Hi Philip, my responses in CAPS below. Thanks, Mike Mike Rodenbaugh Rodenbaugh Law 548 Market Street San Francisco, CA 94104 +1.415.738.8087 www.rodenbaugh.com -----Original Message----- From: owner-bc-gnso@icann.org [mailto:owner-bc-gnso@icann.org] On Behalf Of Philip Sheppard Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2009 4:15 AM To: 'BC gnso' Subject: [bc-gnso] BC charter revision - basic principles In order to shape any conference call on the Charter I wonder if members would be kind enough to provide thoughts on the following. Background Today we have 41 members, 3 elected volunteer member officers, 3 appointed credentials committee, and 2 nom com appointees plus a part time secretariat. Additionally a number of members contribute to ad hoc policy and other task forces etc. Issue 1 - the balance between doers and members What is the right balance between the number of annually elected positions and the membership size ? Today (and for the last 10 years) it is 3/41 = 7% Draft charter changes it to 5/41 =12%. The draft charter also envisages other admin committees totalling with the elected positions 13/41 =32%. What is the right balance between elected, appointed and ad hoc ? Are there one third of the BC willing to volunteer their time to non-policy work? [WE DO NOT HAVE MANY MEMBERS PARTICIPATING SUBSTANTIALLY TO ANY BC-RELATED WORK TODAY. THERE IS NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT WILL IMPROVE ANYTIME SOON, PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE DETERIORATING STATE OF BC LIST COMMUNICATIONS, EXODUS OF LARGE MEMBERS, ETC.] Is there sufficient motivation to be a member volunteer for mostly non-policy work? [IT WOULD SEEM PEOPLE WOULD BE MORE MOTIVATED TO DO POLICY WORK, SINCE THAT IS OUR PURPOSE AS A CONSTITUENCY. FEW ENGAGE IN THAT NOW. WHY WOULD WE EXPECT MORE VOLUNTEERS FOR NON-POLICY WORK?] Do members want one set of elections per year or several ? [ONE IS PLENTY, TURNOUT IS VERY LOW FOR MANY VOTES ALREADY.] What does it mean if we conduct an election but less than half the members vote? [NOTHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS...] Issue 2 - balance of independence As ICANN starts to offer more services what degree of independence do we want as a constituency ? Do members wish to authorise the release of their private data to enable ICANN staff for instance in the future to run BC elections? [NO.] Do members wish to entrust ICANN with the funds in the BC bank account ? [NO.] Or should the ICANN toolbox be a basket of services that the secretariat can choose from? [YES, SERVICES THAT BC LEADERSHIP CAN CHOOSE FROM.] Knowing how members feel on these higher level issues may help us move forward and reach consensus on the shape of our future Charter. Philip