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HAL-PC Board of Directors

September 24, 2009

Unapproved minutes of the September 24, 2009 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 September 24, 2009
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Houston Area League of PC Users, Inc.
4543 Post Oak Place
Houston, Texas 77027

ATTENDEES (20):

Officers:
John Furby, President
Rick Archibald, First Vice President (SIGs)
Robert Stewart, Vice President Programs
Allan Holtzmann, Vice President Communications (absent)
Annette Story, Recording Secretary
Membership Secretary
George Vaughn, Treasurer

Directors:
Chris Read, Executive Committee
Jim Ward, Executive Committee
Greg Brewer, Director (absent)
Kelly Brown, Director
Mark E Crain, Director
T. Norman Crook, Director
Al Greene Director (absent)
Robert Gunn, Director
Kojo Idrissa, Director
Michael J. Lempel, Director
Jerald Linsley, Director
Mary Ann Mitscherling, Director
John Molson, Director
Robert Spotswood, Director
Jim Story, Director
Russell Vesey, Director

3 HAL-PC members

I.The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM, John Furby presiding.

II.Motion to approve the minutes for the regular meeting held on August 27, 2009, was made by John Molson. A second was made by Jim Story and the motion passed.

III.Reports:

President, John Furby

  1. The President thanked Russ Vesey for the nametags [for the Board Members].
  2. The President stated that new bankcards were to be issued to replace current ones.
  3. The updated Committee List was sent by email to the Board members.

First Vice-President, Rick Archibald

  1. First Vice President, Rick Archibald, apologized that he didn't have handouts. The networked printer did not work.
  2. Rick Archibald reported that 64 SIG meetings were held last month, 594 signatures, 53 visitors, 44 members can't remember their member number.
  3. Membership was 1 member less, with emails up by 15.
  4. Rick Archibald asked for a volunteer very knowledgeable of Ebay to sell some HAL-PC equipment and supplies.

Vice President Programs, Robert Stewart

  1. Robert Stewart reported on HAL-PC plans at Tech Fest at the University of Houston on September 26, 2009. There are 1500 registered attendees. This is an opportunity to present HAL-PC to people who haven't heard of us.
  2. HAL-PC is having a raffle there with a paid HAL-PC membership donated by Allan Holtzmann, Office Ultimate 2007 donated by Robert Stewart, pair of speakers donated by Chris Read.

Treasurer, George Vaughn

  1. George Vaughn stated that the books were closed on May 31, 2009. The months of August and September are not closed.
  2. HAL-PC has $50,000 in cash; it should be $330,000. The difference is prepayments: membership is over a year and HALNet subscriptions 3 months in advance.
  3. HAL with the cut in expenses accomplished by the end of August we should be able to stabilize the $70,000 to $72,000 per month. We need a resolution of the renegotiation of the lease agreement but we may be cash positive in a month or 2.

Real Estate Committee Chair, Jim Ward

  1. Jim Ward said that there had been a miscommunication with the landlord. The last information they wanted was delivered but Jim's contact, Dorothy McDonald is out of town until Monday when Jim will contact her.

IV.New Business

  1. A motion was made by Greg Brewer to accept Pete Jamison's written resignation that had been turned into John Furby on September 15, 2009. The motion was seconded by Rick Archibald and passed.
  2. After interest was expressed in electing a Board Member to fill the position vacated by Pete Jamison. A motion was made and seconded to elect a new Board Member. Will Beazley talked about himself and his interest in being a Board Member. Rick Archibald and Russ Vesey talked about Sibley Cooley, who was not present but who had expressed an interest
    in running for the Board. Annette Story expressed the opinion that we should have the opportunity to hear Sibley speak for himself.
    Norman Crook moved that we table the motion until the next Board of Directors Meeting. Jim Story seconded the motion. After a few comments, the question was called. The vote in favor of tabling the motion was 8 to 10 opposed to tabling. The motion failed.
  3. Jim Ward nominated and Robert Stewart seconded the nomination of Will Beazley as a Board candidate.
    Jim Story nominated and Russ Vesey seconded the nomination of Sibley Cooley as a Board candidate. John Molson moved that the nominations close. Robert Stewart seconded the motion that passed.
    13 voted for Will Beasley and 5 voted for Sibley so Will was elected a Board member. After filling out and signing the conflict of interest form, Will was seated as a member of HAL-PC's Board of Directors.
  4. George Vaughn made the motion to authorize the President to execute an agreement to purchase HALNet bandwidth from The Aldridge Company (TOC). The motion was seconded and discussion began.
  5. Rick Archibald was called upon to give a capsulated explanation of the proposed agreement with TOC. Rick said that the total cost to HAL to currently get the bandwidth is between $12,600 and $13,170. Robert Gunn disagreed with the figures. After a time, Chris Reed suggested that Rick make his presentation and then Robert Gunn bring up his rebuttal. Rick Archibald started and Robert Gunn considerably expanded a representation of the HALNet system on the white board. Questions/answers continued.
    Robert Stewart suggested that the Board needed to see a side-by-side comparison of the current system of delivery and the changed system with costs included. The consensus was that the information such as a comparison drawing and also costs be emailed to all Board Members.
  6. A motion was made, seconded, and passed that the "motion to authorize the President to execute an agreement to purchase HALNet bandwidth from The Aldridge Company" be postponed definitely until a special Board meeting on October 8, 2009. The emailed information will be done in time to give Board members to ask questions and make suggestions online and be able to read it before the meeting on October 8.

V.Old Business

The regular Board Meeting was set for October 22, 2009, at 7:00 p.m.

VI.Jim Ward moved to adjourn at 8:50pm. Motion was seconded and passed.

Annette Story
HAL-PC Recording Secretary