Your Board of Directors would like to announce some exciting changes to DACS. We have found an opportunity that will allow us to continue providing monthly meetings with speakers on technical topics in a manner similar to what now happens at our General Meetings, while at the same time discontinuing the DACS corporation and the responsibilities that go along with maintaining a corporation. This will dramatically reduce our need for volunteers who must dedicate time and resources to our group. We believe this is the best way for us all to be able to continue enjoying the monthly meetings.
This is good news, in the face of the numerous difficulties we have been encountering. Something needs to change. We have faced declining membership for a number of years. With everyone’s busy schedules, we no longer have sufficient volunteers to continue in the current mode of operations. We do not even have anyone willing to serve as president for the next year.
We have thought long and hard about how to proceed. In particular, we have watched the growth of Danbury Hackerspace, a nearby organization that also has a technical focus and 501(c)(3) tax status. It has grown quickly in the last few years. Its cofounder, Michael Kaltschnee, has been a member and big supporter of DACS for more than 25 years. Mike has agreed to take on the responsibility for continuing monthly meetings under the name DACS, but as a function under Danbury Hackerspace. This means that the DACS name and monthly meetings can continue.
Specifically, the DACS Board of Directors plans to dissolve the corporation, give up the 501(c)(3) with the IRS, discontinue its membership system, and return its Resource Center rooms to the City of Danbury. The Board also hopes to return the unused prorated portion of each member’s membership fee and newsletter payments. And it hopes to return the unused portions of any financial gifts that were made toward Resource Center renovations. After these are paid, the Board plans to give any remaining assets to Danbury Hackerspace.
Mike Kaltschnee will continue to run monthly DACS meetings, select the speakers, publicize the meetings, and facilitate the DACS Meetup group. Some of the Board members will continue to participate, now simply as volunteers helping Mike with these tasks. All current DACS members, visitors, and friends are also welcome and encouraged to participate.
Mike expects to continue our website, at least for some time. He has not yet determined whether the newsletter will continue. The next few monthly meetings will definitely continue at the Danbury Hospital. Future meetings may occur at Danbury Hackerspace‘s current building on Main Street or eventually at a new building that Mike envisions.
We are looking forward to this new chapter in the life of DACS. We hope to see you there.