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Re: Regain control - *was* - When did we lose control?

2004-10-21 13:53:28
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jonathan Gardner" <jonagard(_at_)amazon(_dot_)com>
To: <spf-discuss(_at_)v2(_dot_)listbox(_dot_)com>
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 9:55 PM
Subject: Re: [spf-discuss] Regain control - *was* - When did we lose
control?


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On Thursday 21 October 2004 12:21 pm, jpinkerton wrote:
Well -- it's nice to see that James has managed to overcome his natural
shyness ;-)

It's perhaps a good time for us to start a move towards a slight
"formalisation" of the spf community.


JPinkerton,

The way to go about an organization is to draw up bylaws and have the
bylaws
approved. This is what I suggest: A few of you (like about 6) get together
and read the relevant portions of Robert's Rules. Then you hold a meeting,
and elect a president pro tem and a secretary pro tem. Then you resolve to
form an organization. Then you draw up and ratify bylaws. (You might want
to run them by us first so we get an opinion on it.) Then you do what the
bylaws say - elect a governing council, a president, or whatever.

I wouldn't worry about incorporation yet as you won't be handling money.
If
you will, then you could probably do the footwork to get a corporation
with
501(c)(3) status. You'll need to either get a book on that and follow it
to
the letter, or get a lawyer involved at that point.

That initial group of 6 or so will quickly expand depending on the rules
for
getting more members. You'll want to add rules for how you hold elections
over the internet, or whether you'll involve the internet at all.

With this formalized body in place, you'll have a legal entity that
represents a group of people. The charter (if incorporating) and bylaws
(either way) are going to be critical.

- --
Jonathan M. Gardner


Ermmmm    --    I said *slight* formalisation ;-)

There is absolutely *no* intention in my mind of drawing up rules, by-laws,
constitutions, incorporations, or anything even remotely like that.  We have
enough to do without a whole raft of beaurocratic stuff as well.  We elect
three co-chairs who we agree to listen to and to respect their position.
There's going to be *no* empire-building here!

The intention - which I thought was nice and clear from my tone of my post -
is to have three wise men to steer the group and three other wise men to
look after the mail-lists which need a bit of filtering IMHO.  Tech stuff
should be politics-free and vice-versa ;-)

And Terry implicitly asked "How commercial-savvy a person....?"  Well we'll
take the best one that comes up, won't we ;-)  Crumbs, there's enough
company whizz-kids on this list  ;-)

This is a KISS solution to our present somewhat anarchic situation.



Slainte,

JohnP.
johnp(_at_)idimo(_dot_)com
ICQ 313355492