He also reported having found a new insurance provider, which specializes in nonprofit groups and offers more coverage for less money.

A discussion ensued about the need to spend more, accumulate less, or lower dues because of the budget surplus.

In this light, Scholarship Chairman Don Mongeau reported that SPCUG received 37 scholarship applications from 21 high schools. Two particular applicants stood out from the group, and Don chose those two as the scholarship winners.

There was an extended discussion about the funds put into scholarships, with some members favoring increasing the scholarships to $500 each (from $250), and others preferring to offer four scholarships of $250 each. The committee voted to offer four scholarships of $250, and Don said he would select two more winners.

President Milt Hull and Meeting Coordinator Ken Hopkins volunteered to coordinate the SPCUG contingent assisting at the KVIE auction and fund-raiser.

Sacra Blue editors Tom Anderson and Ken Hopkins reported problems with the meeting report had delayed publication of the newsletter. After discussion, the committee approved spending $100.80 to transcribe the meeting each month.

Also discussed was the decline in advertising for the newsletter. HAL-PC, which leads the cooperative effort to obtain advertising for user group newsletters, has advised that none of the current advertisers will pay for ads in a PDF magazine, insisting instead on hardcopy formats only.

Membership Chairperson Diana DeMuth reported a total of 617 members as of April 1, an increase from the previous month. Five new members joined, while 35 renewed.

President Milt Hull revealed that the new e-mail system for the group does not allow the use of a period in the name, thus preventing addresses like the earlier system which allowed, for example, milt.hull@sacpcug.org.

The CDs created by APCUG have arrived, and will be sold at the next general meeting. Newly-joining members will receive a copy free as an added incentive.

As part of the annual installation of newly-elected officers, all appointed officers were reappointed for another year.

The Online SIG has been dropped because SIG leader Doug Hohn determined that the location was not as versatile as would be required for on-going meetings, and required unusual outlays of labor to get equipment to the meetings. The SIG is being replaced by a group of volunteers who will help members get online by going to their homes to provide the service.