Vancouver CommunityNet
                          Minutes of Board Meeting
                               March 18, 1997

Present:  Penny Goldsmith, Margaret Coates, Neil K. Guy, Carolyn Saunders,
Jack Vickery, Ryan Hung, Katharine Shipley, Larry Kuehn (secretary).


The meeting was called to order by Penny Goldsmith at 6:40.

1.  Agenda.

M/S/C  That the agenda be adopted.

2.  Minutes of previous meetings.

M/S/C  Minutes of the February 18, 1997, be approved with a correction that
the Toronto Freenet is still operating.

M/S/C  Minutes of the March 4, 1997,  be approved.

3.  Financial report.

The total cash balance after anticipated expenses at at March 18, 1997, is
$6,758.19.

4.  Fundraising report.

Jack Vickery reported that Lower Mainland Career Information Association is
prepared to enter into a contract with VCN for phase 1 of a project that
may have several other phases.  It would be to provide access to employment
service agencies and their clients.

M/S/C  That the VCN agree to enter into a contract with LMCIA to carry out
the contracted activities.

M/S/C  That the proposal for a "Welcome to Cyberspace" manual be approved
and that a policy on advertising will be adopted at a future meeting.

5.  Staff.

Because of lack of funding, two staff of the Vancouver CommunityNet were
laid off effective February 28, 1997.

They are great workers and the board is committed to getting project
funding so that they can be rehired.

A written report from staff member, Ian Pringle, was presented to the meeting.

6.  Lobbying and media.

A letter and brief to Premier Clark has been sent, with a request for funding.

The ITAO chief information officer will be at the "Making the Links"
conference and board members are encouraged to discuss with him the need to
support access through VCN and other community networks.

VCN will be featured in the next issue of the Vancouver Echo newspaper.

It was agreed to create an online forum that would encourage users and
potential users to join in keeping the VCN going.

7.  Access and membership.

M/S/C  That the board approve in principle an access and membership policy
that differentiates access time according to guests, non-paying users and
paying users (members), with the details of the policy to be approved at a
future meeting.

8.  Board resignation.

Susan Bryant wrote a letter regretfully resigning from the board.

M/S/C  That the resignation of Susan Bryant be accepted.


NEXT MEETING OF THE BOARD:  APRIL 8, 1997 at 411 Dunsmuir.