The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group In the Hot Seat Dave Botherway daveb@melbpc.org.au |
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AGM Results and New Assignments
Last month was our Annual General Meeting, enabling changes to the Management Committee. Significant differences being George Skarbek has retired as President after a very successful nearly four years at the helm (but he continues at Committee level), with David King and Dennis Olsen retiring completely. We thank all three for their valuable contributions.
Following a spirited election at the AGM, the two replacements are John Hall (from the Video Editing SIG) and Lyn Goodall (from the Digital Imaging Group). Morris Tobias (from our Building Committee) and Maurice Canterbury (from the iHelp team and Berwick SIG) were unsuccessful candidates, and I thank them for offering.
The Executive nominations were uncontested. The new Executive team is:
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President Vice President Secretary Treasurer |
Dave Botherway Ash Nallawalla John Swale Bill Ford |
The new Committee and revised portfolio assignments are:
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Diana Allen Ray Beatty Bill Dair Lyn Goodall John Hall Frank Maher Barry Martin George Skarbek |
Member Support Services Monthly Meetings Groups Coordinator Strategic Planning Swap Meets Buildings Training, Library & Shareware Internet & BBS |
Ash Nallawalla will provide PC Update liaison, while John Swale will handle the
Office, Rules and Procedures areas.
You are encouraged to contact the appropriate committee member re any issues (or
compliments) that you might have.
Dial Help
A key part of our Users helping Users motto is providing peer support to other
members, with Dial Help being one key
assistance method. We are keen to see this enhanced with better processes and
expanded support. The PC Update address fly sheet lists all the current
categories but some, such as Beginners, Microsoft Word and Windows (both 95/98
and XP) topics need additional coverage. We are seeking offers from members
willing to assist in these areas. Please contact the Office
(office@melbpc.org.au
or (03) 9699 6222) if you can help.
Dorcas Office Futures
The lease on our Dorcas Street premises is due for expiry/renewal next July.
Earlier reports in PC Update have detailed some of the shortcomings of these
facilities, including its questionable location now that the centroid of our
Membership is slightly east of the Camberwell Junction. The Building Committee
has defined our requirements, but as initial progress via the usual "selling
agents" has been unsuccessful, a buying agent has now been hired to assist. The
key question being - Do we renew our Dorcas Street lease, or can we find
something better? Any members having strong thoughts on this matter are invited
to send their views to the Building Subcommittee. E-mail
building@melbpc.org.au.
Monthly Meeting Venues
With the membership emphasis being EAST of the city, there were many complaints
about the monthly meeting being held at Pharmacy College, slightly WEST of the
City. We experimented with a blend of locations, and found that when "Out East"
attendance can be double that of the City venue. We are conscious of the need
for balance-so have been trying mix and match combinations. However, finding
suitable locations is difficult-even Pharmacy College will no longer be
available as they focus on their internal needs.
Thus we are seeking input from Members for an "inner north-west" site to replace
Pharmacy College. Key parameters are-able to seat 300, screen for PC projection,
good parking, handy to public transport, reasonable cost (say $500 rental).
Even the "Out East" venues (Besen Centre and Hawthorn College) have Projection
screen deficiencies, so members' thoughts on eastern alternatives are welcomed.
December Monthly Meeting
Our December meeting is Wednesday 3 December 2003, 7:00 pm sharp at Melbourne
University Private, 442 Auburn Road.
Topics are:
Reprinted from the December 2003 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
