By Anna Von Reitz
Recently, people have been complaining about having to sign "contracts" compelling good behavior in our public meetings. This should not even be a question.
Public meetings are customarily conducted under rules of decorum, so that the attendees are not imposed upon or forced to waste their time listening to random diatribes and non-agenda discussion items.
Public meeting decorum rules are not anything controversial. Don't let any paranoid spoilers pretend that they are. The rules are there to safeguard your time as a group. Make use of them to reach the goal of short (preferably an hour or less) productive meetings.
Experience has proven that shorter meetings are more productive. They force people to move things along and stay on topic and everyone enjoys the sense of getting important things decided and in motion. If absolutely needed, individual meetings can be extended by a vote, or if it is more convenient, a second meeting can be scheduled for later in the same week.
The idea here is that meetings are work sessions -- time set aside from our busy lives to consider questions and make decisions for the betterment of our lives and our communities.
The Decorum Agreements are not contracts --- an agreement is not a contract, but aside from that important distinction, we understand the once-burned twice-shy reluctance to sign anything after what we have all been through, and signatures are not needed.
I recommend that the decorum rules adopted by the Assemblies be posted as an entry page and in the chat room of all discussion forums and given to all new members as part of their orientation package. That way they have been given notice of the rules and have no cause to object or be offended if they ignore the rules and are muted or removed from a meeting.
Some people think that their right to come to a public meeting and rant on some off-topic subject that wasn't on the agenda supersedes the equal right of all the other people to get work done in the Public Interest. It does not.
We all have the right to speak our minds freely and to be heard; but our individual right is no more special than the rights of others to speak and organize their time and direct their efforts toward specific agenda topics important to the group as a whole.
Instructions on how to get issues on the Agenda should be given to everyone as part of their Orientation package. If a topic is especially urgent, such as a looming emergency, the agenda can always be temporarily set aside if the group is amenable.
Remember the LaVera Adage: "My rights end where another person's rights begin." We all have rights. Learning to respect the equal rights of others is an essential part of self-governance. Good decorum standards reflect this truth and help people learn it in a practical way.
Moving on to the issue of Committees. There has been an unfortunate misunderstanding to the effect that Coordinators have to call Committee Meetings or have to be present at Committee Meetings. This is absurd. No Coordinator could possibly meet this additional demand on their time.
Committees are the traditional way that Americans get the work of the government accomplished. They may be "Standing Committees" which are needed to organize work and processes on a continuing basis, or they may be "Special Committees" devoted to researching individual topics or addressing temporary needs, but all Committees are designed to function in a quasi-independent manner.
Let's go through the process of forming committees --- again.
At a General Assembly Meeting the Coordinator or Chairperson announces the formation of a Committee, say, the Elections Committee. Volunteers are asked for and noted down. The Elections Committee is now formed.
A time and date (and if physical, a place) is established for the first meeting. At the first meeting a chairperson is selected by the volunteers from among the volunteers. The members select a day and time for their meetings and how often they will meet. Details of their meeting forum are established --- will they meet at Nellie's Downtown Diner, every other Tuesday, at 4 PM, or will they meet on Zoom as a teleconference every first Monday of the month at 6 PM.
You will shortly see that some Committees are far more active than others. Research Committees tend to be very active for a relatively short period of time, while most Standing Committees only come into play when their services are needed or when a process requires their attention.
As Committees fade in and out of action, they post their weekly or bi-monthly or monthly meeting times ahead of the General Assembly meetings so that members who are interested can attend their Committee Meeting. Committee Meetings are not closed, not private, and not secret.
As they publish their meeting schedules and particulars ahead of the General Assembly Meeting, they also give a very brief summation of what they are currently working on.
For example:
Elections Committee: 7 PM on Tuesday, November 14th, via Zoom teleconference link: (link info). We will be discussing updating and maintaining eligible voter records and polling place security.
Rio Grande Rehabilitation Committee: 1 PM on Saturday, November 6th, First Episcopalian Church basement, 112 Sunset View Drive, Sedona, Arizona, public event, education, diorama, bbq. Bring the kids!
Ombudsman Committee: Thursday, November 9th, 7PM, via video FreeConference: (Meeting access codes, etc.). Our meeting will host Darren Pilsner, Professional Arbitration Specialist from A &E Arbitration Services, presenting "The Basics of Civil Arbitration".
Outreach Committee: Friday, November 10th, 7 PM Community Meet and Greet at the Historic Emmler Fire Department, 1915 Butte Street, Emmler, Arizona. Featuring "On the Road in America", famous American monologues on stage, plus multimedia documentary, suitable for all ages.
Above are examples of the kinds of Committee news that should develop over time. As you can see, both Standing and Special Committees are represented. The Committee Meetings and Events are shared with all the members via postings. Coordinators participate as they can and check in with Committee Chairs to answer questions and assist if needed.
At least once a year, Committees report to the General Assembly. Some Committees may report monthly or even weekly. It just depends on the work and functions of each committee how often they present before the General Assembly.
The Treasury Committee might give a very brief report at each meeting, and a much more complete End of the Year report, while the Banking Committee might report once per quarter.
Each Assembly is in the process of growing and refining so there is no set order being imposed in terms of what committees are needed first, but there is no doubt that Committees are needed and volunteers for Committees are needed.
And no, Coordinators do not preside over Committee Meetings or need to be present for Committees to conduct business and get work done. That would be an unreasonable control over Committees and an unreasonable amount of work for our Coordinators.
Granna
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