[Fsfe-uk] Re: Proposed roadmap

[John Seago]

On Thursday 01 Jan 1970 00:59, Tom Chance <address@hidden> wrote:
> I'd like to propose a roadmap for working through these issues, which
> will take us up to the AGM, where hopefully some concrete decisions can
> be made, or a committee can be elected to make them.

"...or a committee can be elected to make them."?

> It involves a phase of documenting current procedure, a phase of
> gathering input from all "stakeholders" (for want of a better word), and
> a phase of formulating proposals for change. 

Whilst I can accept that you are proposing a series of 'changes' in good 
faith, there really can be no change at all unless 2/3 of the membership 
at the AGM are prepared to vote for 'change'. Neither is there any need 
for 'change', the present structure, for a voluntary membership 
association, is perfectly adequate to run any size of organisation. the 
problem seems to lie with the "current proceedure" in that decisions have 
not been adequately recorded, the constitution/rules are quite capable of 
allowing the AFFS to do whatever its members want it to. However it does 
need the Committee to follow the usual proceedures and put up with the 
inconvenience of holding regular meetings, and keeping accurate and 
complete minutes of those meetings, available at the very latest one week 
after the meeting to both the members and the Committee, otherwise, at the 
very least, those at the meeting will be unable to remember what actualy 
happened. Only in really exceptional circumstances should those minutes 
not be freely available to the members, (as any business conducted by the 
Committee is conducted on behalf of the members).  

> We could just carry on as we are. We could let people elect a committee
> at AGM that would hopefully work out the issues. But I think that we
> (the entire free software community) need a chance to discuss, with the
> experience of the past few years, what we want the AFFS to be doing.

What exactly do you mean by, "We could just carry on as we are. We could 
let people elect a committee at AGM that would hopefully work out the 
issues."? The members have a right to elect whoever they see fit, its not 
a matter of some giving others permission to elect a new Committee. The 
AFFS belongs to its members, they are the ones who have the say in any and 
all matters. Who are the 'we' that will give the members permission to 
elect a committee? The Constitution/Rules lay down when committee members 
retire and elections are held. The only improvement to the current 
situation that needs to be put in place is the adoption of standing orders 
for the conduct of General and Committee meetings. Perhaps this could be 
placed on the Agenda of the next AGM?  
-- 
John Seago
GNU/Linux User #219566 http://counter.li.org
AFFS http://www.affs.org.uk/