Submitted by: Lynn Murison

There were two important items which I had hoped to tackle in 1999; they were shunted aside due the preparations for PfP. Both come under the heading of unfinished business.

In August 1996, the membership sought to alleviate the problem of over-reliance on a single individual in our governing structure. To that end, and with the full knowledge and concurrence of Council 73, a series of well attended meetings were held and a lawful vote was taken to try a team-based, consensus-driven executive council structure.

The immediate effect of the vote was to have six people step forward to run for office. This was in sharp contrast to the absence of anyone willing to run for president and vice president, previously.

It is time to write Rules & Regulations for the council form, the constitutional amendment to codify the council, and to update the woefully out-of-date constitution.

These twin and necessary items can be accomplished by doing the following:

1. Call by e-mail and web for volunteers to form a committee.
2. An appointment of wide spread representation of PULA to a committee of no more than five (5), none of whom are current members of the executive council, none of whom plan to seek office in the coming year.
3. The committee, in concert with our Council 73 representative, would write Rules & Regulations for the Executive Council, including procedures for disciplinary actions, removal for cause, and reporting agents for the International. It would also write the proposed amendment for the constitution.
4. The committee would report to the membership via e-mail and web. All meeting minutes would be posted within 48 hours of taking place. Comments, suggestions, and feedback from the membership would be encouraged and the sending of such would be made as easy and simple as possible.
5. Both Rules & Regulations and amendment proposal would be brought to the membership for thorough discussion and binding vote in no more than 6 months from the start date of the committee.

I urge the members to take up this necessary work. I further urge the membership, based on my three years as Secretary/Treasurer, to support the team-based executive council structure.