Minutes of Genesee Free-Net Board of Directors Meeting
Annual Meeting
October 30, 2008
Flint Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
502 Church Street
Flint MI 48503
Present:
Dennis Cavanaugh, Board Chairman
Larry Porn, Board Vice Chairman
Solomon Johnson, Board Secretary
Chad Cramer, Board Member
Janet Craig, Board Member
Scott Gifford, Board Member
Also Present:
Jerry Preston, Annual Meeting
The Board meeting came to order at 5:00pm. Board Chairman Dennis Cavanaugh presiding.
The Board discussed possible actions to take since the new server failure and GFN inability to resolve Spam mail issues. GFN also needs to reduce expenses. Possible alternatives included outsourcing email services to a third party service, selling the no longer used Portmaster equipment and a server, moving from OTC quarters, using Skype or Magicjack for office VOIP telephone service, raising membership contributions to $72 a year and developing a Web site hosting service for nonprofit organizations and providing user friendly Web content management software for them to use to update their hosted Web sites. Also mentioned was requiring members to monitor their email account for their annual renewal notice. Each renewal letter mailed costs GFN forty-two cents postage.
It was estimated that a third party email service would cost about $500 a month whereas the current rack space at OTC costs GFN about $800 a month. Telnet Worldwide modem service costs GFN an additional $697 a month and the AT&T telephone bill adds about $65 to $67 a month. GFN office space rent is about $200 a month.
Chad Cramer will investigate Fusemail as a possible service to host GFN email accounts. Web hosting services mentioned during discussion were Serverbeach and Sectorlink. Scott Gifford will investigate possibilities for local hosting of a GFN Web server.
Chad Cramer has worked well above his duties as GFN Web consultant and Web master to resolve problems with the mail server after the new server GFN purchased failed. Larry Porn moved and Scott Gifford supported that Chad be awarded the Laura Austin Award for exceptional service in support of GFN. The motion passed. (Note: Chad had not arrived when the Board voted the award.)
Chair Dennis Cavanaugh reported on some expenses incurred year to date by GFN. Fees for OTC ($27,314 to date), Telnet Worldwide modem service, mail server maintenance, Web server maintenance and office management consultants are the major recurring GFN expenses. Additionally, GFN spent $2000 for the new server, $600 for the office VISTA computer, $100 for a monitor when the old one failed and $249 for the office scanner.
The ELGA checking account balance was $3096.88. The savings account balance was $5077.96 and investment in certificates of deposit was $25,830.21. Deposits to be made totaled $1400 and $1600 is owed in accountant fees for preparation of GFN 990-EZ tax report.
The annual meeting came to order at 7:00pm with Chair Dennis Cavanaugh presiding.
Chair Report, Dennis Cavanaugh:
Challenges:
Loss of GFN members to broadband services.
Implementation of new technology such as broadband over power lines.
GFN mail server failures. Members cannot reliably send messages to Comcast, Yahoo, AOL and Charter subscribers.
Increasing operating costs. About $1500 a month has been moved from the ELGA savings account to pay bills.
Lack of additional volunteers to help run GFN. With more office volunteers office manager Janet Craig could spend morning hours maintaining the office.
Determine what GFN's market is.
Need an event to obtain media coverage.
Opportunities:
Canvas senior citizen centers for new members.
Improve GFN services. Expand to Web site hosting.
Expand Web services to nonprofit organizations. Provide Web site hosting and friendly content management software for them to use to keep sites updated.
Become a statewide ISP.
Outsource GFN mail and Web services.
Eliminate co-location charges.
Target GFN ads to selected rural areas (Tuscola County.)
Relocate GFN office to downtown Flint to save on telephone costs and rent.
Determine what costs GFN can lower and what GFN needs to charge.
Possibly reduce consultant fees from $2000 to $1000 a month.
Scott Gifford suggested doing a pilot program with the Resource Center to develop Web site content manage protocols that then could be replicated and offered by GFN to other nonprofit organizations. Jerry Preston cautioned that any agreements made do not hold GFN liable for loss of data.
Estimated email service hosting cost would be about $400 a month for 1000 email accounts plus 40 cents per GFN email account. Twenty-four (24) hour maintenance would be supplied by the hosting service.
Larry Porn commented that GFN has about 500 paying members. If GFN does not attract volunteers it will cease to exist.
Suggestion was made to survey membership and ask why they use GFN (possible marketing project.)
Action Items:
Chad Cramer to set up a test account with Fusemail and determine how well Spam mail is eliminated.
Scott Gifford to visit Sectorlink to determine co-location possibility for the GFN Web server.
Find GFN office space elsewhere. GFN now pays $200 a month for rent at OTC.
Finances:
Dennis Cavanaugh, acting as treasurer, presented summary data from Internal Revenue Service Form 990-EZ for years 2005, 2006 and 2007.
For 2005 gross receipts were $55,987 and expenses were $57,851. Operating deficit of $1,864.
For 2006 gross receipts were $46,286 and expenses were $52,779. Operating deficit of $6,497.
For 2007 gross receipts were $39,828 and expenses were $46,007. Operating deficit of $6,179.
Vice Chair Report, Larry Porn:
Board Terms 2008 Election
Name Expiration Date Current Eligibility
Larry Porn 12/31/08
Scott Gifford 12/31/08
Opening 12/31/08
Opening 12/31/08
Opening 12/31/08
Sol Johnson 12/31/09
Dennis Cavanaugh 12/31/09
Les LeMieux 12/31/09
Opening 12/31/09
Opening 12/31/09
Chad Cramer 12/31/10
Janet Craig 12/31/10
Opening 12/31/10
Opening 12/31/10
Opening 12/31/10
There are fifteen (15) Board positions. Only about six (6) are active. The call for Board members was broadcast October 24, 2008.
The meeting adjourned at 8:27pm.
Next regular Board meeting:
Thursday, December 11, 2008, 5:00pm to 6:30pm, at the Flint Area Visitors and Convention Bureau, 502 Church Street.
Respectfully submitted,
Solomon T Johnson, Secretary
