Mentor Volume 15, Issue 123 June 2003

Minutes of the February Meeting

Will be forthcoming in a future issue.

Minutes of the March Meeting

Date, Time and Place: This General Meeting of the Membership was called to order at 8:15 PM at the Lazy-Booklet Inn to the dulcet tones of Jimmy Buffet. NOTED that everyone leaves when the Dr. Demento CD Starts playing.

In Attendance: Bridget Boyle, Joelll Herda, Elisa Hertel, Rick Kovalcik (new member), Alexander Latzko, Skip Morris, Tom Murphy, Noel Rosenberg, Nicholas Shectman, and Carsten Turner. Skip Morris made an entrance some time into the meeting.

Proxies

Bridget Boyle gives her undirected proxy to Alex Latzko for use during those times she's off puttering around the house.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

No corrections were offered.

President's Report (Joelll Herda)

The President reports that he has a number of items to report.

Vice President's Report (Noel Rosenberg)

The VP is exceptionally pleased to report that he is EMPLOYED, and with that weight removed from his mind, will be better able to devote time to Arisia Matters.

Grant Committee (Noel Rosenberg)

The Grant Committee has no report.

Treasurer's Report (Nicholas Shectman)

Treasurer's report: Sales taxes and payroll taxes have been done. Our fiscal year is about to end; if you have corporate expenses I would like to see them by the end of the month. I have not made further progress on the '02 books or the audit of the '01 books.

Budget Committee Report (Nicholas Shectman)

The Budget Committee has no report.

Clerk's Report (Paul Selkirk)

Not Present / No Report. In the place of the Clerk, Merv, as ClerkStaff, ran through the usual spiel about signing in; that reports and motions should be submitted in writing or suffer the possibility of transcription errors; that major items of new business be presented to the EBoard for consideration before presentation to the Membership; and that dues for joining the Corporation are $6 at this meeting and $4 thereafter.

Convention Chair '03 (Skip Morris)

Skip reports an outstanding issue from his convention. The deal struck with the Hotel as regards the Coat Check was $1.00 per item with a guarantee of $1500 in business. The Coat Check only did $900 in business. This billing occurs after the closure of the Master Bill, which should have closed the Arisia '03 Hotel Account, situations like this notwithstanding. Our deal was with the hotel, the bill is from the Hotel's service contractor. The Hotel does not want to reopen our bill. The question is, do we pay the subcontractor directly, or do we pay the hotel. Skip then directs Alex to pay the bill in the usual manner, and the matter is closed.

Convention Treasurer '03 (Alex Latzko)

There's one bill that is unable to be paid, 'cause Alex doesn't know where to send the check! If we owe you money, get in touch with Alex.

Convention Chair '04 (Carsten Turner)

Working on building a con; if you're interested in working, contact Carsten. Courtesy of Phi and Siggy, we threw a successful party at Balticon; yea Phi and Siggy. We sold 3 memberships at Balticon. Phi says we impressed volunteer type folks there for being the only non-worldcon-bid party thrown at this Balticon.

Convention Treasury '04 (Alex Latzko)

Alex notes that at some point, the Corporate and A'02 Treasurers will make the accounts available for use to A'04.

Corporate Inventory Control (VACANT)

This position is officially vacant. Persons interested in the position should email president@arisia.org. There is no report. NOTED that Skip is handling the eBay'ing of old or obsolete Technical Junk; bring any concerns to his attention. There was a great deal of discussion regarding the amount of inventory in Inventory, who is responsible for it, what should stay and what should go. It ended up being a rathole, and the discussion ended.

Corporate Systems Administrator (Cris Shuldiner)

Not Present / No Report. We can assume that electrons go in and electrons go out.

Long Range Planning Committee

(Cris Shuldiner, Chair)

Not Present / No Report.

Corporate Sales (Nicholas Shectman)

No Report; with the notation that a decision regarding T-Shirts vs. Bookbags has not yet been reached.

Survey Committee (Claudia Mastroianni)

Not Present / No Report.

Technical Equipment Committee (Joelll Herda)

Joelll refers to the above CIC not-report regarding the eBay'ing of various old or obsolete . . . uh, STUFF, in Storage.

Database Exploratory Committee (Tom Murphy)

No Report.

Old Business

A motion to change print shop rates effective A'04 is still on the table:

"MOVED to change Print Shop rates to $2.50 per unique image, with the fee waived for any print where the original hangs in the art show beginning with Arisia 2004."

Motion CARRIES.

(herein, the meeting adjourned for food and schmoozing between 9:24 PM and 9:52 PM)

On the Table: Mr. Shectman is still scheduled to speak with the lawyer about Stuff (FRS Radio use by the Convention, Babysitting Permits, Bylaw Amendment re To Whom the Convention Treasurer Reports, Americans with Disabilities Act as pertains to ARISIA and Arisia Functions). This item stays on the table.

Status on the Lunacon Truck ticket. Alex went to court, and talked the fine down to $500 (go Siggy!). Lunacon will pay the fine, and has the option of seeking reparations from the truck rental company. This item of business is now discharged.

The Budget Questions Linda wanted to raise when she was CIC Officer are declared "moot" (no one knows what the questions were / are), and this item of business falls to the floor.

Regarding the Tim Powers Book Project: Contracts are en route to Arisia and Tim, both contingent upon each other. Lisa has spent $15.00 so far on administrative costs. First round of material has been proofed, corrections "made," 2^nd round of proofing scheduled to start "soon." Still looking for cover art and artist; a suggested title is "Powers of Two."

New Business

MOVED to loan TorCon the Arisia Artshow Equipment and related chattels at no cost or risk to Arisia, Incorporated. Motion seconded.

Motion CARRIES unanimously.

MOVED to loan ConCertino Arisia Pipe & Drape equipment and related chattels at no cost or risk to Arisia, Incorporated. Motion seconded.

Motion CARRIES unanimously.

MOVED that before Stonekeep Consulting is given a copy of the Arisia Database, or starts accepting Convention Registrations for Arisia '04, a written Memorandum of Understanding must be agreed to by both Arisia and by Stonekeep Consulting and reported out to a Corporate Meeting. At a minimum, this agreement must specify: 1) Arisia retains ownership and complete control of all of the data. 2) Stonekeep Consulting may not use the data in any way except in support of Arisia. 3) Specify what license and rights Arisia has to any source code and executables. 4) Specify where the master "definitive" copy of the database will be kept and how. 5) Specify which portions of the database (fields) are, and are not implemented in any software used by Stonekeep Consulting in support of Arisia. 6) Specify which functions normally performed in existing Arisia s/w are, and are not implemented in software used by Stonekeep. 7) Specify when Stonekeep will be given a copy of the Arisia Data, and when Stonekeep will provide checkpoint snapshots of the database and when Stonekeep will provide the final Master Copy returned.

Motion CARRIES unanimously.

MOVED to change Arisia Convention Policy to modify the Art Show rates as follows: 1) Change the cost for panel/table space to three dollars ($3.00) for each quarter unit of space (Section III.b). 2) Replace III.c (Art Show Commission) with: "III.c.1: The Art Show shall charge a ten percent (10%) Commission on sales with a maximum commission of twenty dollars ($20.00) per unit of panel/table space, prorated. III.c.2: For artists who have not rented space (e.g., Student Artists), or for artists where it is not feasible to calculate space usage, the maximum commission shall be thirty-two dollars ($32.00)." 3) Add a new section III.f: Arisia Guests-of-Honor shall not be charged any Art Show or Print Shop fees or commissions. Motion Seconded.

MOVED (as Amended) to change Arisia Convention Policy to modify the Art Show rates as follows: 1) Change the cost for panel/table space to five dollars for each quarter unit of space (Section III.b). 2) Replace III.c (Art Show Commission) with: "III.c.1: The Art Show shall charge a 10% Commission on sales with a maximum commission charge of (thirty-two dollars ($32.00) per unit of space used, prorated, less space fees charged). III.c.2: All High School students and any College Level Art Student enrolled full time in an accredited degree granting institution shall have their first unit of space fee waived."

Motion CARRIES 5-1-1.

MOVED to freeze the Art Show rates as set herein through the A'05 Convention. Motion seconded.

Motion CARRIES unanimously.

MOVED to set the July General Meeting of the Membership for 2:00 PM Sunday, 20 July 2003 at "The Usual Room" in MIT Building 66.

Motion CARRIES unanimously.

MOVED to set the August General Meeting of the Membership for 7:30 PM Tuesday, 19 August 2003 at the home of Skip Morris in Nashua, NH.

Motion CARRIES.

MOVED to set the Annual Meeting of the Membership for 2:00 PM Sunday, 21 September 2003 at "The Usual Room" in MIT Building 66.

Motion CARRIES unanimously.

MOVED to set the October General Meeting of the Membership for 4:00 PM Sunday, 26 October 2003 at "The Usual Room" in MIT Building 66.

Motion CARRIES.

Announcements

The deadline for announcing candidacy for Convention Chair of Arisia '05 has been extended to 25 June 03, and interviews will occur before the end of June 2003.

Meeting Adjourned at 11:27 PM.

Membership/Subscription Information

Subscription to Mentor of ARISIA is included with Corporate Membership to ARISIA, Incorporated. Membership runs from September 1st to August 31st and costs $24.00. Dues are pro-rated on a monthly basis for members joining during the year.

Executive Board

Committee Members & Corporate Appointed Officers

Membership Roster

Storage Facility Key Holders

Calendar of Events

Sunday, 20 July 2003 2:00 PM
Arisia Corporate Meeting
"The Usual Room" at MIT Building 66

Tuesday, 19 August 2003 7:30 PM
Arisia Corporate Meeting
Home of Skipper Morris; directions below

Sunday, 21 September 2003 2:00 PM
Annual Meeting of the Arisia Corporate Membership
"The Usual Room" at MIT Building 66

"Dues are due; officers will be elected."

Sunday, 26 October 2003 4:00 PM
Arisia Corporate Meeting
"The Usual Room" at MIT Building 66

Directions to the August Meeting

Nashua, NH 03060
603-888-0000

Geek directions:
42.79511N 71.5106W
(Editor's Note: For the Olde Fashioned Geek, that's 42°47'42.4"N, 71°30'38.16"W)

Left Brained Directions:
From Route 128 or I-495 drive north past Lowell into Nashua, New Hampshire on Route 3.
Once into New Hampshire ignore the Route 3 signs since you're now on the Everett Turnpike and Route 3 exits the highway.
Get off the highway at Exit 8, follow exit 8 as it loops around over the highway.
Turn right at the second light onto Kessler Farm Drive.
Follow Kessler Farm Drive all the way up the hill and start down the other side.
Take the second right past the water tower on Stanstead Place.
Skip is the first building on the left, number 39. Park along the grass anywhere, don't park in front of the buildings as those are private parking spots.

Don't be confused if whilst on Kessler Farm Drive you cross Kessler Farm Drive; it loops back upon itself. Likewise if you miss Stanstead and find the other end. This place is one big maze, as long as you're near the top of the hill you're close by and you'll find it. Look for a car with a canoe on top of it.

I'll have a barbecue grill fired up with all the usual fixings. If someone can tell me where to find them I'll even buy kosher burgers.

(Editor's Note: Skip was good enough to provide .GIF images of maps; however, I don't have enough ink to print 'em in MENTOR (let alone they're full-color, and I've got a black-and-white photocopier) - I will arrange to post them on the website - Merv)

ARISIA, Incorporated
#322, Building 600
1 Kendall Square
Cambridge, MA 02139