Baronial Meeting Minutes – January 8, 2018

The Seneschal likes the power of her gavel and duly uses it to call the meeting to order. It should be noted that Council location is currently in a state of flux. A request has been made of the main branch of the Cambridge Public Library. Other thoughts or ideas should be directed towards the Seneschal.

Happy New Year!

Business

  1. We begin with an announcement from their excellencies via the seneschal: People who are members of baronial orders should be on the lookout for emails from their principals. The Baron and Baroness are also greatly looking forward to the event in March (please see below) and are busily planning now.
  2. Attention officers!! Please set up your kingdom gmail account at your earliest     possible convenience. This will allow us to be in full compliance. Note that your email will no longer forward to a personal email address, so you will need to check it regularly. Instructions were sent to everyone inside of the last few weeks. If you’re having any issues or would even like personalized Skype guidance from the webminister, please contact Lord Symon.
  3. It’s the New Year! This means that some offices have reached the end of their three-year terms, specifically: Chronicler, Herald, Mummers, and Steward. This doesn’t mean you have to step down but you do need to let the Seneschal know of your future plans at you’re earliest convenience.
  4. Kingdom law states that the seneschal can remain in office for 4 years. Our current seneschal proposes to remain until six months after investiture so as to ease the transition for their new excellencies. This would keep her in her position until spring of 2019. The council is in favor of this proposal.

 

Officers

  1. Webminister: Lord Symon reiterated the information about our new email system. He is happy to explain it to anyone struggling with it in whatever medium would be easiest.
  2. Historian: Mistress Eowyn wishes to note that she is collecting back historical stuff that has been lent out. She will also shortly begin the process of inventorying said stuff and will be happy for any reminders from the populace. She is also looking forward to the historical aspect of our upcoming March event (see below).
  3. Chatelaine: Lady Aaradyn informs us that the office is doing well and that emails from curious newbies continue to come in apace. She is looking forward to Arisia this weekend where there will be an information table during the fencing demo and  Renaissance ball (more information on that below).

 

Activities/Guilds

  1. Calligraphers: While we’re already talking to Lady Aarydyn, she also lets us know that there will be a Scribal Tea at Birka, which will take place the last weekend in January. Any scribe or future scribe can show up, and they should be able to locate more detailed information in the Birka booklet given out at gate. The January scribal meeting is the weekend before Birka; folks are encouraged to work on blanks—the kingdom very much needs them and there have even been a set of guidelines for creating them released recently. Contact Aarydyn for more details. The following scribal meeting will be February 11. It will include a discussion of abbreviations in period hands, how they were used, and how you can use them and will be at Aarydyn’s house in Revere.
  2. Waytes/Choir: Lord Orlando speaks on behalf the Waytes, who are prepping for Arisia at this moment. He notes they are also committed to performing at the Black Rose Ball on March 10.
  3. Dance: Countess Mara says that though practice is on hiatus, it will resume shortly: on the first Thursday in March and will run through at least April. In the meantime, Quintavia dance practice continues once month at Camelot town house in Berlin, MA. Master Justin reminds us that Arisia is this weekend and the he will be running a Renaissance Ball on Saturday, January 13, at 3:30, with accompaniment by the Waytes. All Scadians are welcome and encouraged to attend both the ball and the fencing demo that will take place in the same room earlier in the day at 2:30.

 

Baronial Elections

  1. Towers is having their Meet the Candidates event on January 21 from 1 to 3 pm. This will be followed by Towers 12th Night from 3 to 6 pm with garb and a pot luck. Gifts are optional if you’d like to participate in the Scadian Yankee Swap, and the location is the same as their usual project night.
  2. The general meet the candidates event will be held at the baronial gathering on Feb 4 at the Goldfish Swim School in Needham. The gathering will last from 4 to 8, with the the candidates beginning their meeting at 5:30. It is absolutely understood that Feb. 4 is also Super Bowl Sunday; therefore the pot luck will feature “soup-er” things in bowls (and possibly the game on the TV)! Alternately, if you want to stay home to watch the game or otherwise can’t attend, the question and answer session will be recorded and possibly live-streamed.
  3. The 1st round baronial vote will be at February council on February 5. Members of Great Council, don’t forget to poke your constituents for their opinions! You can vote in this round if you are a paid member of the barony or if you have attended a Carolingian event in the last year. But you must be at the Council meeting in order to vote—no proxies. The vote will be ranked,  and a kingdom official will be on hand to help with the tally.
  4. The final polling will be mailed out sometime after the results of the first are made public. Only paid members may vote in this round.

Events

  1. Carolingia Castellum Est: Mistress Dreda presents Things with Stuff! This March 10 event at Groveland’s Veasey Memorial Park celebrates the idea of Carolinigia as a place. There will be dancing and storytelling and arts and science and delicious foods, as well as the selection of the next Baronial Performance Champion. For more information, visit the event page here: https://eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.php?eid=3303
  2. Falling Leaves: This lovely event will happen again next year in the same location on Sep. 15 or 16. This will only be a one day event but it will include baronial investiture!
  3. Otters’ Welcome:  Lady Raziya is hoping to turn this into a recurring event! More details will follow, but the current possible date is in May.
  4. Garb Making Workshops:  The first of these will be on January 20th, and there will be a total of 5 events, at the rate of 1 per month. The first will be located in North Reading with future locations to be determined. The timing is 1 to 5 pm. Contact Lady Anne for further details. She has also just sent out a detailed email to the populace with more information.
  5. East Kingdom 50th: This event takes place at the end of June, and Mistress Catrin assures you that you want to go. For the minimal effort of a 3 hour drive, you will get fencing and fighting and singing and food; a true Town Center in the middle of it all; the EK’s Largest Post-Revel Ever; and heraldic rubber ducks! For more information, see the East Kingdom website.

 

Announcements

  1. We have a new Minister of Arts and Sciences: vivat to Lady Caitriona! She will be reaching out to folks soon for info in order to submit timely reports and has no agenda currently except for getting the baronial tapestry traveling again and perhaps even finishing it/bringing it up for EK 50.
  2. The next baronial newcomers night will be Monday, January 22 at Isabelle’s and will center around all things string.
  3. The next crafting night at Aescryst will be January 24.
  4. Are you interested in going in for a van or bus to spring crown in Canada? Contact Lady Anne for further details.

Thank you for patience as I acclimate to this new position! If you have any questions or concerns or if there is information that needs to be updated or fixed in any way, please let me know.

YiS,

Agnes