History: LLG 1999 Annual Meeting Minutes

Source of version: 2 (current)

! Minutes of the 1999 Annual Meeting of the Members of The Logical Language Group, Inc.


The eleventh Annual Meeting of the Members of The Logical Language Group, Inc. was called to order (in lojban: "sepi'o le ritli ke catni mruli mi cfarygau le nanca nunpenmi be la lojbangirz") on July 18, 1999 at 11:36 AM EDT.

Non-members in attendance at the annual meeting were:

* Alex (Alexandra) Miles-Lasseter voted in as member during the meeting
* Shawn Lasseter voted in as member during the meeting
* Paul Francis O'Sullivan voted in as member during the meeting
* Gary Burgess voted in as member during the meeting Roll call was taken of the members.

Members attending (7) were:

* John Cowan
* John Hodges
* Nora LeChevalier
* Robert (Bob) LeChevalier
* Nick Nicholas
* David Twery
* Tommy Whitlock

Members "present" (9) by proxy:

* Athelstan proxy to Bob LeChevalier
* John Clifford proxy to Nora LeChevalier
* Guy Garnett proxy to Nora LeChevalier
* Keith Lynch proxy to Nora LeChevalier
* Jorge Llambias proxy to Bob LeChevalier, with instructions to abstain on all votes
* Mark Shoulson proxy to Nick Nicholas
* Karen Stein proxy to Nora LeChevalier
* Veijo Vilva proxy to Bob LeChevalier
* David Young proxy to Tommy Whitlock
Members not in attendance (2) were:

* Dave Barton
* Colin Fine

No proper notice of meeting by Secretary/Treasurer was given (per Article 3, Section 4 of the Bylaws)., therefore no bylaw amendments may be made.

Reading of the Minutes:

* MOVED:  To waive reading of minutes. - PASSED.

Report of officers: Secretary/Treasurer, by President:

* Organization delinquent in state sales tax ($10 per quarter late fees)
* Book orders almost caught up; main problem is the immediate resolution of incoming mail
* Approximately $5500 in bank as of last statement; owe $8000 on the printer loan, of which it is intended to repay $3,000 [figure added after logfest, per agreement at logfest] soon.
* Account moved to non-profit checking account; no checking fees.
* Book sales: 266 total
* Expenses: CAIS (internet site) account $800 per year Phone$30 per month Visa/Mastercard/Amex service $30 per month, plus annual $100

Report of officers - President:

* Improved order filling: almost caught up
* Database not yet updated with balances.
* Once database updated and tax paid, can start JL (Ju'i Lobypli) production and send out notice of book
* Outstanding: resolution of printing problem with printer.  A letter has been drafted, but never sent.  In it, we have stated that we would like payment for our direct loss is $4400.  And for our intangible loss (which we would like restitution on, but will not insist on), we would like a 10%-15% discount of the charge for our next book (or cash rebate of 5% if we use a different printer).

Lower priority items:

* Coordination of continuing publication effort: not advanced.
* Not sure what is legally required when an address is not good and the person has given money for an order.
* Will call Visa on their orders and see if we can get address verification.
* Production of dictionary:  not advanced.
* Level-0 package committee: nothing done.
* Statement of appreciation to Shawn Lasseter for aid in getting Lojban stuff done and in getting ready for Logfest.
* Statement of commendation for Robin Turner for net activity on Lojban and in starting writing lessons (8 written).

Report of Committees:

Finance (aka Poverty) Committee:

* Nothing done because no extra moneys and no JLs sent.
* Cannot use defective books (to send to those who can't pay) because defective books returned to printer.
* John Hodges and Bob LeChevalier have, separate from this committee, copies reserved for indigent; 5 have been distributed.

On-line ordering: no change reported.

WorldCon committee: did nothing about WorldCon.

Meeting notice: no report.

Meeting recessed from 12:23 to 12:28 due to phone call for Secretary.

Consideration of new members:

* MOVED: That all 4 prospective members (Gary Burgess, Shawn Lasseter, Alex Miles-Lasseter, and Paul Francis O'Sullivan) be accepted as new members. - PASSED.

Election of Board of Directors:

Current Board includes: David Barton, John Clifford, John Cowan, Bob LeChevalier, Nora LeChevalier.  Maximum of 7 allowed.

* MOVED: To re-elect current slate of board members plus David Twery and Alex Miles-Lasseter - PASSED.

Old/Unfinished Business:

None.  [but see below, where it was brought up again after New Business.]

New Business:

* President appointed John Cowan to chair a committee to research streamlining the meeting procedures.
* To investigate possible by-law amendments to streamline procedures.
* To report with proposed amendments prior to the 1st day of March, 2000.
* Discussion of Hartmut Pilch's request to promote use of Lojban in European patent office.

Background: Hartmut Pilch works in patent law (in Germany).  He has asked LLG (Logical Language Group, Inc) support for promotion of the language in the patent office as a language for clearly stating patent descriptions in translations from other languages.  In particular, he has asked for LLG support through promotion of the idea on our Web page, and through a statement of official support.

Comments:

"Web page" support moot.  We have no official web page.

Discussion of setting up and maintaining a web page followed.

One (and possibly a second) person offered to set us up.  We also promoted consideration of the existing, un-official, web site (Veijo Vilva's); but were not sure whether this could be done.  People were concerned about the possible impact on Veijo's system if a separate official web site were set up.

* MOVED: That, if we have sufficient resources, to set up an official web site. - PASSED.

Committee appointed to determine financial feasibility of setting up an official web site, to include contacting Veijo and finding out his wishes for his web site.  The chair of the committee is also charged with seeking out others and adding to the committee at his discretion.

* David Twery Chairman
* Shawn Lasseter
* Nick Nicholas

Later, a committee may be appointed to actually set up and maintain a web site.

Some questions about whether promotion by LLG might threaten our 501C3 status as a non-profit.  Bob L. reports feedback from Bob Chassell that says he opines that a general statement of support for such an endeavor would be no problem, but a specific statement might be.

* MOVED:  That our official statement be that: A.  We note with interest the efforts of Harmut Pilch to promote the use of Lojban at the European Patent Office. B.  We wholeheartedly support the use of Lojban in every field of human activity. C.  We encourage the Lojban community to familiarize itself with Harmut Pilch's project and the make their views known to all interested parties. - PASSED.
* It was suggested that we put the English-order gismu list on the web site.  John Cowan offered to fix this after the meeting.
* It was suggested that we renew the Level-0 committee to make a level-0 (introductory) book rather than a packet of papers. The committee had consisted of John Cowan, David Barton and Tommy Whitlock.  The committee was renewed, with membership as follows:
** John Cowan chairman
** David Twery
** Tommy Whitlock
** Bob LeChevalier

Old/Unfinished Business, revisited:

Further discussion on marketing and promotion:

* MOVED: To put off discussion until next meeting - PASSED.
* MOVED: To adjourn meeting. - PASSED.

The ELEVENTH Annual Meeting of the Members of The Logical Language Group, Inc. was adjourned at approximately 1:42 PM EDT.

I certify that the above motions were presented to all members present for discussion and approval, and that all motions were approved as noted.  I further certify that these minutes are an accurate representation of the eleventh Annual Meeting of the Members of The Logical Language Group, Inc.

Nora LeChevalier

Secretary/Treasurer
History: LLG 1999 Annual Meeting Minutes

Source of version: 2 (current)

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