DCN INFORMATION PROVIDER COMMITTEE MEETING NOTES

[These are draft notes until approved at a subsequent IPC meeting.]

DATE: 11/05/97
TIME: 6:15 - 7:30 PM
LOCATION: City of Davis Computer Lab, 600 A Street.

ATTENDEES: John Batchelder, Anne Hance, Paul Healey, Steve McMahon,
           Richard Yamagata.
           
NOTE TAKER: Paul Healey


A  1. Approval of Agenda.
    
      The agenda was approved.

B. Project Proposals for Consideration:

   1. Sponsored project, Professional Environmental Resource Page
      (Revisited) -- Paul Sherman
      
       Discussion was tabled in Mr. Sherman's absence.
      
      
   2. AYSO server Miniproject -- (See Vicki Suter's 11/5/97 note
      to the committee.)
      
      The initial informal proposal is for DCN to assist AYSO in
      installing their own hardware server at DCN's facilities, in
      selecting software, and in designing database functions for
      on-line registration.  It was agreed that the project would
      extend DCN's function and also give us additional technical
      experience, particularly in database services.  It was noted
      that there could be issues of security and control to be
      addressed if the server is AYSO-owned.
      
      Consensus was to pass the informal proposal with IPC comments
      back to Vicki, with a request for a formal proposal and a
      request  that Jack Crowell, Paul Healey and Steve McMahon,
      representing various interests and skills, be included in the
      formulation process.  

C. Housekeeping

   1. Approve notes of 4/2/97, 5/7/97 and 10/1/97.
   
      The 10/1/97 notes were approved, with a suggestion that the
      note taker keep his or her creativity in harness.
      
   2. A secret poll for vice-chair pro tem was taken (later extended
      to a poll by e-mail).
      
      
D. Content Review

   1. Consideration of Web space allocated for "Printed Matter" by
      Elisabeth Sherwin -- Richard Yamagata.
      
      The request was, simply, for more space to continue the original
      project.  A new total of 10 MB was agreed to.
      
   2. DCN News Groups update -- Steve McMahon.
   
      Steve reported the the CWNet news feed is working, but not
      consistently.
      
   3. Discussion of software development to enable DCN to web-publish
      accurate and timely local-campaign financing data  -- Steve
      McMahon.
      
      Steve investigated this possibility and found interest on the
      part of County Office has diminished -- largely because of
      State precedence in the matter of electronic filing, supported
      by recent legislation.  The City Clerk was also not enthusiastic,
      so Steve is putting that one on the back burner.
      
E. Reports

   1. Web Team -- Steve McMahon.

       Financial disclosure information for the Fall referendum and School
			 Board  election was presented on DCN pages.  Recruitment of new 
       volunteers is going slowly, due in part to lack of publicity.
  
   2. Ad Hoc Committte on Content Policy.

       Work continues.
      
   3. Projects
      
      a. Steve McMahon, further thoughts on the Neighborhood
         Association List Server Project proposal.
         
         Brief discussion revealed that the meaning of "neighborhood
         association" is unclear, so Steve will work on the
         definition.
         
      b. Brief informal updates.
      
         Noted that a monitor for the Yolo Basin Foundation has
         finally been obtained
         
F. Other Business or Comments.

   1. Proposal re contributions to DCN -- Paul Healey
   
      The committee consensus was to ask Paul for a more formal
      proposal.
      
G. Business Item, Discuss and Approve Statement on IPC Decision-making

   IPC DECISION MAKING (items are summaries)
   
   a. Simple majority of members-in-good-standing for quorum.
   
      Approved.
      
   b. Strive for consensus with what percentage fallback for approval?
   
      This engendered a lively discussion, with a final agreement to
      striving for consensus with a fallback to 66% majority vote.  A
      strong position was taken by some that absolute consensus is the
      Committee's tradition.
      
   c. Voting by e-mail on urgent matters.
   
      Approved.
      
   d. Count of for/against votes on any motion to be included in the
      minutes.
      
      Approved.
      
   e. Proposal decisions to be made on the basis of budget/resource
      considerations.
      
      Approved
      
H. Meeting Adjourned at 7:30 p.m.