Follow-Up to Saturday's Meeting

[Justin Kownacki]

It seems like there hasn't been an official follow-up to our meeting within these pages, so I'd like to remedy that situation here. (If there is one, then let's just collapse the multiple threads into one.)

TOPICS DISCUSSED ON SATURDAY:

* Who we are
* What we do
* What our personal goals are
* Obvious problems / issues the region faces
* How we'd like to improve the region
* Ways we can pool our resources

I won't post a gigantic synopsis here, primarily because John in Youngstown has the email addresses of all the meeting's attendees and I was under the impression we'd all be getting in touch with one another to create a composite summary via email / wiki / this site.

Which brings me to our most obvious problem, which will be: organizing and sustaining our momentum. The Rust Belt Initiative (or whatever we end up calling it) has great potential, but we're all aware that it won't go anywhere if we don't capitalize on the momentum and interest we generate.

Other thoughts from fellow attendees? (Or non-attendees?)

[Tom]

Looking forward to contributing to the composite summary when that happens...until then I posted some images from the event on my Flickr page for those who are interested.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/locobone/sets/72157606177144463

[Jim Russell]

I created a wiki page here. Does everyone else need the password in order to edit it? I'll post it in this thread if that is the case. I haven't made any changes, but I wanted to set it up as I promised last Saturday. Sorry for the delay.

I'll also post a quick thought in this thread: While I can see the benefit of increased awareness between our cities, I think GLUE and others are busy addressing the various information deficits. I recommend carving out a niche and rallying around one specific cause. I have an idea (or two), but I'll wait to post that on the wiki once we get the summit discussions archived.

[Justin Kownacki]

Jim, it looks like you need to grant each of us access to edit that wiki. Either that, or you need to change the preferences to enable people to edit the wiki if they simply know the password. Either way, it probably would help for you to have the email list John compiled at the meeting.

[Jim Russell]

I'll ask John for the e-mail list.

[john morris]

I feel dumb making comments since I missed the meeting but I guess I'll try.

I think, the initial focus of the group should tend towards the questions of new media collaboration, media issues, cross links, cross posting etc... How can we transfer information and lessons across the region and tell let people know about success stories.

Also, projects to teach people about blogging and other new media can be very important so that a boader cross section of the population can get involved.

I also think the group is slightly different from GLUE in that GLUE seems very tilted towards just the Non profit/ community activist sector.

[Michael Mahler]

I also posted this to http://rustbeltbloggers.pbwiki.com. Wasn't sure which was more appropriate.

Just starting off here. Do all of the cities/areas have something like a directory of blogs (i.e. like http://www.erieblogs.com)? Could we have a central page that links to each region's main new media directory and/or links to contacts from that area? That way, each city/area could maintain their own list of resources and etc (which is probably better than 1 person or group trying to do it for everyone.) We could then encourage each city/area focused new media directory to point to the Rust Belt Blogger city/area and contacts page.

Maybe a central aggregator? What was the site Justin mentioned?

I chatted with someone from the Erie Chamber of Commerce last night, and it might be good to have conversations with folks in analogous positions in other cities/areas.

[Justin Kownacki]

Getting the various Chambers of Commerce, etc., involved is a good idea. I think we should probably have a shared (and clearly stated) goal or message in place before we venture too far outside the original conversation group, just so we're consistent when approaching different collaborators in different cities. But yes, spreading word of our intentions is a good thing.

[Michael Mahler]

Cool. I didn't give our local folks any details. Just mentioned it in passing.

So, what is the URL for new media for the various cities? Where should we put the page?

[Justin Kownacki]

That seems like something we should list on the wiki for now, and then make available publicly once it's compiled, no? Actually, this speaks to the larger issue of information management: what's the proper workflow, who's in charge of deciding when something goes from "private / under construction" to "public," and where is that public information then posted -- here? elsewhere, on its own shiny URL?

Food for thought.

[Justin Kownacki]

Okay, I've posted most of my applicable (at this stage) notes from our initial meeting on the wiki.

http://rustbeltbloggers.pbwiki.com/

If you weren't at the initial meeting and you can't see the wiki, let us know -- we may need to fiddle with the permission settings on the wiki to enable everyone to view / comment on it.