Domain Name. OpenWIS 3.x is 50k overall, with 20k
    in 2021. There is 5k for project contingency. 360 Euros for bank fees and general contingency of 2k. A total budget of 46,503 Euros plus accrual for invoices to be paid.

    • RGr - Thanks LL and ND for preparing the accounts, So, three votes to come. Any comments before voting
    • All - No
    • RGr - First vote on the annual accounts for 2020.
    • All - Agreed.

    RESOLUTION RESOLUTION - The Board agreed the annual accounts for 2020.

  • RGr - So a vote to approve 2021 budget.
    • JT - Is it worth discussing the expenditure that comes through from FMI and Board oversight.
    • RGr - we have a 20k budget for this. In September the Board must approve in September 2021.
    • JT - Worth noting that the spend of up to 50k will continue into 2022 and that TC Chair may request additional spend
    • LL - Any idea on the amount , a 5k contingency at present.
    • JT - No idea but may arise in 2021, so OK for 2021 but may need to change for 2022.
    • All - agreed.

    RESOLUTION RESOLUTION - The Board agreed the budget for 2021.

  • Approve transfer from the current account to savings of 400k if ND agrees. So, the vote is whether to transfer 400k or whatever ND thinks it’s appropriate.
  • JT - benefit is marginal interest earned.
  • RGr - Yes. No risk.
    • All - agreed.

    RESOLUTION RESOLUTION - The Board agreed to transfer 400k to the Association’s savings bank account, subject to agreement by ND.

14. Any Other Business

  • RGr - We currently agreed 50k for entire project. 20k budget in 2021 and rest in 2022. Requirements not fully known, so the budget may
    need to change.
  • JT - FMI will procure and use one of their contractors will do the work. We agreed at SC what is being supplied to us must meet the Association needs. FMI will invoice in December, so TC chairs will be assessing the work done to give assurance that the work done meets the quality required and make a recommendation to the Board.
  • RGr - FMI may also require a pre-payment.
  • JT - Yes, payments will be higher initially to cover the work currently being done to develop the contract.
  • RGr - the RFP will define the payment schedule and conditions of payment. So, is this a specific contract for this work or a general contract?
  • JT - I think it will be difficult to have general contract.
  • RGr - OK we can have this for a specific contract and agree the delegations and mechanisms.
  • LL - This will also be in the tender.
  • RGr - MFI prepare a contract that includes a payment schedule and acceptance criteria to Finland. This draft to be presented to SC and approved by the Board and signed by the Chair of the Board

LL - a draft should be available by the beginning of September,

ACTION – LL Prepares a contract from MFI that includes a payment schedule and acceptance criteria to Finland (FMI) to enable presentation at the Steering Committee on 27 September 2021

  • JT - The Board decision can be ex-committee after the SC of September 2021.
  • RGr - Yes.
  • JA - Need to get a balance between number of payments and process involved (i.e. effort involved) vs managing risk and control.
  • JT- agree, envisage 3 to 4 invoices.
  • RGr - Agree and this is typical. The split in value may be even or slightly in earlier.
  • RGr - Maybe we should task MFI to act on behalf of Association, balancing risk and outcomes
  • LL- agreed.

RESOLUTION RESOLUTION - The Board agreed to task MFI to act on behalf of the Association to ensure there is a balance of risks and outcomes.

  • RGr - It would be good add to the process flowchart, the approach to approval of work done.
  • RGr - Initial pre-payment is OK but if there is an interim payment, it should be linked to a specific deliverable/outcome.

All - OK
  • RGr - I have a person in my team that could help with reviewing the contract.
  • JT - some changes to AISBL regulation which has been approved with updates to the Articles of Association. So, no or small impact,
    potentially a need to amend Articles of Association.
  • RGr - More good news. Some aspects of the by-laws have already taken into account of the new law.

15. Confirm the meeting format and appropriate hosting arrangements of next annual meeting

  • JT - UK and other governments are making commitments to net zero. This is typically actioned by reducing travelling. EUMETNET, for example, are increasing virtual meetings. We are having good virtual meetings. So, we should review our travel policy. We should make an active decision.
  • RGr - I agree that there some benefits of virtual meetings. Obviously, we cannot go back to face to face meetings in 2022 without this discussion. So, if we follow EUMENTNET’s example, we could alternate annually. My recommendation – OK to go virtual but every other year.
  • WQ - I see that next year being virtual. Not sure about 2023.
  • RGr - we could for example agree that hope 2022 will be face-to-face and confirmed in December 2021.
  • JT - I am comfortable. We should also make attempt to align OpenWIS meetings with meetings that we already at (such as INFCOM) , so reduce overall impact.
  • SSDo - Current situation is not certain, so we must keep the choice open. The first choice should be tele-conference.
  • LL - we have demonstrated that we can work virtually and the carbon aspect. Necessary for face to face. It’s a bit early to decide but it’s good to discuss.
  • RGr - Too early to decide on final plan for 2022, hopefully grouped with another meeting in the region. Hopefully, a decision or further clarity in December 2021.

16. Close

  • Meeting closed at 1246 UTC.