1. I don't think it would be fair to close threads because a majority of people dislike them. All threads should be allowed as long as they follow whatever basic content rules are in place. The recent TBM threads were closed because of fighting that ensued, which was not the fault of the original poster. Rather than closing threads, I think it would be more effective and fair to delete\edit the posts that ruin these threads (trolling, etc.)

2. Subforums might work, but the categories would have to be chosen carefully and would have to be quite comprehensive. Your example list doesn't seem like it would work well. Also, wouldn't there still always be a "Misc" category? And what would happen to all the existing threads if we added subforums?

3. I don't think we've ever had post counts at the JCF, and I'm sure you agree that it was better in the past. I think the decline in quality has more to do with the members changing (joining, leaving, getting older, etc.) than it has to do with moderation styles or post counts. The JCF structure has been basically the same for the past four years; the only changes have been in the people who visit it.

This isn't to say that the administration can't do something about it, but I don't believe ranks would be a magic bullet. I think if we implement a policy that reflects the styles and desires of the member base, rather than the current JMMB-esque policy, it would improve the overall quality of the message board.

Take this as my personal opinion, not that of the administration.
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We are currently in the midst of drafting new rules\policies for the JCF, and this is the kind of input that can help us. If people have constructive criticism (not whining or complaining), by all means post it here or talk to an administrator.

And I agree with FQuist that you should post something interesting for discussion if you want to immediately help improve the board. The current policy may not be sufficiently effective against the bad kinds of posts, but there is certainly nothing preventing people from posting good things.