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Log
Board Meeting

May 19, 2002

(Brent) Any way...without further adue...I call the meeting to order! :)
(Brent) Item 1 Minutes of last meeting...any comments?
(Mary) none
(Roger) Looks fine to me.
(Gerard) no comments
(Stan) none here either
(Brent) The minutes are ratified as correct.
(Brent) Item 2 Sun server donation....Gerard?
(Gerard) The only thing i can mention is the same thing as i emailed to you.
(Brent) Would you summarize for the board please?
(Gerard) sirgrim mentioned to me that he doesn't need any money to send it and that he replaced some of the chips of the server
(Brent) sirgrim found tampering with it before it was returned?
(Gerard) well he was not sure if got tampered with
(Brent) So....will he be shipping it again soon?
(Gerard) I am not sure yet, i wanted to ask him today. But he left
(Gerard) If he returns i will ask him
(Brent) Please find out soon.....this is where we were last month right after the meeting.
(Gerard) Brent: i will
(Brent) Thanks! :)
(Brent) Item 3 Booklet Production
(Mary) Roger mailed me 99 books, I have mailed out 64 and that leaves 35.
(Mary) If nancy sends the videos I will need more postage money.
(Roger) (I kept one when I mailed them.)
(Brent) My god! do we have demand or what!!!
(Mary) I think that $300 a month will do.
(Brent) no problem Roger
(Roger) Mary?
(Brent) 300 a month?
(Mary) Yes, let me explain
(Mary) 1.33 us; 6.20 australia, 2.1 Canada and 4.50/5.50 europe.
(Mary) Add the extra for the video and that is where we're at.
(Mary) Most orders are for us but the others really zap the money.
(Roger) Ah. Is that book rate or first class?
(Mary) us=U.S.
(Mary) media mail.
(Mary) Media mail is the only thing available now.
(Mary) Postage is due to go up in June.
(Roger) This is getting quite expensive. More so than I think we previously thought.
(Mary) I will be moving in July so will have to get a new postmaster trained for themedia mail thing.
(Roger) Hehehe.
(Mary) Yes, it is getting very expensive and I don't know how much $ is available.
(Brent) Have the orders been consistently in the 50 to 60 booklet a month range?
(Mary) The 300 a month is based on 2 orders a day, that could go up or down.
(Mary) the orders are escallating (sp?)
(Mary) comments?
(Roger) I'm trying to find the budget link...
(Mary) The $300 is taking in to account the unknown postage cost for the video. Otherwise $200 would be very adequate.
(Brent) Keeping in mind that we will only send out the videos with a large order of booklets, my understanding...
(Mary) No, I don't think so, Nancy indicated that she wanted to get all to videos gone and we don't get many multiple orders. Did I misinterprete?
(Brent) Nancy wnats to include a geeson video with a"bulk" orders...her words.
(Mary) OK, then no problem, we have only gotten 2 "bulk" orders.
(Mary) Lets consider the $200 a month, as needed.
(Brent) yes, and revisit the issue next month?
(Roger) Well, we budgeted 50000 for distribution expenses, but we don't have that much in reserves. The $300 is certainly within our means.
(Mary) Your are right Brent, that is exactly what she said "bulk" orders. Sorry.
(Brent) No problem...:)
(Brent) Do we need a vote on this allocation?
(Mary) I need Roger to get another order going.
(Roger) That's another issue.
(Brent) wait....one thing at a time, please. do we vote the allocation for postage?
(Roger) Was it $300 or $200 for now?
(Mary) $200
(Brent) 200
(Roger) I move we allocate $200 each month for postage expenses.
(Brent) Shirley seconds...
(Brent) Vote yes to approve, no to reject...
(Mary) I vote yes unless I'm suppose to abstain.
(Brent) Brent: yes
(Roger) yes
(Stan) yes
(Gerard) yes
(Brent) Shirley: yes
(Roger) Mary, that's your call.
(Mary) abstain, offically
(Brent) Motion carries, and issue to be re visited next month as necessary.
(Brent) Now, shall we discuss the next booklet order?
(Roger) We need to decide if we're going to go with the lowest bid and wait a month or more for delivery, or if we stay with Kinko's and have delivery in less than a week.
(Mary) Restate the costs please.
(Roger) Whoops! Hold on a minute...
(Roger) Slow connection...
(Mary) The month wait is not a problem.
(Mary) People were quite understanding about the last delay.
(Mary) If the savings is substantial, and I think they were, we would do well to save the money and get the cheaper order.
(Roger) Finally! SP&G will charge $460 for the first 100 booklets, then $360 each subsequent order of 100.
(Mary) That is way under Kinko's order?
(Roger) Kinko's came in at $527.62
(Brent) No SP&G
(Brent) So Kinkos is 67.62 more....
(Roger) My concern with SP&G is that they are not reliable. Even Wendy cautioned about them being very slow in filling orders.
(Brent) Roger, the first SP&G charge includes to initial setup charge?
(Roger) Yes
(Roger) So follow up orders will be $167.62 less than Kinko's
(Brent) Will Kinko's give is a break on reordering?
(Roger) This would be fine if we can stay ahead of the requests.
(Roger) No, I don't believe so.
(Brent) ok...
(Brent) Shirley: mabe go with the slow order for now (more)
(Brent) Shirley: and boost it witha na order from Kinko's if the delay is too great.
(Mary) Can we order less that 100 books from Kinko?
(Mary) For the same money.
(Roger) Yes, though the cost per book will go up.
(Brent) so we wouldn't save any money....
(Mary) I'm thinking, order from SP&G, if the delay is really long, place a small order from Kinko.
(Jurian) sorry I'm late, miss anything important?
(Brent) Hello Jurian! we are on item 3 booklet orders....
(Mary) But then, do we save any money in the long run? Unknown.
(Roger) Only if we place a larger order can we get Kinko's cost down.
(Roger) Heh Jurian!
(Brent) Roger: how large an order?
(Mary) If TT, Inc. can afford it, I would like to stay with Kinko. We are all busy and if Roger has to harrass SP&G...
(Brent) Say we ordered 500 from Kinko's?
(Roger) Brent, I don't know what the additional discount will be. I can ask and get back by email...
(Mary) I don't think we can delay this for a month. I will be out of books in a couple weeks. I think (:
(Brent) OK, but we are down to what....36 booklets to ship, Mary?
(Roger) Thanks, Mary, for saying that. It is true, I had to bug SP&G just to get their sample back in time for the last meeting. I called them 3 or 4 times.
(Mary) Yes Brent.
(Mary) With no guarantee they will get the order out!
(Mary) I move we stay with Kinko, order 100 more and be done with it.
(Brent) Mabe we should stay with Kinko's since the demand is escallating....what if we place another order for 100 now, then Roger can ask about a discount at that time.
(Roger) We could place a trial order with them and see how long it takes for delivery. In the meantime we could also place another order with Kinko's to stay ahead of the requests.
(Roger) them=SP&G
(Brent) I'm beginning to lean against SP&G....
(Mary) Don't you need an up front token payment?
(Roger) Well, I didn't want to sound totally against them.
(Brent) We and Roger don't have the time to hassle them....
(Roger) Yes Mary, 50% down.
(Mary) So, we're talking 260 to just get them started and HOPE they will get the job done/
(Mary) done?
(Roger) We could always raise the booklet price to $5.95 to cover the extra expenses. This, of course, won't cover all the postage costs.
(Brent) Mary, would you amend your motion to include finding out about a larger discount for future orders with Kinko's?
(Mary) Certainly.
(Roger) Not a problem, really. I find out and email the list tomorrow.
(Mary) Let me rephrase: I move we order 100 copies from Kinko's now and have Roger check on a discount for larger orders to be addressed next meeting.
(Roger) I second the motion.
(Brent) second?
(Brent) :)
(Roger) (My fingers were faster.)
(Brent) Vote yes to approve, no to regect.......
(Brent) brent: Yes Shirley: yes
(Mary) Yes
(Stan) yes
(Jurian) yes
(Roger) yes
(Mary) Roger, fyi, we don't charge any $ for the books.
(Roger) I thought we were charging for second orders/bulk orders?
(Mary) yes, but only 2 people have done that.
(Brent) Motion carries....Roger will place another order for 100 now.
(Brent) one more thing from Nancy: (I'll try to cut and paste.....
(Brent) Date: Sat, 18 May 2002 10:42:35 -0500
(Brent) From: Nancy (lieder@baraboo.com) [Add to Address Book]
(Brent) To: Brent (brenfree@excite.com)
(Brent) Cc: Mary Simpson (nox0025@blackfoot.net),Shirley Short (iamhelena@rogers.com),Jan Rypdal (jr@entarc.no)
(Brent) Subject: Agenda Addition (little)
(Brent) I need a Board approval to send the remainder of Geson's inventory (4 minutes intro-to-subject videos) to Mary so she can include them in any bulk order as a freeby. We currently give these to "groups", organizations requesting on a
(Roger) Will do. I'll need Nancy to cut a check and get it to me asap to pay for them (my credit card's a little busy at the moment).
(Brent) a letterhead. This is not quite the same, but they will go unmailed unless we give them away, as requests are dying down to nothing, having been replaced by new/more Planet X videos and the like on the market out there.
(Brent) more
(Brent) Can you get approval to change this ruling, a slight change. Sorry for the late notice, but I keep forgetting about it until I happen to stare at the pile of videos in my corner, etc
(Brent) comments?
(Mary) How many, do you know?
(Brent) Bulk is a bit vague....
(Brent) 5, 10?
(Mary) My 2 multiple orders were for 10 (from L.Vegas)
(Brent) Shirley says: lets make it 5 till the videos run out....
(Mary) Is that a motion?
(Brent) Shirley: I move that we send a free video of Geeson's with orders of 5 booklets or more.
(Mary) I second it.
(Brent) Second?
(Brent) :)
(Roger) (Slow today Brent?)
(Brent) Vote yes to approve, no to regect
(Roger) yes
(Mary) yes
(Stan) yes
(Gerard) yes
(Brent) Yes
(Brent) Shirley Yes
(Brent) Jurian?
(Jurian) yes
(Brent) ok, motion carries.......
(Brent) Item 4 Short wave report.....comments?
(Brent) hello...
(Roger) none here
(Gerard) none here
(Mary) none
(Stan) none
(Jurian) haven't had time to read it, so, uh, no comments
(Brent) :) ok, then Item 5 Roger's Acerage Project Report. Roger?
(Roger) Well, we have most of the beans planted. We discovered a problem with "tenting" of the landscape fabric.
(Roger) The weeds that we are trying to prevent are pushing the fabric upwards and making it quite difficult for the young bean seedlings to get through.
(Roger) Needless to say, we are having to go back and help the little guys through and staple the fabric down in the middle of the beds.
(Brent) What else is on the planting agenda?
(Roger) We've had some nice rains and are currently ahead on the yearly totals so...we just need to get in there and finish the planting.
(Roger) There is corn planted and up (no problems). We will plant another variety at the opposite end of the area in a month.
(Roger) There are plans for planting peanuts very soon as well.
(Brent) How's the equipment working? :)
(Roger) Turns out we are using quite a bit less space than I had originally envisioned. I attribute that to limited time available to break the ground.
(Roger) The equipment has served quite well. We will be tilling up space for the peanuts soon and for the other corn variety in a couple of weeks.
(Brent) great!
(Roger) (end of report)
(Brent) Any other questions or comments?
(Mary) none here. Good job Roger (and Stan)!
(Brent) Shirley: none here
(Stan) no
(Brent) Yes, good job Roger & Stan!
(Roger) It's been back breaking work, but I've enjoyed the break from the graduate research (and office politics).
(Gerard) none
(Stan) same here I wish I could be out there more!
(Roger) As do I!
(Mary) You may regret that statement one day, Stan. (-;
(Stan) Hopefully not any time soon
(Mary) Yes, hopefully.
(Roger) I just loved walking around the beans yesterday spraying the rotenone and pausing to pluck the occasional weed, etc.
(Jurian) I know the feeling :-)
(Stan) It doesn't look good for today Roger
(Roger) Btw, I will likely need to purchase some more rotenone, but I'm sure it can come out of the discretionary funds.
(Brent) Well, I guess that's it..... Meeting Adjourned! Thanks for helping me hurry this along, and my wife appreciates it also!