23 August RA meeting; rules

[Jamie Palisades]

This replies to the following post: http://forums.slcds.info/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=2542
which is on a board to which only RA members can reply.
1. Cindy, last week, you and i discussed bringing plans for regional event expenditures to the RA for discussion this week. That's still my hope, unless there's an objection.
2. You asked about making the assumption that any RA member who responds negatively to the "Doodle" RA queries -- which I guess is a private polling resource that citizens cannot see at present? -- automatically gets a 7 day vote, on any matter at that meeting, withotu explicitly requesting it.
It's an interesting idea, but one to be careful about. Speaking as a former LRA, I like the idea of moving to a more accommodating method for a global panel. However, please note it has risks.
-- If it is not transparent, it becomes more of a secret RA-members-only back channel, something we try not to do in CDS.
-- It might disincentivize attendance. Why show up if I can just sit out, read stuff and torpedo it from my living room later without the annoyance of having to participate in a discussion?
-- It will have to be carefully tracked and (the greater number of) 7 day votes always timed & documented, so that we do not have a constant problem with uncertain meeting outcomes and long-unresolved motions.

Best of luck. Jamie

[Cindy Ecksol]

This replies to the following post: http://forums.slcds.info/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=2542
which is on a board to which only RA members can reply.
1. Cindy, last week, you and i discussed bringing plans for regional event expenditures to the RA for discussion this week. That's still my hope, unless there's an objection.

Yes, I had this on my list of "requested agenda items." I'm a little behind this afternoon, but should have an agenda published shortly.

2. You asked about making the assumption that any RA member who responds negatively to the "Doodle" RA queries -- which I guess is a private polling resource that citizens cannot see at present? -- automatically gets a 7 day vote, on any matter at that meeting, withotu explicitly requesting it.
It's an interesting idea, but one to be careful about. Speaking as a former LRA, I like the idea of moving to a more accommodating method for a global panel. However, please note it has risks.
-- If it is not transparent, it becomes more of a secret RA-members-only back channel, something we try not to do in CDS.
-- It might disincentivize attendance. Why show up if I can just sit out, read stuff and torpedo it from my living room later without the annoyance of having to participate in a discussion?
-- It will have to be carefully tracked and (the greater number of) 7 day votes always timed & documented, so that we do not have a constant problem with uncertain meeting outcomes and long-unresolved motions.

Excellent points. To the first, although the poll is valid only for RA members, once the poll is closed (i.e. after the meeting ends) I anticipate making it public as part of the transcript, just as we do actual attendance. We COULD publish the link in advance, but my one experience with that (to collect e-mail addresses from RA members only) tells me that there are problems with that approach, so I'm more inclined to distribute the participation link via e-mail direct to RA members before the meeting, and then publish it afterward when results cannot be changed. All RA members can view the poll as it develops, so there's really no secrecy involved.

Regarding disincentivization, I'd like to hear more comments from other RA members before sharing my thinking on this.

Regarding tracking, the greatest number of 7-day votes that we will have to track for any particular meeting is six. I may even decide to use a Doodle poll to solicit those seven-day votes, and of course such a poll would be visible to any citizen and the results published on the forum.

Hope this helps to address your concerns.

Cindy