From Taclug

Date, Time, & Location

• Date: Saturday, June 17^th, 2006
• Time: 1:00pm to 5:00pm
• Location: Pacific Lutheran University

Agenda

Meet & Greet

• Time: 1:00p to 1:30p
• President: Unfortunately, Chuck was unable to attend the meeting, so basically introductions went the way of a Darwin Award Winner.
• Introductions - You know the drill...click if you don't.

Attendees

• Ron Boothe
• Jon Wickliffe
• Bob Holden
• Joel Carlson
• Wes Jennings
• Brian Lane - President KPLUG
• One other new person from Enumclaw...extremely sorry that we didn't record your name...let us know, please?

TACLUG Web Site

• Time: 2:00p to 4:00p
• Presented by: Bob Holden
• Some members think that the TACLUG Web Site is in dire need of repair/reoganization. Some services are now being administered by inactive or even non-members. Bob has volunteered to lead a committee of Admin's and coders in resurrecting the site, BUT, what the site is going to become depends on YOUR input. Do we leave things as they are because they're good enough, or do we revamp the site and take back control of our Domain?
• Results: Web committee is good idea, but perhaps the point is moot until the Board and Membership can get control back of our domain resources such as the domain name, DNS, Web Hosting, IRC, and Mailing Lists. Currently most of these services are being administered by non-members, and other non-members have administrative access. Past requests by the board members to gain control have resulted in responses which should not be repeated here. It is hoped that this climate has changed for the better by now, and that the Board would be able to regain control of the domain as a whole, otherwise there is no reason to persue this issue in an organized manner.

Board Meeting

• Time: 4:00p to 4:10p
• Presented by: TACLUG Board
• Agenda: None
• Board Members Attending:
  • Ron Boothe
  • Jon Wickliffe
  • Kimberly Edwards notified us in advance that she would be unable to attend. No word from other board members at all.

Since there was no agenda attached to the board meeting request, the Board meeting was not held. Several members felt that the current board is apparently not responsive to the needs of the members who elected them, and perhaps certain board members are simply on the board to enhance their resume and not further the cause of OSS and Linux to the membership and community at large.

Membership Roundtable

Due to the disorganization and lack of coordination of the board, several members discussed various options and strategies for TACLUG to take in the near future:

1. Paperwork and Taxes - we have NO idea whether we have filed all the necessary documents with the IRS, Secretary of State of WA, and Department of Revenue of WA.
2. According to the Secretary of State's web site, TACLUG IS a charitable non-profit, but if recent filings have not been placed, we may be in arrears with the State.
3. Ron Boothe paid all back IRS taxes in 2005 out of his own pocket as a donation to TACLUG, and thanks go to him for that extraordinary gift. We have NO idea of what our current tax status is for the 2005 year as Andrew Kouklis had ALL of the TACLUG documentation in a box and the last we heard is that it would be transferred to Kimberly.
4. It was agreed that the past climate of members leaving TACLUG and staying on TACLUG resources to take pot shots at TACLUG and its Board and Membership is intolerable and childish.
5. It was conceded that continuation of TACLUG as a viable organization is most probably tied to the ability of the Board to gain back control of the domain name and accompanying services.
6. If things continue along in the vein that they are, it's most likely that the General Membership itself could assert its rights to conduct business for TACLUG and work towards shutting down TACLUG completely.
7. If TACLUG IS shut down, then it's quite likely that members interested in the goals indicated in the articles of incorporation and bylaws might migrate to other, more viable organizations in the area which ARE supportive of those goals.
8. It was conceded that the Mailing List dedicated to the Board should have its archives opened up to members for review, and possibly moderated comments.
9. It was conceded that the current lack of communication between the board and the membership is causing a "cone of silence" which is resulting in distrust and dissatisfaction by the membership towards the board, which is not conducive of getting things done.
10. The current lack of participation in TACLUG meetings by board members is being taken by the members as a vote of no confidence by the board towards TACLUG itself.
11. A question was raised whether legal routes could be considered towards taking action against those current or past members who have not operated in the best interests of the organization, and continue to do so.