These minutes were typed in by hand (no OCR) in 2020 and are intended to be verbatim, including formatting (the original is fixed-width, so you'd better read this in a fixed-width font, too, or else it's just not authentic) and errors (or unusual usages), which will be marked by [sic] when noticed and not inadvertently corrected. Other things in square brackets are also explanatory additions by the transcriber. Page boundaries are marked with a line of equals signs. ======================================================================== [handwritten:] B#1 Minn-STF Board of Directors -- 1988/89 year, meeting 1 -- 21 April 88 Special Throw-the-Rascals-In Board Meeting at Karen Johnson's Present: Board--Bailey, Cargo, Ihinger (eventually), Johnson, Sullivan Officers--Halpern (Treasurer), Lien (Recording Secretary) Others--Margo Bratton, Terry Garey ********************************************************************** Ihinger called at 7:28 to note that he was in Richfield and the 7:30 meeting was in Lauderdale and hence he might be a little late, at least given the prevailing headwind. Others present cobbled together an agenda, without even requesting help from the elves: Time Gum; the One Treu [sic] Mailing List; Coca Cola; RUNE; Treasurer's Report; Potential Bylaw Changes; Fiscal Guidelines; Computer Camels; Our Days in Court; Letterhead; Possible Sullivan Request for Money; Minicon Hotel; Minicon Generally; Answering Machine; Meeting Schedule. It was noted that the new Board, which bore a suspicious correlation to the outgoing Board, had reappointed all officers. The more things didn't change, the more they stay the same. It was also noted that we hoped to finish early-ish tonight; that hadn't changed either. *********************************************************************** Time Gum (Garey): Printed report as distributed. Lots of copies left, but we have hopes of moving them. An aesthetic success with hopes of eventual financial breakeven. Mailing List (Cargo): The MiniCon pre-registration info which needs to go into the List "has not yet been achieved": combination of time problems and computer problems. Since RUNE is also running alte, the problem is not fatal. Dave Romm hopes to have his own MacIntosh Real Soon Now, which will simplify RUNE production. Margo Bratton volunteered to help with data entry into the List on Cargo's computer. ********************************************************************* "Karen, I don't have your current address." "Have it? You're sitting in it!" ********************************************************************* Coca Cola (Bailey): The long-discussed letter to Coke, giving kudos to their C'Ntraction deliveryperson for saving our hide above and beyond the call of duty in spite of the hotel turkeys, has not been sent. We also have a bill from Coke from Minicon which does not credit us with the circa $1,000 in returned/unused; this is typical and we will write to point this out and they will correct the bill, but we should also write to encourage them to better internal communications re their billing which would save their and our time. Bailey will write this letter (letters?) but needs input from Geof Stone. On related matter, Garey volunteered to write a letter to Byerly's complaining about non-delivery of contracted Minicon cake. Treasury (Halpern): Steady-state cosmological theory of Minn-STF treasury: no Big Bang in past or in anticipated future. Re fiscal guidelines (Cargo), generally accepted reserve fund for organizations like us is at least one year's operating expenses, and we have more than that ((and no Eastcliff to refurbish--yet)). 1 ======================================================================== Board 88/89:1 / page two Minn-STF Letterhead (Sullivan): Nothing to report. Our Days in Court (Sullivan): About a dozen almost-final copies were made up and a few distributed. In the final final version, can we date as May 1st instead of March 14th (with same Board, no need to change those names)? Agreed. Sullivan will print up some 25 to 30 copies for distribution upon request, with the May 1st, 1988 date. Sullivan Requests for Money (Sullivan): Minneapolis in '73 Party funds for such party at Corflu? The traditional $30 apparently was OKed. Answering Machine (Sullivan): Supposedly Dave Romm is still shopping, but would be happy to let someone else do decision/purchase. Todd McInroy's name suggested as knowledgeable person; Margo Bratton volunteered to contact him in this regard. Minicon Hotel (Bailey): Unhappiness with Radisson South this year noted. Suggestion that Board write RadSouth and/or its parent chain detailing such was decided against on basis that majority of Minicon Exec are/were against us so doing. The Hotel Evaluation form which was to go to Joel Halpern wound up instead with Don Bailey, who filled in as best he could and returned. Hotel will send another one to Joel who will complete. Hotel has deleted from bill circa $300 for wall cleaning and circa $600 to 700 for the unordered or at least unauthorized and in any case apparently unreceived extra Krushenko's coffee. We have not received bill from the shuttle service; Beth Friedman is checking on this. Board would like to receive report from the Exec spelling out for our information what complaints etc. were made by Exec to hotel and what resolution/future commitments or whatever were made or not made in reply. Bailey and/or Johnson will contact Exec at or before next Minicon meeting to either request such a report or to insure Exec member(s) attending next Board meeting. Other Minicon (Ihinger): Is in receipt of documents detailing a Minicon incident from point of view of Scott Imes, who was therein involved and who requests Board or other official response. Only Ihinger had received such documents, though he had assumed all board members had. As no one else had received or read, discussion tabled until next meeting. Ihinger will duplicate and distribute in advance thereof. ByLaws (Bailey): By Laws are in something of a mess: various versions are in circulation without clear indication of what has superseded what, and transcription errors have crept into reprints of text. We need to address some issues not addressed, such as our policy on use of the Mailing List; revised duties of officers; organizational policies resulting from our increasing long-term planning/commitments. Proposal to hold a By-Laws work session for Board plus Secretary to go through line by line and note inconsistencies, errors, problems, and possible problems. Sullivan agreed to host Board By-Laws Bar-B-Q at Toad Hall on Saturday 21 May 1988, starting at 2 pm ((and so it was)). Next Board meeting set for Monday 23 May 1988 at 7:30 pm at Bailey/ Bratton's. Agenda: proposed Minicon Exec action; Imes documents. 2 ======================================================================== Minn-STF Board 88/89:1 / page 3 But wait, there's more--what if we throw in a third page of minutes dealing with this lovely all-silicon camel's nose, the perfect accessory to any camping trip: Now, how much would you give? The Minn-STF Computer Policy continues its career as camel's nose to the Wherefore Minn-STF? tent. The present policy of Minn-STF and its various affiliates relying on begged, borrowed, or rented computers continues to be unsatisfactory, as do all proposals to change this. We are requested to consider (1) Buying, as opposed to present renting, of cash registers for Minicon use, which is probably a good idea even if it sets a precedent; and (2) Renting, as opposed to borrowing, computers before and during Minicon, which is probably a good idea but one that perhaps should be left up to Minicon Exec or perhaps not depending on how one defines Extraordinary Expenses, and which in any case sets some sort of precedent which may or may not be the same one as in (1), and additonally [sic] (3) Buying desktop publishing software for use by RUNE, Minicon publications, and possibly others, which sets a precedent and makes the tent smell of camel--locking future RUNE editors/Minicon Pubs heads/etc. into a particular system which will be compatible with certain hardware when hardware available may change with the people involved is not a good idea, but the alternative is to go with an integrated system, which would not only cost much more but would also bring up the problem of who takes responsibility for it and where it is stored and where/when/how can it be used by whom, which starts sounding like a clubhouse with a live-in caretaker, or at least a tent with a live-in camel. No decisions, except one on the part of the Board to adjourn shortly after 10 pm, which they did, and one on the party of the Secretary to not full up the bottom 22 lines of this page with the famous dirty Foreign Legion Special Camel joke, which he didn't. Minutes dashed off on 22 May 1988 by-- [no signature in obvious signature spot] Denny Lien (who can go for days without water) ========================================================================