September 15, 2009

Davis Community Network Board of Directors Meeting
September 15, 2009
5:15  p.m.
City Computer Lab, A Street, Davis


Members Present (9): Jim Frame, Brian Gegan, Rick Guidara, Anne Hance, Russ Hobby, Jan Meizel, Steve McMahon, Kimball Sargeant, Bev Sykes,  (quorum = 8)

Members Absent (5): Tsui Chang, Robert Nickerson, Tom Stanionis, Vicki Suter, Richard Yamagata
Staff Present: Sheila Evans
Visitors:  Sarah Robinson

1. The meeting was called to order by chair Kimball Sargeant at 5:21 pm
2. The agenda was approved by consensus with no changes
3. There was no public comment

4. Approval of minutes:
    a) The minutes of the 06/16/09 regular board meeting were approved by consensus.
    b) The notes from 07/21/09 a regularly called meeting at which a quorum was not achieved and no business was conducted were approved and it was agreed that they should be posted to the website on a motion by Steve McMahon seconded by Jan Meizel and approved unanimously.
    c) There was no August board meeting.

5. Strategic Plan update (Kimball Sargeant)
    Kimball announced that Kari Peterson was out of town and so would present the updated plan at the October regular board meeting.

6. Presentations on Facebook and Google Friends Connect
    a) Bev Sykes and Sarah Robinson described the DCN Fan Facebook page and explained how they are suggesting that it be used to benefit DCN. Bev had set up the page several months ago and Sarah, in the capacity of a DCN volunteer intern had developed some guidelines for content as guided by board member Tsui Chang with input from others. It was agreed that the page should go public by next Monday and is to be in the charge of board member Bev Sykes assisted by volunteer Sarah Robinson.  Tsui Chang is expected to remain in the position of guidance counselor to the project.
    b) Steve McMahon demonstrated how the fan page can (and will) connect to the DCN website in both directions. The website will show a fan box that provides a few words of text, a link to the fan page and an invitation to become a fan.  The fan page has links to the DCN website.

7. Report - new marketing and fund-raising volunteer Alli Lathrope.
    Kimball Sargeant introduced Alli Lathrope (who was unable to attend the meeting) as a recent graduate from the UCD school of business with a serious interest in nonprofits.  Alli will work with Kimball, Kari and Sheila Evans to develop and undertake marketing and fundraising (including events) projects. The DCN executive committee will look into the potential benefits of one or two people attending a Center for Nonprofit Success Fundraising Summit in San Francisco (cost $45 per session) at the end of October.

8. New Board member recruiting follow-up
    Brian Gegan reported that he has been in conversation with the principal of the daVinci Academy who is interested in the possibility of a board position and yet-to-be-defined partnership that benefits both DCN and the daVinci students. It was pointed out that daVinci is now substantially separate from the DJUSD and so a board member liaison/connection with the DJUSD is still something to be sought.  The daVinci Principal will be invited to an executive committee meeting soon. Brian's nominations committee continues to look for interested board prospects.

9. Committee reports
    RAC:  Jan Meizel reported that applications continue to be submitted and that she is encouraging applicants to attend the DCN classes.  Jan confirmed that she should mention the Google/Facebook Connect possibility to those applicants who are asking for SimpleSites and have, or plan to have, Facebook fan pages.
    Web Team:  Steve McMahon reported that Omsoft has upgraded the Spoke server and will soon upgrade Wheel.  He also noted a huge increase in List traffic that is happening as school PTAs start to make contact with their parents.  A problem is occurring when parents who no longer want to receive the school PTA List messages are reporting them as SPAM thinking that this is a way of unsubscribing.  This results in DCN's email being blacklisted and so we need to inform the List managers of this and ask them to explain to their subscribers that reporting the messages as SPAM is not the way to unsubscribe.

10. Announcements  - none

11. The chair adjourned the meeting at 6:41 pm

Submitted by Anne Hance, Secretary

    NEXT BOARD MEETING: October 20, 2009