Notes from last general meeting (fwd)

[Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com>]

Hi.  Forwarding this to the board list, just because there are some not on
heather's list.  Cool data points!

Since I'm wasting space anyway:
Can I publish these minutes in the newsletter?
Speaking of which, everyone but Dave, SEND ARTICLES!
Don't forget the board meeting is Monday, not Tuesday.

  - Erik

-- 
Erik Olson
erik at thekrib dot com

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1998 10:50:14 -0800
From: heathen Candelaria <fishgirl@oz.net>
To: 'GSAS anne' <mercy@hotmail.com>,
    'GSAS bob' <bfrangoo@airdata.com>,
    'GSAS dave' <sanfordd@issaquah.wednet.edu>,
    'GSAS eric' <eriko@thekrib.com>,
    'GSAS kathy' <kathy@thekrib.com>,
    'GSAS kevin' <kord@prognet.com>,
    'GSAS Laurie' <lhughes@prodigy.net>,
    'GSAS Sam' <sbeavins@jps.net>,
    'GSAS scott' <Scott.Cartwright@PSS.boeing.com>,
    'GSAS steve' <nevits@eskimo.com>
Subject: Notes from last general meeting

Hello everyone,

 Here is a little blurb I wrote based on the 'round-table' we had at the last 
general meeting.

If possible, if you were at the meeting, please check my work... did I leave 
anything out or stress things too much, too little? I wrote this the day after 
the meeting, but then kept putting off brushing it up. It needs a little 
editing, but Eric can at least use it in the newsletter as a place holder while 
I (try) to brush it up a bit.

ciao,
--h

PS. The section on 'fringe topics' was written based on feedback I got from 
several memebers who came to talk to me after the round-table. They all said 
that they were too embarrased to bring it up in front of everybody (?!).
_________________________


We had a great turn out (over 25) at the general meeting in November, 
considering we weren't bringing in some presigios speaker or giving away big 
prizes. The agenda for the evening was to talk a bit about what we like, don't 
like, or would like to see done with our club.

As we were all introducing ourselves, I took an infomal poll of the things 
people like to do or keep in their tanks. The list starts off with many people 
interested or keeping; plants, tetras and African cichlids (but of course not 
all in the same tank. There were other items which several people mentioned 
including; dwarf and other cichlids, goldfish, botia/loaches, guppies, 
livebearers and killifish. at least one person mentioned; Salt water tanks, 
"big" cichlids, bettas, rainbowfishes, koi and native fish.

It seemed that there was a great number of people who were interested in 
hearing about native salt water fishes and invertebrates... both for keeping 
them in home aquaria as well as also just learning a little bit about what 
lives in the Sound.

Another topic that seemed to get a great deal of interest, was the possibility 
of having a member of 'Fish and Wildlife' come ant talk to us about laws and 
regulations regarding fish. Since in the past these civil servants have been 
berated and bashed by many hobbyists, if we were to attempt to have a speaker 
we would set it up as a sort of informational seminar about current legislation 
and what we can do if we do disagree with it (instead of pointing fingers and 
blaming anyone for the legislation as it currently exists).

Several members were also interested in what I like to call 'fringe' topics. 
These are things that are aquarium related, though not necessarily about fish. 
Topics included pauladriums, outdoor water garden/sanctuary for native 
amphibians birds &cetera, and aquatic animals that are not fish (freshwater 
invertebrates and their ilk).

The members seemed to be very interested in meetings that are less formal than 
the standard speaker/presentation format. Ideas included having more club 
members speaking or orchesrating round-table discussions, and the idea of 
breaking the evening into several smaller parts instead of one long meeting 
with the other club business (fish of the month, auction, bowl show &cetera) 
crammed into the last half hour.

Overall everybody seemed to like most everything about the club. Most of the 
members had glowing praise for the web page and newsletter, and it seems like 
the web page has been the primary means of gaining new members.

Some suggestions about ways to possibly improve the club and meetings included 
having an itinerary for each general meeting listed in the newsletter (e.g. 
7:00-Social time, 7:30-first speaker, 8:45-mini auction and fish of the month, 
9:15-second speaker, 9:45-meeting ends).

Another very good suggestion was that we should put a map in the newsletter so 
that people can find the meeting place, and maybe getting some posters or 
flyers in fish stores so that potential members can find out about the club 
(not everyone owns a computer!).

The idea of holding a proper fish show was met with little enthusiasm as most 
members are very realistic about just how much time and energy would be needed 
for this sort of thing, however the idea of doing smaller public educational 
shows like at home and garden shows seemed to be well recieved. By taking 
advantage of the fact that there will already be people at these shows with 
fish tanks to show off, for a minimum amount of work it seems that we could do 
a great deal of public education and show off just how cool looking aquariums 
can be. A few little educational pieces and some club contact information to 
set up nest to tanks is really all we would need to get started.

Some more possible additions to the newsletter were also discused. The idea of 
a technical Q&A section, where questions could be submited via e-mail or 
dropped of at the general meetings seems like an excellent way to tap into the 
expertise of the clubs membership. Also, having a regular section of the 
newsletter devoted to members who have items to sell or givaway, with a 
sub-section for stores who are having specials, seemed to meet everyones 
aproval. Non-members and stores would have to pay for the advertising space on 
a line-by-line basis.

The topic of our soewhat schizophrenic 'philanthropy' program was brought up, 
and while the memebrs seemed to have several opinions about how this particular 
branch of the club should be handled, it seems that everyone felt that no rules 
need be laid down, and that any projects proposed need to be brought to the 
whoile membership for discussion, approval and participation from the whole 
memnebership.

Fish that people mentioned that they would like to see given away in the 'fish 
of the month' program included; rare and hard to get fish, plants, killifish 
and dwarf cichlids.