[arin-discuss] [ppml] Counsel statement on Legacy assignments?

[Howard, W. Lee]

> However, having now reviewed that again, and I have to say 
> the budgets have increased more than a bit, from about:
> 
> $ 7.5 million in 2005,
> $ 8.6 million in 2006
> $10.3 million in 2007.  
>
> About a 20% increase in expenses in one year, one flat 
> revenue. 

As I recall (and I'm not checking all of my notes, because I
can only spend a few minutes here) we increased travel (see
below) and legal reserves in 2007, which accounts for most
of the increase.  I do believe our expense budget has been
increasing 8-10% annually for the past several years.

Our budgets sometimes underestimate revenue and overestimate
expenses, which is also part of the contribution to reserves.
I had not foreseen the continued rise in stock market
performance for the past few years, or the level of success
of our collections, for instance.  I had foreseen greater
use of reserve/contingency funds.

> Indeed, as someone mailed me offlist travel is way up.  ARIN 
> is spending nearly $1.2 million on travel this year. 

The community has been requesting additional outreach.  Some
of our outreach costs are part of the "Outreach" line item,
and some are related to travel expenses for members of ARIN's
Board, Advisory Council and staff.  

There's a list of events at http://www.arin.net/meetings/calendar.html
I don't know that ARIN has staff at all of those events, but
that's an idea of how ARIN is trying to reach into the
community.  We try to send some people to other RIR meetings,
ICANN, and major industry events.

Also, I don't want to leave the impression that we're off on
holiday boondoggles.  Most ARIN Board and AC meetings are by
teleconference.  We meet in person when we go to ARIN meetings,
and once or twice a year we'll meet someplace else.  For Board
meetings, we usually meet at ARIN's office in Virginia, where
the attending staff and some Board members have no travel
expense.  We've been known to meet concurrently with IETF,
where many of us would already be.  Our last two face-to-face
meetings were at the last public policy meeting (which I grant
you was in Puerto Rico, which was nice), and Chicago.  We don't
meet outside of our region.


> And, I wonder why ARIN is giving $50,000 to Nanog.  

I can't speak for the whole Board on this, but here's why I
think it's a good idea:
NANOG provides a forum for technical interaction between
ISPs.  In some regions, this is provided by RIRs.  I think
this kind of forum is of benefit to the entire community,
and I wish I personally could attend more NANOG meetings.

> I also rather object to ARIN having joint meetings with 
> Nanog, since this transfers benefits to Nanog, and doesn't 
> seem to benefit ARIN in any way that I can see. 

More people go to NANOG than ARIN.  When we have joint
meetings, we get more attendees at the ARIN meeting, and
more of them are attending for the first time.  Most people
who attend the ARIN meeting or both meetings tell us that
they like having joint meetings.  We don't hold both ARIN
meetings jointly with NANOG.  We can run joint meetings
with other organizations, if you (the community) and they
(the other organization) wish.

> 
> 		--Dean

I hope you (and the entire community) are finding this
discussion to be open, and your Board members to be
responsive.  I am trying not to respond to every post,
but only to those with questions or inaccuracies.  I
appreciate questions about ARIN's finances, because it
gives me a chance to check with the members on how you
all feel you are being served.

Thank you for that opportunity,

Lee