Minutes of Genesee Free-Net Board of Directors Meeting
April 26, 2007
Flint Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
316 Water Street

PRESENT:
Larry Porn, Vice Chair
Solomon Johnson, Secretary
Janet Craig, Board
Chad Cramer, Website
Beverly Duval, Board
Scott Gifford, Board
Les LeMieux, Board
Charles Wright, Board

ABSENT:
Dennis Cavanaugh, Chair
Kenny Thomas, Systems

Call to order at 5:18pm. Vice Chair Larry Porn presiding.

The topics of discussion were the Managed Modems and implementation of schedules to switch over to Telnet World Wide dial-in numbers. Particulars on porting high usage Merit and 123.com numbers to Telnet World Wide were not clear. Chair Denny Cavanaugh earlier had informed the Board by email that a fee of $0.15 per DID per month had been quoted to him and a $5.00 charge per order to port numbers would apply. Commented was to get the numbers we need to port but port no more than ten numbers. Porting high usage numbers would provide the advantage of members not having to change their dial-in setup.

Webmaster Chad Cramer presented a sample notice for members still using Merit dial-in numbers. He received comments and suggestions for changes and will revise the notice, submit by email for Board approval, then post to the GFN Web site. The Board agreed to have members change Merit numbers now and schedule switchover from 123.com/OTC numbers when contract matters are clearer.

Scott Gifford moved and Chad Cramer seconded that members be notified to change from Merit dial-in numbers to Telnet World Wide dial-in numbers. The motion carried. The notice will be posted on the GFN Web site.

With respect to porting numbers to Telnet World Wide, the Board needs to find if porting can be done. The objective is to get rid of the Portmasters and reduce bandwidth usage through OTC. System Administration has determined that GFN is using only 40% to 45% of bandwidth capacity available through OTC.

Public Relations.
Board member Beverly Duval suggested GFN increase its customer base through mailings to smaller churches, schools and other nonprofit entities. It was commented that Chair Denny Cavanaugh prefers to promote awareness of the membership nature of GFN and encourage members to solicit nonprofits they know about on GFN's behalf. Mentioned also were TV and newspaper ads and calls to people who do not renew to see why they are not renewing and if there are problems with GFN services. Scott Gifford commented that the Resource Center has mail labels for nonprofits that may be available to GFN.

Discussed was expanding use of the Plan C Organization Account. Larry Porn indicated there are forty-five (45) Lions Clubs in Bay, Genesee, Midland and Saginaw counties which may need Web hosting services and bulk email addresses. The Organization Accounts contributions structure needs revision. Typical Web hosting and Domain name registration fees of $5 per year were cited. Should GFN send letters offering Web hosting and bulk email addresses to all Lions Clubs? The Board needs to establish a committee to consider options and develop a plan and bring a proposal to the Board.

Referred to the May 10^th Office Staff meeting was the possible polling of Montrose users who left because of dial-in connection problems.