30th - 22nd May 2019 - Washington, USA

  1. Welcome and introductions
    1. JT welcomed attendees.
  2. Approval of agenda
    1. All attendees were content with the agenda.

  3. Declaration of delegates

    3.1 The current members of the SC are:

    • Jeremy Tandy (JT), Met Office [UKMO] - SC Chair
    • Rémy Giraud (RGr), Météo France [MF] - SC Vice-Chair
    • Benjamin Saclier (BS), Météo France [MF]
    • Loïc Le Gallou (LG), Météo France International [MFI]
    • Sungsoo Do (SD), Korea Meteorological Administration [KMA]
    • Kari Sheets (KS), National Weather Service [NWS]
    • Mikko Visa, Finnish Meteorological Institute [FMI]
    • Weiqing Qu (WQ), Bureau of Meteorology (BoM)
    • Jude Anthonisz (JA), OpenWIS Association Secretariat

    3.2 All attendees were content with the following:

    • JT representing WQ of BoM with authority from WQ.
    • SD representing Dr. S.L. Singh (SLS), India Meteorological Department [IMD] with authority from Dr. SLS.

    The meeting was declared as quorate as 7 attending.

    3.3 Other attendees: • Steve Olson (SO), National Weather Service [NWS] • Stephan Siemen (SS), European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts [ECMWF] • Mikko Partio, Finnish Meteorological Institute [FMI] • Kwangjae Lee (KL), Korea Meteorological Administration [KMA] • Fred Branski, National Weather Service [NWS] • David Podeur, Météo France [MF] • Jude Anthonisz, Met Office [UKMO]

  4. Approval of previous minutes
    • The minutes of the meeting on 11 January 2019 were approved by all.
  5. Election of chairperson (“TC-Chair”) and vice-chairperson (“TC-Vice-Chair”) of the Technical Committee
    • SO (Chair) and BS (VC) confirmed that they are both content to continue in the roles.
    • JT nominated SO as the Chair of the Technical Committee and all (7) voted in favour.
    • JT also nominated BS as the Vice Chair of the Technical Committee and all (7) voted in favour.

    RESOLUTION The SC agreed that Steve Olson and Benjamin Saclier would continue as Technical Committee (TC) Chair and Vice Chairpersons respectively.

  6. Recommendations to the Board regarding admission of new Members and Partners (see Articles 6 & 9 and Rules 4 & 5)

    6.1 CMA

    • RGr reported that there is no progress.

    6.2 Others

    • RGr reported that he has mentioned membership Canada and Germany but no real progress. JT stated that he was happy with situation given there is no active development
  7. Project Reports and requests for Financial Support or changes to existing Charters:

7.1 OpenWIS 3.x

  • SO - Agreed at the TC that requirements definition for help with CI environment setup and annual audit needs to be developed in order to enable a procurement of a third party. This means that a a request for funds for this service will be come later in the year.
  • SO - Also in February 2020 Discourse licence (for the forum) will need to be extended.
  • RGr - If a 2020 item, it will be next financial year, so need to have an estimate of this before December 2019.
  • SO - the cost will around 1000 USD
  • RGr – We will put a provision in the budget.

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) decided to place a provision in the 2019 budget for the Discourse licence.

  • SO - A recommendation will be made regarding the removal of Forgerock from OpenWIS 3.14.8 make a recommendation. This will include whether a third-party vendor will provide support for code changes.
  • JT - time-scales?
  • SO - This will be by September 2019
  • JT - Any other aspects?
  • JA - Documentation updates.
  • JT - OK, also see (#451).
  • JT - TC recommend a principle that OpenWIS 3x will be free to use. So, does a TC want to recommend a principle?
  • SO - Yes.
  • FB - Do we want to be specific, i.e. must be licenced and the cost of the must be free?
  • JT - The moral position we were started was that small countries and island states did have any barriers to adoption. So, the question is whether a SC policy directive help us and materially affect the way we operate.
  • RGr - I think it was implicit, so we just need to be remind/reaffirm.
  • JT - OK. To confirm, we can reaffirm our intent that the Open WIS Association intends to make available software that can be deployed and used without any payment of licence fees.

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) decided support make software available that can be deployed without any payment of licence fees.

  • JT - any more points?
  • ALL - no.
  • JT - Still check that we all agree that we are in a maintenance mode
  • All - Yes
  • JT - only changes that will made relates to security vulnerabilities?
  • SO - Yes.
  • JT - So, if there request for any other aspects, we say no?
  • ALL - Yes.

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) confirmed that OpenWIS 3x is in maintenance mode and the only changes will be to remedy security vulnerabilities.

  • SS - Do we start a new code base for WIS2?
  • All - Yes.
  • SS - Do we start test driven development?
  • ALL - yes
  • RGr - Do we want to clarity that there will a SC meeting in September re outcome of evaluation?
  • SO - Yes, the whole evaluation will be completed and discussed at the TC.
  • JT - OK, so we will have a SC meeting to approve in early October 2019, including any finances.
  • JT - Can we treat as an extra-ordinary item?
  • RGr - Yes, as we don’t want to put a limit at this stage.
  • ALL- agreed.
RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) confirmed that there will be a meeting in October 2019 to approve outcome technical evaluation and funding required regarding the maintenance of OpenWIS 3.x and the CI environment.

7.2 AMQP

  • JT - for status see slide pack on status from DP’s presentation.
  • DP - OK
  • JT - How long do you expect to be continuing with the pilot?
  • DP - Continue to develop cannot say when the end.
  • JT - SC to review in 12 months?
  • All - Agreed.

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) confirmed that the AMQP project could continue and it would be reviewed in May 2020.

  • JT - I urge all OpenWIS partners to contribute to this project and promote this work in respective organisations.
  • FB - Once a WIS2 adoption strategy is clearly defined, that it made clear in the OpenWIS Association information packages.

7.3 Trust Model

  • SO - In principle, we need some guidance on what type of procurement can be used for this work.
  • JT - Do you still believe its necessary to do this work?
  • SO - I am tempted to delay this work, given the changes in train within WMO.
  • RGr - Do we defer, or do we close? As we will be in the same position next year?
  • LG - Can be have a status as ‘frozen’
  • JT - Agreed.

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) confirmed that work on this project will be deferred until May 2020.

7.4 Schema.org

  • JT - as reported in TC and PMC, this work is being taken up by the broader community. So, I would proposed to close this project and support the broader community.
  • ALL - Agreed.

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) confirmed that this project is closed.

7.5 Metadata formats

  • JT - as reported in TC and PMC, this work is being taken up by the broader community. So, I would proposed to close this project and support the broader community.
  • ALL - Agreed

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) confirmed that this project is closed.

7.6 INSPIRE

  • MV- per slide pack, which is here #539 (comment)
  • JT - How does the hackathon feed into the work of OGC?
  • SO - Map tiles, Coverages, data processing.
  • MV - The approach is to simplify. A pilot project has started (slides 4 ,5 and 7). Also, a comparison with the approach of the Weather-on-the-web project (slide 6).
  • JT - good that both projects are sharing information with each other.
  • MV - queried the status for the Weather-on-the web project and WIS2 specs status roadmap.
  • JT - provide an update.
  • KS - Is there a way that WMO can work with OGC?
  • JT - Secretariat can work with project and/or work with representatives to implement but the Secretariat will not do this.
  • FB - there is a MOU between OGC and WMO.

  • JT - who is involved in OGC? RGr, LG, FMI, NWS. So, there is work on service standards and framework on weather and climate standards, is it something that you want to engage with? I encourage you to promote OGC (www.opengeospatial.org) within your organisations.

  • JT - MV in term of going forward, please keep us update on developments throughout the year.
  • SS - Is there a GitHub page?
  • MV - Yes, it’s in the slide pack.
  • JT - SS please liaise with SO on best place to interact.

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) confirmed that the Association should continue to be kept informed of the status and progress of this work.

  1. Review new proposals for projects that are compatible with the purpose and objectives of the OpenWIS Association and in the interest of Members and Partners
  • JT - Functional assessment of WIS2 to enable developing indicative budgets for build and implementations, with a view to providing this information to WMO.
  • RGr - Given the info we know so far, it is likely to be a year and the future group TTWIS2?
  • JT - EC approval in a year’s time, so need to give information to EC on the scale of costs for building and operating a GISC.
  • RGr - We are not practised in this area. With the level of detail, we have so far, I don’t think we can make any useful contribution.
  • JT - I would like as many organisations to input to enable validation. So, I think I will ask the TC for validation. So, are you thinking this is not a project, so I will not propose this as a project and come to this point when more information is available from WMO. Notionally it will be me as leading this activity.

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) confirmed work to monitor and feedback via existing WMO channels and discuss in the Technical Committee (TC)

  • JT - Any other new projects?
  • ALL - No.
  1. Recommendations to the Board regarding new or amended Projects
    • None.
  2. Recommendations to the Board regarding the creation of ad-hoc committees or subsidiary bodies (including PMCs for new Projects)
    • None. The PMCs for the projects that are closing are to be disbanded.
  3. Report and recommendations from Technical Committee
    • SO - Please see agenda item 7.1 Other aspects
    • Re initial use of forum. It was agreed that initially it will be unstructured and open. Auto tagging and an easy way for manual tagging will be investigated.
    • Also, the ways in which the TC can evolve and make it better by periodically make presentation on emerging tech standards and periodic checks on WIS2 planning updates.

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) confirmed that updates on the development of technical Committee

  1. penWIS Association logistics

12.1 Programme management / secretariat function - JT - In 2018 we agreed that UKMO would provide this function for 2018 and invoice the OpenWIS Association. - JT - Are there any other organisations interested? - JT - Are we happy for UKMO to continue and Jude fulfilling this role? - RGr - It is always a pleasure and glad that you happy to continue. - ALL - Agreed. 6 in favour and one abstention.

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) confirmed that the Met Office and Jude Anthonisz to continue to provide the Secretariat function in same way as in 2018.

12.2 Treasurer

  • RGr - Nathalie has taken on this role from Stacey in UKMO. Has taken over this role and has prepared the annual accounts for 2019 and in a similar way to the role of the Programme Management/Secretariat function.
  • LG - MFI is happy to do the role of Treasurer, but we need a basic contract in place. The proposed contract is here - https://github.com/OpenWIS/openwis-documentation/issues/539#issuecomment-494879908
  • Agreed. 6 in favour and 1 abstention.

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) confirmed that the Météo France International (MFI) will provide the Treasury function via Nathalie Dureisseix (ND).

  • JT - Will MFI invoice for work so far and routinely in April?
  • LG - Yes
  • JT - So an invoice for 3210 Euros will follow soon.
  • LG and RGr - Yes.

ACTION – MFI to invoice for the Treasurer service 3210 Euros

  • LG explained the proposed contract and amendments were made.
  • LG - MFI would like to formalise the contract as soon as possible.
  • JT - Agreed to send agreed amendments to PB for agreement at the Board meeting on 23 May 2019.

12.3 Information Management - GDPR

  • JA presented the proposed Privacy Policy.
  • ALL - Minor amendments were proposed and agreed
  • Votes - unanimous subject to no substantive change from UK Legal

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) confirmed agreed adoption and publication of the Privacy Policy.

The following was agreed:

  • Email address alias (i.e. data-privacy-manager@openwis.io) and re-directs to be Vice Chair and Secretariat are required.

ACTION – LG to set up email alias and RGr to create a redirection distribution list with Jude and Jeremy’s email addresses

  • Privacy policy is published on the website in markdown format and publish as HTML under the ‘association’ tab once confirmed by UK Legal.

ACTION – SO to publish the Privacy Policy

  • Check with Notaries as to whether the privacy policy needed to be published anywhere else

ACTION – RGr to check with Notaries on where the privacy policy needs publication

  • A vote was taken on the new Internal Rule 14.1 – All agreed.

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) agreed to adopt the proposed new Internal Rule relating to GDPR.

  • Agreed that no need to change Articles of Association as we are only adding new tasks to an existing role.

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) confirmed that no changes are needed to the Articles of Association as a result of the proposal relating to GDPR.

ACTION – JA to publish the new Internal rule regarding GDPR to the OpenWIS Association website Agreed that the retention policy for non-personal information should be available ACTION - JT to make a proposal on the retention of all non-personal data by September 2019

  1. Shaping the OpenWIS Association
    • JT - We know that WIS 2.0 is coming and we need to understand how we implement code and infrastructure needed to make WIS 2.0 a reality.
  • 13.1. Status of WIS 2.0
    • Per information exchange session.
  • 13.2 How/where can/should OpenWIS Association add value?
    • Please see 13.8
  • 13.3 Application of Association cash assets
    • We could use funds from reserves.
  • 13.4 Review the continuing need for the OpenWIS Association
    • JT - Does anyone think that there no value of OpenWIS Association.?
    • ALL agreed that it should continue.
  • 13.5. Identification of opportunities for engagement with WMO
    • Agreed that TT EWIS, ET CTS will continue so members should continue to use these mechanisms
  • 13.6 Identification of opportunities to participate in calls for proposals in externally funded projects
    • There are no opportunities identified.
  • 13.7 Recommendations to the Board regarding engagement with third-parties to participate in consortia responding to calls for proposals in respect of externally funded projects
    • There are no recommendations to the Board.
  • 13.8 Review the by-laws of the Association
  • Discussed and agreed internal rules re GDPR.
  • JT - What do you want the OpenWIS Association to do?
  • SS - 11 principles - develop software or do some research.
  • SS - Need to have a common approach, so the consortium helps as we combine effort.
  • KS - So design the architecture rather than the solution itself
  • SS - Yes. Try new technologies to see what the challenges are.
  • LG- a reminder that the origin was to share costs.
  • JT - So, for one, we need to maintain OpenWIS 3x software until 2025.
  • JT - Provide a mechanism to make available re-usable items that could be used.
  • RGr - like mentioned in TT-EWIS, have an agile approach to deliver something early that adds value.
  • RGr - OpenWIS Association should lobby for WIS 2.0 be implemented early, i.e. by developing software and communicating it. At present, the by-laws do not allow us to do that ‘only to make open-source software’. So, it may be necessary to change the by-laws and for software development we may need allow people to participate and contribute without being part of the Association – so need a category of partner to enable this ‘a contributing partner’
  • JT - A way forward could be to work with the messaging technology and implement it for our organisations.
  • SS - need to ensure that we can both develop and maintain it for a period of time.
  • RGr - Agreed, but I was thinking of expanding the scope of activity beyond software development, for example cache in the cloud and ensure the by-laws allow it.
  • RGr - changing the by-laws Is a tough job.
  • JA - How long does it takes to change the by-laws?
  • JT - Part of what Rémy re putting in place infrastructure allows us to learn and develop pilot infrastructure to without risk for our organ.
  • RGr - if we prepare ourselves now, can respond in a year’s time (i.e. Changing the by-laws now)
  • LG - There is an opportunity to work in a private-public partnership. We need to trust the vision rather than just change the by-laws.

  • JT - Changing the by-laws enables and gives options.

  • Agreed the following:
    • Focusing on a particular aspect of WIS2 that would provide value.
    • This is agreed as pub-sub messaging. Aiming to increase number of participants by October or November 2019, the outcome which will be in 12 months-time, will inform the specification of a prototype operational network.
    • There will be additional aspects that would need to be developed that would address principle WMO principles 6 to 9 of the WMO WIS2 implementation approach.

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) agreed to loosen the scope of the OpenWIS Association to enable: lobbying, out-reach, and building operational services and introduce the category of ‘contributing’ partner.

ACTIONS: RGr to draft changes to Articles of Association

ALL to- to review and feedback by mid-July 2019

The aim being a legal review with Legal team and finalise by October 2019 SC

ACTION _ JA to speak to Michael Robbins

  1. Review of Strategic Goals and Metrics (3-year horizon) [metrics]
  2. Risk review and development of mitigation plans
  3. Finances of the OpenWIS Association [Treasurer]

16.1 FY2018 expenditure - LG - presented the expenditure for 2018 on behalf of Nathalie Dureisseix (ND).

16.2 Review of need for additional finance - Work on CI environment and removing dependency of Forgerock will incur expenditure. Therefore, a new budget line is required. Therefore, a budget of 80k euros was agreed for this. - Add a 10k euros for contingency. Remove ING costs. - The above to be recommended to the Board.

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) agreed to recommend this proposal regarding additional finance and contingency to the Board.

16.3 Budget for 2019/20

  • SO - There will be no charge for 2019 regarding the forum. Therefore £1k should be removed
  • JT - Agreed to proceed with DropBox for Business account.
  • JT – Integration with commercial search engine will not be required. However, work on CI environment and removing dependency of Forgerock will incur expenditure. Therefore, a new budget line is required. Therefore, a budget of 80k euros was agreed for this.
  • Add a 10k euros for contingency. Remove ING.
  • 113,472 euros is the budget to be recommend ed to the Board for 2019.

RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) agreed to recommend these budgetary arrangements for 2019 to the Board.

ACTION – LG to ensure that budget is reflected in the accounts for 2019

  1. Recommendations to the Board to make and adopt, alter, supplement or repeal the Internal Rules
    • Agreed to recommend Internal rules for GDPR and Data Privacy Manager.
  2. Outstanding actions
    • To be discussed on 23 May 2019)

  3. Next meeting Next meeting to be discussed further at the Board on 23 May 2019 and propose that it is on 29 October European lunch time via WebEx.

    The chair of the SC would like to get confirmation that Weiqing Qu from BoM to agreeing in principle to host the next annual meeting.

  4. Any other business Procurement

    • Options
      • Options were discussed -
      • RGr – the options are: OpenWIS does its own, or one of the partner organisations does the procurement on behalf of the Association and invoices the Association.
      • The contract is drawn up by OpenWIS members and one of the members organisation does the procurement.
    • All - agreed that deal with each procurement on a case by case basis.

    RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) agreed that the option to adopted for a procurement exercise will be decided on a case-by case basis.

    • All - it was envisaged that on the CI procurement, the RFP will be written SO with help from SS and UKMO procurement.

    • RGr - two pieces of work ahead of us, so there could be an economy of scale. By end of June 2019 analysis and requirements could be available to look at a single supplier for both pieces of work as the time-lines seems to fit.

    • All – agreed.

    • There is a need to verify that UKMO can provide procurement support in the time-scales required and establish how costs can be managed.

    • ACTION – JA to set up telco with RGr, JT and Jason Malpas
  5. Election of Chair and Vice Chair of SC
    • RGr - We have to realise the level of work done by JT for the maximum term of 4 yours. I propose that I become the Chair of the SC and JT becomes of Vice Chair. If this option does not suit, then we can look as those. I would note that this post is not an honorary position.
    • JT - I nominate RGr.
    • All - No other nominations.
    • All agreed.

    RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) agreed that it’s new chair-person is Rémy Giraud

    • RGr - I nominate JT as Vice Chair of SC
    • All-agreed.

    RESOLUTION The Steering Committee (SC) agreed that it’s new Vice-chair-person is Jeremy Tandy.

    • JT - please note that I have also been the Vice Chair of the Board for the maximum term of 4 years. So, we are seeking a Vice Chair of the Board (which can be come from MF, MFI, BoM, KMA, or Met Office)

    Closure of the meeting