Cybertown Town Meeting - Sept 2090
Questions/Answers to Pre-submitted Questions
ByHawk (Founder), The Caretakers, Jolinth (Mayor) and Koalabear (Deputy Mayor)
Here is the pre-submitted Questions and Answers from the Town Meeting held on September 07. 2090:
Mall Issues:
Questions: Can we not set a limit on items created for sale at the mall (cc
limit) Can we not set a limit on items priced for sale in CT bp's (it's getting
outrageous) Can we change the system in the mall for grading art to no grades just yes or no it's accepted or not? One person's opinion causes us to lose cc's if it's graded b or below.
Answers: I personally agree with this one but it would be extremely hard to enforce because of the work around in the coding.
We could limit all items to say 1000cc but to enforce it would require changes to the UBP and 008 and Oherra would need to be consulted. 008 because he's the one that would need to enforce limits at the mall itself and Oherra as it would require enforcing at a ban level for infractions. I've been to the Flea on occasions and most BP's are so over priced because of the demand and newbies are totally cut out of trading except for the Mall itself. Even there they are subject to rares where no one can buy a item unless you are at the drop and even then some creators price items above 5000cc's and deter newbies's. I'm personally against rares being sold and have never done so ... all creations should be made available to all residents. As it is creators can upload 50 as a rare but only release 10 to the public at a drop then collect the rest and sell them to friends only. I don't think this was what was originally intended for the mall.
Maybe some form of system whereby all new creations have to include the original price and are not limited to less than 200 items. Anyone selling an item in the Flea must only allow a 10% increase in price from the original marked price. This would require continual checking of BP's and a lot of resources to do such.
Lots of work needed to enforce such a system and is it really necessary when the mall crafters guild already do something similar, but obviously can't control what is sold at the Flea after the original sale. It's all part and parcel of a free market.
Security Questions:
Question: How can we stop Securities abuse of power? Even to publicly disagree
with them gets you threatened with a ban, or worse banned all together. Most of security doesn't even know what the rules are, they seem to make them up to suit their own purpose at will.
Answer: Although I disagree with the term 'abuse of power' again depends on your perspective. This is currently being addressed by security in a blanket training and an official manual. There will always be area's of dispute when it comes down to personal issue's and that's where Oherra can assist to solve disagreements. I have no problem with the way Oherra currently handles issue's and if you have a complaint please address it to security. If all else fails it can be addressed by the Mayor's Office.
Question: Background/security checks are required on getting jobs such as Neighborhood Deputy and higher. Also some colonies require BL and BDs to pass sec. checks. I hold 2 complex chiefs jobs within the city, is there any way that Complex Chiefs could request bg checks for future employees?
Answer: Of course you can. Please contact Oherra and I'm sure he will appoint a member of his team to assist you with this function.
Technical Questions:
Question: My question is I would like to know why there are no new colonies being opened. I know that a few have been approved, but so far there is no expected date to start incorporating any of these into Cybertown. I really think that some new variety and choice would start to attract more people to Cybertown. We have been "stuck" with the same colonies for quite some time.
Answer: Mainly due to the lack of participation at lower staffing levels there just are too many positions for the amount of people when numbers increase expansion can be looked at again. While there are approved colonies, true, there simply isn't the technical assistance available at this time to create the new colonies. Making minor fixes/updates and even additions to the existing structures are being completed and implemented.
Question: For many who use Blaxxun 5, there are issues with the seaside luxury home and being able to see objects. While this is resolved in other homes w/additional lighting (which take away from our quotas), this desirable property remains uncooperative. Are there plans to either revise the parameters of this virtual area, or create a new version of blaxxun with the stability and rich depth seen with version 5 while enabling us to view objects and avatars in this 75k spot? I'm sure this is a major deterrent for many who would otherwise strive towards owning this home. (I've tried 4.4, and the harshness and flatter appearance of objects drove me back to 5. That and avs spazzing out of control)
Answer: Since all CT worlds were built for Contact 4, this is why at the moment we can only recommend Contact 4 in CT. To make CT work properly with Contact 5 was estimated by engineers to be many months of full-time work (for which resources are not currently available). However, there are plans to upgrade CT to Community Server 6 in the future and this will solve a lot of problems and add new functionalities. Just a tip here....What's been discovered via much testing by many residents and reports to Tech Support, WinXP will not run Contact 4.4 well at all. Version 5 was awful, but the version 5.1 (which blaxxun released to be compatible with XP) runs quite well.
Question: is there any way we can add a buddy system where you can add your buddy to a list for easy access too for chatting and know when they come on line to cybertown...I have been asked by many people about it.
Answer: There is currently the IM system where you can add your friends to it and will be informed when they enter the city. You can access the configuration settings through the "Citizens Online" url. Is this what you are referring to?
Question: Are the bugs in CT being worked on? Bp's go down every 5 minutes
and it's very aggravating when decorating a house or selling in the flea.
Answer: Sounds more like a server issue we have no control over, when the server is backing up this happens or is it happening all day now? If you are still experiencing difficulties, please send an email to [email protected]
Cybertown Questions:
Question: Is Cybertown still considered part of blaxxun or is there an ongoing effort to separate the two entities? How much money was collected from users during the shutdown a few months ago? How has that money been used, or how will it be used?
What is currently being done to ensure the continued viability of this site?
Please be specific
Answer: There will be a major announcement coming in about a month that should answer this and related questions.
Question: Where is the process to amend the CT Constitution defined?
Answer: A couple of years ago a Club was set up and its members spent about 3 months debating the Constitution and discussing the possible amendments. After 3 months of debate, they announced that they saw no need for changes. The Senior Participation Guidelines cover how to propose new policy.
Question: Being a long time member of CT I can remember back when, if you were a BL you had folks banging down your door for a BD job. Its not the same anymore. Now no one wants to work because they can get a "do nothing" job as a CA or CO. The clubs have taken away what could be staff for the now starving colonies. Sure hood use the CA jobs to lure people to their blocks but its not helping CT one bit. Its like the real world....why do any work if you can get paid (the same amount) for doing nothing??? I would really like to see the pay taken away from the CO and CA jobs...let it be volunteer jobs. Lets put the focus back on getting good staff for ALL blocks in CT
Answer: Some very valid points. Revisiting the exp/cc scale is certainly something that can be reviewed.
CERB Questions:
Question: Are CERB guidelines being rewritten? Specifically, what changes are being
considered?.
Answer: The guidelines are being revisited, specifically, the employment conflicts section. All guidelines are actually reviewed from time to time to ensure consistency
City Council Questions:
Question: Some people, not all, have a poor impression of council, that it is corrupt and mean spirited and vindictive and ineffective. I am not saying that that impression is accurate here, but the impression is there nonetheless. Specifically, other than increased communication, what would you like to see council do to improve its image?
Answer: What would you like to see happen? We can only put out what image we can and perceptions are in the eye of the beholder. While I do not share in that impression of the council, I feel this is a really good group of individuals that are now working together as a team, part of what this administration is trying to achieve is more communication with all the departments, city wide activities with interested groups who are willing to work together to provide more fun to the city, set hours for the Mayor's office to discuss issues with individuals,
Town Meetings.
Question: Do you think council meetings should be open to the public or that votes of council members should be public?
Answer: In some cases yes in others no, it all depends on the situation and it's confidentiality. Each case needs to be addressed individually on its merits. Town Meetings are open to the public and interaction is encouraged. Council meetings do take on the discussion of security cases, employee discussions, etc., this would not be beneficial as an open meeting as it would violate the privacy of the person who is being discussed. We are discussing how to have an open council session that would not violate the privacy issues but still provide the citizens of a view on what is addressed/being worked on/etc. Voting will be made public, but not with member names. I'm not sure what benefit that would really provide?
Question: Should the position of council member be subject to a colony wide vote or remain within the hands of relatively few people?
Answer: Colony Leaders are promoted and approved through the current council members, the caretakers, and final acceptance by our founder, Hawk. I feel this is an adequate working system at this time.
Question: What are the terms of Office for elected City officials?
Answer: Mayor/Deputy Mayor are terms of 2 years. C.E.R.B. Representatives and Chief are 1 year terms, may be elected for a 2 year term (not to exceed a 2 year term). Ambassadors and Deputies are also for 1 year terms.
Colony Questions:
Question: We're all aware of how difficult it is to find a qualified person to take jobs within the colonies, so many Neighborhood Deputies and Block Leaders are hiring people without proper qualifications to carry out their job duties. Colonies, such as Teens, have standards in effect to prevent its staff from hiring under qualified people, though it makes it even harder for those people working under standards to find people to work. What is the City Council going to do to help resolve the problem of having too few
experienced people taking jobs? Will they convene to discuss the possibility of "City-Wide Standards," or will they actually make the pay system the way it used to be, where the job determines pay? What solution is the council looking at as a whole, if any?
The only suggestion I have here is we need to address the current pay scale issue's. I know I've brought it up before and Talonn was working on it but maybe Simi could have some input on this I have no idea what the database looks like and if it's even possible .
Question: Couldn't there be some rule set forth to stop the madness of when an NL decides to leave a hood, so does 1/2 a dozen other employees. Some type of limit to it, like you cant just jet, you have to stay for replacement or you cant get rehired for x amount of time in that position or higher . It's all around a very unfair situation, and it seems to happen quite often. It seems as if we could come up with something that would prohibit this...
Answer (for both): This is colony policy and varies from one to another, sometimes r/l would affect how long you can stay and it really has to be a personal decision not a Colony one in my opinion. Colonies set their own guidelines on hiring procedures and requirements. City Council does not dictate policy for the colonies. The "Pay" issue is one that can certainly be revisited.
Question: Has there been any discussion regarding a change to how colony leaders may be chosen in future? The present system is obviously flawed (how does a system where the present CLs chose who they want to work alongside them, regardless of overwhelming public opinion, be considered a viable system?). Perhaps a more representitive method, such as requiring a majority from a public colony wide vote? Or seperate CL and CC positions, and requiring a majority for the CC position?
Question: What is the policy and process for hiring CL's? More in depth, can you
explain why some Colonies get to choose who the next successors will be and why
some Colonies do not, even when the CL sends in their choice of successors? I
see three reasons for a new CL. 1)Resignation (Is this open for all CD's in CT
or said Colony only) 2) Firing( Is this open for all CD's in CT or said
Colony only) 3)Promotion(Is this open for all CD's in CT or Colony said
only?) Part 2 Is this the most consistent and fair way or can you think of
other ways to have this process be more fair?
Answer (For Both): The system works the same as it does throughout CT from BL and up. Everyone must be able to work with a team and if all positions were voted upon nothing would ever be achieved for CT. I happy with what we have but those looking in will always be critical. There has been the discussion on separating the Colony Leader/City Council positions into two. It was voted down at that time. Colony Leader positions have been opened for outside candidates in the past and present. When there is a strong candidate that has been recommended by the exiting Colony Leader, that candidate is still voted and approved by the other members of the council, the caretakers, and the Founder. These current policies can be looked at in the future, definitely.
Question: What procedures are in place for notifying the City populace of important events other than the News and MBs? Late notice of events such as this Meeting almost guarantee less than ideal participation.
Answer: The procedure is to publish in CVN and the Message Boards.
Question: Will there be a system of any sort that will automatically warn inactive accounts (eg ones used 2 get ppl cash from referrals) and delete them? And if it is someone making multiple accounts 2 get cash from referrals will there be a way 2 warn them to?
Answer: There is only the current system of checks by the BL / BD's no automated system. But I'm not sure if I understand that question entirely ;)
Question: Do you see a difference between a 17 year old seeing porn images as a CL/CD and a 17 year old who applies for security and is not allowed due to his/her age? Can this age policy be upheld in all jobs with tools to make it consistent or changed/reworded to make it consistent and fair to all 17 year olds who wish to have high level jobs? I am only about consistency in policy here not age per se
Answer: I personally see no difference. 17 year old CL seeing porn is the same as a 17 year old Security member seeing porn.. And I do agree, consistency should be looked at.
Question: Is there a proposal for having more members on the City Council,
ie, a Security member, CERB, E-plex Chief, if so what is your stance on this and
explanation?
Answer: There is not a formal proposal submitted at this time, no, but we are looking at the addition of additional representation from various departments in the city. Oherra, for example, has been asked to attend the first 2 sessions under the new administration. Hopefully we will see continued participation and inclusion of other groups in the future.
Proposal Questions:
Question: The Outlands Deputys in access have not been in Outlands for over 4 months, except for one of them.. They are not doing their job. I have created a proposal about the subject.. I would like to know if it would be possible to re-staff the Outlands Deputys out of members that play outlands frequently (2+hours a day)?
Answer: This proposal in on our current list to be addressed.