Revisit number forty two hundred

[Kenneth Crandall]

Hi Barb,

I am Kenneth Crandall, an IP volunteer.

My gut feel is that your proposal is an overkill and could lead to many
volunteers saying the  "paper work" (albeit on-line) is just too much (see
additional details below).  However, I feel that there is merit to your
objectives.

A better definition of the type of tasks (specific job requirements and/or
the opportunity to get on-job training) to support SCN's goals and an
indication of the priorities and current status of major efforts might
induce some of us to either attend meetings or to respond by providing
additional time volunteering for tasks that interest us.  Meeting agendas
are useful since busy people will attend meetings that are particularly
interested in but do not like to spend time in general meetings.

I also believe that some form of information from the board and other active
bodies outlining the current and proposed projects that SCN is involved in
would also bring other "sometimes" volunteers (like myself) into a more
active role.

I have always preferred to be given responsibility for a task and then to
complete it with additional guidance or help if necessary.  I will take
responsibility for a mutually agreed schedule but I have never liked to
spend great efforts trying to keep everybody informed about what I am doing.
This in-work reporting often took more effort than the task itself.  It is
from this aspect that I believe that your proposal would drive away
prospective volunteers.  (see your items 1A, 1C, and 2C)

The penalty for not meeting these publishing demands (your item 3) would
certainly add new meaning to the old "Publish or Perish" axiom for
universities professors.

You obviously have reasons for believing that increased communication
between the SCN leadership and volunteers is needed.  (I myself  believe
that it would increase volunteerism). I therefore assume that you have
specific examples where the lack on communications has impacted your ability
to fulfill the role with SCN that you want to accomplish.  To address the
"paper work" concerns of potential volunteers like myself, it would be
beneficial to examine the specific communication problems instances that
have impacted you, and then ask, how could I have received the necessary
information with a minimal impact on the person I wanted the information
from.  Then using this "minimal impact" model, define proposed policy or
bylaw changes.

I hope these thoughts are useful to you.


Kenneth Crandall
----- Original Message -----
From: Barb Weismann <bb140 at scn.org>
To: <em-trng at scn.org>; <scn at scn.org>; <webmasters at scn.org>
Sent: Friday, June 18, 1999 10:49 PM
Subject: Revisit number forty two hundred


> Petition to members and users of Seattle Community Network:
>
> Summary: proposal to change the current policies, mission statement, and
> Bylaws of Seattle Community Network in order to create a virtual
> governing body and community.
>
> I support these changes in SCN to further the goals of equity of access to
> information and responsibility to the community:
>
> 1.  SCN Board and volunteers will make it a top priority to conduct the
> business of the organization on-line.  This priority would include:
> A.  Board, coordinators, and leaders assigning tasks, supervising tasks,
> and reporting on tasks accomplished on-line whether through archived email
> mailing listservs or posting web and text pages to areas accessible to
> all.
> B.  Minutes of Board, SCNA business to be posted within a week of meeting
> times, in web pages and text formats on SCN.
> C.  Board, volunteer coordinators, and volunteer lead people will make
> monthly reports on-line on correspondence, especially those dealing with
> paid services, purchased items, and management decisions brought about by
> a correspondence.  Individuals' privacy can be respected in these reports,
> without leaving out substance.
>
> 2.  SCN Board and Volunteers, under that priority, will seek every
> possible innovative means to include every community and community member,
> with special attention to current discrimination against those who are
> geographically or technologically limited in participation.  For instance:
> A.  On line voting and  registration systems should be implemented,
> including methods of maintaining privacy of votes while verifying
> participant identity.
> B.  All face to face meeting agendas should routinely be published with
> enough advance time that virtual attenders can make comments and have them
> considered at the face to face meeting.
> C.  All persons in positions of authority of any kind should routinely
> publish reports on their activities via SCN web or text pages.  All these
> should respond to requests for publication of reports from volunteers
> wishing to know their tasks, agendas, and accomplishments, within one
> week.
>
> 3.  SCN Board and volunteers who fail to uphold these priorities through
> negligence or refusing requests for reports can be dismissed by an on-line
> petition taken to an SCNA meeting or any regularly held SCN meeting.  The
> petition shall be given the weight of voting in the meeting.
>
> 4.  This petition is meant to be a statement of general principles and
> direction of the organization, and not yet a formal wording of changes in
> Bylaws.  Please add any comments you wish to add or discuss when you
> return the petition.
>
> 5.  This petition can also be voted on by a quorum of SCNA members at a
> monthly meeting.  If you are willing to attend a meeting for that purpose,
> please state so.
>
> Written by Barb Weismann
> bb140 at scn.org
> Please return to me.
> Add your comments and name below, please.
>
>
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