----- Original Message -----
From: "Ellen Pack" <e.j.pack(a)worldnet.att.net>
To: <USGW-CC-L(a)usgennet.org>
Sent: Saturday, June 17, 2000 10:36 AM
Subject: USGW-CC-L: Amendments/Position
Hi, Folks -
Since accepting the nomination for CC Representative SE/MA Region, I have
been asked by several CCs to state my opinion on current issues. I will
have a page online with more information, but if I may beg your
indulgence,
I would like to start with the following:
If elected, my first order of business would be to submit a motion
requesting the immediate formation of an impartial and autonomous
Sub-Committee charged with revising/rewriting the current By-Laws, said
revision to be presented to the electorate for their approval/non-approval
during the 2001 National Election.
Additionally, I would not oppose private efforts to draft a revision to be
presented, as an amendment, in the 2001 National Election.
In the interim, my positions on the current proposed amendments are as
follows:
ARTICLE XVII RECALL
I support this amendment.
While I am not excited about every word and phrase, I believe it is
workable, and I feel strongly that elected representatives should be held
accountable. There is currently no means by which reasonable
accountability can be accomplished prior to an election, which could be as
far as two years down the road, depending upon when an AB member was
seated. Waves of protests/grievances can be (and have been) summarily
dismissed, even by those named in the grievances, a situation I find
intolerable. I would feel quite comfortable accepting a seat on the AB
under the provisions of this amendment.
STATES RIGHTS
I do not support this amendment.
Though I believe a good argument can be made that the project has been
"...endangered by increases in national authority that exceed both the
original intent and language of the Project's Bylaws, including, but not
limited to, the removal of an entire national Special Project
(Census)...",
I do not believe this amendment offers a reasonable means of
resolving the
issue(s). I believe the Project is in need of a consistent level of
standards and accountability. Were this amendment to pass, we would have
50 individual XXGenWebs, each independent of the others. This amendment
has the potential of destroying the Project, as we know it.
USGENWEB ARCHIVES PROJECT
I do not support this amendment.
As a member of the original By-Laws Committee (Important: I never speak
for other Committee members!!), I personally supported the
naming/separation/itemization of the three major Special Projects
(Archives, Census, and Tombstone) because I felt strongly that no one
person should have widespread control over an entity as large as the
(entire) Archives/Digital Library. My feeling on the issue has not
changed, yet this amendment would return control to a single person. It
would be little different than if we removed every SC, leaving one lone
individual in control of all 50 states. This amendment would also serve
to
endorse the NC and AB's actions that severed an entire Special
Project
(Census), which immediately led to the current Archives beginning a new
Census Project under its control, all of which is in direct opposition to
the By-Laws.
In effect, through their actions of severing the formerly free-standing
Census Project (and in so-doing eliminating at least one seat on the AB),
the NC and AB have already re-written the By-Laws without benefit of
consultation of the membership, much less ballot approval. It was never
intended that the NC and/or AB exercise such power, and those actions have
set dangerous precedence. It is that precedence that forms the basis of
my
deep concern. This amendment is only a means of endorsing that
precedence,
i.e. closing the barn door after the cow is out. Therefore, I
cannot
support it.
---
Having expressed my opinion on the proposed amendments, should any/all of
them be voted into law, I would accept and abide by them, if elected, even
if I did not agree with them. I believe that By-Laws are laws, not
guidelines, and it is the responsibility of each of us to accept the will
of the electorate, and to work strictly within those laws.
This note may be freely distributed to all interested USGenWeb parties.
Thanks for your time!
Ellen Pack
Adams Co, MSGenWeb
http://www.rootsweb.com/~msadams/
Wilkinson Co, MSGenWeb
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mswilkin/
Early SW MS Territory MSGenWeb
http://www.rootsweb.com/~msswterr/
Greene Co, TNGenWeb
http://www.rootsweb.com/~tngreene/
Nominee USGenWeb CC Representative SE/MA Region
Alabama, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia