Author Topic: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion  (Read 13561 times)

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Offline modab

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2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« on: September 29, 2008, 10:30:04 pm »
This  thread is for discussion about the Secretary position for Kumoricon 2009, which may or may not become a position decided by staff voting and a vote by the board to amend the bylaws.

Here is a job description, as copy/pasted from the Bylaws (at http://www.kumoricon.org/?page_id=128!):
The duties of the Secretary shall be to:
1. Keep a record of the minutes of each Director and Membership meeting and;
2. Handle all organization correspondence.
3. Give notices for Membership and Board meetings.
4. Maintain records of member names and addresses.
5. Authenticate records of the corporation

-----

It is possible this position will be voted on during the general election this year. This will happen if the staff votes to amend the bylaws to make this change, a motion that was proposed in the previous meeting, and the board also votes to approve it. If so, it behooves you to know who is running, what their qualifications are, what they plan to do.

Here is a list of people who have been recommended for Secretary. Please note these names have been floated around, but none of them have necessarily "Accepted". Those I have heard from are so marked. (PM me if you want.) Due to the way the position is currently selected (by board vote a month after the general election, instead of staff vote during the general election), there will likely be some confusion amongst the "recommended".
K. Jo Ayers (Accepted)
Meagan "Hawkeye" Duncan
Michael Evans
Morgan Holland (Accepted)

The recommendations thread is here:http://www.kumoricon.org/forums/index.php?topic=7902.0

You may ask questions for them to answer in this post, and if you know them please encourage them to reply. Remember to be civil. You may also use this thread to discuss the responsibilities of this position for 2009, especially ones you think should be added, modified, or removed.
« Last Edit: October 02, 2008, 12:07:27 pm by staze »
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Offline melchizedek

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2008, 11:41:17 am »
where do people live?  What is their transportation situation?   Real life schedule?
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Offline kjayers

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2008, 12:17:40 pm »
Hi!  I'm Jo. 

In response to Melchizedek's questions, I live in SW Portland/Multnomah Village.  I have my own car, so while I try to be ecologically conscious by carpooling whenever I can, my commitments are not restricted by whether I can get a ride.  In real life I do shift work with a regular schedule that has not yet interfered with my KCon activities.  I also go to school part time, but between both work and school, I am still available weeknights and weekends, with few exceptions.

In case the Secretary position remains Board-elected, I prepared a formal letter to the Board responding to my recommendation.  In case the position becomes staff-elected, here is my letter to my fellow staff.  I hope it addresses many of the concerns we all have about candidate suitability and preparation for this role.



Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am pleased to respond to my nomination for the position of Secretary of Altonimbus Entertainment.  Since February 2008, I have served as the Assistant Secretary for Kumoricon, and I have enjoyed contributing to the recording and smooth facilitation of both general and executive staff meetings.

In addition to my role with Kumoricon, I am serving my second term as Clerk of the Vestry for All Saints Episcopal Parish in Hillsboro, Oregon.  For those unfamiliar with Episcopal polity, a vestry is roughly equivalent to the board of directors for the parish, and the clerk serves the purpose of secretary.  My term in this position ends in January, 2009, although there has been no conflict between my responsibilities to All Saints and to Kumoricon so far.  Also, I am the elected delegate from All Saints to the annual diocesan convention (similar to being a district representative to the state legislature).  This term will also end in January.

Since Kumoricon is the only fan convention in which I participate, my interests will be solely oriented toward what is best for it and not conflicted by commitments to non-Altonimbus events.

My commitments for work and school leave me available both weekend days and weekday nights.  Being employed for shift work, I am very unlikely to be called in unexpectedly (or expectedly for major projects) by my employer.  I am similarly unlikely to have scheduling conflicts between Kumoricon activities and my part-time course load at PCC.

To the end of maintaining contact with other members of the board, I can be reached be email or telephone.  I check email at least once every day except Saturday, and I use software tools to ensure Kumoricon email is set aside to be addressed before any other subjects.

I look forward to hearing from you regarding any further questions you may have.

Sincerely,

K Jo Ayers
« Last Edit: September 30, 2008, 12:20:05 pm by kjayers »
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Offline RemSaverem

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2008, 11:08:53 am »
Hi *waves at Jo*, I'm Ellen/Rem.
Impressive letter, thanks.
Thanks also for not assuming that anyone else would automatically know your denomination's diction. (There are people of so many vastly varied faiths both inside and outside of Christianity that attend our con, as I've seen in 3 years on the Religion in Anime and Manga panel!)
Are you running for (or under consideration for) re-appointment to your positions that end in January, 2009, for your church?
If so, would you see any potential difficulty in managing both?
Either way, would you have difficulty managing whatever you need to do for yourself for your religious life, with any meetings KC may hold on Sunday, at least some of which might be outside the Portland area?
Also, for those who have not been attending meetings, there probably would be value in demonstrating your competence and experience if you explain what you've been doing as Parliamentarian for KC, in case people don't know what that term means or how it's employed within KC.
« Last Edit: October 01, 2008, 11:10:17 am by RemSaverem »
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Offline gemineye42

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2008, 03:26:52 pm »
Hi all,

Morgan here, and I do believe I have accepted my recommendation for Secretary for 2009.

I have borrowed some of the questions that were proposed to the candidates last year and have answered a few that I still find relevant, and that I think give a good opportunity to provide some background as well as plans for the future. Other recommended candidates are welcome to answer the same questions.


1) What experience do you have in business style organization of records?


I’ve worked in the business field for several years now and have done recordkeeping for several organizations. I have ample space for backup records, and a filing cabinet just waiting to be used. I believe it is important for the organization to be able to quickly reference important legal material, and secure backups are a great way to ensure that. I am currently working as Tier 2 Technical Support for Yahoo! in Hillsboro, and I live in NW Portland and have my own transportation.

2) What do you feel is your biggest desire for policy renovation or update during the 2009 year?

There are a lot of policies that could use updating and re-organizing. My biggest goals for 2009 are outlined here:

1.   Create a well-defined organization chart, with defined roles for all staff positions, and a proper hierarchy of directors. This will ensure that all staff knows who they are directly reporting to, and who is in charge of certain responsibilities.
2.   Create an easy, workable staff sign-up system. Directors and staff who are able to appoint other staff should be able to bring staff forms to the Secretary any time for entry into the staff system, as well as anyone who wants to be staff. The Secretary will keep a running list of available positions from the Directors, and what qualifications they would like for staff in those positions. The Secretary will refer willing volunteers for available staff positions. A count of needed staff for each department and how many positions are filled will be announced at all general meetings, with information on available spots updated regularly on the website. This will make it easy for the Secretary and the Directors to keep a reconciled staff list at all times – nobody will slip through the cracks!
3.   Keep easier to access records for taxes and non-profit paperwork, as well as ensure that all deadlines are met and all legalities are considered. The bylaws and records will be constantly checked for updating needs, as well as making sure the organization is complying with all government rules and regulations. All this information will be kept organized and available for the Board to access, and easy to maintain for future Secretaries.
4.   Found and establish a new, better Staff Appreciation system with rewards and perks for exceptional staff and volunteers. More details on this plan will be revealed if I am elected, but it will ensure that everyone who puts in effort for the con will get the proper recognition and thanks.
5.   Provide more of a Staff Liason type position – the person that the staff can come to with issues. If a staff member has an idea to present to the board, they should be able to bring the idea to the Secretary for consideration. Everything will be considered! It’s important for the staff to have a member of the Board that they can talk to and rely on to be a voice for them at meetings. I feel the Secretary can easily fill this role for the con.

3) As you will be in charge of Organizational correspondence, how well do you see yourself as being both the professional and social face of the board towards the rest of the Organization?


As a working professional for many years, I have no trouble keeping things that way. I have gained extensive amounts of customer service experience in my career, which has helped me phenomenally in more aspects than I could have imagined - a simple "thank you" goes a long way these days. Anyone who's spoken to me knows I'm a very social person, and I am always interested in what's going on or what someone has to say.

A couple of notes I would like to make before I'm done.

I have been with Kumoricon for 3 years. I've always worked in Gaming, and managed the Gaming room in 2007. I have many years of con experience, most of it back in California from before I moved here, in MANY different areas of the con, including Staff Preservation, Volunteer Organization, and many more. I have loved conventions since I was young and I see very great things for Kumoricon - which statistically is already doing better than most.

As Secretary, I have a few things I want to really focus on for 2009. A lot of the items outlined above are driving goals for me and I am very excited to help the organization move forward.

Secondly, I am really focused on diplomatic awareness, and want the volunteer and staff membership to know that they can come to me with anything. If they are having a problem with their director, another staffer, or something about their department, I want to be their go-to girl and a voice to the board or involved parties. Some folks are scared of approaching someone they have an issue with, and having a mediator available to bring the parties together, address the issue, and encourage a solution is helpful. I'd like to personally take on this role within staff and make sure everyone knows I am a resource available to them.

I have had a refreshing year off and I am ready to come back and do some good this year.

I welcome more questions if they come up, and thank you for your consideration!
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Offline staze

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2008, 10:04:53 pm »
so, since it was asked elsewhere...

Are you, or do you plan on being, an executive or staff member within any other conventions during the 2009 Kumoricon year (started from time elected until next election)?
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Offline TomtheFanboy

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #6 on: October 01, 2008, 10:40:50 pm »
Yay!
OK, so first off, I do of course want to know what your favorite flavor of Pocky is, but I also have more questions. Each of them is based on one of the duties on the list.

1. Keep a record of the minutes of each Director and Membership meeting and;
How fast can you type? More importantly, how fast can you transcribe? Do you know any form of shorthand?

2. Handle all organization correspondence.
Have you ever managed a mailing list, public forum (real life), online community (online forum/blogging group/other)? Was this as the creator, administrator, moderator, or other position? (please specify)

3. Give notices for Membership and Board meetings.
What information would you want to make sure was disseminated?

4. Maintain records of member names and addresses.
How much of this information do you plan on making available to the staff in general?

5. Authenticate records of the corporation
What experience do you have with document processing and notorization?

One final question since it is related to the nature of the position.
do you think that Secretary should be elected by the general staff or appointed by the board of directors?
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Offline JeffT

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #7 on: October 01, 2008, 11:02:59 pm »
4. Maintain records of member names and addresses.
How much of this information do you plan on making available to the staff in general?

On this question specifically--this has been a board policy matter, not the Secretary's choice specifically and what we've been doing is publishing, for staff access only, name, staff position, contact info, and city but not address. Although, legally, a member (which for us means staff member) has the right to request an opportunity to inspect a list containing name, address, and date of membership start, and such list cannot be used for commercial purposes, solicitation of property or money, or sold or purchased.
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Offline TomtheFanboy

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #8 on: October 01, 2008, 11:30:18 pm »
Well there is a lot of ways you can interpret that question staze. Their vote is their own and if they don't want to answer it they don't have to. Just like, well, everything else.

The loadedness of any question is how much an issue matters to people. The vote has been a hot issue here on the forums but not everyone is going to care.
If the proposition goes through then yes it effects the opinion of the general staff.
If the proposition doesn't go through then their answer would show the board their opinion of the position itself.

In fact, their willingness to discuss controversial issues is in itself something that people may judge.
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Offline staze

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #9 on: October 01, 2008, 11:39:01 pm »
sorry, I removed my post... basically, because of the first thing Tom just said... if people see the question as loaded, they will/won't answer. If they don't, then they still will/won't answer. No need for me to give my take...

Sorry folks... move along, nothing to see here. =P
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Offline JeffT

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #10 on: October 02, 2008, 12:08:21 am »
Although I have been recommended for Secretary, and would otherwise run for the position, I'm choosing not to run for it now, as I'm running for re-election as Director of Publicity. Thank you for the recommendation.
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Offline Radien

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #11 on: October 04, 2008, 04:34:12 am »
I had a thought in that regard: since the Secretary deals with some legal matters, if a nominee for Secretary answers a question in a way that conflicts with the legal limits of the position, then they leave themselves open for criticism for not knowing enough about the position before accepting the nomination/recommendation.

Since we want someone knowledgeable, there's no reason not to let them answer the question -- it will reflect their knowledge about what they are running for. The only real worry is misinformation about duties and legalities, which we should all be on the watch for, anyway. Also flawed questions that don't have a valid answer, but I don't think we've had one of those... yet...
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Offline DancingTofu

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #12 on: October 05, 2008, 12:03:57 am »
Some actual questions. . .

The secretary plays a major roll and determining our involvement in events other than Kumoricon.  These include partners such as Sakuracon and MEW Con as well as other Altonimbus events like Kumoricon Lite, the Masquerade ball, and hopefully many more to come.

How do the potential candidates feel about such involvement.  Would you be willing to allow MEW or Sakura con borrow equipment?  How much equipment?  How supportive would you be of Altonimbus mini-events for focused subjects such as Gaming, jpop, or creation?
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Offline JeffT

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #13 on: October 05, 2008, 02:04:52 am »
Some actual questions. . .

The secretary plays a major roll and determining our involvement in events other than Kumoricon.  These include partners such as Sakuracon and MEW Con as well as other Altonimbus events like Kumoricon Lite, the Masquerade ball, and hopefully many more to come.

How do the potential candidates feel about such involvement.  Would you be willing to allow MEW or Sakura con borrow equipment?  How much equipment?  How supportive would you be of Altonimbus mini-events for focused subjects such as Gaming, jpop, or creation?

As a clarification... the Secretary isn't really more involved in these things than any other board members. All of these issues are major decisions which are typically voted on by the board. And anytime Kumoricon's involvement in another event goes beyond small trades like promotional tables or ads, discussions of this nature would usually start with the chair and perhaps vice chair and include other people as needed after that or as determined on a case-by-case basis. So if you are just asking these questions to potential board members, that's fine, but the Secretary is not really in a unique position to handle these things.

Also, please be aware that candidates who are currently holding a board position or assistant to a board member, where they may be aware of ongoing negotiations, if any, may not be in a position to publicly answer these questions right now, except perhaps in very general terms.
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Offline gemineye42

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #14 on: October 06, 2008, 09:07:55 am »
To answer some of the questions posted:

Keep a record of the minutes of each Director and Membership meeting and;
How fast can you type? More importantly, how fast can you transcribe? Do you know any form of shorthand?


I type 60+ WPM, and am very familiar with common shorthand. I work in a call center for a living and often multitask note-taking with other activities.

Handle all organization correspondence.
Have you ever managed a mailing list, public forum (real life), online community (online forum/blogging group/other)? Was this as the creator, administrator, moderator, or other position? (please specify)


I manage a mailing list for the Portland L5R Community, about 50 members. I am a member of several other mailing lists, and am familiar with moderating and administrating for several bulletin boards. I work for a pretty advanced internet company and like to think of myself as in-the-know. ;)

Give notices for Membership and Board meetings.
What information would you want to make sure was disseminated?


Of course location, dates, times, etc. for all meetings but also make sure that general meeting information is available to those who cannot make a meeting, and remote contact assistance via chat and Skype for those folks as well.

Maintain records of member names and addresses.
How much of this information do you plan on making available to the staff in general?


As Jeff stated what needs to be available to general staff based on the Bylaws, and I do think it’s important for all staff to know each other and what roles we have with the con. Knowing who to go to about whatever you need is a big factor.

Authenticate records of the corporation
What experience do you have with document processing and notorization?


I have had many documents notarized before, and have no issue continuing to do so. I am familiar with several kinds of legal paperwork.

One final question since it is related to the nature of the position.
do you think that Secretary should be elected by the general staff or appointed by the board of directors?


I personally feel the Secretary should be elected by the Staff. As a person the Staff should be comfortable bringing their issues to, it’s important that it is a person they trust and want to be in charge of their records. Also as someone who will be taking and processing their registrations, it should be someone the Staff feels fit to perform those duties – I know I am not the only one who has had my Staff form lost or misplaced and had to fill one out a second time.

The secretary plays a major role in determining our involvement in events other than Kumoricon.  These include partners such as Sakuracon and MEW Con as well as other Altonimbus events like Kumoricon Lite, the Masquerade ball, and hopefully many more to come.

How do the potential candidates feel about such involvement?  Would you be willing to allow MEW or Sakura con borrow equipment?  How much equipment?  How supportive would you be of Altonimbus mini-events for focused subjects such as Gaming, jpop, or creation?


Of course questions like this would need to be discussed among all board members, and I am sure with a general consensus among them, the loaning of equipment to our sister and mini-events would not be an issue. As Secretary I would take extra measures to ensure a large Kumoricon presence at these events and ensure the safety and security of our equipment. Word of mouth is the best marketing and being available at these types of events will bring good recognition to the con and keep us rolling on as we hope to.

Thanks, and I welcome more questions!
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Offline kjayers

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #15 on: October 06, 2008, 08:59:36 pm »
Thanks for the discussion!  There are some great questions posed.

With regard to some personal questions for me (Thanks, Ellen), I am not eligible for re-election to my church vestry because our canons/bylaws require at least one year off between successive terms on the vestry.  I could conceivably be asked to serve again as clerk and/or delegate to convention, but this would be highly unlikely to conflict.  Responsibilities as clerk require one weekday evening per month (usually Tuesday). As delegate, my attendance is required at one three-day event in November and requested at about 4-6 Saturday morning meetings during the year.

In addition to Assistant Secretary, I have been serving Kumoricon as Parliamentarian for the past eight months.  Since the Altonimbus Entertainment bylaws do not bind us to any particular parliamentary authority, this role is less about ensuring we conform to specific rules of order in every little aspect, and more about promoting efficient and effective business meetings.  My goal and purpose has been to ensure fair voice and equal opportunity to be heard in business discussion, while still being respectful of everyone’s time.  I refer frequently to my experience with Diocesan Convention, the parish vestry, and IOJD, a young women’s organization that uses parliamentary procedure for its business at the local, state, and international levels.

Reading Morgan’s responses to some historical questions, I saw some great ideas that I also believe in implementing, particularly an up-to-date and detailed org chart.  My personal investment in efficient operation puts me highly in favor of tools that allow speedy identification of the appropriate person for any particular task or question.  In that vein, I’m also in favor of reviewing the current system of storing tax records and information to determine whether improvement would present a favorable return on time invested.

As the officer responsible for the organization’s correspondence, Secretary is naturally available as a point of contact for staff, volunteers, and other members who seek communication with the board as a body, in addition to handling correspondence from outside the organization.  I am available primarily by email, which I check frequently, but I am also happy to make time for personal meetings about particular concerns if anyone should be interested in my advocacy before the board.

Tom’s questions, based on the official job description as they are, raise some pertinent points.
1. Keep a record of the minutes of each Director and Membership meeting
 -- I type 55-60 wpm, but I would also like to point out that the minutes of a business meeting are not like the transcription of a court in session.  Minutes are a record of what is done, not what is said.  Reading minutes that I have submitted for past meetings obviously shows that I prefer to add some notes about points made in discussion for the reference of absent members and for posterity, but including a transcription level of detail would likely inhibit free and open discussion during session.

2. Handle all organization correspondence.
-- In the other organizations where I’ve participated, correspondence refers not to internal communications such as mailing lists and forums, but to receiving and handling mail and such addressed to the organization as a body.  Currently, some topics (such as equipment swaps) come before the board and the assembly via department heads.  I will promote the role of Secretary as the single point-of-contact for any issue or concern that will need to be addressed by the entire board or the entire staff.

3. Give notices for Membership and Board meetings.
-- I will continue the current method of posting notices for General Meetings on the Kumoricon website/calendar and in the forums.  Barring reasonable objection, I will also distribute notices to the staff mailing list.  Both these methods will be used in a timely manner in accordance with the bylaws.

4. Maintain records of member names and addresses.
-- As the current Assistant Secretary, I have the opportunity to learn, review, and plan adaptations to the records maintenance.  In the interest of privacy, most personal staff information will not be made available to general members; however, in the interest of efficient operation, name and a primary method of contact for each staff member will be published – and provided, if an individual prefers to keep personal contact information private.  Another important part of this is handling of staff registration.  Organization and processing of these documents are critical for staff members, and therefore a top priority for me as secretary.  I intend to handle staff registration as expeditiously as possible -- preferably within ten minutes of being handed the form.

5. Authenticate records of the corporation
-- I am prepared to sign certified copies of acts of the corporation when necessary.  In this respect, Secretary is a functionary of the board.

With respect to the upcoming discussion of which body should be responsible for the election of this position, I believe that should be a reflection of to which body the day-to-day responsibilities of the position reports.  The Secretary works far more closely with the Board than with the general staff (not being a department head). Since the Secretary is keeper of records and other information that are sometimes available to the Board in greater detail than to general staff, the position should remain Board-elected in order to avoid potential conflict of interest when the responsibilities to the organization limit the desires of the membership.  Secretary is much more process-oriented (and bureaucratic) than the goal-driven positions elected by the staff such as Director of Programming or Chair, and so this Office does not deliver such concrete ends to the membership.
« Last Edit: October 06, 2008, 09:09:07 pm by kjayers »
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Offline RemSaverem

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #16 on: October 07, 2008, 12:00:17 am »
Thanks, Jo, that's exactly the kind of information I was hoping to learn.
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Offline TomtheFanboy

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #17 on: October 07, 2008, 12:33:20 am »
Tom’s questions, based on the official job description as they are, raise some pertinent points.
1. Keep a record of the minutes of each Director and Membership meeting
 -- I type 55-60 wpm, but I would also like to point out that the minutes of a business meeting are not like the transcription of a court in session.  Minutes are a record of what is done, not what is said

There was a discussion early this year about just that point, I was goingto link it as a reference to back up your point but I can't find it right now.

Quote
2. Handle all organization correspondence.
-- In the other organizations where I’ve participated, correspondence refers not to internal communications such as mailing lists and forums, but to receiving and handling mail and such addressed to the organization as a body.  Currently, some topics (such as equipment swaps) come before the board and the assembly via department heads.  I will promote the role of Secretary as the single point-of-contact for any issue or concern that will need to be addressed by the entire board or the entire staff.

3. Give notices for Membership and Board meetings.
-- I will continue the current method of posting notices for General Meetings on the Kumoricon website/calendar and in the forums.  Barring reasonable objection, I will also distribute notices to the staff mailing list.  Both these methods will be used in a timely manner in accordance with the bylaws.

I certainly hope that the mailing list will see more use this coming year.

Thank you for your in depth answers. What kind of Pocky did you like again?
Morgan, I have you down for chocolate, has that changed?
Tom the Fanboy
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Offline RemSaverem

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #18 on: October 07, 2008, 01:00:51 am »
Overall this has become my favorite thread of all of the elections discussions. All the questions and all the replies seem really right on topic and impressive. If Secretary does become an elected position, this thread will help, and even if it doesn't, the Board themselves will have a broader information base to inform their decision-making. Thanks, all.
Ellen. 2003: Fanfic panelist & contest judge.
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Offline gemineye42

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #19 on: October 07, 2008, 08:15:15 am »
The chocolate stands!
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Offline RemSaverem

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #20 on: October 07, 2008, 10:42:10 am »
About the mailing list, from each potential Secretary's standpoint, what would be the ideal uses for the mailing list? What uses should be prohibited? Should any staffer be able to start a thread within the mailing list, or just any Board member, or just the Secretary? (I genuinely am not sure what the purpose of the list is.)
Ellen. 2003: Fanfic panelist & contest judge.
2004: Beta Station Coord. 2005: Fan Creation Station Coord.;pre-event assistant to the con chair.2006: Fanfic Mgr/C.S. Coord.
2007, 8, 9, 10: Fan Creation Manager. 2011: Writing & Editing Coord (Publicity).

Offline Jamiche

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #21 on: October 07, 2008, 10:58:31 am »
As Secretary I would take extra measures to ensure a large Kumoricon presence at these events and ensure the safety and security of our equipment.

How?  And how does this apply to the position of secretary? (It seems to fall more under domain of Publicity, or Outreach Coordinator.)
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Offline RemSaverem

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #22 on: October 07, 2008, 11:11:46 am »
As Secretary I would take extra measures to ensure a large Kumoricon presence at these events and ensure the safety and security of our equipment.

How?  And how does this apply to the position of secretary? (It seems to fall more under domain of Publicity, or Outreach Coordinator.)

(a) I agree with Jaki on the above point, with regard to having a KC presence--presuming that the KC presence referred to means either (1) people there tabling, registering folks for KC, etc.; and/or (2) promotional materials, e.g., posters, handbills, etc.

If by "large Kumoricon presence at these events" you were referring to **loaning of equipment**,
(1) I don't think that constitutes outreach because most attendees will have no idea it's from KC, therefore it won't increase KC registrations or loyalty or awareness of our existence. (2) Just as I wouldn't want the Secretary meddling with or presuming control over what would more logically fall under Publicity or Outreach Coordinator, I wouldn't want the Secretary meddling with or presuming control over what would more logically fall under whomever had control over **disseminating** equipment (either Programming or Ops, whomever had domain over the given equipment, or, potentially, a new Quartermaster position, reporting directly to the Chair and/or Vice if not to one of those departments). So far as I'm aware, Secretary would only **inventory** what we had. Therefore I could see Secretary documenting what we had before and after another event (a mini-event of ours, or if the Board consensed to loan some to another event), to verify whether any had been lost, stolen, or damaged. But that would **not**, imho, imply that the Secretary would or should have any input into decision-making regarding whether, when, and to which corporate entities, any of our equipment could be loaned, other than as one co-equal vote within the Board. And note that I refer to loaning materials to corporate entities; I do not believe that we should risk loaning materials (at least nothing beyond say dollar-store level like a sticky note pad, a mini-stapler, etc.) to individuals, lest something go wrong and there be personal fallout or liability.....Another role I **could** see for the Secretary is drawing up whatever contracts would have to be signed formalizing fiduciary responsibility assumed by whatever corporate entity borrows our stuff (if anyone). I.e. let's say we have a $2000 projector and we loan it to some con and it gets lost, stolen, or destroyed (hey we did have one disappear in the early days, it happens). There needs (imho) to be some formal paper trail set up ahead of time that says by borrowing it you take on responsibility to return it in good working condition, else, you replace it. And this should be notarized. If such a process is not undertaken we better have every piece insured against loss, theft, and breakage....End of my 2 cents for the morning :)

Candidates: Your opinions on these topics?
« Last Edit: October 07, 2008, 11:14:27 am by RemSaverem »
Ellen. 2003: Fanfic panelist & contest judge.
2004: Beta Station Coord. 2005: Fan Creation Station Coord.;pre-event assistant to the con chair.2006: Fanfic Mgr/C.S. Coord.
2007, 8, 9, 10: Fan Creation Manager. 2011: Writing & Editing Coord (Publicity).

Offline TomtheFanboy

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #23 on: October 07, 2008, 11:18:01 am »
Morgan was just replying to Tofu's question. She never said it was her job to do these things but he ASKED about them. Jeff pointed this out on the previous page.
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Offline Jamiche

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #24 on: October 07, 2008, 11:40:30 am »
Morgan was just replying to Tofu's question. She never said it was her job to do these things but he ASKED about them. Jeff pointed this out on the previous page.

I understand that, but she answered, and the way she answered makes it sound like she has a plan/idea... that is all I'm inquiring about.  If she feels this is/could be integrated into the duties of Secretary, how does that fit?
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Offline gemineye42

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #25 on: October 07, 2008, 12:11:49 pm »
Let’s alleviate some confusion. When I responded to Tofu’s question, I was speaking from a staff member standpoint. The Secretary duties are clearly defined in the Bylaws, and I don’t intend to add to them without official methods being followed. I responded to this question that as a member of the Staff and the Board that we all have an obligation to be present at any and all Kumoricon-endorsed events. As the Secretary position catalogs and keeps track of Kumoricon’s equipment, it would be advisable for the Secretary to have a presence at events where the equipment is being loaned, both to ensure it’s security and safety, and to help create a friendly Kcon presence at our sister events.

In regards to the loan of equipment, this is a very big subject to me, and in no way do I believe the Secretary or any board member should have the entire say on whether or not equipment is loaned. I firmly believe that a drafted contract (I have one already drafted, actually) can be used for other corporate entities who may want to cooperate with Kumoricon and exchange our loaning equipment for advertising space and sponsorship rewards. I believe the Secretary and the Director of Publicity can work together on these types of inter-con relationships and define a set system with which to process them. Kumoricon benefited from the loan of equipment from other, larger conventions when we were first starting out, it is only fair of us to pay it forward and extend the same to other small cons trying to get going. Of course all decisions should be voted on and approved by board members, with the proper precautions taken to ensure the equipment’s return.

I am also of the opinion that aside from cataloging and record-keeping for current and new equipment, the Secretary position in no way controls its use or distribution. Nowhere in the job description in the Bylaws is that mentioned, aside from standard record keeping and any contracts signed by non-Kumoricon parties for loaned equipment. I firmly believe that the Director of Operations should have the access to the equipment, and should update regularly with the Secretary when items are removed from the storage locker, or if anything needs repairing, replacing, etc. A joint effort to keep these two departments organized when it comes to what the con owns will keep everything running smoothly, and alternatively the other Department Directors will know who they can go to when submitting equipment requests.

Thanks for giving me an opportunity to explain my views on these very important issues! I welcome any more questions.
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Offline RemSaverem

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #26 on: October 07, 2008, 01:29:23 pm »
I'm very grateful for the clarifications.
And like Jaki I feel that regardless of job descriptions, if a candidate touches upon an issue, even if only in response to another inquiry, it's fair to inquire further upon the issue.
Ellen. 2003: Fanfic panelist & contest judge.
2004: Beta Station Coord. 2005: Fan Creation Station Coord.;pre-event assistant to the con chair.2006: Fanfic Mgr/C.S. Coord.
2007, 8, 9, 10: Fan Creation Manager. 2011: Writing & Editing Coord (Publicity).

Offline kjayers

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #27 on: October 10, 2008, 01:37:55 pm »
In Brief:

I am a fan of paper trails and documentation in general.

I am a fan of collaborative decisions -- only to my children is my word law (and sometimes even that is flexible).

Inventories are good. Cooperation is good.  Paying it forward is good.

Mailing lists are good for disseminating time-sensitive information pertinent to all members of the list.  The forums are better for information that is less time sensitive or that has smaller interest groups.

Pocky flavors are still being tested.
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Offline gemineye42

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Re: 2009 Secretary *Possible* Nomination Q & A, Discussion
« Reply #28 on: October 13, 2008, 10:16:59 am »
Based on the recent voting, I am withdrawing from this nomination. Thank you.
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