[ivfdf-news] Request for Member societies to identify their voting members - and Deferral of VOTE

[Richard Mason]

Hi all,
I can't believe that after all the emails we only have two societies who have put forward voting members by the deadline, and that we have to delay the vote. I am sorry, but that is woeful.... and Sheffield, don't you want to vote for yourselves?
Please bear in mind that currently the situation is that Sheffield have not been confirmed as hosts of IVFDF 2008, and that unless they do get confirmed, or someone else offers and is confirmed, there will be no official IVFDF in 2008.  So if you want something to do next year, then get yourselves registered!!!
Since (by and large) member societies have probably had a change in committee since IVFDF this year, possibly to people who have never been to a Reps meeting, and so that people are not voting in a vacuum, it might be useful to have some guidelines on what the criteria are for voting for or against a particular proposal. 
Andrew, as constitution guru, could you summarise what the constitution actually says on the matter (if anything).
My personal take on it, from having been involved for a while, is as follows:
1) A group should be approved as hosts for the festival if they have demonstrated their ability to organise it.  
This will include (as a minimum)
a) Booking suitable venues
b) Booking bands
c) Producing a balanced budget
d) Producing an advertising plan.
2) Underwriting can be applied for by the organising committee, to protect themselves from losses that are outside their control (ie major snowfall stops anyone getting there, or main band pulling out due to injury as recently happened).  To be granted underwriting, a committee is expected to have made 'all its best efforts' to avoid losses.  This is a bit of a woolly phrase, but its meant to mean that if a committee enters into a festival ignoring a forseeable risk and gets caught by it, then that would not be 'best efforts'.  Such risks in the past have included, not getting firm bookings on venues/bands/etc, not advertising the festival, or most famously guaranteeing food sales to a university.

I am sure that others will correct me if I have interpreted the situation incorrectly.  There should be no reason now for people not to get registered and vote.  
If you still feel that you are lacking information, either on Sheffield's plans, or on what is expected of you as a member society, then please do send a message to the list - because there are probably others feeling the same.
Lets get this situation resolved one way or the other....! 






========================================
Message Received: May 24 2007, 12:13 AM
From: "Ian Thompson" 
To: ivfdf-news at ivfdf.org
Cc: 
Subject: [ivfdf-news] Request for Member societies to identify their voting members - and Deferral of VOTE

OK folks it is now after 11:55pm on the last day 
of the 3 week notice period. Anyone claiming that 
they didn't know this was coming ... should have 
read the e-mail I sent 3 weeks ago!

To date I have received notification of 
representatives from 2 (two) member societies .

Exeter Folk Soc
Gog Magog

I am still waiting for named representatives from 
the following groups who were at IVFDF Reps Meeting in 2007 or 2006
Sheffield Folk Soc
New Scotland SCDS
Glasgow Uni SCDS
Warwick Folk Soc
Cambridge Strathspey and Reel Club
Cambridge Round
Durham Folk Soc
Rag Moris Bristol
Aberdeen University SCDS

As I don't have a quorum of representatives I 
cannot start a vote. Having considered the 
constitutional situation I have made an executive 
decision to take the following pragmatic action. 
I will delay the vote itself by 5 days. This should allow the following: -

1) During the next 5 days can I request that EACH 
(member) society sends the names and valid e-mail 
addresses for their 2 voting members to 
ivfdf-reps at ianthompson.me.uk [this will enable me 
to stream mail appropriately]. If your society is 
unable to pick 2 people in this time scale please 
at least e-mail me so I know you exist.

2) slightly more time for relevant information to 
be received by those voting. [see separate message]

I would however wish to point out that the 2008 
organising committee have had 3 weeks notice that 
this deadline was due and should have provided 
information to both the list ivfdf-news and their 
advisors to allow the advisors to make a suitable 
considered response. When voting, representatives 
should bear this fact in mind before making their 
decisions as I feel it is a practical 
demonstration of the 2008 committees ability to meet deadlines.

So the new schedule is as follows

* Now until 23:59 on the 28th May - societies to 
notify me of their voting members.
* 00:00 29th May to 23:59 4th June Poll are open for voting.
* 00:00 5th June to 23:59 11th June dispute period.
* Final result out 12th June (birthday gift to 
myself - it will hopefully all be over)

In response to Alison's question about the amount 
of underwriting - constitutionally only Sheffield 
can alter the proposal, so only they can reduce 
or increase the amount. The deadline for that has 
now passed. All that remains now is for 
representatives to vote on whether they feel that 
2008/Sheffield have provided enough information 
to justify their request for up to £1000 of 
underwriting should their festival fail to make the profit they predict.

Representatives (and advisors) can only make this 
decision (and provide a their reports to 
representatives) on information available to 
them. If they feel that they do not have the 
information they need to support the request then 
they should vote accordingly.

Regards

Ian






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