RockNet Home Page   RockNet Meeting Minutes - November 14, 1996

         MINUTES OF ROCKVILLE COMMUNITY NETWORK MEETING
                        November 14, 1996

     The meeting was called to order by Bob Skinner at
7:37 p.m.  In attendance were Bob Dorsey, Bob Ekman,
Barbara Goldstein, Glennon Harrison, John Herman, David
Mays, Gail Wisan Muren, Barbara Skinner, Bob Skinner, and
Thomas E. Thomas.

     The minutes of the meeting of October 10, 1996, were
read and amended as follows:  

"II. Discussion of Draft Rocknet Style Guide and Policy
     Statement
                      for Content Providers

     A.   Policy

                              * * *

          Specific:

          3.   Initial free Web page size:  100,000
               bytes"

     Initial free Web page site space changed from
100,000 bytes per group to 1 megabyte per group.

     With the foregoing amendment, the minutes were
approved.

I.   Report Made by David Mays:

     Memo of understanding with Sailor still being
negotiated; City is still looking to the end of December
for installation, with January/February training.  Domain
name is registered; Dave Mays will control who uses
domain name.  For Rocknet purposes name will be
"Rockville.org" until transition occurs.  Discussion
about transition plan, statement must be made about what
is going to happen before it happens.

     Thomas E. Thomas asked if Rocknet is ready to be
seen; reply was that it is not yet.

II.  Report from Bob Ekman on Web Page Policies,
     Procedures and Style Guide

     Determined at "content" meeting held Saturday,
     11/9/96

     Order of priority:

     1.   Policy statement
     2.   Design
     3.   Initial baseline operating prototype
     4.   Style/layered

     Discussion:    Roald Schrack writing Boulder to ask
                    permission to adapt their
                    guidelines, which will protect
                    Rocknet.

                    For discussion with the mayor and
                    council: How do we protect both
                    Rocknet and the City of Rockville
                    from liability for the actions of
                    "guests" on the RockNet web site? 
                    City Attorney should probably look
                    at RockNet policy statement.

III. Discussion on Interns

     No response as yet from Montgomery College;
     suggestion made to check with University of
     Maryland.

IV.  Work Session with Mayor and Council

     Discussion again about paying a "Webmaster" led to
     determination that Rocknet needs legal status and
     relationship with City.  Decision made to
     officially contact Mayor and request formal meeting
     (work session) with Mayor and council, Dave Mays,
     Thomas E. Thomas, Julie Novack, in early December
     so that City Attorney's office can assist Rocknet
     in filing tax exempt papers to achieve "503C
     status" as independent entity; perhaps City would
     provide a "pocket" for any income raised by
     Rocknet.  A commission of the City could request
     funding.  Bob Skinner and Barbara Goldstein to
     draft letter to Mayor.

V.   Funding

     Once Rocknet is up and running, sources of funding
     need to be identified and contacted.  Various
     suggestions included advertising space, fund
     raising vis-a-vis the sale of T-shirts, etc. 
     Perhaps Chamber of Commerce could help "beat the
     drum" for Rocknet.

     Bob Dorsey asked by Bob Skinner to serve as
     custodian of list of possible sources of funding.

VI.  Announcement/Kickoff

     Announcement of Rocknet depends on City recognition
     of Rocknet's status, tax exemption status.

     Thomas E. Thomas requested by Glennon Harrison to
     ask Public Information Office to write a press
     release announcing the existence of Rocknet and
     perhaps asking for "volunteers" to "contribute"
     time and experience to the Rocknet effort.

     It was discovered that Rocknet's logo had not yet
     been approved; a vote was called and the logo was
     approved without objection.

VII. Science and Technology Commission

     Barbara Goldstein indicated interest and support of
     Science and Technology Commission in creation of
     Rocknet.  Want to know criteria for E-mail
     accounts, what schools involvement with Rocknet
     would be.  Bob Ekman indicated that conversations
     he had had with Richard Montgomery indicated an
     interest; however, certain issues must be
     considered such as insurance.  Bob Dorsey mentioned
     Amanda Jonas; agreed that Gail Wisan Muren would
     call her and invite her to meeting on 12/12/96. 
     Consensus was that it would be helpful to have a
     working session between Rocknet and Science and
     Technology Commission in January or February;
     Barbara Goldman to draft something to set up
     appearance of Rocknet before Commission. 
     Suggestion made that perhaps Science and Technology
     could draft letter to Mayor and Council to
     reinforce letter from Rocknet to City - offer
     themselves as a commission to request funding.

VIII.     Other

     Obtain copy of New Zealand charter.

     Once Rocknet is up and running, check into other
     alliances, interdependencies with City's
     commissions, etc.

     Glennon Harrison requested electronic copies to be
     provided of all Rocknet minutes so they can be
     posted to the web site, as opposed to hard copy
     which has limited application.

     Meeting adjourned 9:09 p.m.