[gnso-restruc-dt] Personal thoughts on outstanding issues

[Avri Doria <avri@xxxxxxx>]

Hi,

I order to put something on the table that people can start  
discussions with, I am including in this email some of my personal  
views on some of the open topics:
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> 3.  Develop goals, milestones and timetable for decisions (Note:  
> this task could result in the addition and/or modification of  
> implementation tasks).

I think we should just work through the items and get them done in  
time.  Perhaps 6 months ago making a schedule might have been useful.  
At this point I think it would be a waste of time.  Everything needs  
to get done ASAP at this point.
The exception are some of the SG council representatives who need to  
be selected by the June meeting.  We do need a timetable that includes  
elections and seating.  but the elections themselves are a function of  
the new SGs themselves - once their charters have been negotiated and  
approved by the Board.
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> 4.  Establish form and frequency of update/reporting mechanism to  
> Board. (Once defined, recurring reports to the Board will be added  
> to the tasks in this plan).
I have heard that the staff is already doing this even though the  
reports they submit are not available to the council.  I assume they  
will keep doing this, and while a more direct communication path for  
the council with the board might be useful, I am not sure I see much  
to be gained in writing redundant reports for the board.  As we make  
and approve motions about the issues and as this chart gets updated,  
that should serve to let the board know what is going on.
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> 8.  Identification and development of any additional voting  
> thresholds or categories that may be needed (as directed by Board).
This might be a good point to list those voting thresholds that need  
more work.  I am not sure which ones need further refinement.  Also,  
those related to PDP, should be dealt with in the PPSC.
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> 9.  Apportionment mechanism for Nominating Committee Appointees  
> (NCAs) – how are NCAs assigned to each house and the council-level  
> position?
I suggest that we do the following:

- NCA who has been on the Council the longest is the nonvoting  
homeless council member
- No NCA can serve in the same house 2 years in a row

- In the case that the previous two rules do not already determine the  
house for the  house-bound NCAs, they get to select themselves which  
house they will serve in.  If they cannot come to a decision (tie  
vote), the homeless NCA decides.
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> 10. NCA criteria – supply guidance to Nominating Committee regarding  
> qualification/factors to consider for future appointees?

Assuming we do not ask the nomcom to select which NCA serves where, I  
suggest that the council keep doing what it is doing and look at the  
general skill set in the council and determine in which of the  gaps  
in that skill set they want help from Nomcom.
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> 12.  Consider application of geographic diversity considerations to  
> selection of Council members. (It may be that this task needs to be  
> completed earlier to allow enough time for Board action if needed  
> and to also provide enough time for Stakeholder Groups to elect  
> Councilors.)

The by-laws need to be changed since they currently state that there  
cannot be 2 from the same region.  With 5 regions and 6 SG council  
member in each of the two non contracted party SGs, this is a  
problem.  Possibly this will be solved by the region committee  
recommending the creation of a sixth region.
However, we cannot count on that, so need another solution.  Perhaps  
it would be sufficient to say:
- In those cases where a SG has a number of council representatives  
greater then the number of geographic regions there cannot be more  
then 2 from any region.
(should SGs group to greater then 2x the number of geographic regions,  
the rule would need to be amended.)
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> 17.  Consider impact of June 2009 seating timetable on existing  
> Council member terms and immediately subsequent Councilor terms?

Terms by and large start around the annual meeting, but I don't know  
how much difference this makes.  In any case, this time terms will  
technically start with the June meeting (my suggestion is that we do a  
switchover of council during that meeting - much the same way the  
board does with the new council taking responsibility at the end of  
the public meeting.)    The only problem with this is of course the  
travel budget.  Not sure how the reality of a fixed travel budget and  
the seating of a new council work together.
If we want all council member terms to be the annual meeting then my  
suggestion would be that this time, terms are longer by 2 months.
I think it is up to each SG whether they are reelecting their council  
members to new terms or are just confirming (some of) their  
constituency's existing council members in their current terms as SG  
representatives.  I suggest that the later, but it is up to the SGs.
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> 18.  Chair Election for Restructured GNSO Council --
> As directed by Board, establish voting process beyond the first  
> ballot.

I think that the council should continue to search for a candidate  
that can get the 60% threshold and that the issue can be solved by  
determining what is done in the meantime.
My suggestion:

- Election continue in rapid succession until a chair is found.

- Current chair becomes an acting chair and continues to chair until a  
new chair is elected.
- In the case that the previous chair is no longer on the council,  
then the two vice-chairs take turns (e.g. from meeting to meeting)  
being the acting chair.
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> 19.  Vice-Chair Selection process for each voting house – timing and  
> mechanisms TBD by each voting house (potential post-June decision

Isn't this up to each of the houses.  All that really needs to be  
determined is the date by which the house presents its new chair.  I  
suggest we can continue to use the current schedule of beginning of  
the year (anytime after the annual meeting).  In the initial case,  
however, the vice chairs can be elected as soon as the houses have  
constituted themselves and know who their council members are.  These  
v-chairs can them serve a slightly longer term until 2011.
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As I said just some starter for conversations.

a.