[Lnc-business] Proposed Policy Manual addition regarding electronic meetings

Wed Sep 17 13:08:09 EDT 2014

Here is my idea for a substitute, for your consideration (should you choose
to read it.)

*Pursuant to Article 13 of the LP Bylaws, the LNC** may
conduct meetings via videoconference or teleconference (“e-conference”)
according to the following rules, and all committees of the national party
may conduct meetings via videoconference or teleconference according to the
following rules, or to alternative rules adopted by the particular
committee:*

   - *For videoconferences, it is the responsibility of committee member to
   provide their own compatible equipment.  In the absence of the necessary
   equipment, or in the case of technical difficulties, a committee member
   must be allowed to participate by teleconference.  To the extent that it is
   technically feasible, meetings shall be open to all people to listen in on
   and view.  Any member of the Party may speak during designated times for
   public comment, or may request to provide comment at other times, but those
   members must first identify themselves and their phone numbers to the
   person acting as secretary, and their status must be verified prior to
   the meeting.  Such requests shall require a majority vote for approval.
    Repeated requests after negative votes will be deemed dilatory by the
   presiding officer.  Five minutes at the start of the meeting, and five
   minutes at the conclusion of each meeting, shall be designated for public
   comment.*

   - *Either the committee chair or one-third of the committee members may
   call for an e-conference.  A minimum of seven (7) days prior to such a
   meeting, notice, including the agenda, shall be provided to all committee
   members by email, and shall also be reposted on the LNC-Business list, also
   a minimum of 7 days prior to such a meeting.  No item of business may be
   placed on or added to the agenda unless all committee members have access
   to the same supporting documentation.  No commitments may be made on any
   items not included in the agenda included with the notice.*

   - *Participants must try to eliminate background noise, including radio,
   television, traffic, appliances, and side conversations, as well as call
   waiting for those who have it. A participants shall not place a telephone
   on hold if the system has music or messages playing while in that
   mode.  Failure to do any of the above, or to otherwise mute the sound when
   a participant isn’t talking, shall be grounds for dropping the participant
   from the e-conference.  If a participant is dropped, the presiding officer
   shall inform the body of the action taken and the reasons as soon as
   possible.  Should the participant attempt to reconnect, they will be
   permitted to do so, assuming the problem has been corrected.*

   - *Each participant shall have the opportunity to speak twice, for three
   minutes at each opportunity, on each motion.  A different limit on debate,
   applicable equally to all participants, may be specified in the agenda.
    Except where contradicted by applicable statute, the bylaws, or these
   rules, all rules of order as followed at meetings of the committee
   (including special rules of order and rules in the parliamentary authority
   adopted by the committee,) shall be followed.  Only main motions (original
   or incidental) shall require recognition by the chair.  Roll call votes,
   when required by applicable rules of order, shall be held either by vocal
   roll call, or by a means chosen by the chair that adequately provides for
   the recording of each individual's vote.*

   - *Barring technical difficulties and excepting Executive Sessions,
   e-conferences shall be recorded.  The audio (and, if practical, the video)
   shall be archived and linked to on the LP website.  All individuals
   attending an e-conference must agree to be so recorded, and also agree not
   to record and not to divulge the contents of Executive Sessions unless the
   committee allows it by unanimous consent.  Individuals who do not agree to
   these conditions shall be excluded from the e-conference.*

Joshua Katz

Joshua A. Katz
Westbrook CT Planning Commission (L in R seat)

On Sun, Sep 14, 2014 at 3:51 PM, Joshua Katz <planning4liberty at gmail.com>
wrote:

> I agree, and Dr. Lieberman raises a good point.  When we hold virtual
> meetings for the state committee in CT, I require all motions be given to
> the secretary in writing - by email if a member has called in, or by text
> if they are on the computer.  A document sharing program would also work.
>  It might be a good idea to put that rule in place directly - all motions
> are to be delivered to the secretary in writing.
>
> I'd point out that nothing in the bylaw change, or these rules, requires
> us to hold distance meetings.  I do probably see more value in them than
> Dr. Lieberman does.
>
> Joshua Katz
>
> Joshua A. Katz
> Westbrook CT Planning Commission (L in R seat)
>
> On Sun, Sep 14, 2014 at 3:47 PM, Scott L. <scott73 at earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> “6.  I am not sure what to make of "temporary absence."  Suppose a
>> member of the committee doesn't buy, and has no plan to buy, a webcam, and
>> wishes to participate by telephone.  Certainly such an absence of webcam is
>> not temporary - but it also can't rightly be called permanent, as it is
>> certainly a situation that may well be remedied - in fact, it can be
>> remedied without intent if they purchase a Chromebook, new laptop, etc.
>>  Why not just say that it's alright to participate by phone?  (In fact, I
>> question the need to hold any video conference meetings, above and beyond
>> phone meetings.  Why do you need to see my living room, and my pajamas?)
>>
>>
>>
>>    Joshua Katz”
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Exactly.
>>
>>
>>
>> It is not important for LNC Reps and our members to see our faces frown
>> at stupidly worded motions, or smile when our side prevails in a vote.
>> OTOH, having correctly working document sharing during a videoconference
>> meeting would be helpful.
>>
>>
>>
>> Using document sharing, LNC members could see written versions of the
>> pending motions, and see any written graphs or charts that staff or members
>> feel we need to see.
>>
>>
>>
>> Please do not take my suggestions as an endorsement of videoconference
>> meetings.   I consider my suggestions to be a form of harm reduction.
>>
>>
>>
>>    Scott Lieberman
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Lnc-business mailing list
>> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
>> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>>
>>
>
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