20120216 Meeting notes
Meeting called to order at 3:03PM
(month 2 without wifi internet access at our meetings.
nudge, nudge.)
Email distribution list needs to be updated.
We still have four open slots on the board. We may have
to advertise for possible members. Laura is trying to find out if there are
possible interested parties on file. Pat suggested that Brian Coakley might be interested.
20 plus people at the last tech presentation. Good
attendance. What was apparent that different needs drive different decisions.
Important to keep in mind. Laura got some good suggestions for future topics.
She will get those posted.
Colton school distract is dealing with using technology
to be a better citizen.
Carrie brought up the idea of a survey to see how
students used or had access to broadband access. This has not been done. With
the burgeoning interest in this need by the schools this need is becoming
increasingly important. Pat points out that schools are using online access for
parents to keep track of what is going on at school. Once again, users without
broadband access are at a disadvantage. Carrie pointed out that this is an
opportunity to highlight the importance of this need in the area. Pat suggested
that the schools might band together to do a proper survey on this subject
possibly by using BOCES. Jennifer thought that perhaps the information sheets
that students are sent home with for information from the household would be a
good place to gather data which could then be compiled. Carrie would like to
see this happen from a strategic planning point of view. David Wolf pointed out
that often times broadband is available but the users do not have a computer,
or the means to pay for it. Important to distinguish what the issue is in the
home.
The emerging technology sessions presents us with many
new contacts for people that we have not encountered to date. Laura set up a
linkedin group as a possible means to connect these new comers to us and vice
versa. Group is currently by invite only. This is an experiment to see how this
forum might be useful. A handful have accepted already.
Jennifer. Schools put a lot of effort into trying to
educate people about internet safety and other usage but only those that really
do not need the information seem to show up. How do you reach those that need
the information the most? There needs to be a public awareness campaign in
order to bring attention to the importance of how your digital presence is used
by the public at large.
Committee Reports:
Education. Laura emailed BOCES in order to keep in touch
and they are still interested in being involved with the symposium. Nothing
substantive yet. Might need another member of this committee.
Symposium organization is coming along just fine. DANC
and North Country Savings are back on board as sponsors. We should try to think
of vendors that might want additional exposure.
Spirit awards. Reminder that if we are going to make this
award happen it would happen by the March meeting. If no nominations we will
not have any award.
Laura has been working on promotions along with Northern
New York Business. They will have an ad for us and we will have others in other
places as well. One on one interaction to get presenters has been as effective
as anything so far. Local government conference people gave Laura a list of
people to add to our mailing list. Laura is considering reaching out to local
government to have sessions geared towards the particular needs of these
structures. How about someone to discuss what the requirements are for local
government agencies need to report and how they might do that. If we can get a
couple more ideas for sessions in this area we can develop this as a track. Pat
suggested one session could be about the financial auditing that is required by
all towns. How to deal with back ups, storage, the financial system in general,
data integrity. Carrie suggested that google tools or doodle, dropbox, and
others of this genre might be a useful session. Cloud collaboration. Have a
regulatory session.
Possibly do a session about New York Alert. www.nyalert.gov.
Old business.
Carrie wondered if we have set up any goals or work plan
for the upcoming year. To date, we have not. Focusing on symposium. Carrie
suggested that it would be helpful if we set some goals/metrics as it would
help us with our partners and the county and help measure progress. We could
take a portion of a meeting or a meeting to simply focus on a planning session.
Have a work session to hammer this out. Maybe we should be doing something else
besides events. March meeting will focus on planning for the upcoming year(s).
County did not take us up on our offer to help with new
software purchase. County has no head of IT and has just purchased a $700,000
piece of software with a $92,000/year support cost. There is a definite need to
get goverment coordinated with tech people to help them make sound financial
decisions with regards to technologies.
How do we reach the county to get some accountability for
these decisions. Carrie suggested that we need to somehow reach the county
administrator. Maybe a private meeting with Karen to explain again what it is
this committee is doing and how we can benefit the county.
Maybe we could help facilitate projects for RVRDA
funding. Deadline may be in March sometime.
Corning project was funded.
Meeting adjourned at 4:42
