Notes – Communications Committee meeting, November 14, 2006
Attendees: Bill Arnst, Dan Augustine, Norm Kolb, Marv Koontz, Denzil Willis and Jack Mounts, Com Com; Dan Owens, BOD; Ann Jones; and Chuck Heath, guest.
1. Status of the projects in process and proposed were discussed: (1) Server room modifications to address fire violations and equipment requirements; (2) review of the Community Center audio-visual requirements; (3) production and printing of the FR Directory in March-April; (4) the implementation of FR Information System (FRIS) after the first of the year with the new management contractor, and (5) the development of recommendations for improving the FR Website and the I-Channel (Channel 11).
2. Ann discussed the various changes that have been made to the Gazette to address the comments voiced in the Communications media survey. She said that modifications have been made in the areas of general appearance, length of articles, and the addition of more photographs, homeowner hints and upcoming events.
3. Com Com generally agreed that the media available to the residents (i.e., Gazette, Website, I-Channel, Bulletin Boards) should be viewed as an entity when considering how to evolve the best approach to communicating with the residents; each of the media have their own advantages. Some of the general agreements on approaches for improvements:
Listings and descriptions of trips/tours and community events would be posted on the Website and Bulletin Boards as well announced in the Gazette. A trips and tours button would be established on the Website. Club activities would be included on the Website.
Every effort would be made to keep the Website and Bulletin Boards up to date. A “communications” contact would be established for each committee, club, and organization. The contact would be responsible for coordinating proper and timed input to FR communications media.
A special group, chaired by Norm and including Dan A., Denzil and Marv, will develop, based on the Com Com recommendations: (1) instruction sheets for reference by the “communications” contacts and (2) a set of guidelines for the Website. Com Com accepted the guidelines for the I-Channel developed by Denzil.
Com Com approved the rule that everything posted on the I-Channel and Website must have a specified “in” and “out” date.
Jack will write an article on the Communications media survey for the January issue of the Gazette. The write-ups provided to the BOD summarizing the results of the survey will be posted on the Website.
Com Com will provide to Ann, with a copy to the BOD, a final list of recommendations for improving access to information on Falls Run media vehicles.
Jack Mounts, Chair, Communications Committee