[Businessmtg] CHAIR COMMENTS

[List Administrator]

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A few BM members have asked about or mentioned motions in their shares.
It is important to note that ASP uses its form of KBDM [Knowledge-Based
Decision Making] not Robert's Rules for its Business Meetings. Please
read the ASP literature on this process if you are not familiar with it
in detail. 

In very general terms KBDM opens with a discussion of a topic
accompanied by the pertinent information surrounding it. If, after
discussion, there seems to be a consensus on a part or parts of the
discussion a motion may be formed around that existing consensus, but
not until the discussion has run its course. Forming motions before
discussions are completed - and that may take multiple meetings under
ASP's format - would be out of order. 

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I have been asked to suggest a motion regarding newcomer packets. We
have 29 members in the BM and have heard from only a dozen or so. We've
only been on this topic for a little over a day so motions are not yet
in order. If a clear consensus one way or the other comes from further
discussions I believe the motion should come from the floor, not the
Chair. Around Thursday or Friday if it becomes clear that 20 or so
members are in favor or are against the newcomer packet program the
Chair will suggest a motion be made to that effect. 

Remember, no consensus - no motion. Matters which affect the majority of
ASP members require a 2/3 agreement to form a consensus. That means
2/3rds of the eligible voting members, not 2/3rds of those who choose to
share. Getting everyone on the BM to vote if a poll comes around is
extremely important. 

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In service, 

Jerry H., BM Chair 

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