Minutes of Genesee Free-Net Board of Directors Meeting  
January 23, 2003.

Flint Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Board Room
Flint, MI

PRESENT

Garry Viele, Board, Chairman
Vahid Lotfi, Board Vice Chair
Les LeMieux, Board
Pat Peterson, Board Secretary
Kay Schwartz, Board Treasurer
Larry Porn, Board
Lynnette Griffen, Board
Chad Cramer, Board
Scott Gifford, Board

Also present:
Kenny Thomas, Staff

Absent:  Georgia Kitchen 

Call to order 5:15 pm. Meeting conducted by G. Viele.  

Officer Comments:

Treasurer

The Cash Assets/Liabilities report for 2003 showed there is a net decrease of $4,170.96 from 2001 because of lower revenues and higher expenses.  The treasurer recommended we study marketing to increase the number of users.  J. Preston moved to file report.  S. Gifford supported.  The motion passed unanimously.

An Executive committee will meet on February 19 at 5:15 at Flint Public Library to create a budget proposal for 2003.  Anyone is welcome.

Reorganization:

J. Preston moved that the Genesee Free-Net Board of Directors re-elect all officers.  S. Gifford supported.  J. Preston moved that nominations be closed.  S. Gifford supported.  The motions passed unanimously.

Vice Chair

Nothing to report.

Secretary

Nothing to report.

OLD BUSINESS 

Status of Tall Pine Council Request for Dynamic Database

K. Thomas reported G. Viele and Matt Groulx met to make final decisions.  K. Thomas set up the virtual machine so that Matt will be able to begin working on it next week.  Kenny will monitor and document how it is working.  J. Preston remarked that things had gone well so far.

New Plan Implementation Committee

L. Porn reported the database conversion committee had met.  The conversion will be finished by February 14.

Marketing Committee

Nothing to report.

Web Site Committee

Chad reported that links on the site are being checked daily.  Statistics are now generated for Genesee Free-Net pages.  Organizational accounts will be notified by e-mail that the statistics are available. 

L. Porn expressed concerns about information on the site.  C. Cramer will add this concern to his committee’s assignment.

Office Operations

L. Porn reported he monitored telephone calls over the holidays.  The office staff numbers are greatly reduced; more volunteers are needed.  An e-mail will be sent to charter members so that their accounts can be updated.

Technical Committee

Kenny reported:

Spam:  watching for domain names and blocks 4000-5000 messages per day.  Everything is being done that can be done.

He suggested that we let members know that there are e-mail filters available.  Filtering can be turned on in programs like Outlook.  This information will be added to Quicknotes.

A concern was expressed that some members never use their e-mail account, and it piles up making a problem for the system.  The best solution seems to be to delete it, but it was agreed that a board policy must be in place to do so.  G. Viele and V. Lotfi will study the problem.

System Administration

No report.

Educational Partnership

L. Griffin moved that the Webpage Creation Training Workshops Proposal for GFN Members from UM-Flint Office of Extended Learning be accepted.  S. Gifford supported.  The motion was passed unanimously.  Webpage development workshops need to be scheduled.

Maintaining and Preserving Legal and Other Records of the Organization

J. Preston reported that this is a responsibility of the Secretary.  The Board will discuss at the next meeting.

NEW BUSINESS 

There are five vacant seats on the board.  L. Porn moved that Marilyn Sage, Sol Johnson, and Denny Cavenaugh be appointed to the board.  V. Lotfi supported.  The motion passed unanimously.  Members should be searching for two more members.  There are a total of fifteen seats.

Next Meeting:  February 27 at 5:15 pm at the Flint Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

S. Gifford moved that the meeting be adjourned.  V. Lotfi supported.  The motion passed unanimously.

Respectfully submitted,

Pat Peterson, Secretary

Board of Directors