We have received (see below) the final report of the Bylaws Revision
Committee, including a motion that the recommended revisions be
presented to the membership in the upcoming election. This motion comes
from the committee and does not require a second, but is treated just as
if it had been proposed from the floor and seconded.
The AB approve the motion as written (adopt it) or can amend the motion
as follows:
- to file or postpone indefinitely ( in effect, kills the revision)
- to postpone to a specific time ( * would require future AB action to
post for vote by referendum)
- to file and post with exceptions (strike out sections or articles of
the revision)
- to refer back to committee for further work
The motion has been numbered (Motion 04-13) and is now open for discussion.
-Isaiah
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 14 May 2004
To: NC, USGenWeb Project Advisory Board
From : Bylaws Revision Committee
Subject: Committee Final
Report.
The Bylaws Revision Committee was established March 10, 2002 by then
National Coordinator Holly Timm. Instructions were to study the USGenWeb
bylaws to determine which articles or sections needed revision and to: 1)
delete unnecessary sections, 2) clarify or strengthen sections, 3) add new
articles as deemed necessary. In addition, the committee was prohibited
from
making major changes in the project structure, such as deciding which of
the
census project is to be officially recognized or eliminating the archives.
The committee initially considered changes by the consensus building
process. Committee members with strongly held convictions regarding their
views soon revealed the weakness of the process best described by the
following - "To me, consensus seems to be the process of abandoning all
beliefs, principles, values and policies. So it is something in which no
one
believes and to which no one objects. - Margaret Thatcher"
The committee began the use preferential voting in a process of selecting
from individual proposals resulting in a revision proposal supported by a
majority of committee members. Great care was taken during committee
proceedings to assure that revisions will promote fairness and equitable
treatment for all USGenWeb members. The revision is our best effort to
provide for stability and enable growth of the project in future years.
Many USGenWeb members have given of their valuable time and provided their
own unique insight to the revision process. To all those who served, a
sincere thank you!
Phyllis Rippee, Marion McCreadie, Jimmy Epperson, Jeff Scism, Roger
Swafford, Kelley Blizzard, Charles Barnum, Dennis Muncrief, Ginger Hayes,
Carol Carwile-Head, Elva Morgan, Shari Handley, Noel Matthews, Don Kelly,
Gloria B. Mayfield, Derek Hartshorn, Kimberly Taylor Morgan, Bettie Wood,
Wyndell Taylor, Angie Rayfield, Ellen Rohr, Ron Henson, Derek Nichols,
Denise Wells.
The BRC moves this report be filed and the Bylaws Revision posted at
http://home.mchsi.com/~sagitta56/bylaws_revision.htm be posted to the
national website for presentation to the membership for vote during the
upcoming election cycle. A 2/3 majority of those voting on the Revision is
required to adopt.
Note - appropriate "htm" files to be sent to the NC/Webmaster for
posting on
approval of the motion.
Approval - Signatories
Roger Swafford - Chairman
Don Kelly
Shari Handley
Bettie Wood
Denise Wells
Gloria B. Mayfield
Dennis Muncrief
Opposed - Signatories
Derek Nichols
Absentees -
Ron Henson
Marion McCreadie