[Lnc-business] Event funding

[Joshua Katz]

I'm using a different subject because this isn't about the merits of the
motion to support a booth at RiotFest.  Rather, these are questions that I
see as arising from that motion.

My first question would be - if we do this (and on the merits it strikes me
as something worth doing) we'll be asked to fund a number of such events.
It seems to me that, as a matter of board governance, we should come up
with an overall strategy that informs such decisions.  If we can clarify
the purpose of the LNC putting money and personnel into a booth at an event
such as this, it may guide future decisions.

Which leads me to my next question - while no other apparatus exists for
this at the moment, this doesn't look to me like the kind of question that
needs to come before a national board.  I would suggest that, since I do
expect these requests to continue coming if we fund this one, we build some
intervening structures, or make use of ones that exist (maybe affiliate
support?), empower them within a budget (outreach?  affiliate support?  a
new line?), and give instructions based on my first question above.

Next - I have to admit that I am uncomfortable with a board motion
specifying that a particular employee be sent to a particular place with a
particular task.  That looks far too much like a management task to me, and
I see a lot of potential for conflict if the board gets in the habit of
doing that sort of thing.  It creates uncertainty for management if we
swoop in and start moving staff members around.  Rather, I'd like to see a
broad directive to staff to support these endeavors in such ways, and leave
prioritization and decisions about who to send where up to management and,
at times, the chair.  I think this, also, feeds back into my main point
about board governance vs. management.

So I suppose what I am suggesting is that, in addition to whatever we
decide to do on RiotFest, the LNC adopt a strategy, explicitly, regarding
this sort of endeavor (we can define "this sort" as broadly as we think
useful) and our strategic reasons for getting involved, of the sort that
can inform an empowered committee and staff, rather than face the potential
of the national board sorting through these sorts of requests - and, let's
not forget, it's possible that there will be strategically useful events
for which no request is made, but a committee established for that purpose
might find them and suggest to the affiliate that a presence should be
established there, and that funding will be available.

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