Please contact the Secretary at secretary@carolingia.eastkingdom.org with any questions or corrections.
1. Officer Announcements
- Seneschal: Aurelia Rufinia
We are looking for a new space for monthly council meetings without stairs. Please contact me with any ideas.
- Chatelaine: Aaradyn Ghyoot
No new people were at the Company of Bowmen shoot. However, we have had interest in the Facebook group and other upcoming events.
- Historian: Aaraydn Ghyoot (standing in)
Pikestaff announcement: The new Kingdom Historian is looking for historical items for the East Kingdom 50th! Please contact them for more information or if you have items to share!
- Order of the Daystar: Erica Schlain
If you are a member of the Order and are not on the e-mail list, please contact me to be added. Polling will be going out soon.
- Secretary: Erica Schlain
My term is set to end at the end of December, and I am looking for candidates to replace me. This position is a great way to learn about all the wonderful events in our Barony and to get involved with the way the Barony runs. If you’re interested, please contact me!
2. Guild Announcements
- Dance: Gundormr Dengin (standing in)
Practices will resume on the last Thursday in September (9/28) or first Thursday in October (10/5). Quintavia’s next practice will be Tuesday, June 6th. The Known World Dance and Music Symposium will be June 15-18 in Maryland.
- Low Company: Justin du Coeur
The next meeting of the Low Company will be Friday, June 9th at 7pm at Chad and Amanda’s house. Dinner (with popovers!) starts at 6pm, please RSVP to Amanda in advance for dinner.
- Jongleurs (Waytes): Matilda
As of July 1st, Ysabel da Costa will be the new Waytes captain!
- Jongleurs (Quire): Eowyn Eilonwy (standing in)
The Quire might be performing at the Battle of Five Armies event! Eowyn will be directing, and is looking for participants.
3. Bylaw Amendment Proposals
- Perseus Heraldry Change: Kazimierz
This proposal seeks to amend a discrepancy between medallion insignia and the insignia description in the bylaws. The Perseus list has been polled, and so far the general consensus is to amend the bylaw to reflect the medallion insignia.
- Event Reports: Eowyn Eilonwy
Currently, there is no bylaw requirement for autocrats to file an event report after events. Event reports allow for a record of attendance and site issues for other autocrats to learn from later on.
- Justin du Coeur noted that this is an administrative issue rather than something for the bylaws.
- The Autocrat Handbook working group will commence soon to address administrative issues like this.
- Baronial Polling Procedure: Eowyn Eilonwy
Proposal A is to change the first step of the Baronial seat selection process to a vote by the Great Council. The results of this vote will provide an order for the most favored 3 candidates for the Round Two ballot, as well as eliminating any other less-favored candidates. Proposal B is to entirely remove the current first step of the Baronial seat selection process. Instead, allow Carolingians who don’t qualify for ballots under EK law, but who nonetheless want to participate, to vote in a parallel process. Regardless, Round Two voting would remain the same, which is voting by the Carolingia-residing SCA, Inc. members.
- Eowyn explained these proposals are meant to avert issues within the last baronial election, where there were fewer than 6 candidates, so first round polling at council for all Carolingians in attendance did not occur. This eliminated non-SCA, Inc. members in Carolingia and other Carolingians outside the Barony an opportunity to give their representations about the candidates and participate in the election. Proposal A allows for the Great Council, a representative body, to voice opinions for this population and the Barony as a whole.
- Baron Colin noted that this amendment would strip down the eligible amount of candidates from the original system to 3 for runoff and only the council would have a say in this matter. The original system allows for anyone at that meeting, council member or not, to have a vote in the candidate narrowing. This current proposal would take that ability away and restrict voting to only council members.
- Justin du Coeur noted that the function of council has changed throughout the years, and that many in the Barony do not see the council as a representative body as much as it did in years past.
- Aurelia read Catrin’s response to this issue on Carolingia email forum, noting that the original system was set up with input from a large portion of the populace, and was crafted to allow input from those who attend that meeting. Due to interpretation and how it was written, this meeting was removed in the last election.
- Aurelia also noted that there was a similar proposal introduced 2 years ago, and it was overwhelmingly voted down.
- Orlando noted that if the amount of candidates are small to begin with, is it worth the time and effort of bringing such a meeting to narrow such a small pool in the first place?
- Parallel voting system: Eowyn Eilonwy
The proposal is to poll all those who consider themselves Carolingian, regardless of membership or geographic area regarding candidate choice for baronial election. These votes would be tallied internally, and sent to the East Kingdom royalty for consideration in addition to member voting done through normal methods.
- Colin noted that he has spoken to the royals regarding this matter, and that since this is not part of the official vote with member requirements, this would not be relevant information towards their decision.
- Eowyn noted that the royals are allowed discretion outside of the standard polling, and that this information could be used to influence that decision.
- Justin noted that this would create volatile politics within the Barony, where an election can already be divisive. Also, when the royals have overridden the polling decision and used this discretion, it has been a political disaster for that Barony.
- Isabelle noted that this would create precedent that individuals could sway the royalty towards one candidate or another.
- Orlando noted that there are also conflict issues. Who would be responsible for tallying these results?
- Edith noted that someone will always know the results of this polling, and that information is removed during the standard member polling since everything is sent to corporate for tallying. Colin agreed, noting that not knowing who voted for which candidate keeps the anonymity of the polling, which is essential to Barony cohesiveness.
- Instant runoff method: Orlando dei Medici
In Section IV, this proposal would renumber 4 to 5, 5 to 6, and add in “4. In the case of mutually exclusive proposed amendments which are to be voted on at the same meeting, the conflicting proposals will be voted on
simultaneously, using the instant runoff method.” This method uses a weighted voting system to determine preference between these mutually exclusive proposals, rather than the choice system that’s currently in place.
4. Events/Proposals
- Company of Bowmen Shoot: Erica Schlain
This event was attended by just over 40 people, and gate reconciled $569 in funds, $30 of which are non-member charges. Total costs of this event came to $1278.82, so unfortunately there was a loss of $739.82 to the Barony. However, all who attended enjoyed the shoot, and the dayboard was incredible. We are hoping to establish a Company of Throwers at a later event due to low attendance. There are some lost and found items, which will be posted to the Facebook group and email list soon. On behalf of Nora and I, thank you so much to Orlando and his assistants for the fabulous dayboard; to Peter the Red and Arlyana van Wyck for organizing the Company’s efforts, recording members who attended, and bringing the beautiful Charter for all to see; to Li Kung, Ygraine, and Colin for the assistance at the range, use of their targets, and all of them for guidance for running the shoot for the first time in 10 years; to Edith, Aaradyn, and Andreiko for running the gate; to Deirdre and Symon for running the thrown weapons range where many people got to try throwing for the first time (myself included!); to Gudrun for assistance with organizing all the items we used during the day; and all those who assisted in setting up, breaking down, and everything in between! Also, a big congratulations to all those who achieved new or first time rankings in the Company, including Li Kung who is the first to attain the highest ranking in the Company! We are considering ideas for running this in the future and making this a well-attended event, perhaps by issuing a challenge to the Kingdom.
- Battle of the Five Armies: Andreiko Eferier
This event will be a camping event on August 25-27, 2017 at the Camp Resolute Boy Scout Camp in Bolton, MA. Pre-registration is underway for the event. The Quire may be performing, but we are also looking for performers throughout the event, improv welcome! I just did a site walk this weekend and everything looks to have survived the winter. Campsites have been marked, and can be noted during pre-registration. Cabins are available to those interested for an additional fee. Merchants have also been approved, and A&S classes, gaming are available. We are still seeking volunteers, please contact me to inquire and volunteer.
- Falling Leaves: Thomas of Effingham
This event is scheduled for September 16, 2017 at the 4-H Fairground in Westford, MA. Due to scheduling constraints, there will not be camping available this year. The budget for this event is $2000 to $2500, and insurance certificates need to be ordered. There will be a variety of events this year, but championships are to be determined per their Excellencies.
- Baronial Archery & Thrown Weapons Championships: Kazimierz
Due to scheduling constraints, this event is postponed to next year. The championships may possibly be held at Falling Leaves pending their Excellencies’ decision.
- Known World Academy of Rapier: Thomas of Effingham
I am proposing hosting the KWAR in November 2018 at the hotel used for Arisia. I have spoken with hotel representatives, who quote renting the main ballroom at $2,000/day, with a room rate to be determined. I estimate at least 500-600 people for solid attendance, based on past figures, with a $15 entry fee. The hotel would be $6,000 plus other fees for travel and other fees for instructors. The deadline to bid is 6/12. This event bid was approved.
5. Announcements
- Thomas of Effingham: The Canton of Aschehyrst needs a webminister and new exchequer to continue being a viable Canton. Please contact me if interested.
- Eowyn Eilonwy: New awards for Carolingians were given at Panteria. Aildreda de Tamwurthe got her Pelican. Kobayashi Yutaka not only finally got his Master Bowman medallion from last fall, he also got a Sagittarius. Alanna of Skye is now the Queen’s Equestrian Champion!
- There will also be an embroidery circle on Sunday, May 7th at Camelot in Quintavia starting at 5pm.
- Isabelle & Alanna of Skye: The next Newcomer’s Night will be on Monday, June 19th, starting at 6:30pm at our home in Watertown, and will be a discussion on tips and ideas for the upcoming camping season. For more details, please see postings on the Carolingia Facebook event and the baronial website. We’re also looking for teachers for upcoming sessions, please contact us if interested!
- Il Sebastiani: There are 2 shows coming up on June 17th, please see thethalia.com for more details.
- Thomas of Effingham: I will be volunteering to be the new Kingdom Rapier Marshal.