SR - The C word--ewwww

[Casey&Coni]

Sir Lyonel was overheard at the Lionsmouth Inn saying:

>There was, briefly, some discussion of putting together a Principality
>formation issues "committee," but I don't think this matter is far
>enough along to warrant such things.  Besides, I really hate the C word.
>In my experience, a "committee" is a conglomerate of disparate ideas
>that confounds processes and cripples enthusiasm--as the saying goes, "a
>creature with 50 hands, 25 mouths, and no brain."

Okay, all you guys out there... brace yourselves;  Lyonel and I are about to
disagree.

As *I* recall, the reason a committee was suggested in the first place was
to insure that all the information put
out/hashed-over/beaten-like-a-dead-horse at any meeting could be accurately
conveyed back to the home groups AND so that the sentiments of the groups
could be accurately conveyed to the rest of the region at said meetings.
Also, I dimly recall the thought being suggested that a committee could be
utilized to organize the content for mail surveys on borders, names, and
devices- trimming down the choices to two or three per category (as well as
including a 'please don't go through with this insanity' block for those who
are opposed to the whole deal).

>From Tempio's point of view, this made a whole LOT of sense.  The general
sentiment was that we have expressed our fervent desire to go ahead and do
this thing and that to send the whole shire to every meeting that comes down
the road just to repeat ourselves is just peeing in the wind... quite
frankly they'd rather devote that same energy to actually *doing* stuff on
the creative side of the project.  We got together at our populace meeting
and elected two representatives, Baron Theodoric and Baroness Suzanne, to go
to meetings we wouldn't normally be at and to fill the role of expressing
our desires at those meetings.  They'll carry proxies for those of us who
don't go and should the rest of the region decide to get two representatives
together and form the rest of the committee to send out information via post
to the membership on choices and decisions, they will fill that role too.

I might suggest that the rest of the groups try this as well.  I think two
is a handy number for most groups because even if your group is split on a
decision, you can still insure that both points of view are represented.  I
urge you in one direction, however... if you do this, ONLY DO IT AT YOUR
POPULACE AND TELL EVERYONE IN THE GROUP THAT THE DECISION WILL BE MADE THERE
WITH PLENTY OF TIME FOR THEM TO PLAN TO ATTEND.  If you don't do it this
way, I guarantee there will be strife after your choices are made.  Make
sure that your representatives know that there job is only to represent your
group and not to furthur their own agenda (if any).   This won't stop
anybody from going who wishes to go, but it will, IMO, keep things rolling
towards a solution (one way or another) at a fair but unrushed pace.

In short, I think what I'm saying is that after your group has had a good
portion (hopefully, ALL) of their members go in person to one or two or
three meetings and hear things first hand, you might want to consider
following suit with an official representative body.

After Lyonel stated his opinion on committees he said:

>
>Find a need and fill it.

To which I vehemently agree!  Quit asking permission to do things that are
volounteer positions anyway.  Just reach on down, find some gumption, and
decide what you want to do.  I'm having a tea and attending as many meetings
as possible and thinking up names and devices and going to everybody's
events and fighterpractices.... so what are YOU doing, hmmm??

(awww, damn... now everybody knows my secret strategy for getting the
principality to happen.  Cunning and subterfuge are no longer on my side!
They all know my plan is to *participate*!  I am undone!!)


This proposition brought to you by the letter Y and the numbers 1 and 8.

Ritter Dieterich Kempenich


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