Appendix F: Agenda for the Preliminary Business Meeting
Agenda for the Preliminary Business Meeting
Presiding Officer: Donald Eastlake III
Parliamentarian/Deputy P.O.: Kevin Standlee
Secretary: Cheryl Morgan
Timekeeper: Bridget Boyle
1. Committee Reports
Committee reports may include motions. Motions made by committees consisting of more than one person need not be seconded.
1.1. Mark Protection Committee (Including Nominations for MPC)
The Mark Protection Committee will be meeting on the evening of Thursday, August 30. A formal report is unlikely to be available until the Saturday Business Meeting at the earliest.
Nominations for the WSFS Mark Protection Committee are in order at the Preliminary Business Meeting. Nominees must accept nomination and indicate their current residence zone by 6:00pm. The Secretary has forms available for accepting nomination.
1.2. Nitpicking & Flyspecking Committee
See attached report.
1.3. Worldcon Runners' Guide Editorial Committee
Due to commitments to the Millennium Philcon the Chair of the Worldcon Runners’ Guide Editorial Committee, Saul Jaffe, will be presenting his report verbally, probably at the Saturday meeting.
1.4. Hugo Eligibility Rest of the World Committee
See attached report.
1.5. Best Dramatic Presentation Hugo Award Study Committee
See attached report.
2. Worldcon Reports
2.1 Past Worldcons and NASFiCs
2.1.1. ConAdian (1994)
See attached report.
2.1.2. L.A.con III (1996)
See attached report.
2.1.3. LoneStarCon 2 (1997)
In 1999, LSC 2 made what may have been intended as a Final Report, but it included an entry of "Transfer to ALAMO" of $45,000. The WSFS Constitution requires that "any alternative organizational entity established to oversee and disburse that surplus" also provide reports. It is unclear whether transferring the remaining surplus to ALAMO ends the reporting requirement.
2.1.4. Bucconeer (1998)
See attached report.
2.1.5. Conucopia (1999 NASFiC)
Not yet available. Note that Conucopia is not obliged to file a report under WSFS rules, but space has been made available in the agenda should it wish to do so. See also the Business Passed On from Chicon 2000, which includes a Constitutional Amendment requiring NASFiCs to file financial reports in the same way as Worldcons. This amendment, if ratified, would not apply to Conucopia.
2.1.6. Aussiecon Three (1999)
See attached report.
2.1.7. Chicon 2000
No report received as of going to press.
2.2. Seated Worldcons
2.2.1. The Millennium Philcon (2001)
No report received as of going to press.
2.2.2. ConJosé (2002)
See attached report.
2.2.3. TorCon III (2003)
See attached report.
3. Business Passed On from Chicon 2000
The following Constitutional Amendments were approved at Chicon 2000 and are passed on to The Millennium Philcon for ratification. If ratified, they will become part of the Constitution at the conclusion of The Millennium Philcon.
Hugo Voting Clarification
Moved, to amend Section 3.10 of the WSFS Constitution as follows:
3.10.1: Final Award voting shall be by mail balloting in advance of the Worldcon, with ballots sent only to WSFS members. Only WSFS members may vote. Final Award ballots shall include name, signature, address, and membership-number spaces to be filled in by the voter.
This motion would clarify that is the intent of WSFS that balloting for the Hugo Awards is open only to members of WSFS (defined elsewhere in the Constitution as at least the Attending and Supporting members of the current Worldcon),and that balloting is to take place prior to the Worldcon.
NASFiC Reporting
Moved, To amend the WSFS Constitution by replacing all occurrences of "Worldcon" in Sections 2.8 and 2.9 by "Worldcon or NASFiC" or effectively similar wording, as follows:
Section 2.8: Financial Openness. Any member of WSFS shall have the right, under reasonable conditions, to examine the financial records and books of account of the current Worldcon or NASFiC Committee, all future selected Worldcon or NASFiC Committees, and the two immediately preceding Worldcon Committees and the Committees of any NASFiCs held in the previous two years.
Section 2.9: Financial Reports.
2.9.1: Each future selected Worldcon or NASFiC Committee shall submit an annual financial report, including a statement of income and expenses, to each WSFS Business Meeting after the Committee's selection.
2.9.2: Each Worldcon or NASFiC Committee shall submit a report on its cumulative surplus/loss at the next Business Meeting after its Worldcon.
2.9.3: Each Worldcon or NASFiC Committee should dispose of surplus funds remaining after accounts are settled for the current Worldcon or NASFiC for the benefit of WSFS as a whole.
2.9.4: In the event of a surplus, the Worldcon or NASFiC Committee, or any alternative organizational entity established to oversee and disburse that surplus, shall file annual financial reports regarding the disbursement of that surplus at each year's Business Meeting, until the surplus is totally expended or an amount equal to the original surplus has been disbursed.
This motion would subject all future North American Science Fiction Conventions (NASFiCs) to the same financial requirements imposed on Worldcons, including requiring them to submit annual financial reports to the WSFS Business Meeting. It would not apply to NASFiCs held prior to the ratification of the amendment, even if such conventions still have a remaining surplus.
4. New Business
4.1. Resolutions
Items under this heading may be voted upon and final action taken by the Preliminary Business Meeting.
4.1.1. Hugo Eligibility Extension: The Man on the Ceiling
Moved, To extend for one year the eligibility of The Man on the Ceiling, by Steve Rasnic and Melanie Tem, a novelette published as a chapbook in 2000 by American Fantasy, based on limited availability, as authorized by Section 3.4.
Moved by Perrianne Lurie and Joni Brill Dashoff.
This motion extends eligibility for the Hugo Award; therefore it requires a ¾ vote.
4.2. Standing Rules Amendments
Items under this heading may be voted upon and final action taken by the Preliminary Business Meeting. Standing rules amendments take effect at the conclusion of the 2001 Business Meeting unless given earlier effect by specific provision and a two-thirds vote. In all amendments, new text is shown in underline type and stricken text is shown in strikethru type.
4.3. Constitutional Amendments
Items under this heading have not yet received first passage, and will become part of the constitution only if passed at The Millennium Philcon and ratified at ConJosé. The Preliminary Business Meeting may amend items under this heading, set debate time limits, refer them to committee, and take other action as permitted under the Standing Rules.
4.3.1. Short Title: Scoring More Points
Moved, To amend the WSFS Constitution by adding the following to Article 2:
Section 2.10: Membership Badges. Each Worldcon shall provide each attending member with a name badge containing at least the member’s name and membership number. Pre-registered members’ names shall be printed on the badge in no less than 24-point bold type.
Moved by Bruce Pelz, Mike Glyer, Kathryn Daugherty and Johnny Carruthers.
5. Site Selection Business
5.1. Report of the 2004 Site Selection & Presentation by Winners
This item is scheduled for the Main Business Meeting on Sunday, September 2.
5.2. Reports by seated Worldcons
This item is scheduled for the Main Business Meeting on Sunday, September 2.
5.2.1. ConJosé (2002)
5.2.2. TorCon III (2003)
5.3. Presentation by bidders for 2005
6. Adjournment