Director Race asked for further information as to the meaning of the following sentence and kind of information that may be sought:

""The belief that the SM’s should be called for their input prior to the July meeting was discussed. This should satisfy the notification and input solicitation issue.""

The intent was to confirm that prior to the July BoD meeting the SM’s would have a means to evaluate the Section News Web Page, comment on how the page could be improved, and make suggestions prior to the July meeting. This is simply an effort to follow through with the resolution passed in January which provides in part:

“WHEREAS, deferring the decision to relocate QST content will afford an opportunity to better understand the effect of such an action and investigate how best to provide this information and expanded content to members while being mindful of our fiscal responsibilities; and

WHEREAS, deferring the decision to relocate Section News and Contest Result line scores will afford an opportunity to evaluate variations and alternatives to the proposal.”

George also asked whether “….we should expect another ‘fire storm’ like was started just prior to the January meeting?” One gauge as to whether a firestorm is likely would be the extent of concern expressed by members in the past four or five months. If the level of concern that I have heard is any indication, I don’t think so. Does that mean every one of the 71 Section Managers will embrace the idea with warmth and enthusiasm? Probably not. I understand a few SM’s have asked member to write their Directors and express their concern. I haven’t received any of those letters.

The feed back received suggests to me a substantial majority of the Section Managers see the web presence and section level electronic bulletins as a significant improvement in their ability to communicate and interact with the field organization in a timely manner.

We are continuing to work on a means to make sure that those truly interested members without email capability have access to the level of Section News they now receive.

The short answer to George’s question is that the quoted sentences were intended to follow through on the resolution adopted at item 41 of the January BoD minutes.

As Director Maxwell has noted the content of the Section Web Page is not hampered with the space limitations of the current printed version in QST. In fact the SM has carte blanche so far as the Section Web Page is concerned. The content of a Section web Page is limited only by the time and imagination of the SM.

Originally it was proposed that a member without access to the web could request a monthly postcard with the “Section News” As noted in the minutes that may not be possible because SM’s are including so much more on their Section Web Pages that the content would not fit on a postcard. I fail to see where that is a bad turn of events. It does present us with a challenge as to how to get the information to an interested member without web access, but that is still being worked on. One possible approach is to ask the SM to pare down the information to a few paragraphs for those without web access and that could then be sent to them through Headquarters.

Jim notes a portion of the minutes state: "The belief that the SM's should be called for their input prior to the July meeting was discussed." He then asks “ What's being proposed here?” The simple answer is nothing is being proposed, the minute simply refers to the fact a discussion took place about the need to assure that we have made a real effort to obtain input from the SM’s as set forth in the Resolution adopted as item 41 at the January BoD Meeting (See above)

The phrase "This should satisfy the notification and input solicitation issue” was intended to recognize that any such effort should comply with the intent of the January Resolution.

Jim also noted “Discussing the ‘value for the money’ concept with the SM group should help." The phrase simply reflects a belief that once capabilities of the Section Web Page was shown to SM’s they would likely agree it provides substantially more information to the members in a timely, meaningful and more effective fashion than printed Section News. In essence it provides a lot more bang for the buck.

The simple fact is as of this date no SM has refused to have a Section Web Page and no SM will have less space on the Section Web page than they currently have in QST. Whether they choose use the additional capability is a matter of choice.

A real effort was made to provide the full BoD with more extensive A&F minutes than were available in the past. While the initial response was not exactly what we had hoped for, we shall continue in the belief that while our syntax may occasionally be fuzzy, our hearts are always pure.

73,

Jay, KØQB