(January 31, 2007) The February 2007 meeting was opened by the N.C.

AGENDA: (Re-posted February 10, 2007)
The February Agenda was sent to the list on Feb. 2, however it never reached the mailing list. In the interim, a request was made for an additional New Business Item in the interim. It has been added to the original February Agenda, and is now posted to the Board.

I apologize for the inconvenience; I did not note that it had not come through on the list.

Call To Order & Agenda
Motion 07-05: Fraudulent Registration Procedures
Proposed Bylaw Amendment (Grievance Committee)
States Sponsorship
Proposed Bylaw Amendment (Composition Of Advisory Board)
Discuss List: Actions By List Administrator
Motion 07-06 & 07-06a: Special Rules
Motion 07-06: Special Rules Amendment
Adjournment

(February 2, 2007) Motion made by Mike Peterson, seconded by Linda Blum-Barton
I move the following be added to the USGenWeb Standing Procedures:

Section --. FRAUDULENT REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
(Adopted ----------------)

Introduction:
It is the policy of the USGenWeb Project that a member, where duly qualified, may cast only one vote per office, or per question in polls. In the event a member registers to vote more than one time the procedures as outlined in the Election Committee (EC) guidelines will be followed.

Section 1. In the event the EC, per its current standard rules/procedures, reports a possible case of fraudulent registration to the National Coordinator (NC)/Advisory Board (AB), the following steps will be taken:
a. The NC will assign a sequential number to the report and send it to the complete AB.
b. The NC will notify the appropriate State/Assistant State Coordinators, Special Project Coordinators, and individual(s) named in the report.

Section 2. The NC will seek a volunteer from the AB to lead the investigation. If there are no volunteers the NC will lead the investigation or appoint an AB member. All parties involved will be given the opportunity to provide input. All documentation will be collected by the leader only.

Section 3. The person(s) being investigated will be accorded the benefit of doubt if reasonable explanations are proffered, and they will be given the opportunity for review and comment at each point of the investigation.

Section 4. Based on discussion of the findings the AB shall determine by vote whether or not to remove the individual(s) from the Registered Voter List and whether any additional action should be undertaken.

Section 5. The NC shall advise, via e-mail, the parties involved of the AB's determination with a copy to the Board-Exec mailing list.

Section 6. In the event a possible case of Fraudulent Registrations or suspected case of aliases is reported to the NC or AB member by an individual (he/she being required to provide a convincing statement or sufficient documentation in support of the claim to justify the need for investigation) the following steps will be taken:

a. The AB member receiving notification of a possible fraudulent registrations situation and/or suspected case of aliases will ask the notifying individual if he/she will agree to the disclosure of his/her name. If so, the AB member will forward the eMail to the NC and Board-Exec mailing list. If not. the AB member will remove all identification of the sender from the eMail and forward the eMail to the Board-Exec mailing list and forward a full copy of the eMail to the NC.

b. The NC shall notify the EC of the situation and ask the EC to check its files for possible multiple voter registrations and for any information the EC may have that has a bearing on the reported situation.

c. Section 1.a. through Section 5. will be followed.

(February 2, 2007) By the N.C.
Call for discussion

(February 7, 2007) By the N.C.
Call for Vote

(February 10, 2007) By the N.C.
Motion Passes

Members voting Yes: Alice Allen, Bettie Wood, Cyndie Enfinger, George Waller, Greta Thompson, Jan Cortez, Karen De Groote-Johnson, Larry Flesher, Linda Blum-Barton, Mike Peterson, Phyllis Rippee, Sundee Maynez, Suzanne Shephard,
Members voting No: None
Members not voting: Freddie Spradlin

(February 4, 2007) By the N.C.
******Please Forward to all Project Lists******

The WVGenWeb Project has proposed an amendment to the USGenWeb Bylaws pursuant to Article XVI, Section 3, and has been posted to the USGenWeb Project national webpage at:
http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/notice.shtml
and is quoted in it's entirety here:

The WVGenWeb Project requests that the following proposed amendments to the USGenWeb Bylaws be presented to the USGenWeb Project membership for approval in accordance with Bylaws Article XVI, Section 3. To this end: it shall be posted to the Project website and mailing lists for a period of at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual voting period of July 1-July 31.

"These USGenWeb Bylaws; Article VI (Duties/Qualifications of Advisory Board), Section 3 and Article XIV (Grievance Procedures and Appeals Process) are repealed and replaced as stated below.

Article VI, Section 3.
The responsibilities of the Advisory Board shall include addressing any problem issues as they arise; aiding the state projects upon request; establishing and overseeing committees; reviewing grievance appeals in accordance with the Grievance Committee Procedures, and appointing a webmaster to maintain the national website.

Article XIV, Section 1.
A standing Grievance Committee will be established.

Article XIV, Section 2.
The Grievance Committee will operate under the Grievance Policies and Procedures. Changes to the Grievance Policies and Procedures may be made by the Advisory Board or may be proposed by the Grievance Committee for approval by the Advisory Board. The current Grievance Policies and Procedures shall be displayed on the National website.

Article XIV, Section 3.
The Advisory Board will appoint the initial members of the Grievance Committee. Thereafter, the Grievance Committee will recommend for approval by the Advisory Board a slate of members to fill vacant positions.

Article XIV, Section 4.
The Grievance Committee will administer a fair, orderly, and timely resolution of a grievance in accordance with the Grievance Policies and Procedures.

Article XIV, Section 5.
The resolution of a grievance is binding upon the membership.

Article XIV, Section 6.
All actions, whether by the national Grievance Committee or by a grievance process at a state or special project level, shall be characterized by fairness, courtesy, and respect for the dignity and the rights of each individual. To that end, the following rights and responsibilities apply to all grievance processes within the USGenWeb Project, XXGenWeb Projects, and Special Projects.

Article XIV, Section 6(1).
A member may choose to act as his or her own representative, or may selects someone to act as his or her representative. The member retains the right to change or dismiss the representative at any step of the procedure; however, such action will not affect the point at which the change or dismissal occurs.

Article XIV, Section 6(2).
When a member is dismissed from a position in a State, Local, or Special Project, that member's position may not be filled until the expiration of the time for that member to file a grievance. When the said member files a grievance, that position may not be filled unless the grievance resolution against the member calls for the member to lose that position. Nothing should prevent the unlinking of the member's website and establishing a temporary website pending resolution of any grievance.

Article XIV, Section 6(3).
Nobody shall be discriminated against for participating in the grievance process."
- - - - -
Any project wishing to co-sponsor this amendment should advise a member of the USGenWeb Project Advisory Board so that their name may be included as a co-sponsor. The proposed amendment shall remain posted to the national webpage until the annual election.

(February 6, 2007). IA by Barbara Hug, SC, forwarded by N.C.
----- Original Message -----
From: Barbara Hug
To: Karen De Groote-Johnson
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 3:46 PM
Subject: Co-Sponsorhip Notification

The IAGenWeb Project wishes to be a Co-Sponsor of the WVGenWeb sponsored amendment to the USGenWeb Bylaws pursuant to Article XVI, Section 3 after the polling of her CCs.

(February 6, 2007) KY by Sherri Hall Bradley SC, forwarded by N.C.
----- Original Message -----
From: Sherri
To: 'Suzanne Shephard'
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 6:20 PM
Subject: RE: Amendment sponsorship

The KYGenWeb Project wishes to be a Co-Sponsor of the WVGenWeb sponsored amendment to the USGenWeb Bylaws pursuant to Article XVI, Section 3 after the polling of her CCs..

(February 7, 2007) MO by Larry Flesher, S.C.
From: "LGFlesher" <lflesher@fidnet.com>
Subject: [BOARD] Amendment Sponsorship
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 08:14:37 -0600

I'm pleased to announce that as a result of polling the Project's CCs, the MOGenWeb Project joins West Virginia and Iowa in co-sponsoring the proposed bylaws amendment.

(February 7, 2007) PA by Joe Patterson, SC, forwarded by the N.C.
----- Original Message -----
From: "joe patterson" <jpatter@comcast.net>
To: <sburow@swbell.net>
Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2007 8:14 PM
Subject: Re: [STATE-COORD] Fw: [ABChat] Amendment Sponsorship

The CC's of PA were asked if they would agree to co-sponsor

"These USGenWeb Bylaws; Article VI (Duties/Qualifications of Advisory Board), Section 3 and Article XIV (Grievance Procedures and Appeals Process)

No negative comments were received and PA agrees to be a co-sponsor.

(February 11, 2007) TN by Fred Smoot ASC, forwarded by the N.C.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Fred Smoot" <dogtrotxp1@comcast.net>
To: <state-coord@rootsweb.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2007 2:57 AM
Subject: [STATE-COORD] GP amendment sponsorship

TNGenWeb/TNGenNet has completed the poll on sponsorship of the proposed grievance procedure amendment. All votes were *for* sponsorship. TNGenWeb should be added to the list of sponsors.

(February 27, 2007) GA by Ed Gordon, SC, forwarded by the N.C.
----- Original Message -----
From: Ed Gordon
To: Linda Barton
Cc: sburow@swbell.net
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 8:40 AM
Subject: Bylaw Amendment Sponsorship

GAGenWeb has finished our Poll to Sponsor the Amendment and the State of GA will Sponsor the Bylaw Amendment AB Motion 07-03

Ed Gordon
State Coordinator
The GAGenWeb Project

(February 26, 2007) By the N.C.
*****Please Forward to all Project Lists******

The KSGenWeb Project has proposed the following amendment to the USGenWeb Bylaws pursuant to Article XVI, Section 3, and has been posted to the USGenWeb Project national webpage at:
http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/notice.shtml and is quoted in it's entirety here.

In compliance with bylaw Article XVI, the KSGenWeb Project requests the following proposed amendment to the USGenWeb Bylaws be presented on the ballot during our annual voting period July 1, 2007 through July 31, 2007 for approval by The USGenWeb Project membership.

Proposed Amendments to the USGenWeb Bylaws - February 20, 2007

The State Coordinators represent the smallest segment of the USGenWeb Project membership. Their members makeup approximately 5% of the membership but they are allocated over 25% of Advisory Board positions. The State Coordinators should not have a larger ratio of representation than the Special Projects and Local Coordinators on the Advisory Board.

As the terms of the present positions for regional State Coordinator Representatives expire they will be replaced by the new positions of this proposal. Three (3) at-large representatives will replace three (3) State Coordinator Regional Representatives and one State Coordinator Representative elected by all State Coordinators will replace one (1) of the State Coordinator Regional Representative.

With the above as reference the KSGenWeb Project is sponsoring the following amendment to the USGenWeb bylaws.

Amend Article V.
ARTICLE V. COMPOSITION OF ADVISORY BOARD which reads:

"The Advisory Board membership shall consist of: the National Coordinator, four (4) State Coordinator Regional Representatives, eight (8) Local Coordinator Regional Representatives, one (1) Special Projects representative elected by members of the special projects, and one (1) at-large representative. All shall have voting privileges except the National Coordinator who shall vote only in the case of a tie. The regions from which State Coordinator and Local Coordinator Representatives are elected shall be decided by the Advisory Board on an annual basis."

From the above, strike three (3) State Coordinator Regional Representative positions from the four (4) present State Coordinator Regional Representative positions and replace with three (3) at-large representatives positions and one (1) State Coordinator Representative position.

The amended article will read:

ARTICLE V. COMPOSITION OF ADVISORY BOARD

"The Advisory Board membership shall consist of: the National Coordinator and four (4) at-large Representatives, elected by all members of the USGenWeb Project, one (1) State Coordinator Representative, elected by State Coordinators, eight (8) Local Coordinator Regional Representatives, elected by Local Coordinators, one (1) Special Projects Representative elected by members of the Special Projects. All shall have voting privileges except the National Coordinator who shall vote only in the case of a tie. The regions from which Local Coordinator Representatives are elected shall be decided by the Advisory Board on an annual basis."

As terms of State Coordinator Regional Representative positions expire they will be replaced with the positions of this amendment. The first two State Coordinator Regional Representative positions terms that expire will be replaced by the one (1) State Coordinator Representative to be elected by all State Coordinators and by one (1) at-large representative. The remaining two (2) State Coordinator Regional Representative positions, upon expiration of their term, will be replaced by two (2) at-large representatives."
- - - - - -
Any project wishing to co-sponsor this amendment should advise a member of the USGenWeb Project Advisory Board so that their name may be included as a co-sponsor. The proposed amendment shall remain posted to the national webpage until the annual election.

(March 3, 2007) By the N.C. Announcement
The N.C. announced that when the Proposed Bylaw Amendment (Composition of the Advisory Board) was posted to the National Site the final paragraph was omitted. This has now been corrected.

(March 3, 2007) By the N.C.
Announcement that TN has agreed to sponsor the Proposed Bylaw Amendment (Composition of the Advisory Board)

On February 6, 2007, Teresa Lindquist was unsubscribed from the DISCUSS list for posting a link to a copy of the Hosting Agreement between RootsWeb and the USGenWeb Project.

(February 10, 2007) By Alice Allen
Initial posting of this issue. Discussion begins here..
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/BOARD/2007-02/1171099530

(February 10, 2007) By the N.C.
Discussion ruled Out of Order due to a motion on the floor

(February 10, 2007) By the N.C.
Voting on motion 07-05 concluded. Statement by N.C.:.
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/BOARD/2007-02/1171135571

(February 11, 2007) Motion by Mike Peterson, seconded by Bettie Wood
I move that the currently posted USGenWeb Standing Procedures and the currently posted USGenWeb Project Grievance Procedures be replaced with the below proposed USGenWeb Special Rules and USGenWeb Standing Rules which also include proposed rules not incorporated in any currently posted procedures.

USGenWeb SPECIAL RULES.

These Special Rules of procedure for the USGenWeb Advisory Board (hereinafter referred to as members) and Management will add to or vary from the rules of parliamentary authority indicated in USGenWeb Special Rules, Section II.
[Rules follow - see http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/BOARD/2007-02/1171239079]

(February 11, 2007) By the N.C.
Call for discussion was issued.

(February 26, 2007) Motion to Amend by Alice Allen, seconded by Larry Flesher
It appears that the section on Fraudulent Registration Procedures has been omitted from this motion. Therefore.........

I move that motion 07-06 be amended to include the Fraudulent Registration Procedures adopted by the AB in Motion 07-05 as a Standard Procedure, and included as Section X.

It was the intent of the SOP Committee to include these if adopted, but was not included in the initial motion as stated in 07-06.

(February 27, 2007) By the N.C.
Asked for objections. If none vote will be called Feb 28th.

(February 28, 2007) By the N.C.
Issued a call to vote on the amendment to Motion 07-06.

(March 2, 2007) By the N.C.
Motion to amend 07-06 passes.

Members Voting Yes: Alice Allen, Bettie Wood, Cyndie Enfinger, Freddie Spradlin, George Waller, Greta Thompson, Jan Cortez, Karen De Groote-Johnson, Larry Flesher, Linda Blum-Barton, Mike Peterson, Suzanne Shephard.
Members Voting No: None
Members Not Voting: Phyllis Rippee, Sundee Maynez

(March 6, 2007) by the N.C.
Call to vote on Motion as amended - Motion 07-06a
Full text of motion found at: http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/BOARD/2007-03/1173189146

(March 8, 2007) by the N.C.
Vote is concluded - Motion 07-06a passed

Members Voting Yes: Alice Allen, Bettie Wood, Cyndie Enfinger, Freddie Spradlin, George Waller, Greta Thompson, Jan Cortez, Karen De Groote-Johnson, Larry Flesher, Linda Blum-Barton, Mike Peterson, Suzanne Shephard.
Members Voting No: None
Members Not Voting: Phyllis Rippee, Sundee Maynez

(March 8, 2007) By the N.C.
Due to a motion on the floor the Feb meeting's adjournment was delayed pending the outcome of the voting.