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For people who didn't attend last nights AGM, this is a copy of the 'Website report'
Website Report: Forum Changes
Firstly, all the decisions and changes that have occurred over the past year have been a committee decision and not one taken by myself or any other individal. The committee in turn has taken certain decisions in response to concerns expressed by members at the last two AGMs, culminating last year in a majority vote for this action.
Forum Records
For the last complete year the forum received and inputted approximately 46,000 records to the LBC Database. These records came from a very wide range of sources in and out of the county. Some of these records, including some of the more significant one came from the website, and we know that not all of these contributors are members. We would hope that those who aren't members will join but we accept that not all will, and we really don't want to lose this input.
Non-members can continue to post messages simply by mailing their contributions to the webmaster and/or using the submit button on the website. This happens now with those who have never opted to join the Forum and there is usually only a short period before the posting is on the Forum. There is no charge for this and no intention of levying one.
There are however two costs borne by the Club for the website. Firstly, there is an annual hosting fee (domain name and hosting fee), which comes out of Club funds and is therefore paid by LBC members, whether they ever visit, or indeed have access to the site, or not. Secondly, there is the fact that our reputation is closely tied to the website, and whilst we are all basically very proud of it, you will be aware that there have been occasions when postings have come very close to bringing the Club disrepute. Our administrators have become steadily faster and more resolute in removing these postings and its now rare that we receive an external complaint about the Forum, but as the last AGM showed, there are Club members who want nothing to do with these views. The committee was therefore asked by members to take action to bring the site under closer control, and this is what we have done.
It is sad for all of us that just a few people have abused their membership of the forum, but since our members have pointed out that they are not happy with the situation, we have to respond to that. It is, after all, their website. We are looking into ways that forum membership could be offered to members of other bird clubs (especially those with whom we have reciprocal data-sharing arrangements) which I hope also shows that we value all these links. The present situation is by no means fixed and I expect the way the forum function and operates will in future change.
I hope you feel that this has explained the rationale behind changes to the forum over the past year, and that you will be happy with the changes made.
When I set up the Forum its main aim was to encourage accurate reporting of Birds in Lincolnshire. However, I also set it up as a means of communication between birders/birdwatchers in Lincolnshire. I hope to some degree that both of these have been achieved. I personally like the good humoured banter that occasionally occurs on the Forum, and feel that the Forum is a better place for it. However, I also accept that sometime a degree of moderation is required to keep the system running.
Finally I would like to thank the admin team who help keep the forum running, and on the straight and narrow....
Andrew Chick
_________________ ----------------------------------------------------- Andrew Chick Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/
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