[Lnc-business] Requests for agenda items

[Joe Bishop-Henchman]

Mr. Chair,

I request agenda time for the following.

Resolution to develop details to establish 5 LNC standing committees, 
disestablish 4 existing committees, and enhance LNC oversight to monitor 
and strengthen staff marketing, fundraising, budget, and campaign 
strategies.

WHEREAS, this is a key time for the Libertarian Party, juggling multiple 
key priorities in ballot access, litigation, candidate recruitment, data 
resources, fundraising, legal compliance, marketing, membership 
recruitment and retention, staff development, and more; and

WHEREAS, both in allocating scarce resources among these many priorities 
and in making the case to potential donors to support these priorities, 
it is essential to have clear operations, fundraising, marketing, and 
campaign strategies for the year, and clear line of sight for staff 
management and LNC oversight; and

WHEREAS, the LNC can offer a vital role monitoring and strengthening our 
staff as they carry out their operations, fundraising, marketing, and 
campaign strategy roles; and

WHEREAS, this oversight role is most effective through specialization, 
focus, and institutional champions rather than everyone generally 
responsible for everything; and

WHEREAS, the amount of responsiblity and oversight that falls on the 
LNC, in dollar amounts, number of staff, scope, and long-term vision, is 
so large as to make it difficult to do within the general LNC meeting 
each quarter by everyone; and

WHEREAS, current periodic reports to the LNC are inconsistent in their 
length, inclusion of metrics, focus on short-term activity and long-term 
goals, and other items vital to meaningful overisght; and

WHEREAS, it is desirable to align LNC members and LNC staff on those 
operations, fundraising, marketing, and campaign strategies through the 
process of periodically reviewing strategic direction and monitoring 
ongoing implementation and metrics; and

WHEREAS, a standing committee structure reflects the best practices of 
most successful Boards and organizations, particularly ones with large 
Boards and multiple responsibilities and goals, and the success we've 
had with committees focused on ballot access and the convention; and

WHEREAS, a standing committee structure would enable proposals to be 
fine-tuned and perfected by those who follow the area most closely, 
enabling the full LNC to vote on vetted proposals that clearly identify 
pros and cons rather than drafts-in-progress; and

WHEREAS, a committee structure focusing Board members on the areas of 
operations/budget, fundraising, marketing/membership, and 
campaigns/candidates parallels the intended focus of our staff structure 
on those four general areas;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the LNC establish a drafting committee to 
prepare, for the LNC's consideration, formal language effectuating the 
following changes to the Policy Manual and LNC operations:

STANDING COMMITTEES

Standing committees exist to monitor and strengthen LNC staff executing 
certain areas of responsibility. As an oversight function, their role is 
to set goals and review strategy, and not to execute tasks except as 
indicated herein.

The LNC shall have five standing committees:
Budget & Operations Oversight
Fundraising Oversight
Marketing & Membership Oversight
Campaigns & Candidates Oversight
Procedures & Positions

1. Budget & Operations Oversight Committee. The committee shall give 
oversight to operations activity of our staff. The committee is tasked 
with annually reviewing staff's budget submission and presenting a 
recommended budget to the full LNC for its consideration, and 
effectuating it once approved, forwarding recommendations for 
modifications to the LNC from time to time as deemed necessary. In its 
oversight and activity, the committee's objectives shall be an LNC that 
(a) follows an adopted budget that reflects the goals adopted by the 
LNC; (b) has positive cash flow and adequate cash reserve; (c) has 
positive net assets; (d) is 100 percent compliant with legal 
obligations; (e) adopts best practices for staff talent development and 
human resources; (f) plans for staff needs, recruitment, and other 
operating or capital spending needed to advance long-term goals; and (g) 
ensures safe, modern, and accountable use of resources and adoption of 
best practices for operations and risk management. The LNC Treasurer 
shall be a voting member of this Committee.

2. Fundraising Oversight Committee. The committee shall give oversight 
to fundraising activity of our staff. The committee is tasked with 
annually reviewing the standing staff fundraising strategy presented to 
it for its consideration, forwarding recommendations for modifications 
to the LNC from time to time as deemed necessary. In its oversight and 
activity, the committee's objectives shall be an LNC that (a) raises the 
funds as envisioned in its adopted budget; (b) contributes to positive 
net cash flow; (c) has clear strategies for prospecting and qualifying 
donors, and monitors the metrics (# meetings had, direct mail response 
rates, etc.) thereof; (d) has clear strategies for asking donors, and 
monitors the metrics (dollars raised, renewal rates, etc.) thereof; (e) 
has clear strategies for stewarding and cultivating donors and monitors 
the metrics (renewal rates) thereof; (f) has clear differentiating 
strategies between major donors and other donors; and (g) assists staff 
in fundraising events and trainings.

3. Marketing & Membership Oversight Committee. The committee shall give 
oversight to the marketing activity of our staff. The committee is 
tasked with annually reviewing the standing staff marketing strategy 
presented to it for its consideration, forwarding recommendations for 
modifications to the LNC from time to time as deemed necessary. The 
committee is also tasked with the responsibilities currently assigned to 
the APRC, with its activities in this regard subject to the 
confidentiality limitations as outlined in the current policy manual. In 
its oversight and activity, the committee's objectives shall be an LNC 
that (a) enhances the Party's public standing and promotes its brand; 
(b) gets positive media attention for the accomplishments and activities 
of the Party and its elected and appointed officials; (c) improves 
awareness of the Party and its candidates among target audiences; (d) 
attracts and retain volunteers and members among target audiences; (e) 
reinforces fundraising and candidate support objectives; (f) increases 
vote totals for Libertarian candidates; and (g) adequately promotes new 
initiatives and projects.

4. Campaigns & Candidates Oversight Committee. The committee shall give 
oversight to the campaign and candidate recruitment and support activity 
of our staff. The committee is tasked with annually reviewing the 
standing staff campaign and candidate support strategy presented to it 
for its consideration, forwarding recommendations for modifications to 
the LNC from time to time as deemed necessary. In its oversight and 
activity, the committee's objectives shall be an LNC that (a) elects and 
re-elects Libertarians to public office; (b) identifies affiliate and 
candidate needs; (c) promotes best practices in campaign tactics and 
techniques; (d) provides data resources such as the CRM project and 
training to our affiliates and candidates; (e) targets resources to 
national, state, and local campaigns that are winnable or important for 
ballot access; (f) recruits candidates; and (g) prioritizes 
50-state-plus-DC ballot access.

5. Procedures & Positions Committee. The committee is tasked with 
reviewing and fine-tuning proposed modifications to the Policy Manual, 
resolutions of LNC public positions, the LNC's own operations, or other 
LNC rules not under the purview of the Bylaws & Rules Committee. The 
committee is also tasked with general ethical accountability of the LNC 
and its members, including recommending to the full LNC any additions to 
or revisions to organizational, document retention, whistleblower, 
conflict of interest, or other similar LNC-adopted policies. The Chair 
of the Procedures Committee is the designated recipient of whistleblower 
information. In its oversight and activity, the committee's objectives 
shall be an LNC that (a) meets the highest ethical standards; (b) has 
adopted procedures enabling us to operate quickly to take advantage of 
opportunities but in a way that is fair to its members; (c) 
organizationally monitors and strengthens our staff in their role 
carrying out the broad goals stated for them; and (d) ensuring public 
policy resolutions to be considered by the LNC are drafted to be 
accurate, principled, and timely.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the drafting committee should recommend 
procedures for the standing committees, which may include the following:

Each LNC member, the term in this respect inclusive of regional 
alternates, shall be entitled to sit as a voting member on on no fewer 
than one committee, and shall not sit on more than three committees. No 
standing committee shall have fewer than five members or more than nine 
members.

At the earliest opportunity in any meeting after the new term of the LNC 
commences, the LNC Chair and LNC Vice Chair shall together solicit each 
LNC member's ranked preference for committee choices and jointly present 
a comprehensive list of assignments to the LNC for its consideration, 
modification, and approval. Committee assignments may be subsequently 
modified by the LNC as if it was any other business, without referral to 
committee. If the Chair and Vice Chair cannot agree on a joint list to 
present, the LNC shall in open session assign its members to committees 
through procedures it deems appropriate.

Each committee shall elect a chair and a vice chair from its members at 
its first meeting, and until that time the longest-serving LNC member on 
the committee shall act as interim committee chair. In the event of 
subsequent vacancy in the post of committee chair, the vice chair shall 
automatically become chair and the committee shall elect a new vice 
chair. No person may be Chair of more than one standing committee.

The LNC Chair and LNC Vice Chair shall be ex officio non-voting members 
of all five standing committees. The LNC Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, 
and Treasurer may not be Chair of any standing committee.

Each committee shall meet regularly, monthly if practicable, by phone, 
web conference, or in-person. All resolutions or proposals sponsored by 
two (2) or more members shall be referred by the Chair within 
forty-eight (48) hours to one or more germane standing committees. 
Proposals referred to a committee shall be considered by that committee 
at its next regular meeting, or at a special meeting called by the 
committee chair with at least twenty-four (24) hours notice on the LNC 
list and actual notice to all members. Should a majority of the voting 
members of the LNC so request, a proposal shall bypass all committees 
and proceed to immediate LNC action, either by email ballot or placed on 
the agenda at the next meeting as the sponsors choose.

The committee to which a proposal is referred shall consider the 
proposal, adopt amendments and make other modifications as it deems fit, 
and then shall forward to the full LNC with one of the following 
recommendations and any explanation or summary the committee deems fit 
to provide: immediate email ballot and do pass, immediate email ballot 
and do not pass, immediate email ballot and no recommendation, 
consideration at the next LNC meeting and do pass, consideration at the 
next LNC meeting and do not pass, consideration at the next LNC meeting 
and no recommendation. If the committee fails to make such a 
recommendation within forty (40) days, it is automatically discharged 
from committee to be considered at the next LNC meeting.

A majority of a committee consists of a majority of those participating 
in the committee meeting, or if done by e-mail ballot, a majority of the 
committee membership. Committee chairs have full voting privileges.

At each LNC meeting, each proposal shall identify the committee(s) to 
which the proposal was referred, any changes made in committee and a 
summary thereof, and the recommendation from the committee(s), if any.

The Chair or staff shall present to each committee all draft contracts 
or other proposed agreements under its purview for consideration.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Executive Committee. The executive committee shall consist of the LNC 
Chair, LNC Vice Chair, and the five chairs of the standing committees as 
voting members. Membership in the executive committee shall not be 
considered a standing committee for purposes of the limit on total 
number of committees one member may be on.

SPECIAL COMMITTEES
Special committees are permanent committees that exist to each execute 
one vital LNC responsibility, and include a mix of LNC and non-LNC 
members. Membership on these special committees shall not be considered 
a standing committee for purposes of the limit on total number of 
committees one member may be on:

[No changes to membership or responsibilities of these committees]
Audit Committee.
Awards Committee.
Ballot Access Committee.
Convention Oversight Committee.
Historical Preservation Committee.
Information Technology Committee.
Youth Engagement Committee.

COMMITTEES ESTABLISHED BY THE BYLAWS
These committees are committees established by the Members in Convention 
to carry out vital tasks.  Membership on these committees shall not be 
considered a standing committee for purposes of the limit on total 
number of committees one member may be on:
Bylaws & Rules
Platform
Credentials

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the proposal put forward by the drafting 
committee shall disestablish the following committees: Affiliate Support 
(duties assumed by Campaigns & Candidates), APRC (duties assumed by 
Marketing Committee), Candidate Support (duties assumed by Campaigns & 
Candidates), EPCC (duties assumed by Budget & Operations and Policies & 
Procedures).

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the policy manual should create a formal 
orientation for new members, including providing them with the current 
Budget, staff marketing plan, staff fundraising plan, policy manual, 
committee information, and other relevant documents.

JBH

------------
Joe Bishop-Henchman
LNC Member (At-Large)
joe.bishop-henchman at lp.org
www.facebook.com/groups/189510455174837

On 2019-07-10 21:03, Nicholas Sarwark via Lnc-business wrote:
> Dear All,
> 
> I am preparing the agenda for our upcoming meeting in Austin. If you 
> have
> specific agenda items you would like to request, please let me know.
> 
> Yours truly,
> Nick