ROCKNET MEETING MINUTES
January 13, 2005Meeting opened at 7:40 pm.
In attendance were: Bob Ekman, Mike Cannon, Betsy Robbins, Jonathan Walker, Jim Beller, Roald Schrack, Brian Pierce, and Art Casanova.
1. Draft minutes of November and December meetings were accepted.
2. Betsy reported that Rocknet received 505 average daily visits, up from 449 for November. She reported that the City website has been enhanced in several ways: There is now a list of special events that are scheduled in the city, Applications for city grants to non-profits are now available on the site, There has been a billing utilities page to explain diverse aspects of the city billing form, Agendas and minutes for the Environmental Commission have been added, Bicycling information has been posted, Information on a Bridal Convention to be held on January 30 at Glenview Mansion has been posted and information on the city garden plots is up.
3. Bob Ekman related some adjustments made to the web camera but the sequencing program is not done yet. Art Casanova pointed out that there is work scheduled on the roof of the Victoria apartments that will require some repositioning of the camera. There was a discussion of the Americana web site and possible changes.
4. Jonathan distributed a collection of material that he has developed on the WiFi project. He reviewed a list of potential members of the proposed Rockville Wireless Internet Access Working Group. He then laid out a set of goals for the group and possible means of achieving them. Jonathan asked the Rocknet board for permission to move ahead on the plan he outlined. Specifically he asked for permission in 3 areas:
a. To acquire ProBono legal assistance
b. To ask for donated material.
c. That he make a press release when the plans were made.
Permission was unanimously given. He reported on his meeting with a group that has set up a WiFi "hotspot" in the Washington, D.C. mall area called OpenPark. There was extensive discussion then of possible areas for an initial trial hotspot in Rockville.The meeting adjourned at 9:20 pm
Reported submitted by:
Roald A. Schrack
13 Farsta Court
Rockville, MD 20850
301-279-7017