HAL-PC Board of Directors

Unapproved minutes of the June 24, 2010 regular Board of Directors Meeting.
Any corrections, changes, additions to these minutes will be provided following approval of the minutes by the Board.

HOUSTON AREA LEAGUE OF PC USERS
MINUTES OF June 24, 2010
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Houston Area League of PC Users, Inc.
4543 Post Oak Place
Houston, Texas 77027

ATTENDEES (15):

Officers:
John Furby, President
Rick Archibald, First Vice President (SIGs)
Sibley Cooley, Vice President Programs
Robert Spotswood, Vice President Communications
Annette Story, Recording Secretary
(vacant) Membership Secretary
(vacant) Treasurer

Directors:
(vacant) Executive Committee
Jim Ward, Executive Committee
Greg Brewer, Director
Bill Budell, Director
D J Brown, Director
Marco Ferrufino, Director
Meredith Foster, Director (absent)
Kojo Idrissa, Director
Jay Kraker, Director
Jerald Linsley, Director
Claudia Ludwig, Director
Mary Ann Mitscherling, Director
John Molson, Director (absent)
Charles Olsen, Director
Kevin Peck, Director
Bernard Silverman, Director
Jim Story, Director
Mike Wilson, Director (absent)

1 HAL-PC member

I. The meeting was called to order at 7:02pm, John Furby presiding.
Newly elected Board Members filled out "Conflict of Interest Statement" and "Write-In Candidate Acceptance Statement for Annual Election of June 19, 2010," when applicable.

II. Motion to approve the minutes with corrections as noted of the regular meeting held on May 27, 2010 was made by Jim Story, seconded by Jerald Linsley, and passed.

III.Reports

President, John Furby

John Furby announced that Carla Cawlfield, Election Committee Chair, had to cancel her reporting the June 19, 2010, election results.
John stated that the Board has not received confirmation of some of the Write-in Board Members concerning acceptance of the position so we should consider having the election of officers at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
The contract with The Aldridge Company was signed as authorized 2 meetings ago. They have been given access to the HAL suite and did some midnight communication upgrades to equipment. John will be working with them and hopefully the "move" will be done by the end of July. AT&T lines coming in will stay where they are and will be reconnected at the Aldridge center. HAL-PC will be able to vacate the server space with everything at Aldridge.
A notice will be posted on the HAL-PC Website that we are in a move to faster upgraded equipment.
We are getting a lot of slow Web mail and complaints and our slow Webmail problem is coming from Zaire, Korea, and Montenegro (part of Yugoslavia). On the new equipment if that is a problem, it will take about 30 seconds to fix.
We had a Postini test. Some people refused to put Positini on. The Board made the decision it would be free for 30 days and then we would start billing. We posted on the HAL-PC Website that it would be free for 30 days.
We standardized HALNet charges. We found some accounts that were not being billed.
With the move to Aldridge we will eventually turn into financial stability.
The landlord issue is still there. John is hoping we can continue to postpone until after the Aldridge move.
Information on the three levels of HALNet is not yet on the Website.
HAL is still negotiating with AT&T.
The tone of callers is slowly changing. There are not as many "angry" calls.
Several people have come in to look at old furniture and equipment and given estimates from $0 to suggestions of what is junk and what to possibly salvage.
James McElravy, CPA, came in to look at our books last week. He will talk later about 990's.

First Vice President (SIGs), Rick Archibald

Rick Archibald stated that the statistics for June 1 showed HAL lost only 6 members during May, 15 was the loss in DSL, 18 the loss in dialup, and 55 loss for email only. Rick wants to check about the email only figure. Rick is still having problems with the color printer. He will be glad to email the stat report after he checks about the email only figure.
As for money, Rick stated that he watches deposits and moves money to checking. June deposits are above expectations.
With PacWest going out of the regional and statewide TECA business, HAL smoothly pointed people to numbers supplied by IKANO, who has supplied our national numbers. We should see perhaps $200 dollars in savings.
There are 2 new SIGS. The Game SIG has restarted with a once a month Friday meeting with Marco Ferrufino, a new Board member, as the SIG leader. The other SIG is the SAP Users Group with Carla Fair-Wright as SIG leader. [applause] A discussion about SIG's and the SIG calendar began with questions about the existence of the Access--Beginning SIG and the Saturday Stock Market SIG which should no longer be on the SIG Calendar. Rick and Meredith Foster, Webmaster, are working to address this. It was suggested that perhaps, for now, a current list could be placed in the Front Desk "Book" that Sue Ostlund is updating.
Rick asked for a volunteer to help him keep track of the SIGS.

Vice President Programs, Sibley Cooley

Sibley Coolley reports that there was a speaker here for our elections, as is traditional. Our speaker was Charles Strat who has unique profiles in that he is an authority on building secure communications, particulary with computers. He was responsible for the Joints Chiefs of Staff Secure Command Center in Omaha, Nebraska. It was about $80 million worth of constuction and 19 months to do it. Because of the change from centralized to non-centralized approach, he is now in charge of the Joints Chief of Staff building in San Antonio. In fact, he has job openings. His "off the cuff" presentation was "Cyber Wars." Those who attended the meeting were highly impressed. Strat talked about the frequency of our being under attach in this country with potntial of absolutely destroying us through Cyber Wars. He said that we have tools ourselves.
Sibley said that if we wanted other speakers just let him know and he would invite others. A question was asked as to whether we might be able to get him to speak again. Sibley said yes.

Vice President Communications, Robert Spotswood

Robert Spotswood reported that the most interesting thing that has happened was the signing of the Aldridge contract which will affect the server room and DSL operations greatly.
Because of the vote 2 meetings ago to do a change in DSL pricing. The first change we are going to do is everyone that was on the special (1995) that was only supposed to be good for 1 year but never got changed is being bumped up to the AT&T special rate of $24.95. "I have talked to the office staff and we are going to do about 30 people per month as a switch over." That way there would not be an undue burden on the Office staff, because a lot has to be changed by hand--things are not automated. The first run of 30 has been completed. No cancellations as a result. Round 2 is beginning.
Jim Story asked a question about Front Desk volunteers discounts for DSL rates. Jim had been asked by volunteers who had been receiving a $5 discount. Rick suggested that we talk about it outside of the Board and bring a recommendation. Robert Spotswood stated that list of subscribers that the office has does not identify volunteers. The discussion included the subject of the news server (UseNet). Work was done by Doug Kneupper, Mike Wilson, and others.

IV. New Business

John Furby welcomed newly elected Board Members.

Motion 1 to hold Elections for HAL-PC Officers
John Furby asked for a motion to delay the election based on the late notice of the election and not knowing if you wanted to serve or not. Jim Story moved to pospone the elction of the officers until the next regularly scheduled meeting. It was seconded by Rick Archibald. Discussion ensued. Question was called and the motion passed. Rick Archibald moved to also delay the election of the two Directors to serve on the Executive Committee. Annette Story seconded and after discussion the question was called. The motion passed. All Board Members then introduced themselves and said a few words.
Rick Archibald suggested that an informal meeting of Board Members be started on July 10 over lunch. After discussion Annette said she would send a notice to all Board Members about the proposed meeting.

James McElravy, CPA, was introduced to present his proposal (bid) for filing 990's for HAL-PC. He stated he has 25 years experience in accounting work. He explained the requirement for non-profit organizations to file 990's. No 990's or 990T's have been filed by HAL-PC since tax year 2005 or 2006. He came last week and worked with John Furby to look at our paper files and Quick Book files. He feels he can do the job by the October/November deadline for an escrow payment of $2000 to start with a maximum probably being $10,000. After the presentation and discussion, Greg Brewer made to the motion that we accept McElray's bid and John Furby negotiate the details. Kevin Peck seconded and the question called. Motion passed.

Motion 3 to address, at John Furby's request, what to do concerning the Postini test. A 30-day free Postini test where most users had the Postini service added for free (a few refused to have it added). A notice was posted on the HAL-PC Website. This test was discussed. The test was not, as was planned, for all users. The Office personnel was asked to send bills by email for those that now have Postitni. They may call in and opt out of the service. Sibley moved that we accept the proposal as it is and if anybody requests to be removed after receiving the bills. Jim Story seconded the motion. After the question was called the motion passed.

Sibley moved to adjourn and Jim Ward seconded. The motion passed.

Next regular Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for July 22, 2010.

Annette Story
HAL-PC Recording Secretary