I dont think there is reason for paranoia, but there is something inconsistent. Also I think we have recieved different messages from different sources. My recollection is very much the same as yours with regard to what we were told. Also, there were additional communications regarding the policy of how many meetings per region, and the exception of having two meetings in a row in the same region, and that we should not be penalized for something was to the convenience of the organization (ICANN).

Do we all need to travel and be at every event, clearly not. However, I am told that other regions had travel for multiple meetings in the formation of their RALO.   I am not one to foment anything on the basis of such comparisons, but this will need to be discussed at a higher level.

The best solution would be for the ALAC to control its funds directly.

Let each RALO make its budget and justify it to the ALAC, with a fairly even allocation between them for projects meaningful to the RALO and to ALAC. (And a general fund for joint work between all RALOs and ALAC, such as summit, etc)

I am sure that there can be effective and efficient use of funds with much less overhead.

I believe also that by working in concert we can come up with additional resources.

And lots of us know how to stretch a dime!

I was a bit insulted to hear statement as to how much of the budget is allocated to At Large.   I dont think that is the relevant issue. The issue is what is done with the resources and how it serves At large, which is "everybody"... and if we want this concept of "everybody" to be more than a fiction, then significant outreach momentum will need to be maintained in all regions.

We are here engaged in public service and should not be treated like children.

I have not articulated this as a formal argument weighing pros and cons, but I do think the issue bears consideration.   I would like this taken up at some point in the near future,

On 7/10/07, Thompson, Darlene <DThompson@gov.nu.ca> wrote:

Thank you for posting that, Nick,

I was just thinking about the telephone conference last night (in those wasted hours between 3 – 4:00 AM) and something hit me as not making a lot of sense. Prior to the San Juan meeting, when we were discussing having a pre-formation one-on-one meeting in Vancouver/Yonkers/Montreal, we were told that there was plenty of money in the budget to do this and to still go to San Juan. Now we are being told that there isn't money in the budget to have gone to San Juan and then do further needed outreach in LA. WTF? What happened to it? As we only have about a dozen ALSs in the entire region, I would think that outreach would be as important at this time as formation. It just really seems like now that we have formed, the plug is being pulled.

Or am I being paranoid?

D

Darlene A. Thompson

Community Access Program Administrator

Nunavut Department of Education/N-CAP

c/o P.O. Box 1000, Station 910

Iqaluit, NU X0A 0H0

Phone: (867) 975-6531

Fax: (867) 979-8870

dthompson@gov.nu.ca