November 11, 2006

Attended: 19 students

Overseers: Mr. Mendelssohn, Mr. Lubenstein

During this meeting:

Ø Talked about the need to define our groups, and produce goals

Ø Then Communications spoke on BDP weekly reports, to be compiled into larger reports. It was clarified that the weekly reports were not lab reports, but were designed to be simple and concise updates on the project, handed in every Wednesday of the week.

Ø Finance briefed the group on the current budget situation, and a finance meeting last Wednesday.

o Talked about weekly sheets keeping track of labor being done in each group, as well as department-specific budgets.

o Hoped that this would allow for a clear picture of what is happening in the project, and allow for the management and finance to keep track of projects that may have gone on.

o Also talked about possibly setting up a “petty cash” fund of approximately $50, so that the finance group would not be bogged down with paperwork for things like notebooks. Defined a “large purchase” as anything very expensive that could not be covered by the petty cash fund (over $50), and would have to go through the finance appeal process.

Ø We concluded as a group that an online review system would be more efficient than hard paperwork, and promised to develop guidelines for submitting applications for large purchases, which could then be added to the BDP forum.

Ø Tried to reach a final decision on the BDP plane issue.

o Ben White and Chris Grimm briefed the entire project again on the plane project, as well as the price drop to $600.

o Members of BDP voiced their concerns, including the necessity of the plane to the project, the risks involved in placing our test engine in a flying object, and whether or not we should buy the entire plane or just the engine.

o Ben confirmed that the plane should last long and that the bio diesel fuel, if pure, would run in the plane. He also assured us that these safety concerns, while some viable, would be addressed in their project with a series of fail safes.

o Ben also said that the plane could provide a focus for the group, a goal to shoot for.

o A final decision was reached; the BDP agreed to fund the entire project

Ø After the big decision, people broke off into their project divisions to discuss short-term goals and what to do next.