The meeting was called to order at 7.05 p.m. with Chris Cope as Chair and Sandy Campbell as Secretary.
Minute-Taker: Sheila Alder (bw306)
Board members present:
David Millman (aa342), Treasurer
Graeme Beckett (aw958)
Sandy Campbell (dt820), Secretary
Christopher Cope (bz787), President/chair
Gary Eikenberry (aa353)
Catherine Wenuk (ep584), 2nd Vice-President
Mark Mielke (al278)
Regrets:
John Wenuk (ep585)
John Peterson (af186)
NCF Staff/Management present:
Ian MacEachern (bi207), Executive Director
Sheila Alder (bw306), Office Manager
NCF members present:
None
Guests:
Ying Ying, Journalism student, Carleton University
Motion: That minutes be approved with two minor clarifying amendments.
Moved by: Sandy Campbell
Seconded by: Gary Eikenberry
VOTE: All in favor (Graeme Beckett and Chris Cope abstained)
Additions - none
Deletions - none
(none)
David Millman reported that we were almost right on budget for member donations in September, but expenses exceeded revenue, resulting in a $15K drop in bank balance.
MOTION: That the report be adopted as presented.
Moved by: Sandy Campbell
Seconded by: Graeme Beckett
VOTE: All in favor
Executive Director Ian MacEachern discussed and elaborated points in his monthly report. There are some intractable technical problems and difficult negotiations are going on in several areas, but he was confident that we are slowly getting NCF's house in order. He expects to have good news soon on one of the Webmail projects, and on the Extended Access and Thin Client projects. He continues to work with the Executive Committee on development of his overall strategic plan for 2002; a final document might be ready for discussion at the November Board meeting.
He agreed to pursue a suggestion from Gary Eikenberry that an effort be made to streamline the online renewal/donation system, without waiting for development of the new database.
Motion: That the report be accepted as presented.
Moved by: Sandy Campbell
Seconded by: David Millman
VOTE: All in favor.
President Chris Cope made an oral report on the Executive Committee meeting October 8, which involved much of the material presented tonight by the Executive Director.
Seline Herz-Fischler announced her resignation from the Executive Committee and Board, leading to a discussion about Board vacancies and the decision that the issue was properly a matter for discussion by the whole Board.
Ian presented his draft strategy as a "talking" document. He will now move to stage two of the plan which will include leadership, finances, and "getting down to brass tacks" about what has to be done for 2002. It was agreed he will present the final document to the Executive Committee, then to the board, then to membership.
Motion: That the report be accepted as presented.
Moved by: Sandy Campbell
Seconded by: Graeme Beckett
VOTE: All in favor.
Two directors have resigned and a third may soon have to leave the Board because of personal commitments, leaving eight remaining Directors. It was decided to postpone a decision on what action should be taken to the November meeting.
Motion: That the Executive Director prepare a recommendation for the next meeting on the makeup of the Board.
Moved by: Sandy Campbell
Seconded by: Gary Eikenberry
VOTE: All in favor.
Sandy Campbell expressed personal regret that Seline has left the Board; her contribution will be missed.
Motion: On behalf of all NCF members, the board thanks Seline for her service on the Board of Directors
Moved by: Sandy Campbell
Seconded by: Cathy Wenuk
VOTE: All in favor (enthusiastically)
President Chris Cope announced that today's (October 16) Ottawa Citizen published a "High Tech" advertising supplement in which NCF is prominently featured. He said he regretted that the Citizen writer had failed to mention that NCF has an Executive Director, on whom the Board has conferred complete operational authority and responsibility.
Sandy Campbell said he had at first been "delighted" to see the prominent exposure of NCF in the morning newspaper, then "astounded and dismayed" that there was absolutely no mention of Executive Director Ian MacEachern throughout the voluminous coverage. He said a rare opportunity to raise the ED's profile in the community and to emphasize the struggle to move to a businesslike hands-off "governance" Board of Directors had been missed, as well as an opportunity to "market" NCF on the coattails of the publicity-- to increase membership and donations.
ED MacEachern said he has been working with Rob Southcott of CBC Radio on a two-part series looking at FreeNet and the social aspects of community networking. He will notify the Board and membership when the air dates are confirmed.
November 20, 2001 at 7pm
Site is tentatively the City Hall at 111 Lisgar but the meeting room is not guaranteed at the City Hall due to committee meetings; the synagogue is not available; Sheila will ask Mike Mason if The Olde Forge is available.
The meeting adjourned at 9:12pm.