Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
October 8, 2009

Attending:

• Richard Connolly
• Terry Dalton
• Bernie Hart
• Michael Marshall
• Kent Murray
• Johnathan Thibodeau
• Alan Turner
• Jeff Warnica
• Andrew D. Wright

Regrets:

• Marilyn MacDonald
• Mary Rigby
• Joe Thomas

Minutes of last meeting

INTRODUCTION: Of new Board member, Terry Dalton, well known to Chebucto Community Net as the Chair of ACORN-NS, of which CCN is a member, which among other things, runs the Nova Scotia portion of the Internet backbone.

MINUTES: Of last meeting, Mary having circulated the September 10th Board meeting minutes online on October 2nd, they were approved as circulated on a motion by Alan and seconded by Jeff.

Committee Reports

Financial Report

Alan submitted a written report, showing that income was close to last year, CCN is in deficit but less than predicted.

The most significant change was that Johnathan had a new job at Dal.

Discussion that followed was over whether we should now pay Andrew a full salary but more hours - Andrew opposed to this - would merely worsen our deficit position drastically by next year's AGM. He felt an aggressive campaign of fundraising should be explored instead.

Discussion of last CCN pay cheque for Johnathan to bridge him until his first Dal pay cheque.

Technical Report

Andrew said his time had been focused on the survey of our members regarding their use of Chebucto and the internet - it had come in with a good rate of return, indicating that members are still keenly interested and committed to keeping our "access-for-all" IP service going into its second decade.

Answers back were much what we expected, but in addition that many high income members were still on dial-up; the digital divide not just being financial but also of lack of knowledge and confidence about going into the newer areas of the internet world.

A new problem had come up - Hotmail declining to take Chebucto emails via our Eastlink service.

Corner Store

Discussion on whether an online method of signing the membership set of conditions would be do-able, in addition to our traditional printing out and mailing in (or hand delivering) of the form.

Joe Howe Manor

Johnathan and Jeff felt to fiber optically set up Joe Howe would be $60,000 and $600 a month for Aliant ( ballpark figures) - we really need Fenwick's height for best line of sight to Joe Hall - other, lower, apartment towers not as good.

Templeton Agreement

City Hall

Discussion on how many HRM council members were known personally by CCN board members - how to indicate that in each and every district, 1 out of 4 of their constituents don't have home access to internet.

Town Hall

Andrew mentioned that CBC Radio would tape the entire Town Hall and rebroadcast portion in the following week on Maritime Noon show and feature a phone discussion of digital divide and privacy.

Terry indicated ACORN would pay for Herald ad on Town Hall. Andrew said it was hoped the Herald would run a story on CCN's 15 years before Town Hall.

Michael was worried about turnout and asked that Bernie send out a strong email appeal to all CCN members indicating outcome of this meeting could be crucial to CCN future and asking members to come out in good numbers.

On motion Michael and Jeff, this was agreed to.

Survey

But key fact remains, Halifax is falling badly behind where it was 15 years ago. One fifth of paid up individual members responded to date. Three indicated they are under 45. 55% were 56 to 70. 13% were 70 plus. 40% use text only, 60% use chebucto plus graphics.

The number of well-to-do members on dial-up really is marked - combining with their age, suggests a public adult education role for CCN, with government funding support.

Other business

Next meeting