Forgive my question but are these guidelines as presented are for us to consider as a motion that will be eventually voted on by TB? Maybe it's just me but I didn't see it spelled out crystal clearly in previous posts. If it is a formal motion why only ten days of public discussion instead of the prescribed fourteen as laid out under section C Voting procedures, subsection v.?
Originally Posted by
kokonutz
SECTION 4: GENERAL OPERATION, VOTING AND PUBLIC NOTICE PROCEDURES
A. General Operating Procedures
i. TB generally operates under a relaxed Roberts Rules of Order (RRoO). While the TB does not strictly adhere to RRoO, RRoO serve as a general guide for the President in maintaining order during TB’s proceedings and in cases where controversy over proceedings occur. Decisions of the President are penultimate, superseded only by the will of the FT host.
ii. The FT host may halt discussion or nullify recommendations on any issue being considered by the TalkBoard that interferes with the overall operation and well-being of the Flyer Talk web site. The FT host may also reserve certain areas as being outside the TB purview. These areas may be amended at any time by the FT host.
B. Motions and Seconds
i. Any member of the TB can raise a topic regarding any issue that falls under the above stated mission of the TB either in the public TB Topics forum or in the private TalkBoard forum.
ii. 48 hours after a topic has been raised by a TB member either in the public TB Topics forum or in the private TalkBoard forum, any member of the TB can make a motion regarding that issue.
iii. Points of order regarding whether a proposed motion falls within the purview of the TB shall be ruled upon by the President based on these guidelines and the FT TOS with the advice of the FT host.
ii. Any member of the TB can second a motion.
C. Voting Procedures
i. Once a motion has been made and seconded the President shall post a sticky poll thread in the TB forum calling the question and announcing the vote. The thread shall be titled "Vote: [summary of motion]". In the first post on the sticky poll thread the President shall post the maker and seconder of the motion as well as the voting deadline and then restate the motion that has been made and seconded.
ii. TB members may register their vote of yes, no or abstain while the voting period is open.
iii. It is each TB members’ responsibility to check the TB forum often enough that they do not inadvertently miss a vote.
iv. Once a TB member casts a vote that vote is final.
v. Regular motions shall be kept open for a period of two weeks from the posting of the sticky poll unless
a. at the call of the chair extenuating circumstances call for a shorter voting period although in no circumstance shall a vote be open for less than five days
b. all TB members have registered their vote.
iv. A motion shall pass if two-thirds of TB members participating in that vote vote ‘yes.’
v. At the close of a voting period the President shall formally announce the results in the sticky thread and instruct the Vice President/Secretary to comply with the TB’s public notice procedures.
vi. When motions containing recommendations for changes to FT are passed the President shall communicate that recommendation to the FT host.
I appreciate this section & subsections as it clearly spells out TB procedural policies with regards to motions, who can make then, how they are voted upon and how the results are communicated to FT. During the recent MTW debate someone asked why the motion could not be simply withdrawn given the FTer who'd submitted the original charity request had asked for it withdrawn and these rules are why it isn't nor should it be that easily done.
While I'm at it is there any way these guidelines as either presented or revised and adopted can be communicated to the wider FT audience? If not a sticky at the top of each forum maybe prominent mention in newsletters or elsewhere as that was another sense I received from the recent MTW debate, that a minority of members are aware of TB, how it works and what it does and an even smaller minority who regularly follow discussions such as the one we're having. Just my input...