Editor's Note: Inconsistencies in the Minutes in grammar and style are verbatim from the Minutes of the September 2004 AMC Meeting.
We begin this month with the fate of InterLoc. Though lengthy, the full discussion follows for the insight it provides in what our AMC thinks about informing the membership. As always, the excerpts from the Minutes are presented unedited since they are the official record of the AMC meeting.
30. DISCUSSION REMINE
"Is InterLoc still relevant?" Have the e-lists and the ability to quickly disseminate information widely removed the need for INTERLOC? Is the money being spent on InterLoc getting AML any bang at all for its buck?
REMINE pointed out we have e-lists and websites today, things we did not have when InterLoc began. He offered the following InterLoc statistics:
Total costs
2001-2002 = $14,916
2002-2003 = $14,163
2003-2004 = $12,775
Total subscriptions
2001-2002 = 1302
2002-2003 =1237
2003-2004 = 1237
Costs per subscription
2001-2002 = $11.45
2002-2003 = $11.44
2003-2004= $10.40
Number Requested
2001-02 = 273 (21%)
2002-03 = 199 (16%)
2003-04 = 124 (10%)
Sent to MIL
4% each year (50)
REMINE said that the percent of content that is AML generated is 25-35% (membership numbers, mini-minutes, AML Today, general announcements, group rankings, etc.) He said that it costs AML $16.92 a year for each member receiving InterLoc.
BURG said that we do not know what the automatic subscribers think of it or get from it. He pointed out that if a Local Secretary or Editor gets a good idea from it, then it potentially benefits every member of that local group. He said that if we offer a strong product, the number of subscribers should go way up. WERBA asked about the goals and objectives, and asked if we can provide the same information in a web-based vehicle. COONTZ and FOLKS noted that not everyone has Internet access. COONTZ would like to see the printed version tied into Risk Management and Leadership Development issues and plans. VASILIAUSKAS strongly recommended we try again to offer InterLoc, and said that she thought TJ Lundeen would be an excellent Editor. BURG pointed out that Appendix 15 to the ASIEs has been updated as recently as earlier this year and has guidelines as to what we want the publication to be. He said the editor should be someone not in this room and not in the National Office, given those guidelines. FOLKS pointed out that the Communications Committee has discussed InterLoc and that the guidelines have been updated to include Leadership Development. He stated that the value of this publication cannot be measured in the number of dollars we spend on each subscriber, or based only on recent issues. FOLKS said that E-lists, which seem more impersonal than the printed page, do not promote well-considered discussion. BRUCE said we are not yet ready to go all electronic; there are too many people who rely on the printed word. He said officers in his region to whom he had spoken strongly supported the continuation of the publication. WERDELL suggested we publish InterLoc on the Internet and still send out hard copies to those who request it. He feels it is possible we are throwing money at people who don't want it and don't need it. FOLKS said we already do provide it in both online and hard copy form. WILTERDING said that discontinuation would be a disservice to our members as a whole. He said the subscription figures provided by REMINE are not complete, considering the online availability.
Moved REMINE seconded WERDELL that the printed version of InterLoc be discontinued.
WERBA suggested a friendly amendment to survey the current readers of InterLoc, asking them if they want it, read it, and what they expect to get from it. He would prefer to see this motion tabled and then charge the National Office with surveying the subscribers. REMINE asked how this would be done. FOLKS said the best way to take a survey would be to send out another issue so subscribers could look at what they would be receiving.
Moved JACKOWSKI, seconded WERBA to postpone this to the next AMC meeting.
Motion to Postpone Failed: 8-11-2 (JACKOWSKI, GORDON, RUDOLPH, WERBA, BURG, SEIGLER, KUYPER, WILTERDING in favor, FOLKS and BECKER abstained)
A vote was then taken on the motion to discontinue the printed version of InterLoc.
Motion Failed: 5-14-2 (RAINEY, REMINE, BAKKE, WERDELL, TIMMERS in favor; WERBA and BECKER abstained)
We note in passing REMINE's fuzzy math, which apparently went unquestioned by the rest of the AMC. Just how does a per-subscription cost of $10.40 turn into $16.92 per member? Once again we have an important motion being made in the midst of a "discussion item." An advance agenda gives the membership (us!) the opportunity to contact our representatives on the AMC about the issues. This kind of cloaking does us a disservice.
It is unfortunate that the idea of actually asking the members served by InterLoc what they think about its future failed. With an election coming soon, we ask that you look carefully at who voted for less communication — and what offices they are seeking.
31. Moved FOLKS, seconded WILTERDING that The Joyce (TJ) be appointed InterLoc Editor for a term ending at the close of the 2005 Annual Business Meeting.
Moved BAKKE seconded VASILIAUSKAS that the AMC go into Executive Session. BAKKE said that anything dealing with individuals be done in closed session to protect their privacy.
Vote to go into Executive Session Approved: 14-3-2-2 (WILTERDING, BEATTY, MCBEAN opposed; REMINE and BECKER abstained; TIMMERS and KUYPER were out of the room)
When the AMC reconvened, BECKER announced that during the closed session, a vote was conducted regarding the appointment of The Joyce (TJ) Lundeen as Editor of InterLoc.
Vote on Motion to Appoint Approved in Executive Session. ASIE 2004-110
Since TJ's first issue of InterLoc for this term has now come out, it should be obvious to all that the AMC made the right decision on this motion. How they got there is distressing. Executive Session to deal with discussion of an individual is an appropriate use of that privilege; but the vote on the motion should have been made in open session. The AMC shirked part of its responsibility to the membership by not recording the vote.
34. Moved COONTZ, seconded JACKOWSKI and KUYPER that effective July 1, 2005, at least one member of the hospitality committee for AGs, RGs, LDWs and Colloquiums must complete a food safety course prior to the gathering or workshop. Applications for these activities must include a copy of a certificate establishing that at least one member of the hospitality committee for that event has completed a federal, state, county or Mensa food safety course.
DISCUSSION: COONTZ said she had received positive feedback from members in her region. KUYPER noted that LDWs are very small events with not too many attendees, somewhat like a house party. She offered a friendly amendment to remove LDWs from this motion, which was not accepted by the mover. RAINEY noted a concern of a member of Tidewater Mensa. They are concerned that this transfers liability to the Hospitality Chair at a given event. SEIGLER said it is a question of "ordinary care". If the Hospitality Chair is exercising ordinary care for the safety of the people there, he/she would not be held liable. This care is what a normally prudent person would consider to be safe. VASILIAUSKAS spoke against this motion. She said we are making a rule we cannot enforce; she recommended offering the course, but not making it a requirement. FOLKS offered a friendly amendment to replace "Hospitality Chair" in each case to "at least one member of the hospitality committee". This was accepted and is reflected in the motion as listed above. MCBEAN asked whether the certified person is someone who will actually be on the premises 24 hours a day. COONTZ said that we are managing risk, not controlling situations. BRUCE said that the general consensus in his region is that we need this certification, but at large group gatherings only, not at local functions attended by a small amount of people. WILTERDING expressed concern that requiring LDWs to have a certified person would be a significant disincentive to host LDWs. COONTZ said she did not think it was asking too much, even for a small group.
Approved 18-2-1 (VASILIAUSKAS and WILTERDING opposed; BECKER abstained) ASIE 2004-111
This motion contains more holes than a morsel of Swiss cheese on a Hospitality snack tray. Committees change; what happens when the certified person leaves the committee? Is the function canceled? Will AML pick up the tab for cancellation penalties if that happens?
This creates a disincentive to volunteers by adding more time and cost to what is already one of the biggest responsibilities at any Gathering. Note also that there is no provision for creating a "Mensa food safety course," something that does not exist now. All this does is create a lightning rod for liability in the unlikely event of a problem.
The answer that SEIGLER gave to this concern is self-contradictory. A "normally prudent person" does not need a food safety course to understand and exercise "ordinary care" in food handling. This ASIE places your Gathering's prep room on par with a restaurant kitchen in terms of standards. It creates risk and liability in the name of risk management.
35. Moved SIGS Advisory Committee that ASIE 1978-086 be modified to include the following: "Membership is limited to members of American Mensa. At the sole discretion of the SIG Coordinator, members of other national Mensas, Direct International Members, and non Mensans may participate in the activities of the SIG as guests." The words "both paper and electronic" are added after "newsletters".
New:
Resolved that AMC recognize the concept
of national vs. local SIGs in that national SIGs operate through correspondence
and newsletters, both paper and electronic, their members being dispersed
over all areas of American Mensa. Membership is limited to members of
American Mensa. At the sole discretion of the SIG Coordinator, members
of other national Mensas, Direct International Members, and non Mensans
may participate in the activities of the SIG as guests. SIGs of American
Mensa are under the jurisdiction of the AMC, delegated to the SIGs Officer.
Local SIGs operate under the jurisdiction of the Local Group where they
operate.
DISCUSSION: BURG suggested a friendly amendment which was accepted by SOPER to change the wording to "…members of other national Mensas, Direct International Members, and non Mensans…"
Approved: 19-1-1 (BEATTY opposed; BECKER abstained) ASIE 2004-112
The discussion on this motion does not make sense. The clause quoted appeared in the original agenda item. This ASIE does leave room for SIGs that do not want to reveal their membership to operate, though — everyone is a guest! Humor aside, the underlying issue remains. This is a step toward more central control of member activities as part of the quest for the risk management grail.
36a (formerly Item 10). Moved JACKOWSKI seconded KUYPER that AML SIGS are primarily a private volunteer activity and membership in a SIG is at the discretion of the individual SIG coordinator.
Motion Withdrawn by the Mover.
We are sorry to see a good and sensible motion die.
We'll be back with notes on the December meeting after the Minutes are released.
Postscript: It came to our attention just before press time — well after the preceding column was written — that those December minutes will not be out anytime soon. Here is the statement released by AML Secretary Judy Vasiliauskas followed by the ASIE on Minutes approval.
The full Minutes of the AMC meeting of December 4, 2004, will not become official or be released or published on the web site until they are approved by the AMC at the next AMC meeting in March. It was brought to the Chair's attention that per New York law, when utilizing electronic balloting, the entire board has to vote in favor of a motion in order for it to pass. Since two AMC members were not in attendance at the meeting in Orlando, they have abstained from voting to approve the Minutes of that meeting; therefore the vote to approve will take place when the AMC meets in person in Ohio.
2000-139 02-Dec-2000
The correct and complete minutes of American Mensa, Ltd. Regarding American Mensa Committee meetings and Annual Business Meetings shall consist solely of the approved minutes. The "approved minutes" of a given meeting are those minutes that are approved by a vote of the body for the meeting in question. A synopsis of major points from an AMC meeting or an Annual Business Meeting may be circulated to the general membership of American Mensa before the next AMC meeting or Annual Business Meeting; however, full minutes of AMC meetings shall not be circulated outside the AMC or staff prior to the minutes being approved by the AMC. This policy applies retroactively to all previous AMC meetings and Annual Business meetings, as well as prospectively.
Let us first consider the ASIE. It is readily apparent that the phrase "vote of the body for the meeting in question" can apply only to the voting members who were present at the meeting in question. Members who were not there cannot comment on the events in a meeting for the purpose of minutes approval. That would require memories never impressed upon their cortexes.
Regarding the statement about New York law, "brought to the Chair's attention" is not a citation of statute. It is, in fact, one step below hearsay evidence. Until (and unless) a specific reference to an applicable law is made the allegation is not credible.
In short, there is no reason for the AMC to change the practice of e-mail minutes approval.
The effect on us, the members in whose name the AMC is supposed to act? Less information about what the AMC has lately done — just before an election.
Finally, though it will take longer than originally planned, we will be back.
— compiled by Staff