October 2006 Business

1) CONTINUITY OF NEW LANDSCAPE:
All present wanted New Landscape to continue after January, when “V” will no longer be able to assume primary responsibility for the group, either administratively or financially. Different aspects of running the group were discussed, with a view to dividing them up; no one person would do everything.

2) MODERATOR:
The moderator for the sharing portion of the October meeting was Jeanette. She will continue as moderator for Nov, Dec, and Jan. The moderator for the business portion of the October meeting was “V.” (If anyone would like to moderate this portion of the meeting in November and/or December, and/or January, please let “V” know. The main focus of the business meeting in the next few months is to put in place a structure to enable the group to continue.)

3) MONTHLY MAILINGS–DISTRIBUTION:
The monthly mailings are the most expensive activity that New Landscape undertakes. There are about 180 people on the mailing list. The majority receive paper mailings via the post office. A few receive them via e-mail, and a few receive both (e-mail and post-office mail). The group decided to stop using the post office for monthly mailings. The November mailing will be the last one we send through the post office. After that, anyone wishing to receive the monthly mailings will get them through e-mail. If we don’t have your e-mail address, please send it to us. (We will still keep the post office box—for use other than the monthly mailings.)

NOTE: At present, the e-mails are sent out individually. In doing it that way, we hope to avoid winding up in the junk-mail folder. When we convert the entire list to e-mail, it will no longer be feasible to send every piece of e-mail separately. It is suggested that you make newlandscape1@yahoo.com one of your safe addresses. [If anyone knows of a way to send out bulk e-mails in a way that insures delivery and keeps the names of those to whom it is sent from being displayed, please let us know. Thank you.]

4) MONTHLY MAILINGS—WRITING PROJECT:
[This item was not discussed at the meeting.] Note from “V”: At present, I put together the monthly Writing Project. As I may not be at every meeting after January, if anyone wants to volunteer to do this, please let us know. Here’s what is involved: a) Write up the list of discussion topics (from both the sharing and business portions of the meeting). b) Include any writings that members may send in. c) Time frame: This should all be done two weeks before the meeting.

5) WEBSITE:
We are looking into the possibility of creating a secure website, one not on the open Internet, but accessible only through a password. When that is operational, we will let everyone on the mailing list know how to log on. The plan is to post the monthly mailings on the website. One of the members is looking into how to set this up. (We don’t want our meeting location posted on the open Internet for safety reasons.) This might not happen for months, so in the meantime, starting December, we will send out the monthly mailings via e-mail.

6) BANK ACCOUNT:
At present, it is difficult for us to accept donations of checks made out to New Landscape, because we have no bank account. One of the members is looking into opening a bank account under the name of “New Landscape.” When that is up and running, we will be able to pay the monthly room rental from it, as well as accept donations. [People who come to meetings make donations in cash (donations are optional; no one has to donate). We have also received donations from a few people who don’t come to meetings; those are harder to process because we don’t yet have a bank account.]

7) RELATIONSHIP WITH THE YMCA:
Monthly room rental:
Until the bank account is set up, “V” will continue to pay the rental with her personal check. After that, the member who set up the bank account will mail a check to the YMCA.
Other YMCA issues:
On two occasions over the past two years, there has been a mix-up in the room reservation, and New Landscape was moved to another room at the last minute. Also, sometimes the chairs and table are not in the room—or there are too many chairs, and the Y thinks they can interrupt our meeting to take the chairs out whenever they are needed for another function. To avoid this, “V” has been coming early and putting the extra chairs in the hall, so our meeting won’t be disturbed. (Note from “V”: I can continue to do this whenever I come to meetings. But after January, I will not be able to attend every meeting. If anyone wishes to help in this way, please e-mail us. Thank you.)

8. MAILING LIST:
A volunteer is needed to maintain the mailing list (additions, changes).

9) E-MAIL and POST OFFICE INQUIRIES:
A volunteer is needed to monitor and respond to inquiries that come through the e-mail account and the post office box (at present, 99% of the inquiries come through the e-mail account).

10) MATTERS OF CONCERN TO OUTSIDE PEOPLE AND GROUPS:
Occasionally, outside people or groups request that we publicize one of their functions at our meeting, or that we discuss a certain topic at the meeting. Under the guidelines for the open discussion, the only topics discussed are those brought up by members actually at the meeting. That structure has worked well for us, and we don’t want to change it. The group decided on the following: Whenever such a request comes in, whoever is monitoring the e-mail account will decide whether the issue is appropriate to bring to the attention of the members. If it is, he/she will print out a few copies of the notice or e-mail and make them available on the give-away table at the meetings. At some time during the business meeting, an announcement will be made that there are new items on the give-away table. [There were two such items at the October meeting: 1) The FEGS sexual abuse survivors art show. 2) A request from Lynn W. of “Many Voices” re: someone from the New York area with DID who also has breast cancer and is afraid of doctors, hospitals, and being thought strange by people in breast cancer groups; if you have any suggestions for her, Lynn will pass them on. Contact info for Lynn: (513) 751-8020; P.O. Box 2639, Cincinnati, OH 45201-2639; LynnW@manyvoicespress.com.]