NCF Board of Directors
Minutes of Meeting
October 15, 2002

SOME HIGHLIGHTS

• Welcome to new ED John Selwyn
• Thanks to departing ED Ian MacEachern
• Continuing concern about billings/receivables
• ED/Board will re-examine FreeNet's 'niche' in community

Minutes of a meeting of the Board of Directors

The meeting was called to order at 7.08 p.m.
with Chris Cope as Chair and Sandy Campbell as Secretary.

1. INTRODUCTIONS

   Board members present:
   Christopher Cope (bz787), President/chair
   Gary Eikenberry (aa353), 1st Vice-President
   Andrea Holland (es170), 2nd Vice-President
   Sandy Campbell (dt820), Secretary
   Mark Mielke (al278)
   Graeme Beckett (aw958)
   Michael Williamson (em324)
   Don Francis (ba990)

   Regrets:
   Gibby Armstrong (et091), Treasurer
   Mary Anne Dugmore (er983)
   John Wenuk (ep585)

   NCF Management/Staff present:
   John Selwyn (es347 Executive Director
   Sheila Alder (bw306) , Office Manager
   Andre Dalle (al178), System Administrator
   Glenn Jackman (es087), System Administrator

   Guests: There were no guests at the meeting.

   Once around the table . . .
   Informal pre-meeting conversation, with Directors taking turn offering personal views and commentary on interesting things that might not make it to the Agenda. (This was moved down the Agenda and rolled into item "a" under New Business.)

2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
   Last regular Board meeting (see minutes of prior month)

   MOTION: That minutes be approved as published.
   Moved by: Sandy Campbell
   Seconded by: Andrea Holland
   VOTE: All in favor (one abstention)

3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES Of Special Meeting October 11, 2002
   (see minutes of special meeting)

   MOTION: That minutes be approved as published.
   Moved by Sandy Campbell
   Seconded by: Andrea Holland
   VOTE: All in favor (one abstention)

4. REVIEW OF THE AGENDA
   (see draft agenda)

   MOTION: That the agenda be adopted as published, with addition of reports by Sheila Alder as item "e" under New Business.

   
   Moved by: Sandy Campbell
   Seconded by: Gary Eikenberry
   VOTE: All in favor
5. ONGOING BUSINESS
   There were no items under Ongoing Business
6. REPORTS
   1. Treasurer's Report (Gibby Armstrong)
      (see accompanying report and financial statements for prior month)

      Treasurer Gibby Armstrong was out of town on business and unable to attend meeting. Her report reminded the Board again of the wisdom of striving to receive cash in advance of expenditures on projects to "stay out of an out-of-pocket situation. Actual revenue for both renewals and new registrations again came in under budget for the period.

      Director Gary Eikenberry repeated his concern that all eligible charges of staff-time against projects be kept up to date. President Chris Cope echoed the concerns about allocation of staff time and expenses, duration the contracts, and dates for 'launches.'

      MOTION: That the Treasurer's Report be accepted as presented.
      Moved by: Don Francis
      Seconded by: Gary Eikenberry
      VOTE: All in favor

7. NEW BUSINESS
   1. 
      
   2. Thanks to departing ED Ian MacEachern

      Graeme Beckett, who suggested motion, had not yet arrived at meeting. It was moved up the Agenda to accomodate Ian who had 'dropped in' to meeting.

      MOTION: That the Board thank Ian MacEachern for his diligence and dedication as Executive Director of NCF during a difficult period and its appreciation for the fact that he leaves FreeNet in far better condition than he found it.

      
      Moved by: Sandy Campbell
      Seconded by: Andrea Holland
      VOTE: All in favor (made unanimous by the vote of the Chair and all staff, accompanied by a round of applause.)
   3. Presentation by new Executive Director John Selwyn

      Meeting the full Board, at the end of a packed first day on the job as Executive Director, John provided a personal biographical sketch: Carleton U. graduate 1982; software designer for Gandalf; worked for Datacraft(NZ) Ltd. as Manager, New Zealand Software Development Group; Domus Software Ltd., Ottawa, software engineer/systems architect; founder, president and CEO of CrossKeys Systems Corporation in Ottawa.
      He outlined his initial thoughts and ideas on how NCF might carve out its 'niche' in the local cybercommunity, including a safe environment for children and youth, and as an umbrella 'enabling vehicle' for many community organizations, on the model of the United Appeal. He would seek the advice and guidance of all Directors on refining and defining the FreeNet 'mission.'

      The Chair applied the "Once around the table . . ." procedure to allow Directors to introduce themselves to the new ED, offering their own biographical information and personal views of NCF, and answering his questions.

   4. New banking resolution

      MOTION: That the signing officers for NCF be the President, Executive Director, Treasurer, and Director Mark Mielke.

      
      Moved by: Gary Eikenberry
      Seconded by: Don Francis
      VOTE: All in favor
   5. Motion to discuss NCF's 'vision' and priorities with new ED

      Graeme Beckettt, sponsor of the motion, agreed to table the motion for discussion at the November Board meeting.

   6. September statistics and new French-language pages(Sheila Alder)

      Office Manager Sheila Alder presented detailed membership statistics normally included in the monthly ED Report. She also reported updating work on French-language website (five new pages up and two more nearing completion) by volunteers Robert Rattey, Julie Quan, Jacques Smaggue, Jean-Francois Messier, and Charlene Cormier.

8. Announcements

   There were no announcements.

9. NEXT MEETING

   November 19, 2002 at 7 p.m.
   Festival Boardroom, Ottawa City Hall
   111 Lisgar street, Ottawa

10. ADJOURNMENT

    The meeting adjourned at 9.32 p.m.