[steering-discuss] Preparing elections for the membership committee

IMHO, I don't see why can we not adopt this option. The current MC proved
that was (and is) impartial and deeply focused on meritocracy, essential
factors for an MC.

For me, the current MC proved that's fully deserving of this gentlemen's
agreement.

With the caveat that Thorsten must resign as MC-deputy, since one
cannot be BoD and MC member at once.

I have full trust in the current MC, no doubts about that. The issue that makes me favor the other option (wait until the new MC is in place) is that it would avoid having elections very soon after the legal set-up, which is rather time consuming.

Maybe we can do with the current MC as 'initially designated' for the
first 6 month of the foundation and organize a MC election then, since
it would be a good idea to have BoD election and MC election somewhat
separated to avoid 'oversight'/'membership' issues.

Norbert

Hi,

Maybe we can do with the current MC as 'initially designated' for the
first 6 month of the foundation and organize a MC election then, since
it would be a good idea to have BoD election and MC election somewhat
separated to avoid 'oversight'/'membership' issues.

Seems reasonable to me - as long as there is a substitude for Thorsten and all of the other MC members agree to be on duty for another 6 months.

regards,

André

Hi,

Hi,

Maybe we can do with the current MC as 'initially designated' for the
first 6 month of the foundation and organize a MC election then, since
it would be a good idea to have BoD election and MC election somewhat
separated to avoid 'oversight'/'membership' issues.

Seems reasonable to me - as long as there is a substitude for Thorsten and
all of the other MC members agree to be on duty for another 6 months.

Agreed on both.

Kind regards
Sophie

Hi,

With the caveat that Thorsten must resign as MC-deputy, since one
cannot be BoD and MC member at once.

good point, indeed. Thorsten, in case you get voted as election officer, would you step back from your MC deputy role?

Florian

Florian Effenberger wrote:

>With the caveat that Thorsten must resign as MC-deputy, since one
>cannot be BoD and MC member at once.

good point, indeed. Thorsten, in case you get voted as election
officer, would you step back from your MC deputy role?

Hi Florian, all,

yes indeed, as a board member, I resign as Fridrich's MC deputy.

Cheers,

-- Thorsten

Agreed. I too prefer this for two reasons:

  a) it -may- allow us to setup the foundation more quickly, at
     least we are not blocking on a fairly artificial timeline

  b) it adds a staggered election into the process from founding,
     such that we are not electing the MC and the Board at the
     same time - which IMHO is critical anyway

  So - I too would prefer to stick with the MC we have, and elect it
shortly after founding.

  Then again - I'm agnostic on the point; if the founding is further
delayed, perhaps having an elected initial MC in place is fine.

  ATB,

    Michael.

Hello,

  a) it -may- allow us to setup the foundation more quickly, at
     least we are not blocking on a fairly artificial timeline

I think if so, it just would delay two weeks, IMHO noncritical after this amount of time.

  b) it adds a staggered election into the process from founding,
     such that we are not electing the MC and the Board at the
     same time - which IMHO is critical anyway

That's indeed a very good thing.

  So - I too would prefer to stick with the MC we have, and elect it
shortly after founding.

So, we have two choices:

1. Either vote now and have a newly voted-on MC for the legal setup.

2. Keep the existing MC and they do a gentleman's agreement to step back by let's say June or July 1st next year.

Legally, it's no problem, since the Founder (FrODeV) simply nominates those who should be in charge, for elections thereafter, however, the official voting rules in the statutes are enforced.

However, for #2, we need either a replacement for Thorsten and a decision by the BoD to go with less MC members (even with Thorsten's replacement, the current MC only has 3 members and two deputies, but we would need five plus two), or a more MC members.

André, can you talk to the MC tonight and see what they prefer and make a proposal? If the BoD then votes on it, we should be good to go.

Florian

Hi,

to sum things up as I have an impression they are diesred:

- We would nominate Thorsten as election officer (who then would step back as MC deputy),
- and we would like to elect 5 members and 2 deputies in the new MC,
- and we don't want to freeze membership applications.

Please, all BoD members, cast your vote on these topics in case you haven't yet.

What we should agree on soon is whether to run the vote just now and wait with the legal set-up until the Foundation is in existence, or whether we take the existing MC (needing a deputy for Thorsten, since he's in the BoD already) and have a gentlemen's agreement that they step back on let's say effective July 1st.

I am in favor of this solution. André, did the MC discuss that during yesterday's call? In case we go with the July-1st-solution, all current MC members need to agree to be willing to serve in the legal body of the future Foundation and be mentioned in the founding documents.

I'm pushing here a bit since November 4th, on which your timeline is based, is close.

Florian

Hi,

to sum things up as I have an impression they are diesred:

- We would nominate Thorsten as election officer (who then would step back as MC deputy),

+1

- and we would like to elect 5 members and 2 deputies in the new MC,

+1

- and we don't want to freeze membership applications.

+1

- We would nominate Thorsten as election officer (who then would step
back as MC deputy),

  +1

- and we would like to elect 5 members and 2 deputies in the new MC,

  +1

- and we don't want to freeze membership applications.

  +1

we take the existing MC (needing a deputy for Thorsten, since
he's in the BoD already) and have a gentlemen's agreement that they step
back on let's say effective July 1st.

  +1

  :-)

    Michael.

Florian Effenberger wrote:

- and we would like to elect 5 members and 2 deputies in the new MC,

+1

- and we don't want to freeze membership applications.

+1 (going with the flow :))

take the existing MC (needing a deputy for Thorsten,
since he's in the BoD already) and have a gentlemen's agreement that
they step back on let's say effective July 1st.

+1

Cheers,

-- Thorsten

Hi :slight_smile:
I have assumed that Thorsten has not stepped down from MC or something. Whatever he was stepping down from was in order for him to be able to do some work that he is being blocked from doing anyway right? So until the job needs to be started i think Thorsten is still on whatever it was he was going to step down from.

Sorry, i just got a bit muddled.
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

- We would nominate Thorsten as election officer (who then would step
back as MC deputy),

+1

- and we would like to elect 5 members and 2 deputies in the new MC,

+1

- and we don't want to freeze membership applications.

+1

we take the existing MC (needing a deputy for Thorsten, since
he's in the BoD already) and have a gentlemen's agreement that they step
back on let's say effective July 1st.

OK

The MC is in charge of supervising the BoD election so clearly someone
running for a BoD possition cannot be member of the MC
The MC is in charge of supervising "Solemn Address and Impeachment of
the Board of Directors". again that create a conflict of interest if
one is allowed to be BoD member and MC member.

So, MC membership and BoD membership and candidacy are mutually exclusive.
This has been overlooked during this election cycle. Thorsthen should
have resigned of his MC position as soon as he declared his intention
to run for a BoD position.
I don;t think that there is any suspicion that this 'irregularity' had
any impact on the election, and clearly Thorsten election and behavior
are beyond reproach.
Still, The forms do matter, and even the impression of impropriety can
create un-welcomed drama/suspiction/FUD etc...
Hence the necessity to rectify the situation, hence Thorsten stepping
down from his MC responsibilities.

Does that clarifies it ?

Norbert

Hi,

Von: Florian Effenberger <floeff@documentfoundation.org>
An: steering-discuss@documentfoundation.org

What we should agree on soon is whether to run the vote just now and
wait with the legal set-up until the Foundation is in existence, or
whether we take the existing MC (needing a deputy for Thorsten, since
he's in the BoD already) and have a gentlemen's agreement that they step
back on let's say effective July 1st.

I am in favor of this solution. André, did the MC discuss that during
yesterday's call? In case we go with the July-1st-solution, all current
MC members need to agree to be willing to serve in the legal body of the
future Foundation and be mentioned in the founding documents.

Yes, we discussed that in yesterday's meeting.
See: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/TDF/Membership_Committee_Meetings#Minutes_2011-10-31

* all members agreed to stay for another couple of months in case BoD
  decides to postpone elections
* MC suggests to have Norbert Thiebaud and Simon Phipps as additional

    member / deputy in that case

Means - we would like to see the 5+2 MC setup and would ask the BoD to
appoint the successor for Thorsten and two deputies. In our discussion
we considered only two for that position (so other suggestions are
welcome).

All this onlyy for the case we do not have elections right now.

regards,

André

Hi,

Von: Florian Effenberger <floeff@documentfoundation.org>
An: steering-discuss@documentfoundation.org

What we should agree on soon is whether to run the vote just now and
wait with the legal set-up until the Foundation is in existence, or
whether we take the existing MC (needing a deputy for Thorsten, since
he's in the BoD already) and have a gentlemen's agreement that they step
back on let's say effective July 1st.

I am in favor of this solution. André, did the MC discuss that during
yesterday's call? In case we go with the July-1st-solution, all current
MC members need to agree to be willing to serve in the legal body of the
future Foundation and be mentioned in the founding documents.

Yes, we discussed that in yesterday's meeting.
See: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/TDF/Membership_Committee_Meetings#Minutes_2011-10-31

* all members agreed to stay for another couple of months in case BoD
  decides to postpone elections
* MC suggests to have Norbert Thiebaud and Simon Phipps as additional

    member / deputy in that case

Means - we would like to see the 5+2 MC setup and would ask the BoD to
appoint the successor for Thorsten and two deputies. In our discussion
we considered only two for that position (so other suggestions are
welcome).

All this onlyy for the case we do not have elections right now.

regards,

André

Hi :slight_smile:
Yes, thanks :slight_smile: I thought there was an impending problem rather than an existing problem. I doubt anyone here minds and even the most determined drone would have trouble trying to state a case even if there were an objection. So, it's all good
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

Dear board members,

this is a friendly reminder that we need a desion if we will start
the MC election process right now or if we postpone this to next year.

The proposed schedule for the election process starts at the 4th of Nov.
with the announcement of the elections, so there should be a decision by tomorrow.

best regards,

André

-------- Original-Nachricht --------

Hello André,

I am somewhat confused. Do you ask us to cast our final vote on the
decision to decide? :slight_smile:

Best,
Charles.

Hi,

I am somewhat confused. Do you ask us to cast our final vote on the
decision to decide?:slight_smile:

André means that if we go for elections, we must start preparing *TODAY*, so we need a decision soon. I'll send out a formal proposal in a few minutes.

Florian