[Foundation-l] Honorarium (was Re: [Found>, > This conversation had jumped back and forth ....)

Sat Aug 12 22:41:04 UTC 2006

--- Tim Starling <t.starling at physics.unimelb.edu.au> wrote:
> Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't these honoraria essentially Jimmy's only 
> means of income? I don't know if he draws a salary from Wikia, but I'm 
> fairly sure that the company is not yet turning a profit. He works almost 
> full-time publicising Wikimedia. It would seem very strange to me to deny 
> him this one small token of our appreciation.

His income from other places is not at all something we need consider. What matters is the use of
Wikimedia-owned trademarks and logos for monetary gain. The foundation owns and controls the use
of those trademarks and logos and, per our bylaws, board members are not supposed to get net
monetary gain for activities that arise from being board members. 

So, it would seem to me, that speaking fees gathered above paying travel expenses that resulted
from the use of our trademarks and logos should go to the foundation. As is, we don't have a clear
policy on this. But the trademark/logo use issue combined with the by-law prohibition seems to
point toward where that policy should go. Thus why I strongly support Danny's proposed policy on
this and related issues.

And of course, IANAL. 

-- mav

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