VANCOUVER REGIONAL FREENET ASSOCIATION
                       BOARD OF DIRECTORS
                       MINUTES OF MEETING
                          June 22, 1993
                    Vancouver Public Library

The meeting was called to order at 7:37 pm.

Regrets:  Greg Buss, Mark Gendron,  Phil  Lyons,  Jacqueline  van
Dyk.

1.   Agenda The agenda was adopted.

2.   Minutes from the General  Meeting  Some  changes/corrections
were  noted  and given to the Secretary. The revised minutes will
be distributed at the next meeting.

3.     Notes   from   the   Strategic   Planning   Session   Some
changes/corrections  were  noted  and given to the Secretary. The
revised minutes will be distributed at the next meeting.

4.   Policy Issues

4.1  Community Content Guidelines The Draft  document  dated  May
12th  was  discussed in detail.  There was some discussion of the
balance between Internet  usage  and  access,  and  the  need  to
provide  a  localized,  community focus. Some suggested additions
for target groups included the  informationally  disenfranchised,
environmental  issues,  housing  groups,  the  disabled, and non-
university-based  research  groups.  It  was  agreed   that   the
committee will revise the draft and re- submit it to the board at
a later date.

5.   Committee Reports

5.1  Membership - Susan Pendakur There is  a  steady  trickle  of
calls to the VPL.  The voice mailbox will be installed next week,
with the phone number 665-3944. Susan will answer the  calls  and
stream them appropriately.

5.2  Community Content - Guy Thomas Over 30 people  attended  the
last  meeting,  with  half  being  new  faces.   The  Information
Providers brochure is under way, along with a  community  content
database  and  a  potential  information providers list.  A draft
budget/project plan was  submitted  and  discussed.   Siting  and
accessibility issues concerning the upcoming "education sessions"
were discussed.

There was  lengthy  discussion  of  the  role  of  moderators  in
discussion areas.  The distinction between Information Providers'
areas and general discussion areas was noted.  Distinctions  were
also  made between "moderated" areas (as in Usenet moderated news
groups), where  all  postings  are  cleared  by  an  editor,  and
"facilitated" areas, where an editor will step in on an as-needed
basis.   Areas  requiring  policy  decisions   were   identified,
including  the  issue of accuracy and VRFA's liability (there was
general agreement that a disclaimer should be  posted,  and  that
legal  advice  be  sought).   The  issue of censorship was raised
again, and the possibility of having a  FreeNet  ombudsperson  to
"watch   the  watchers"  was  discussed.   The  committee  is  to
investigate further on these issues, including  canvassing  other
FreeNets, and report back to the board.

5.3  Public Relations - Fritz Radandt The  last  meeting  of  the
committee  had  10 new attendees.  The current draft of a general
FreeNet brochure was distributed and discussed.  A  large  number
of  changes  were  suggested by the board, and the committee will
revise and present to the board at the next meeting.

5.4  Fundraising - No report

5.5  Hardware/Software & System Design - Mike  Hrybyk  The  check
has  been  sent  to Case Western, and agreement has been given to
download the software from the National Capital FreeNet. Mike met
with  Dave  Sutherland  (President of the NCF) and Andrew Patrick
(from the federal Dept. of Communications) at the recent Regional
Network  Conference,  and  reported  that  the DOC considers it's
funding ($10,000 to date) of the NCF to be a one-time  event  and
that  it  is  not  considering  any  funding  for  other Canadian
FreeNets beyond funding for a Canadian FreeNet conference  to  be
held  in Ottawa some time in August.  A joint technical committee
meeting will be held on June 26th at SFU Harbour Centre, and will
be   reviewing  a  number  of  draft  documents,  including  Site
Requirements and Capacity Plan.

6.   Treasurer's Report - Tom Hansen The account has been  opened
at  VanCity,  the  check  for  Case  Western drawn, and the first
monthly balance sheet was presented.

7.   Orientation  Program  -  Gladys  We  The  first  Orientation
Session  is  planned  for  July 8th.  Limited PR will be done, to
limit the meeting to 20 persons and act as a "dry run" for future
sessions.    Fritz   Radandt   will  chair,  and  there  will  be
presentations by Michael Lehmann from Community Content and Susan
Pendakur  from Membership.  Included will be a live demonstration
of the NCF, test overheads and trial questions, and  a  plug  for
fundraising.   Mike  hrybyk  and  Mark  Gendron  will  also  make
provisions for some system training for the board of directors.

The remaining items were left as Unfinished Business for the next
meeting.  The meeting was adjourned at 9:49 pm.