Re: Re: [oclug] OCLUG mailing list changes

Hi Brett,

Further to Brad's email, I would like to point you to the oclug wiki
page where you can find the minutes from all board meetings.
http://devel.oclug.on.ca/wiki/OclugBoardMeetings

These minutes are posted monthly, as soon as the meeting is concluded
and have been for many years.  Any pertinent policy changes,
events/meetings or decision making processes are recorded in these minutes.

The board member alias is being used in order to keep communication
between board members simple and personal information contained.  In
most cases our email exchanges are used for meeting plans, where
addresses or telephone numbers are exchanged, it is obviously a matter
of privacy not to share our home addresses or telephone numbers with the
entire mailing list.  The intent was not to "backroom" any oclug
relevant information for the members.

Regards,
Margaret Tidman
OCLUG Treasurer


Brad Barnett wrote:
> Brett,
> 
> I think the reality of life, is in this particular case, the more logical
> choice.
> 
> Put another way, there is no way one can 'force' OCLUG board members to
> conduct all board conversations over the list.  Many board discussions
> are discussed in person, on the phone, and via IRC. 
> 
> Unless one intends to post all OCLUG board member's IRC discussions,
> post audio recordings of all board related member's phone conversations,
> and visually/aurally record all in-person board meetings, the point is
> rather moot.
> 
> In other words, why is email so special, compared to in person meetings,
> IRC, and phone calls?
> 
> What *is* important is a compilation of board meetings, in the form of
> minutes.  It is also *exceptionally* important that the person in charge
> of such minutes, ensures that they understand the importance and
> strictness of their job.  There is no 'consensus' by a board as to what
> goes into the minutes of a board meeting.  Any such attempt to stifle the
> official board minutes, is what you should be truly concerned about.
> 
> If it occurs at a board meeting, it *must* be recorded.  Period!
> 
> This allows for the open forum that you are looking for, in that any
> discussion -- including objections/points raised by other board members,
> or other individuals present, makes it into the official minutes.
> 
> If this methodology is followed, there is indeed the openness and
> transparency present that should be required.  Heck, this is the
> traditional method by which boards of various organizations have kept a
> record of the official discussions for -- well, centuries at least.
> 
> Naturally, there will be discussions 'off the record'.  Discussions
> before and after the board meeting officially starts and ends.
> Discussions that take place in elevators, on phones, in person, and
> through email.  People must be free to air ideas informally, without
> concern that every sentence uttered will be taken out of context, and
> spewed about with malice.
> 
> So, back to the beginning.  How does one create a record of board
> discussions (outside of board meeting minutes), if that record only
> consists of a voluntary board list, and not phone calls, emails, personal
> conversations, IRC discussions, and the like?
> 
> In short -- you don't.  You only create a partial record, which only
> displays what the board chooses to discuss there.
> 
> 
> 
> On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 14:09:29 -0500 (EST)
> Brett Delmage <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
>> On Thu, 28 Jan 2010, Ian Ward wrote:
>>
>>> Also a number of lists are simply idle, or could be better served
>>> with email aliases.
>>> Messages to the oclug-board list address will be forwarded to the
>>> board-members email alias, and we will publish that email address on
>>> the site as the best way to contact all board members.
>>>
>>> We welcome your comments on this plan or anything else related to the
>>> group. Please send them to [email protected] to reach all of
>>> us.
>> Hi Ian, thanks for your notice.
>>
>> Unless I misunderstand this, this change seems to reduce the
>> transparency and openness of the OCLUG board, moving its discussions to
>> the virtual backroom. Or will board discussions be posted in another
>> way?  If the board list was only understood as a way to reach the
>> board, as opposed to a way for members to follow OCLUG policy and
>> planning, then I think some have missed the point.
>>
>> Perhaps the board list was not used by many, but it did offer those 
>> members who were interested a way to find out to some degree what was 
>> going on. Furthermore, the board list archives provide a history of
>> past actions and policy discussions and one way for new board members
>> to catch up in one place.
>>
>> I do not see why there cannot be a board email list AND alias.
>> Certainly other groups I have run email lists for have used both
>> successfully, and I have not seen any confusion.
>>
>> I hope you will reconsider this.
>>
>> I am deliberately posting my response to the main list, as it is not my 
>> desire to send it into the backrooms of OCLUG. The federal
>> conservatives are the market leader there - no sense competing.
>>
>> Brett
>> -- 
>> OCLUG general discussion list
>> [email protected]
>> http://oclug.on.ca/mailman/listinfo/oclug
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