[Imc-newsroom] Steering Group Meeting Time

[Mike Lehman]

The Steering Group has been concerned since last spring about the spotty
attendance at Steering Group meetings, which are currently on Sundays at
noon. The summer season made this problem seem to be a temporary one.
While there has been some improvement since August, we wish that more
people could attend and participate in Steering Group meetings.

The need for a meeting time that can accomodate the greatest number of
participants is all the more important as we begin the Capital Campaign.
It will take the concerted effort of every member and working group in
order to be successful.

This invitation is directed at both the working groups AND individual
members. Working groups have a requirement to send at least one
spokesperson to participate, although this is not an ironclad rule.
However, continuing lack of working group representation does impede our
work at times. And we wish that members on an individual basis would
participate more. Individuals have just as much power as spokes do in
Steerin Group meetings and are welcome to participate just as actively
as others. The only real power that spokes have in addition to their
role as members is in the case of a block to consensus and only then
after the block fails to resolve itself. I cannot remember this ever
being necessary. So if you have been wondering why you should
participate, please be assured that we welcome and need the opinions and
participation of all that care to attend.

We know that the time of our meeting at noon on Sundays is an impediment
for some. It is at that time because the IMC began meeting at a time
that didn't conflict with other meeting times when we began as an
organization. We wish to solicit your ideas about a better time to meet
that will allow more participation by both working group spokes and
individual members. There is no set date to conclude this process, but
we need your input.

Please reply either to me personally or to one of the lists so that the
spokes can forward this info to the Steering Group to consider whether a
different meeting time would be an improvement.

Thanks, 
Mike Lehman