There will be situations where it will be appropriate for the board or committees to conduct meetings virtually. For security reasons, any public announcement of these meetings should NOT contain instructions and credentials for attending (we don;t have the bandwidth to host a meeting with global public access) but the public announcement should contain a link to a private (log in required) article on our website and that article should contain the information needed to participate virtually.

The information below and in the attached document provide the instructions for joining the meeting virtually, and the rules of etiquette required to assure a reliable and productive meeting.

Using the info in the private article to enter the meeting

The private article should contain the info you need to participate via telephone, computer, or smartphone. It may look something like this:

Meeting Name:

When: Date, Month, Year (Mountain Time- Denver)

Joining Info: Join with Google Meet

Join By Phone: (US) +X-XXX-XX-XXXX (PIN: 12345+789)

• If you will be participating via telephone:

Call the "Join by phone" number and be prepared to enter the PIN when prompted. When you enter the meeting, please press *6 on your phone to mute your microphone. This will prevent background noises far away from your phone from disturbing the meeting.

• If you will be participating via computer or a laptop:

Click on the Join with Google Meet link to join the meeting. You will be taken to a meet.google.com website for the specified meeting.

Locate the camera and microphone icons at the bottom of your screen and click them to mute your audio and disable your camera. You will still see and hear the meeting.

Click JOIN NOW and you will be prompted to submit your name to identify yourself to others in the meeting, then a moderator will admit you to the meeting. Please be patient as the moderator has to admit every attendee one at a time.

• If you will be participating via smartphone vs. laptop or desktop:

Smartphone users will need to install the Google Meet app before the meeting.

How and when a virtual attendee can ask a question

There are 3 methods that can be used to ask a question: Raise Hand, Chat, and Email. The moderators of individual virtual meetings may choose to allow only some or all of these methods, depending on the agenda of the meeting. The allowed methods should be explained in the private article and/or by the moderator before the meeting starts. Following the guidelines below for each method will insure that your question is addressed, and that the meeting remains orderly and productive. Violators will be removed from the meeting.

• Raise Hand: This feature is for computer and smartphone attendees only, During portions of the meeting that are specifically designated for questions, the moderator will ask those with questions to click the Raise Hand icon to indicate they have a question. The moderator will then call on individuals one at a time and ask them to unmute their microphones and wait for an answer. DO NOT unmute your microphone to ask a question until you are called on by the moderator. If there are time constraints that prevent the moderator from recognizing everyone with a question, please use one of the other methods to ask your question.
• Chat: This feature is for computer and smartphone attendees only. Chat allows you to type your question so that it can be read by the moderator during the meeting or answered afterward. Look for the Chat icon to open the Chat window. This window is reserved for questions directed to the moderator, so DO NOT use the Chat feature for texting between attendees. All Chat questions will be recorded so that those that cannot be answered during the meeting can be answered afterward.
• Email: Meet does not currently offer a RAISE HAND or CHAT feature for telephone attendees so if you are attending via telephone, please email your questions either in advance, during the meeting (if specifically allowed), or after the meeting to the email address given in the instructions (or by the moderator). Computer and smartphone users can also use Email to ask their questions.

Additional Notes:

• Before major board meetings, Communications Committee volunteers can host 1:1 so you can test your laptop, headset, and microphone settings. Please contact the Communications Committee at commcomm@santafetrailranch.com to schedule.
• Most meetings will be recorded and posted on YouTube as soon as possible. See the Notifications section for video links.
• Questions offered via Meet's chat feature will be documented and those that do not get addressed during the meeting will be answered and published with the meeting minutes or shortly thereafter.
• This information was extracted from the attached document which was updated on 9/29/2021.

Questions:

If you have any questions, email web@santafetrailranch.com.