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**meeting notes: May 13th board meeting at Trinity Bellwoods & Squirly's** Attending: Dory, Hanna, Jason, Hilary, Michele, Andrew, Gabe CSI-ENP funding * Hanna went to a workshop about it in Scarborough * TEF isn't for us, but the CSI-ENP program might be * one of us needs to attend one of the next workshops: July, September or October; the cost is $100 * **is that per person or per organization?** * they reinforced the importance of good planning * maybe we should bring on a consultant to help us write up a proper business & financial plan prior to applying * we're unclear on whether the expectation would be that we start a new "wing" that's a social enterprise, or if our current activities would qualify * ACTION: Hilary will pursue it: do we need to incorporate prior to applying? do our current activities qualify? Hilary will also coordinate the compilation of documentation for our meetings with potential consultants * ACTION: Hanna will look into getting some free consulting, from U of T or otherwise (I think?) * ACTION: as a group, we will follow up in August, since the application isn't due 'til November * ACTION: Jason will look for a volunteer bookkeeper (Gabe will continue doing it half-assed in the meantime) AllianceCSP meeting in Montreal * Gabe and Jason attended, and gave a synopsis of the alliance and the meeting * Gabe will keep in touch with the alliance pitch kit * Hanna and Dory are working on it * the plan is to create a pitch kit for venues who show interest, and a postcard or flyer to distribute widely (in time for the venue sprint) * ACTION: Michele is looking into printing quotes for both * we'll see what comes back, but it'd be great to spend under $300, or $500 mesh * Gabe and Jason did a test a few days ago on Queen Street * the results were good -- we have a lot of stuff to figure out, but the Meraki boxes are robust * Hanna: "how do we pitch it?" * Jason: a mesh deployment would be a good way to get press * [Gabe after the fact: we have a lot yet to figure out logistically about mesh deployment, and it may be too soon (and confusing) to try to include a mesh pitch in the venue sprint. It depends on how much time people are able to spend on prototyping in the next couple of weeks.] Linksys sponsorship * Jason has found that $1800 is available from them in cash or in routers * Linksys would like to get two press mentions out of it, so we'll need to do some communications work as well * we'd need to include a link to Canada Computers on our portal pages (and website?), and also to Linksys * we'd also need to give them a list of locations, and a copy of the press release we send out * the money is available only until the mid/end of July * ACTION: ??? Teksavvy sponsorship: * Jason has got them to agree to sponsoring 5 DSL lines for one year * we give them a link (on our website or portal page or both?) * ACTION: ??? Parkdale BIA: * Jason spoke to John Colautti(?), interim (director?) * John didn't understand what the benefit to his members would be * Jason's offer was 30 nodes to cover the neighbourhood, plus 5 gateway nodes (the ones that plug into the DSL lines) for $5,000-$7,000 * John asked to see a demo network -- we don't have one; that was the point of talking to them! * he asked for maps; of where the nodes would go, and what the coverage would be * he suggested talking to TABIA * Jason spoke with John K(?) there, and sent him a basic document * we need to work on our messaging for BIAs; making the value proposition more clear * stuff like: attracting shoppers, attracting people with money * also, testimonials from our current venues about what the value is to them in providing wifi * also: a better website and portal * ACTION: ??? mesh: Kensington Market * this may be a good place to deploy a mesh pilot * Cory Doctorow connection * perhaps we should speak to Yvonne from Streets Are For People; they may have good connections in the Market, since there's no BIA there * ACTION: ??? OMDC * Jason spoke to Kim Gibson; asked her if our portals might qualify for funding * she said yes, and that we should talk to Telefilm because we may also qualify for funding from them * OMDC only funds for-profit corporations; Telefilm's project funding programs too * the next OMDC IDM (interactive digital media fund) deadline isn't 'til the fall * ACTION: ??? sponsorship: Yahoo * Dave Forde spoke to Yahoo about WT; they're also interested in sponsoring a mesh * ACTION: ??? mesh: freenet * they've offered to loan us some of their open-mesh boxes, but they want to send an emissary to watch what we're doing and learn from us * it might just be easier to get our own sponsorship: general * Jason has found that potential sponsors respond well to the idea of sponsoring a mesh (rather than a general group sponsorship) mesh strategy * Andrew suggested that rather than doing one big pilot, that we could do 5 small mesh pilots in different neighbourhoods * possibilities: Parkdale, Queen West, Trinity Bellwoods, Bloorcourt, Bloor West Village, the Annex, Church Street, the Danforth * Andrew: "if we do this sponsored mesh, how do we explain it to our existing venues?" * it's a "campaign", but we need to develop a coherent story about this in order to ensure that our existing venues don't get upset * ACTION: ??? content vs. access * we had a discussion about whether or not it makes sense for Wireless Toronto to do content, or whether the group should focus on access and "outsource" the content part to another group -- this strategy may work well with the CSI-ENP project, if they require that we reorganize ourselves somewhat * Gabe and Jason felt strongly that content is a critical component of what the group does, and that we should think hard before going that route [Gabe and Jason at some point got into an argument about time, resources and expectations. After the fact, I (Gabe) feel that it was mostly about that the people involved in Wireless Toronto right now aren't (able to) contribute the time required to adequately follow-up and implement many of the initiatives that Jason is working on, and that consequently Gabe feels that the responsibility is, by default, landing on his shoulders.] volunteer recruitment * this appears to be a priority -- if we want to get more done, we need more hands on deck * ACTION: Michele agreed to work on volunteer outreach (I think?) ---- We didn't have time to define or assign all of the action items. There are also a few potential items which we didn't have time to discuss: * an opportunity to partner with the MEIC * WaterfronToronto's wifi plans * Pride festival mesh opportunity * paypal and donations * a discussion of the Wireless Toronto draft plan which Gabe wrote * hearing from Hilary about potential opportunities to partner with OCAD's "Changing Places" project
