[Businessmtg] Chair's Position on Possible Solutions. PLEASE READ

[Jerry H.]

Biz-Pals,


This has certainly gone on long enough. Were it up to me this motion would go away. There are just too many only recently revealed changes in group conscience (GC) approved content. I'm not saying that they were intentional, but they ARE there.


Over the past days I've been searching for options which would get us out of this developing controversy. My thinking has continually evolved. I've got to say that sorting through Robert's Rules (RR) has led to a number of headaches. As your new List Administrator I have been wanting to lead with a good and popular direction - to come up with an answer a majority could live with.


I have finally decided that this is ASP's Business Meeting (BM) and it is up to this Business Meeting to work through to a conclusion based on Principle, and not have me calling the shots.


The motion on the floor (Jane's) was properly made under Robert's Rules. Here are the  methods I see this BM still has available to it which have a chance of bringing us to Unity or at least Consensus:


1)

Make a Motion to Amend this Motion which strikes out any motion language which would affirm any content in the 'new' web page which makes substantive change in existing ASP GC Policy and Practices. Examples which come to mind are new web language which: a) asks members to contact the List Administrator with problems, concerns, or suggested BM agenda items instead of the original GC language which tells members to contact any member of the Steering Committee (SC), b) says the SC includes only one Founder seat rather than two as the GC version requires, and c) all other such substantive changes identified before or after any vote on the amended motion.


One such Motion to Amend this Motion could be stated approximately so:

"The 'new' ASP website, as currently posted, minus all content which make changes to existing Group Conscience approved ASP policy and practices, said content to be replaced with the approved language from the 'old' ASP website, is approved."  


The Motion to Amend would have to be approved by a simple majority, then the Amended Main Motion would have to be either approved by a 2/3 vote of vote-eligible BM members, or rejected by 1/3 of the vote-eligible BM members.


3)

Put the current motion to a vote after everyone is fully informed of the consequences of the policy and practices changes buried within the 'new' website content.


Approval would change all existing ASP policy and practices, where 'new' website language alters policy and practices, without first having debated these changes individually.


Again, 2/3 vote of vote-eligible members to pass, 1/3 of vote-eligible members to fail.


4)

The Chair could note that the substantive changes to ASP policy and practices which would follow approval of the existing motion seriously affect the ASP membership and therefore the Business Meeting is not the appropriate forum for its approval. Such changes require by policy a 2/3 approval of the entire ASP membership.


5)

The Chair could declare that the former Chair exceeded her authority when she switched from ASP's GC approved Knowledge Based Decision Making (KBDM) process. The language of ASP's approved KBDM process limits switching to RR only when KBDM is not working. Our KBDM process was working exactly as it is designed. Two, even three BM's to reach consensus on controversial issues are perfectly acceptable. Rushing to conclusions based on artificial deadlines (i.e., rotation of officers) does not constitute "not working".


This would leave us with no motions on the floor.  


5)

Other methods suggested by BM members within the BM, because I've burned my candle out on this subject.


Failing a workable Motion to Amend the Motion or an agreement on another alternative I'll just have to make the call based on which method is most likely to bring eventual unity, but this meeting as a whole really should bring itself to a decision.


In service,

Jerry H.,

Acting Business Meeting Chair,

L.A.,

and acting Greeter Chair

HELP!

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