Fellow Councillors: The call for volunteers to form the working group that will create a Framework for Cross-Community Working Groups was issued yesterday, May 12 -- http://gnso.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-12may14-en.htm

From seeds planted by the ccNSO Council and the GNSO Council, we hope to have bloom a broad, community-wide working group to put some guidelines around the chartering, formation, operation and acceptance of what has already become a staple of the ICANN diet -- Cross-Community Working Group. Initially, Becky Burr of the ccNSO Council and I will serve as co-chairs.

As the guidelines-to-come lag well behind the already-in-use cross community working groups, speed is of the essence and our first meeting is set for next week. In light of the importance of the outcome and to sharpen the focus of the working group, we will seek to empanel from each SO and AC up to five members (those with a vote on proceedings) and up to five observers (participating but non-voting). We hope each SO and AC will take on the primary responsibility of designating its volunteers as either members or observers; already we have reached out to encourage their participation. Settling on five members and five observers may become an important matter for the Council should as the GNSO's constituencies and stakeholder groups collectively nominate a number higher than 10. In that case, I will ask for the Council to weigh in on who will get the spots. It will likely come in the form a motion for consideration. Just a head's up. Cheers, Berard