Why a "Private" Area?

Some areas are reserved for the leadership of the Linn County ARES, sometimes known as the Planning Committee.  It is not that we have any big secrets to hide.  This area has been set aside to share information via the Internet that is not intended for the general public.  One prime example is the ARES member database.  Our members have trusted us with extensive information on their names, addresses, home and work telephone numbers, plus very detailed data on the equipment they own.  We have promised that this data would not be made available to the general public, or even the general Amateur population.  Hence, we limit access to only those people who would need to use this information in the event of an emergency.