Minutes
Board Meeting
December 9, 2010

The meeting was called to order via email on December 9, 2010. Those attending: Roger, (chairing President), Gerard, Steve, Mary, and Nancy.

Agenda Item 1. USB vs CD Production - Discussion and Approval

 

- Roger states that only 150 booklets remain and 21 CD's, proposes USB. Steve questions the cost increase. Mary and Steve and Gerard question the necessity of the switch. The old format still works.
- Roger quote $6.50 each for 100 USB drives. $4.65 each for 100 if not labeled. Price would go up from $4.10 for CD to perhaps $7.50 per USB, to the public. Roger provides new CD quote: 500 CDs at $1.19 each, $595 for each format (PDF and html) total of $1190 plus shipping. Roger mentioned that CD duplication equipment cost $600-700, a break-even purchase after 500 CD's. Roger state that he can lable USB units, as he has also done that for CDs on occasion, so a trial USB production could be done.
- Steve MOVES to look for New Years Day sales to reduce inventory. USB sticks for $1 each. Nancy seconds Steve's motion about $1 USB on Boxing Day sales. Steve points out that securing Boxing Day USB for $1 each requires someone in Canada to be available to go to stores, and he will be unavailable.
- Roger calls for a vote "On the motion to cease CD mass-duplication--please indicate your affirmative or negative vote". The vote is unanimous against another round of mass production. Duplication will proceed on an individual one-at-a-time basis or cease.
- Roger calls for a vote "On the motion to obtain a sizable quantity of USB drives (1 Gb minimum) at about $1 each on Boxing Day in Canada--please indicate your affirmative or negative vote". The vote is unanimous against getting into USB production.

 

Agenda Item 2. Booklet Rewrite – Discussion and Approval

- Mary MOVES to just upgrading the booklet and forgetting the electronic distribution. Steve agrees, second the motion. Nancy also seconds. Nancy asks if Mary would like to draft the new booklet, as this would be an effort and need a volunteer. Steve points out that a rewrite of the booklet may not be done in time, given the Earth changes. Roger suggests getting Helena and Tian involved in booklet rewriting and USB purchase. Nancy states she has not been in contact with either, in years.
- Roger calls for a vote "On the motion to initiate a revision of the booklet including a re-compilation to include more of the online content--please indicate your affirmative or negative vote". The vote is 3 to 4 against rewriting the booklet, with Nancy, Steve, Mary against, Gerard for.

Agenda Item 3. Retiring Unix PCs and Hydroponic/Aquaponic Equipment - Discussion and Approval

 

- Nancy points out that the value of the two Unix PC's is likely zero. The parts list at purchase shows that is is not sufficient to run today's applications, and per the builder could only run an email program. Today's applications require 7 GIG of memory, this has 512 MB, for instance. The entire internals would have to be replaced, including the power supply. They might be able to be used for parts by someone who repairs older PC's, else junked.
- Steve MOVES that the PC's be retired. Nancy SECONDS.Roger calls a vote The vote is unanimous to retire the PC as without vaule.
- Nancy states she could not give the hydroponic/aquaponic equipment away. The University of Wisconsin at first accepted and then stated the could not house it, the Dean declining. Nancy then contacted Simply Fresh, a hydroponic/aquaponic business in her township, to see if they would be interested in anyway with this equipment, implying it would be a gift. They did not respond to her email. Because this is bulky equipment, and a decade old, it is considered non-saleable.
- Roger offers to take the hydroponic/acquaponic equipment. Nancy MOVES to allow Roger to have the hydroponic/aquaponic equipment. Steve SECOND's the motion to move the equipment to Roger. Roger calls for a vote "On the motion to transfer the hydroponics equipment to Kansas (with possible further consideration of the transfer method) - please indicate your affirmative or negative vote". The motion passes unanimously.

- Nancy MOVES to retire the hydroponic/aquaponic equipment for $1 as a sale price. Steve SECONDS the MOTION. Roger calls for a vote. The motion passed unanimously.

 

Agenda Item 4. Torrent and Mirror Site - Announcement

 

- Nancy announces TT mirror sites in Europe, Argentina, India, New Zealand, and S Africa., and that the Troubled Times information is being made available to the public as a torrent, now.
- Roger notes a decision on when to stop making CD's by hand is pending. Nancy notes as he is the one doing this, he should decide.

 

Agenda Item 5. Funds and Possible Dissolution - Discussion and Approval

 

- Roger notes that money is tight. PayPal is $300 or so. Nancy cites the checking account at $576.93. Contemplating large purchases is unrealistic.
- Nancy points out that the nonprofit costs $487/year to operate and there is less than $900 left all told. Donations are not happening, and without them the nonprofit will likely be bankrupt by the end of 2011.

 

Agenda Item 6. Adjournment

 

- A motion THAT the meeting adjourn was made by Nancy.
- The meeting was adjourned on December 27, 2010 with no objections from the board members.