SUN CITY COMPUTER CLUB

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING

March 6, 2008, 9:00 aM

Activities Center, Meeting Rooms #3 & 4

 

The Meeting was called to order at 9:02 A.M. by Gael Miller, President.

 

Present:

 

Gael Miller, President

Doug Steinke, Vice-President

Linda Walke, Secretary

Linda Shanhouse, Treasurer

Dick Smith, Communications Director

            Webmaster – Meredith Mitchell

Don Snapp, CyberCenter Director

Peggy Uselton, Membership Director

Rex Davenport, Program Director

Jodi Salyers, Training Director

 

Dick Doane, Past President

Peter Roll, Founder

 

Absent

 

Nelda McQuary, Special Interest Groups Director

 

Approval of Minutes

 

Minutes taken by Linda Walke of the February 7, 2008 Executive Board Meeting were approved by e-vote on February 12, 2008 and published on February 12, 2008. 

 

Approval – Purchase new laser printer for not more than $400 was approved by the Executive Board by e-vote on February 21, 2008.

               -  Donation of computer previously used in the Computer Club classroom to Creative Clay and China Club was approved by the Executive Board by e-vote on February 12, 2008.

 

Financial Report

 

Linda Shanhouse presented the February 2008 Financial Report. A motion to accept the report was made by Peter Roll and seconded by Peggy Uselton.  The motion passed.  The Financial Report will be filed for the annual comprehensive review.

DISCUSSION OF DIRECTORS’ REPORTS RECEIVED BY E-MAIL

Communications, Dick Smith

 

Dick reported that the Computer Club Article for the April Sun Rays was submitted during the last week of February.  Included in the article is a reference to the April 29th New Member Reception/Orientation for new Computer Club members.

 

Weekly Computer Club Member Newsletter: The weekly newsletter is progressing well even though the logical use of the PHPList software has been a challenge for all of us. 

 

Sign-In for SIGS not meeting in the CyberCenter Meeting Room:  Dick is producing the Sign-In sheets for the following SIGS and adding the results of each SIG meeting to the Computer Club Sign-In database.

 

           
CyberCenter, Don Snapp

 

Dave Hanna and Al Gaskell have been nursing the 8mm Projector in the workroom for some time trying to keep it running.  It gets a lot of use.  They are running out of ideas and fixes that might work and suggest that we get an upgrade for the unit.

 

A motion for the Board to authorize the expenditure of $450 by Dave Hanna to upgrade and refurbish the unit for the 8mm Projector for Media Conversion was made by Don Snapp and seconded by Dick Doane.  This upgrade includes conversion to an LED light source and a cooler running DC motor with a larger pulley.  The motion passed.

 

Ted Pal has found a color printer that he recommends for our purposes at the lab.

It is an HP Office Pro K5400n or 5400DN at a current cost of $149 off the internet only.  It uses 4 print cartridges.  The XL sized cartridges cost $110.  It was decided to keep this recommendation under advisement.  In the mean time, the new B&W laser printer is scheduled to be connected to the lab computers this coming Saturday at 2 PM when the Computer Lab is closed.  The old laser printer will be taken to Austin Typewriter for cleaning and evaluation.

 

Peter Roll will work up a procedure for loading the printers onto the classroom computers.

             

Membership, Peggy Uselton

                                                                                         

                 

 

Total at

End of Month

Joined This

    Month

Joined This

    Year

Percentage of

 Previous Year

2006

2,353

 

724

116.5% of 2005

February, 07

2,031

  82

 274

86.3%

March, 07

2,111

 48

 322

89.7%

April, 07

2,162

 35

 357

91.9%

May, 07

2,216

 38

 392

94%

June, 07

2,265

 37

 429

96%

July, 07

2,318

 48

 478

98.5%

August, 07

2,389

 70

 548

101.5%

September, 07

2,434

 45

 591

103.4%

October, 07

2,467

 28

 619

104.8%

November, 07

 

103

 722

 

December, 07

2,660

 65

 787

113.0%

January, 08

2136

174

 174

  80.3%

February, 08

2273

  52

 226

  85.6%

 

 

 

The membership functions are rolling along smoothly, with only a few minor blips now and then. (For example, last week, a man came in to pay for his wife to join and take a class; somehow his name ended up in the database and on the class schedule!)

 

Programs, Rex Davenport

 

I have been very pleased with the cooperation received from the SIG leaders who are planning some excellent programs for the first Monday of each month.  Thanks to Nelda for her cooperation.   We are enjoying excellent attendance at the Monday meetings thanks to some outstanding presentations.  We have many exciting programs coming up in the future.

Mar 3                    Vector Vest (Greg Gray) 512-284-5328 (cell) Using Vector Vest to Invest
Mar 10                  Peter's Printer Panel Presentation
Mar 17                  Library  -- Eric Lashley (930-3551)
Mar 24                  Backing Up Process w/ Acronis (Dick Smith)
Mar 31                  Cyber Social (Malay Sarkar's Conversion Project showing in background?)

Apr 7:                   MAC SIG  (Peter Roll)
Apr 14:                 What Computer Courses Are Being Taught HS Students Today? (Gloria Smith
-Jarrell HS Instructor will answer these questions and present a visual tour of the new HS classrooms)
Apr 21:                 Google Earth (John Bosch)
Apr 28:                 Unveiling the Club's Updated Website

 

The Program Committee will meet March 11, 4 PM to complete May programs.

Training, Jodi Salyers

 

Class Enrollment for February 2008:

 

Category

Class

Status

# Students

Vista

Computer Intro Vista

Full

10

 

Vista for XP Users

 

9

 

Windows Vista 1

Full

10

 

Windows Mail 1

 

4

 

 

 

 

XP

Computer Intro XP

 

8

 

Windows XP 1

 

5

 

Windows XP 2

 

7

 

Outlook Express 1

 

5

 

 

 

 

Mac

Mac-Review of Methods

 

6

 

iTunes

Full

11

 

 

 

 

Genealogy

Genealogy-FTM

 

7

 

Genealogy-PAF Companion

 

5

 

 

 

 

Photo

Picasa

Full

11

 

Photoshop 1

Full

8

 

Photoshop Organizer

Full

8

 

Photoshop Overview

Full

25

 

 

 

 

Security

Healthy Computer

 

8

 

Computer & Internet Security

 

9

 

 

 

 

TOTALS

18 Classes

 

156 Students

 

1.  Our Vista classes are again filled to capacity or nearly so; while the basic XP classes remain popular as well.  Email classes were still lukewarm; however I was happy to see the Security classes get a healthy enrollment

 

Photoshop and Picasa classes are always filled to capacity.  The Photoshop crew is typically unable to keep up with the demand for this class.  Marlene Sloan graciously agreed to teach two Photoshop 1 classes in April. 

 

2.  The Photoshop Overview  will not be treated as a “class” in the future (after the already scheduled March 20 event), since it operates more like an “interest” group or SIG meeting, does not meet in the classroom, and the Photoshop folks don’t want to charge or have the people attending register as for a class

 

3.  A Greeting Card class has been scheduled for May.  The Instructor, Carole Utterberg, would like to have copies of the program Hallmark Cards Studio 2008, each of which contains 4 to 5 disks and costs about $50.00.  She wants to install it initially on only the XP side of the class computers, although the program is Vista compatible.  The program would be installed on 6 of the classroom computers, as well as on the Instructor's computer and on one of the Lab computers.  The program she last used in November, Hallmark Cards Studio 2006, presented problems and is no longer being supported by the manufacturer.  All agreed the software should be purchased and installed soon.

 

4.  As Training Director, Jodi is ready to organize the Training Department with a Curriculum Committee headed by a Curriculum Chair person.  The Committee will be dedicated to the on-going review and improvement of our class materials.  Currently many of the Vista classes are undergoing review.  Next she would like to establish a Faculty Chairperson who will be dedicated to maintaining, obtaining, training, etc our wonderful volunteer Instructors and Classroom Assistants.  Eventually, there may be a Class Calendar Chairperson.

 

Special Interest Groups, Nelda McQuary

 

A Representative from every SIG attended the SIG Leader’s meeting held on 2/22/08.  I was extremely pleased that every SIG, but three (AOL, Kaffee Klatch, & Quicken), committed to taking the Web Site training so they will be able to access, edit, and update their own content using individually assigned passwords.  This training should begin within the next few weeks. 

 

Most of the SIG’s will be presenting a First Monday Program this year with Rex coordinating this schedule.  In addition to this exposure, there will be one SIG highlighted each month in the Weekly Newsletter.  The purpose is to give the SIG’s another opportunity to let the membership know the purpose, the goals, how they might benefit, and how they can become involved in a SIG.  The Leaders have been scheduled for a month each, with the article to appear as close to the beginning of the month as possible.  It is up to them to get their information to the Newsletter editor in a timely manner.  

 

ProShow Gold - Status report as of 2-16-08:

Ray Wright thanks the Board for the Training DVD’s.  They have been installed as follows:

On the podium computer in the classroom

On the tank, Vista side. 

L2 & L12, in the Lab, have PSG under XP.  The Training DVD’s have been installed on L12; however, L2 has no DVD drive, so we will wait until there is a new machine in this location to install the DVD’s.

 

Ray requests that the installed software chart in the lab be updated to reflect the PSG training films.

 

Total attendance to all SIG’s in February was 353 – broken down by SIG attendance below:

2008

 

 

 

 

SIG

DATE/TIME

Leader

Jan

Feb

AOL

4th Wed   9:30

B Cottrill

14

10

Beginners & Beyond

2nd&4th Thurs 9:30

Edwards/Davenport

57

52

Digital Camera

4th Mon 4:00 - Atrm*

M Sloan - NOT CURRENTLY MEETING

 

 

E Bay

1st Wed 10:00

N Strayer

14

17

Genealogy

3rd Thurs  10:00

B J Steinke&S Christiansen

57

66

Hardware/Tech

3rd Tues   10:00

G Boley/D Smith

31

31

Kaffee Klatch

2nd&4th Tues 10:00

J & S Polich

115

82

Mac High Tea

1st Wed 3:00

P Roll

18

32

Mac Users Group (MUG)

3rd Wed 3:00

J Keith & J Franklin

45

22

Pro Show Gold

3rd Wed 1:30

R Wright

12

13

Quicken

3rd Mon 9:30

J Chapman

22

11

Vector Vest

2nd Tues  6:30

K Bywaters& Greg Gray

11

17

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

 

 

396

353

 

Old Business

 

            Disposition of old Classroom computers – A motion to give a second old classroom computer to the Woodshop by Peter Roll and was seconded by Peggy Uselton.  The motion passed.  Gael Miller, Dick Smith and Don Snapp will write up a process that will reflect the Executive Board’s preference for disposing of old classroom computers.

 

            Discussion of CyberCenter Expansion – Gael has requested copies of the blue prints for the current CyberCenter and the current Visual Arts Center.  Once these can be examined, the ability to shape the space to the current and future needs of the Computer Club will be determined.  Questions were raised about the need for additional wiring; the possibility of raising the ceiling level; storage and other particulars.

 

            Room Reservations not currently being used – Locations of several of the SIG meetings are still being evaluated and debated.

 

            Purchase of new Mac computers for the Classroom – The purchase of 7 Mac Books to replace iMacs is in our budget.  Peter will list the criteria required for the Mac Books in preparation for a motion to purchase.  Purchase of 4 replacement windows computers for the lab was also discussed.  Don will work on this project with the assistance of Dick Smith, Doug Steinke and Gael Miller.

 

            2nd Generation Web Site Status – Work on development and implementation of the new Web Site continues and is almost complete.  The presentation to the Computer Club general meeting is scheduled for Monday March 24th.  Access and real-time use of the web site will begin on March 29th.  The Board recognizes the work being done by Pat Hillcoat, Meredith Mitchell, Art Schmitt, Phil Lahman and Peter Roll.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

            Review of 2007 Financial Review – Bill Leisey did a detailed review of the financial records of the Sun City TX Computer Club for 2007.  He complimented Linda Shanhouse, Treasurer and the Computer Club officers in good financial practices.  His recommendations for changes will be addressed when the By-Laws are revised later this year.

 

            Discussion of SIG mailing list procedures – The Board is in agreement with the suggestion that the members mailing list for SIGs be made up of those current Computer Club members who have attended that particular SIG’s meetings any time in the previous 14 to 20 months.  Dick Smith will take responsibility adding new member’s names to the lists for those SIGs that meet outside the CyberCenter.  Peggy and Gene Uselton will take responsibility for removing names that have been requested to be omitted

 

The next Executive Board Meeting will be 9:00 A.M. Thursday, April 3, 2008 in Meeting Rooms #3 & 4 of the Activity Center.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 10:58 AM

 

Linda Walke                                      

Secretary