[Bryn-gwlad] A Rebuttal on Drafthouse and Demos

[elizabeth@crouchet.com]

Okay, there is really very little "polling" or formal binding votes taken at business meetings unless it is announced we will be 
taking a vote on X at the next meeting.

We vote on which bid to accept for an event. We vote on which X to purchase for the Barony. We vote on requests for extra 
funds from officers.

 We sometimes get to vote on an opinion as to which cadidate we want for the Coronet, but even then we never get to vote for 
the Candidates in a binding "election".  (Barons/Baronesses are appointed by the Crown)

That being said we often take votes to gauge levels of interest or to narrow down choices and to give our leaders some 
direction.

When we are not doing that we are discussing issues and voicing opinions, again not a poll but useful input to the leaders. 

And then, we often have poplulace members bring up new concerns and proposals.

Then we get around to officers reports, boring as they may be and a little tedious but then we all have a chance to ask follow 
up questions to those reports. Can't do that in a newsletter. And we get to hear just how busy our barony is as a whole. 

There is always a chance at the end of the meeting to open new topics of discussion or bring up new concerns if they have not 
been addressed before. 

So no, we often do not vote that something must be done, but we do often vote on or help to formulate a series of actions that 
allow our leaders to make decisions in the best interest of the populace and the barony. And we get to express opinons and 
concerns. We don't spend the whole meeting casting ballots. That would actually be very limiting. 

I encourage everyone to make an effort to attend as many populace meeting as you can make it to. It is only one evening a 
month. If you want to have a say in the directions this barony goes then you need to be there.

If you are having fun along for the ride or want to let others take over the decision burdens for a while then missing the 
meetings won't be a big deal. That leaves you supporting what others have decided on. 

I encourage all new people to attend meetings. Your new experiences and outside experience can be quite valuable to those of 
us oldtimers who can't see outside the box anymore. Our meetings may appear a little contentious at first glance but we all 
leave knowing what is coming next, having had a say and usually in very good spirits, no matter what was discussed. 

See you all at the next one,

Claire Shayhan (the other Claire)




On 3 Jul 2006 at 8:32, nweders at mail.utexas.edu wrote:

> At 10:51 PM 7/2/2006, you wrote:
> >Thanks for the invite... in my experience, the business meetings are 
> >usually the officers giving their reports and not as much polling of 
> >opinions of the populace. That usually seems to have always been the 
> >domain of this mailing list.
> >
> >But then, as the saying goes, "If you always do what you always did, then 
> >you'll always get what you always got."
> >
> 
> 
> To answer in basic english:  this is crap.  As much as I avoid them and 
> don't really participate as I did in the past the Baronial Business 
> meetings here do solicit the attendees opinions and concerns.  Our Barony 
> encourages active participation from our members.  We freely express 
> opinions and vote on issues here including what events to do, what demos to 
> support and special projects .  Why don't you come and express your 
> opinions at the meetings.... I've never seen where someone there isn't 
> allowed to address and issue.
> 
> I'm not sure how many you went to locally before you decided that the 
> populace isn't consulted but it must not have been very long.
> 
> Cordially,
> 
> Clare
> 
> Expressing yourself on this list is easy, going to a business meeting and 
> contributing is a little harder.
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