Coronets Nobildonna Fiore Leonetta Bardi and Lord Frithuric Ulman:
Frithuric: I’ve been doing this for a while, and it was neat to see our own historic event. We did the first non-heavy crown, and put out writs for the order of Mark. It was great to see. Now I have to see if I can make it to the induction in Midland Vale.
?: Two of ours will be on a cruise.
Pandaulf: Other kingdoms have stated they will read everyone into precedence on the same day, regardless of ceremony.
Frithuric: It was very impressive to see Donovan go through without a loss all day. It’s a shame he’s not Carolingian, but it’s still good.
Proposals:
*Starred items are transferred from the meeting text chat, and may not be exactly where they occurred during conversation. I’ve been doing this routinely without note, but it is usually one or two items at most and typically minor clarifications or notes. However, policy discussions resulted in sufficient substantive discussion in chat to require notice. -Donato
Sugawara: The administrative in the financial policy will be taken care of by the financial committee.
Proposals 5 and 6, and those will be discussed next month after the financial committee has a chance to review and make recommendations.
Justin: I have some thoughts on 6, what’s the best way to pass those on?
Sugawara: We can do that now.
Proposal 6
Justin: Okay, I would like to suggest that the inflation policy is far more trouble than its worth. The number in question is not a budget, it’s really intended to be “petty cash”. It’s important that it be round and easy to remember, for ease of use. And defining inflation is hard to do. I would like to suggest, instead, that we make the policy to review the number every, say, 5 years, and adjust as needed.
Pandaulf: I wrote those proposals. $50 was generated 1990. I did bounce this off the financial committee. The intent was not to get us to an exact number, but to suggest that the financial committee review it annually.
Eadgyth: I don’t object to raising the stipend, but I would like to point out that when the finance committee is considering all of this, even though we have had $50 for decades, the number of times a guild has come to council for an extension, it’s been relatively rare. I’m not convinced annual increases are justified. I’m not even sure a blanket $100 is justified for all activities. Most don’t spend it. I don’t consider a particular activity having to come to council for a capital investment as a major burden. I definitely don’t think it needs to update automatically, and we can look for what the result of the increase is.
Frithuric: The proposal said “review to account for inflation” not “indexed to”. But I will wait on my remaining points until the financial committee has made their recommendation.
*Justin:So long as it’s not truly inflation-linked, I’m pretty flexible about how we handle it. I mainly recommend that we not over-think a number that is very arbitrary to begin with.
Proposal 1:
Elspeth: What is the intent of this removal?
Frithuric: The policies don’t have to tell people to follow the policies. The have to follow all policies.
Arylana: Somebody pointed out on one of the posts, it should be moved up to a single location where kingdom and society policies are mentioned, bringing it to a single point.
Cathain: Because the financial policies are maintained seperately, it’s important to make sure it is referenced. Just removing it is not an ideal option.
Frithuric: I’m not sure where we are talking about.
Discussion of where.
Pandaulf: The google form doesn’t have a way to add “as amended by Arylana”.
Eleanor Catling: Would people prefer sending out a revised form after council?
Sugawara: Do people prefer that?
Show of hands: Yes.
Frithuric: The policy states that there will be time for discussion before a vote at the next council meeting. Does that make this the next council meeting?
Sugawara: Yes.
Pandaulf: Should everyone vote on the new form, even if they’d already voted?
Sugawara: Yes
Proposal 2:
Justin: I’m not sure “regular” council meeting is well defined.
Frithuric: This only makes sense in combination with the proposal for allowing special meetings. Without that, adding this word is unhelpful.
Proposal 3:
Eon: I had some chats with the other Calivers, and there was some suggestion of “must”.
Eowynn: One of the commentaries online that I think is appropopriate to suggest they be published before the next meeting. The current revised language doesn’t include that.
Frithuric: Closer to the past meeting is better, but if we set a hard and fast limit, we don’t have a way to enforce it.
Ysabel: As a former secretary, there are good reasons why the minutes may not come out after the meeting. Having them out before the next meeting is a good time frame that allows some flexibility.
Frithuric: So the justification is that information ages quickly, and getting it out quickly.
Donato: The minutes should not be the basis for announcements, so that is not a good basis for timing the minutes.
Astrid: I know it’s very hard to transcribe in the moment. I was wondering if there is some way to help with a transcription program. Then he can make changes as needed for format.
Eleanor: If the kingdom does have the AI feature of google, it does have a transcription feature.
Sugawara: Any final wording?
Eadgyth: As I noted having them published on the Barony’s email list must be maintained.
Widowmaker: Can we crosspost the minutes to the FB page?
Proposal 4:Calling special meetings.
Donato: I believe a quorum needs to be based on the number of votes, not voting members.
Multiple Agreements from Chat
Eadgyth: With regards to individual voting members versus voting members of council. In cases where an individual holds multiple votes they represent multiple constituencies.
Frithuric: It does say a quorum shall be based on the number of people, not the number of votes.
As far as why, it’s to allow flexibility if something not’s quite ready by a council meeting, on short notice. I would need to have it approved by council, and the delay can be an issue.
*Ysabel: Perhaps it should say “officers” instead of “members”, with the understanding that one member may count as two or more officers.
*Meg: Agreed Being able to do it is extremely useful, and we just need to make sure that we make sure we truly get to half the ‘votes’ not people.
*Matthew: one way, which would also address the ‘what happens if a minority opinion passes votes’, would be to have half the potential votes needing to be favor
Donato: Does policy require a vote in council or by council? Because the latter allows remote votes, and doesn’t require a meeting. (I also prefer a supermajority for quoroum)
Eadgyth: Currently: Prospective event stewards must propose an event to council, and it must be approved by council. And any changes must be presented to council.
Gavin: Nothing in the policies currently define what creates a council meeting. (Except the announcing requirement). This may require that it be put elsewhere to be more generally applicable.
Donato: I don’t believe we meet basic numbers for a quorum on a regular basis.
Frithuric: Since people know that the regular meetings are happening, the decision not to show is on the officers. Special meetings are more of risk.
Eon: Agreed that quoroum is more important for special meetings, since it prevents weird stuff by a limited group.
*Justin: Honestly, I think this may want to go on the back burner, to bring back in a more fully-baked form next year.
*Eadgyth: Agreed.
*Pandaulf: The longer this discussion continues, the more I agree with Justin
Proposal 7: Add a vote for the baronage.
Justin: I am a hard no. This comes down to constitutional law, frankly. The baronage attends council ex officio, because anyone can attend council. The baronage are the dignified branch of government. Putting on a show and granting honors, power flowing from the crown. Council is the efficient branch of government. It’s job is running the barony, and its power flows from the seneschalate.
*Ysabel: King Charles does not vote in the British Parliament
Eowynn: I’ve been around long enough that I remember the Baron John. Who is part of the reason the charter was written. Anyone in the barony can appeal to any of the general officers, so the rationale in the proposal is not relevant.
*Meg: But the general officers are NOT elected by the community.
Frithuric: I did not author this amendment, but I will note that we are the only Barony in the east that does not have a baronial vote.
Donato: I did author this. I do not believe the represents excessive concentration of power. The baronage is generally popularly elected. While their majesties can override this, it’s still the closest we have.
Meg: Donato is correct. None of the other positions are elected. It is almost entirely passed from hand to hand.
*Cathain: There is a vote to approve all appointments.
Matthew: I’m with Justin on this. As the liber vote, I do represent the barony as a whole. I admit I was not elected to this. But the king does not vote in parliament. If the baronage does support an idea, they can push for it.
Frithuric: When you say you represent the populace, you’re voting no, is that based on input from the barony? I agree that this gets muddy at times.
Matthew: I take my duty to represent the barony seriously. I made sure the to note to the e-mail list that I could be contacted.
*Justin:The point of the officers is to represent their activities. Seriously: that’s the only reason Council exists. We need to get more serious about making that clear to folks.
*Meg: That may be the point, but it isn’t really the practice. The practice is that they announce events and activities and act as touch points for folks wanting to get involved in that activity.
*Elspeth: Justin – I agree we need more transparency/general knowledge about how council works and I will make sure to include this in my updates to the website this summer
Proposal 8: Joint Tenancy in Office
Eowynn: That has been the situation for the Jongleurs guild for decades, and the choir and Waytes had to agree, so there is precedent.
Justin: This recognizes reality, as its the way its always worked. If there’s been confusion, it makes sense to formalizes it.
Orlando: Since I’m the nominal head of the choir, I agree that this is the correct move.
Ysabel: When we were voting in person in council, it was handled more organically. Now that it’s electronic it may be a little more difficult, but I don’t believe there’s been a point where it’s been a problem requiring formalization.
Frithuric: Did it happen when we had co-chancellors minor, did this become an issue?
Donato: The Chancellor Minor what inspired me to suggest it. I don’t believe it’s been an issue, but I don’t think it hurts to formalize it.
Officers:
Seneschal Lady Sugawara no Naeme
Curia 3rd of June. Please let me know if you have anything to pass on. Council in june will be the day before.
Seneschal of the Canton of the Towers: Lord Eirikr Lambson
No Report
Secretary Lord Donato Favro
No Report
Chancellor of the Exchequer Meisterin Cathain Ritter
No Report
Chancellor Minor Master Cristoff Gockerhan von Loch
No Report
Chatelaine Master Justin de Coeur
No Report
Golden Gryphon Pursuivant Lady Orsina Della Luna:
No Report
Gold Key Lord Orlando dei Medici
No Report
Knight Marshal Lord Albrecht Ostergaard
No Report
Minister of Arts & Sciences Mistress Isabel del Okes
No Report
Web Minister Lady Elspeth of Ruthven
No Report
Chronicler Lady Ysabel da Costa:
No Report
Dance Master Justin du Couer.
No Report
Historian Mistress Eowyn Eilownwy of Alewife Brook
The historical stuff has been moved into baronial storage. Thank you to Aaradyn and Gudrun for doing the work.
Rapier Marshal Dona Magdalena von Kirschberg
No Report
Marshal Archery Master Peter the Red
*Archery in Towers continues on Sundays 10am – 1pm in Carlisle. We have loaner equipment and can schedule other days if you want to contact me
Marshal Thrown Weapons Lord Pandaulf of Fenmere
Thrown weapons practice has resumed. We have loaner equipment, no garb required.
Minister of the Lists Lord Trentus Nubianus
No Report
Steward Lady Gudrun Thorvaldsdottir
What I believe to be excess feast gear is in Valerian’s barn. I am working on the lists, and will be completing that. Two sandwich boards were loaned to crown tournament.
Social Media Officer Lord Edvard Mikaelsson
We have 60 some odd people in the discord, and are looking forward for more.
Principals of Baronial Orders
Order of the Daystar Lady Ysabel da Costa
We will be meeting in May, a week from today. Today’s email had several errors, a correction has been sent. The meeting link is correct, please come.
The Order of the Daystar is the Baronial Service Award.
If you know someone you would like to nominate for the Daystar please let Their Excellencies or me know! The current list of Daystars is on the Baronial website.
Order of the Moon Lady Eleanor Catling:
We expect inductees at Falling Leaves. Our next meeting will be in October.
The Order of the Moon is the Baronial Arts and Science Award.
If you know someone you would like to nominate for the Moon please let Their Excellencies or me know! The current list of Moons is on the Baronial website.
Order of Perseus Master Symon Barnsdale:
The Order of the Perseus is the Baronial Martial Award.
If you know someone you would like to nominate for the Perseus please let Their Excellencies or me know! The current list of Perseids is on the Baronial website.
Order of the Comet Cristoff Gockerhan von Loch and Stephanie Leatherfoot L’Huissier
The Order of the Comet is the Baronial award for youth.
If you know someone you would like to nominate for the Comet please let Their Excellencies or me know!
Guilds:
Carolingia Calivers Lord Eon BrocWe’re doing well. We have a melee practice coming up on Thursdays.
Low Company Master Justin du Coeur
Meeting this friday, we will be teaching Morris games. Talk to Symon or me if you have questions.
Foresters: Arylanna:
Pepperel Saturday the 10th. 1:30-5. Forestry stuff, pot luck dinner. Possibly waxed linen covers.
Storytellers Sire Michael of York
No Report
Waytes Lord Zohane Faber
No Report
Needleworkers Lord Donato Favro
No Report
Events:
Falling Leaves: Meg: I’m still looking for someone to run archery and someone for rapier.
Peter volunteers for archery.
Sugawara: An event proposal is planned for June council.
Astrid: Demo proposals: I was contacted by Vanessa from Veasey memorial park. She reached out about 2 demos. One would be July or August for an ice cream social in conjunction with a children’s camp. Dates still to be determined. I will keep people updated. 5-7pmish.
The other is a Faery Festival. September 20th, 21st. All day.
I did mention to her about the foresters. She was extremely interested in having the foresters have a presence at both events. I told her I couldn’t give her a solid answer until I spoke to the barony.
Justin: In principle, it makes sense. As chatelaine. If you are willing to be the organizer, it sounds good.
Astrid: I have a good relationship with Vanessa.
Eowynn: Obviously possible conflicts with major events exist for something in July or August.
Astrid: I thought it might be a good opportunity for those who don’t go to Pennsic.
Frithuric: Since many active Carolingians do go to those events, please make sure we have a solid core of people before we commit to it and risk damaging that relationship.
Astrid: I’ve made certain Vanessa is aware of the issue.
These are not huge event level things so a few people from a couple of guilds and such would be a useful representation.
Approved by show of hands.
SCA Announcements:
Justin: Aneshka got inducted into the Golden Rapier, and Gavin into the Mauche.
Sugawara: I will get a new ballot completed within 24 hours, and get them out, with a new deadline.
General announcements: