VANCOUVER REGIONAL FREENET ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS MINUTES OF MEETINGS July 19, 1994 Vancouver Public Library Present: Dennis Breckenridge, Vic Vaiavds, Ann Doyle, Brian Campbell, Tom Hansen, Boodie Arnott, Sharon Zaluski, Margaret Coates, Guy Thomas, Eric Yung Absent: Susan Pendakur, Steven Chan, Jacqueline Van Dyk, Phil Lyons Guest: Marion Goriak, Eric Teachman 1.0 Agenda * Agenda was accepted with the following correction: - Item 3.5 was amended to Opening Date and the AGM. Motion: (Eric/Tom) To accept the agenda with the above corrections. PASSED. 2.0 Minutes of July 5: Motion: (Vic/Eric) To accept the minutes of July 5th, 1994. PASSED. 3.0 Policy Issues: 3.1 Membership Extensions: Eric * Eric suggests that memberships be extended, since members have not had access to a working FreeNet for one year. Motion: (Eric/Tom) To extend all existing memberships to one week past the AGM - currently September 20th. PASSED. 3.2 BC Information Highway: Brian * 2 government officials met with Brian for policy discussions - to be announced late October/November. 3.3 Operating Agreement: Brian * no word from UBC yet 3.4 Modems: Vic/Dennis * Vic's "lent" USR Sportster modem exhibited same problems as Cardinal modems * Dennis: it's not the terminal server. We should ask Victoria for their usage numbers of 2400 vs. 14.4K users. * Vic: recommend rack mounts for long term Motion: (Vic/Sharon) That we lock the existing modems to 2400 baud on the 222-4723 phone line (8 lines) and use the existing other line (222-4662) with 2 lines locked at 14.4K. PASSED. * libraries to be added later with possible other overline * a warning will be posted one week prior to the changeover * Eric Teachman to notify Susan about changing the phone messages and notify Audrey of the same. * this is an interim solution. 3.5 Opening Date: * PR needed for September 9th Grand Opening * Brian to contact SFU regarding place for Grand Opening and some terminals * Tom: we need speeches from VanCity, and our other major supporters. * a place for AGM needed - we have over 400 members and thus a hall for at least 250-300 needed - Harbour Centre suggested. * Tom: we may need an external auditor. 3.6 IP Accounts: Vic * do we issue IP accounts? Some general discussion on this. Motion: (Tom/Guy) That we go with IP accounts and this must be accompanied by a contact person and thier phone number, email address etc. * an IP agreement was mentioned as being needed - and the contact person should be included as part of the agreement. * Vic: only IPs with info online should have an IP account. * Brian: some problems with some for-profit organizations associated with us. * Vic/Dennis: we lock out accounts and worry about appeal process afterwards * Ann: we might want to work with a model other than UBC for our process. Motion: (Margaret/Tom) That Eric Yung be appointed to write a policy with Dennis and Vic for administering to user accounts and the appeal process should it be required. PASSED. * Brian wants the policy forwarded to him to be passed to other FreeNets. 3.7 FreeNet Co-ordinator - Job Description: Brian/Margaret/Tom * Eric Y: we should keep the cost of the coordinator to the $25,000 we have received and not cover additional costs out of other operating funds. * general discussion on wages, and # of hours. Motion: (Tom/ ) That we offer $16/hour + 12% in lieu of benefits until funds exhausted. No seconder. Motion: (Margaret/Boodie) That we offer 25 hours/week at $16/hour + 12% in lieu of benefits for 1 year. PASSED. * some changes to the job description was made by the Board and passed back to Brian Motion: (Tom/Vic) To accept the job description in principle. PASSED. Motion: (Guy/Dennis) Selection Committee for the Coordinator: Brian/Margaret/Sharon/Boodie 3.8 Joint Project with PIAC/WCELRF: Brian * informational to the Board - not for action before next Board meeting 3.9 Director's and Officer's Liability: Brian * report back from Bill Andrews - essentially we're covered. 3.10 AGM Nominations Slate: * AGM on September 13th. * Dennis and Vic intend to run for either HW/SW Chair and Sys-Design Chair respectively or co-chair HW/SW depending on the Sys-Design committee. * Sharon/Eric to re-run for their positions of Volunteer Coordinator/Member- At-Large and Secretary respectively. * Eric T. - interested in running for Fundraising or Community Content. Marion interested in PR. * Margaret/Boodie/Ann are still thinking about it. * Guy/Tom will not be re-running for the Board. Motion: (Vic/Guy) Nominations Committee to consist of Tom, Eric Y., and Sharon. PASSED. 4.0 Treasurer's Report: Tom * $24,808.95 in accounts * $2,500 surplus after committments. * budget(s) prepared - minimal and maximal requirements * Year end set for August 31st. * budget and revenue report deferred to next Board meeting Motion: (Tom/Vic) To accept the Treasurer's report. PASSED. 5.0 Membership Coordinator's Report: Susan absent 6.0 Endorsement Coordinator's Report: Phil absent 7.0 Training/Documentation Coordinator's Report: Ann * Silvia Crooks at UBC has 2 proposals - one for training program for libraries, one for electronic publishing project. * discussion of third project - full-text database project - discussed but asked to be deferred since the matter has not been discussed with HW/SW or the Board yet. * latest version of Victoria's Guide obtained. * a local publisher willing to give seminar to technical writers. Motion: (Ann/Guy) To accept the Training/Documentation Coordinator's report. PASSED. 8.0 Library Liaison's Report: Jacqueline absent 9.0 Volunteer Coordinator's Report: Sharon * 76 volunteers waiting for orientation * 74 have attended orientations and referred. * 45 people are waiting for positions * 39 volunteers are active * Sharon admits that previous to her taking the Volunteer portfolio, volunteers may be working that she does not have information about. Motion: (Sharon/Guy) To accept the Volunteer Coordinator's Report. PASSED. 10.0 Committee Reports: 10.1 Hardware/Software: Dennis/Vic * disk purchase - a firm quote from MicroDrives has been obtained. * Neil Guy asked about HTTP server and George Lindholm is working on it. * other details covered in Policy Issues. Motion: (Vic/Tom) To accept the Hardware/Software report. PASSED. 10.2 System Design: Steven absent * a partial report was posted to the mailing list. 10.3 Community Content: Guy * no meeting since last Board meeting - next meeting scheduled for 2 weeks from now (1st week of August). 10.4 Fundraising: Brian * Human Resources presentation of FreeNet by Eric Y. today * Tom: BC 21 application is in the queue. * Margaret: pursuing casino application and Section 25 for staff. Motion: (Margaret/Tom) To accept the Fundraising report. PASSED. 10.5 Public Relations: Marion * Eddie to put together a proposal for a video * PR package needed for volunteers * discounts for VRFA members? * Dennis: the WWW home page needs a full-colour picture from PR. * brochure - needs to add user agreement for "stuffing". Motion: (Margaret/Vic) To accept the PR report. PASSED. 11.0 Other Business: * Eric T. said that modems and telnet access in the office should be available next week and that registration training from Susan should take place at that time. * Eric Y. offered to hold a General "work bee" for all committees in first week of August - time and place to be discussed in Email. Meeting was adjourned at 9:45pm.