Minutes of Genesee Free-Net Board of Directors Meeting October 27, 1998

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Genesee Freenet Annual Meeting

Kettering Institute, Room 1-817
Call to order at 7:00 p.m.

PRESENT

Potrafka, Preston, McNiff, Austin, Viele, Lotfi, Shepherd, LeMieux, Brown.

GUESTS

John Lewellyn, representing the Montrose Lions Club and approximately 30 other persons.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

None

MINUTES

The minutes from the October 21, 1997 Annual Meeting were read by McNiff. Potrafka asked the current Board members to introduce themselves to the audience.  Discussion regarding approval of minutes electronically.
 

Presentations by Providers:

Austin discussed the Montrose Preserved project and added that it involved working with individuals and allowing residents to belong to the international community. John Lewellyn of the Montrose Lions Club displayed the web page he authored and detailed the contents.

Austin displayed the web page of the Montrose Telephone and Historical Society in the absence of the author, John Whitmire.

Potrafka spoke on behalf of the SWMS Region B site.

Austin addeds that the whole purpose and intent of the GFN is to get the community information out, that GFN is not  just an ISP.

OFFICERS' REPORTS

Board Chair:

Potrafka opened the meeting to questions and clarified the rationale behind the two-hour on-line limit. Stone inquired about fiscal responsibility and the focus for 1999. Austin added that the dues raise was to cover paid system help, and that someone had already been hired.   In closing, Potrafka thanked Austin and LeMieux for assuming the System Administrator duties, recognized Schneider of FALCON and the Genesee District Library System and called for volunteers.

Treasurer:

Preston displayed transparencies that indicated the healthy revenue of the GFN and added that it was all due to the volunteer staff.   Preston went on to summarize the improvements made during the past year and included the new modems and modem support. Surplus funds are invested in five rotating c.d.'s.

Marketing and Outreach:

Viele noted that the goal of the committee is to get non-profits on-line and described the methods they are using to achieve
this. Responses to a letter had yielded a 10% response rate. More letters will be sent that will indicate the willingness of the committee to help the non-profits. Viele stated that the preliminary marketing plan is just getting started, and that interested persons were welcome to attend the committee meetings.

Web Site Committee:

Austin said that there were now 47 providers, and asked that if anyone in the audience could help with web page development and support, their efforts would be appreciated.

Office Committee:

In addition to summarizing the many duties of the office staff personnel, LeMieux praised the efforts of the talented,
dedicated and committed unpaid staff od Black, Darby, Johnson and Sage. (LeMieux failed to mention himself.)

Training Committee:

Block discussed the monthly training provided by the GFN and added that New Users are now learning how to set-up software.  Darby and Sage complete the training team. Plans for the future include expansion of the training group. Block also mentioned the GDL classes.

System Administrator:

Austin delivered a Power Point presentation on the year in review.  Membership statistics reveal that there are 347 more members in 1998 than in 1997. Other areas showing increases include e-mail  and modem usage. The no-token message has dropped to 350 per day from 1200 per day - a significant decrease due to the purchase of additional modems. Members are spending more time on-line.

Austin also provided information about Merit and the v.90 protocol  and the problems associated with it. Austin urged members to become  involved, through various committees, helping with web pages, etcetera.

Candidates and Procedure for Election:

Vice-Chair LeMieux, chair of the nominating committee, reported on the format and procedures and announced the
slate of candidates as follows:

  Dr. Vahid Lotfi
  Jerry Preston
  Robert Stone
  James Wascha

An electronic ballot will be available within five days and must be completed within thirty days of the Annual Meeting
(October 27, 1998.) LeMieux encouraged others to nominate for future, expected vacancies.

Meeting Adjourned at 8:16 p.m.

 Val McNiff