Telecommunities Canada AGM 1996


Edmonton, Alberta, GMCC
August 17 and 20, 1996

Board Members Present:
Garth Graham
Andre Laurendeau
Lisa Donnelly
Gareth Shearman
Jon Hall
Board Member Regrets:
Michael Gillespie
Roger Hart
Voting Delegates Present:
John Mueller - Calgary Free-Net (17th only)
Bernie Hart - Chebucto Community Network (17th only)
George Jendyk - NT-Town Committee - Onoway (17th only)
Jody Konynenbelt - Rocky Community Internet Access (17th only)
Mark Classen - Raven Net Comox Valley CIS (17th only)
Harry Adam - Lumby Community Internet Access (17th only)
Jon Hall - NWT FreeNet Association
Bev Connell - Niagara Peninsula Free-Net
David Trueman - Chebucto Community Network
David McDonald - Hamilton-Wentworth FreeNet
David Lott - Prince George Free-Net
Matt Brown - FVCIS (Valleynet - Fraser Valley)
John Grogan - Valemount Internet Society
Karen Botan - Blue Sky Community Networks of Manitoba
Lisa Donnelly - National Capital FreeNet
Daryle Niedermayer - Great Plains Free-Net
Keith Gross - Edmonton FreeNet
Andre Laurendeau - Libertel Montreal
Randy Dodge - St. Johns Infonet
Gary Shearman - Victoria Telecommunity
Neil K. Guy - Vancouver CommunityNet

The President sent his regrets because of illness in his family. Garth Graham took the chair. Board members were introduced. Welcoming comments were made by Andre Laurendeau, secretary of the board.

Reports of board activity were made by various board members:
Financial and other administrative matters - Lisa Donnelly
CAP Project - Jon Hall
International Relations/NPTN - Gareth Shearman
Agency Relations and Alliances - Garth Graham
Legal Issues - Andre Laurendeau

Several members have placed themselves in nomination for election to the board. They are Bernie Hart, Jon Hall and Gareth Shearman. Additional nominations were welcomed.

Moved that nominations from the floor be open until 5:00 p.m. on Monday. Andre Laurendeau/Lisa Donnelly - CARRIED

The meeting was adjourned until 9:00 a.m. on August 20, 1996.

Meeting reconvened at 9:05 a.m. on August 20 chaired by Garth Graham with 23 members present.

Agenda was distributed and additional items were listed. Agenda was accepted by consensus. Minutes of the 1995 AGM were distributed.

Motion to approve minutes Andre Laurendeau/Keith Gross. Requests were made that names in the minutes be fully spelt, that bracketed comment in relation to destroying of ballots be deleted and that incomplete items in the minutes were referred to the board for action. CARRIED.

A report of financial transactions was distributed. Lisa Donnelly commented on the statements and answered questions. Thanks were extended to Mae Shearman for providing book-keeping services.

Motion to approve the financial statements as presented. Andre Laurendeau/Karen Botan
Amendment that a formal statement of revenue and expense be prepared and attached to the records Matt Brown/Lisa Donnelly - CARRIED.
Motion to table Daryle Niedermayer/Keith Gross - DEFEATED
Motion to defer approval of financial statements until a future time during the meeting at the discretion of the chair so that proper statements and a review by a competent accountant could be completed - David McDonald/Keith Gross CARRIED.

Later in the meeting Karen Botan, a 5th level CGA, presented formal financial statements resulting from her review of the accounts. The document is attached.
Motion to move the previous amended motion to approve the financial statements Matt Brown/David Lott CARRIED

Motion to dispense with the naming of auditors for the current fiscal year. Andre Laurendeau/Gareth Shearman CARRIED

Election process was explained. Nominations were received by Ian Allen, Bernie Hart, Jon Hall, Gareth Shearman. Andre Laurendeau tendered his resignation after one year of his two year term for personal and professional reasons and thanked the members for their support. Each of the nominees made a brief statement of their qualifications and background. David Trueman spoke on behalf of Bernie Hart.
Motion that the nominated members be elected to two year terms by acclamation by Andre Laurendeau/Matt Brown CARRIED.

Motion of thanks to Andre Laurendeau and Roger Hart for their involvement in the board. David Trueman/Gareth Shearman CARRIED.

It was unanimously decided that considering the financial difficulties of the conference organizing committee that delegates would be requested to pay $10 for lunch and the remaining balance be invoiced to TC.

A written report of board activities was requested and will be distributed with the minutes.

Motion that all resolutions of the board of directors since the last AGM be confirmed. Andre Laurendeau/Lisa Donnelly CARRIED.

A number of issues were brought forward for discussion:

1. Charitable Status - the Supreme Court of Canada has given the Vancouver CommunityNet leave to appeal their refusal of Charitable Status from Revenue Canada. Andre encouraged members to lobby their local federal politicians asking them to prevent Revenue Canada from appealing the ruling. Request that a procedural guideline which would prevent errors in applications be prepared. Suggestion that a national foundation for community networks be created. Issues include savings on GST, vastly increased financial overhead and limited number of grants available for technical activity. Various members commented on local plans. The board will take the discussion under advisement and perhaps create a committee to deal with this issue.

2. Remote Login - Gareth Shearman commented on the possibility of providing remote login to home accounts for members travelling to communities which have an operational community network. David Trueman reported that the technical possibility will be added to future versions of Chebucto Suite. Questions were answered and a common format across the entire system was seen as desirable.

3. Membership Plan - Lisa Donnelly presented a detailed report. Membership fees of .5% of operating revenue were approved at the last AGM. A suggested minimum and maximum fee should be set. Membership benefits were listed. Board will reconsider the plan and provide a new implementation schedule. Provision for umbrella (i.e. provincial) organizations will be considered. Revisions will be posted to the web page for discussion and comment (with notification on the listserv) before being implemented.

Suggestion that a confidential listserv for administrators and fund raisers be created (i.e. tc-drones). Gareth Shearman undertook to maintain the TC home page and listservs. Suggestion that all members declare their membership in TC and provide a link to the TC home page on their local home page.

Motion that the membership plan be accepted in principle and implemented but that it be subject to formal acceptance at the AGM in 1997. Gareth Shearman/David Lott CARRIED with one opposed.

4. Electronic Public Space - Garth Graham presented a report of various interventions and submissions to public and government groups which illustrates TCs defense of the info highway public lane and electronic public space.

Motion that the TC Board continue their participation in the public space networking group as a matter of priority - Daryle Niedermayer/Gareth Shearman CARRIED.

5. Next Conferences - The next conference and AGM will be held in Halifax on August 15-18, 1997 and the Halifax delegation made an excellent presentation at the conference. The committee gave advance notice that they will be extremely financially conscious. It was suggested that TC take responsibility for costs of the AGM. There were a number of comments that indicated that the reasonable expectation for attendance is 150 attendees, that personal promotion is required and that CAP sites should continue to be invited.

6. World Conference 1998 - Plans are being advanced to host a world conference of Community Networks in conjunction with the 1998 TC Conference and AGM. Dates, timelines and site have not yet been decided. An international advisory group is being formed and interest was expressed at the Ties that Bind Conference in Taos. Garth is working with Infolink to create a business plan. A decision to proceed will NOT be made unless the funds are available for professional support and management.

7. Chebucto Suite Development - David Trueman made a short presentation indicating that funding is pending from Industry Canada for development of the Chebucto software suite. He considers this a collaborative effort and welcomes input from other sites. Some elements can be subcontracted to other community networks including documentation, French translation, minor programming and integration. If you have interest in contributing, contact David.

Concluding comments were made by Garth Graham.

Motion of thanks to Edmonton FreeNet for the excellent conference. Daryle Niedermayer/Matt Brown CARRIED

Motion to adjourn Matt Brown/ Andre Laurendeau CARRIED

Meeting ended at 12:15 p.m.

Income Statement
Revenue CAP		$22,000.00
Revenue Interest	$32.80
TOTAL REVENUE		$22032.80

Bank Charges		$28.83
Board Expense		$1865.25
TC95 Board Expense	$1523.44
CAP Expense		$13034.72
TOTAL EXPENSE		$16452.24

Net Income		$5580.56
Balance Sheet
Bank			$11645.56

Retained Earnings to Mar 31/95	$6065.00
Retained Earnings to Mar 31/96	$5580.56
TOTAL RETAINED EARNINGS		$11645.56
Note: The CAP Project provided a net income of $5694.53 to TC.


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