Dear Council and Community Members, Please join me in welcoming David Olive, our new VP Policy Development (< http://gnso.icann.org/mailing-lists/archives/council/msg08215.html>). He started this week and has been added to the Council email list and other requisite email lists. Although I'm assuming my new duties as Advisor to the CEO, I also am helping David get up-to-speed on ICANN and policy matters and, together with the Policy Staff, will help ensure a smooth transition. For Item 6, "Status Updates," on the Council's meeting agenda, I've included highlights of the 4 Feb. ICANN Board meeting, below. The preliminary meeting report is posted at <http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/minutes-04feb10-en.htm>. Regards, Denise Denise Michel Advisor to the CEO ICANN denise.michel@icann.org - Approved the *Registry Services Evaluation Policy *request to amend the .CAT* Registry Agreements to allocate one and two-character domain names; in doing so noted the **recommendations of the GNSO Reserved Names Working Group to permit the release of one and two-character domain names. * - Approved release of* $1.5 million from the existing FY10 budget contingency line item for FY10 operating expenses, and directed Staff to undertake cost containment efforts while maintaining essential services. * - Approved a re-delegation of .IN (India) - Approved a July 2010 - June 2013 Strategic Plan, directed Staff to move forward with the community-based Operational planning process, noted minor edits to the Strategic Plan will be provided by the Board by 8 Feb. and will be subject to the Chairman's approval (final Strategic Plan not posted as of this writing). - Adopted an "Event Security Risk, Contracts and Cancellation Management Policy," which was precipitated by the Nairobi meeting. - Received an update from Staff on work related to the "Expressions of Interest in new gTLDs," deferred a decision on EOI until the Nairobi meetings, asked for a Staff summary and explanation of major issues raised in the public comment process, and directed Staff to schedule a forum on this topic in Nairobi. - Received a brief update on the final report on relaxing the 3-character requirement for gTLDs. - Received a brief update on the ICANN Proposed Security Initiatives - Asked the Board Governance Committee to develop a plan for research and analysis on Board Chairman remuneration. - Received an update on the ICANN CEO's media relations planning. - Briefly discussed an Ombudsman case report that focused on civility within ICANN and its effect on participation, affirmed "*that all participants in ICANN are expected to adhere to the Expected Standards of Behavior" (< http://www.icann.org/en/transparency/acct-trans-frameworks-principles-10jan0...>), and asked Staff to consider the Ombudsman proposals to enhance civility. * - The Board received a brief update on Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) ccTLD Fast Track requests (four requestors had successfully completed the string evaluation stage). - Discussed Vertical Integration (after two Directors and four Liaisons withdrew from participation in the discussion due to their conflicts of interest). - Received a brief update on the status of the Affirmation of Commitments reviews.