The World Science Fiction Society

Minutes of the Business Meeting at Torcon 3

Friday 29^th to Sunday 31st August 2003

Introduction

All three meetings were held in the Ontario Room of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel. The head table officers were:

Chair: Kevin Standlee

Deputy Chair / P.O: Donald Eastlake III

Secretary: Pat McMurray

Timekeeper: Clint Budd

Tech Support: William J Keaton, Glenn Glazer

[Secretary: The debates in these minutes are not word for word accurate, but every attempt has been made to represent the sense of the arguments made. UK spelling is mostly used, because that's the way I spell. Names are deliberately chosen to be the informal versions. These minutes are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and recollection and are based on contemporary notes. Any other comments or notes I have will be marked in this fashion. Comments thus are purely informative and do not form part of the official text of these minutes.]

Minutes completed: 16^th November 2003

Pat McMurray

Business Meeting Secretary

WSFS BUSINESS MEETING

Preliminary Business Meeting, Friday, 29^th August 2003

Chair: Kevin Standlee Secretary: Pat McMurray

Deputy Chair / P.O.: Donald Eastlake III Timekeeper: Clint Budd

The Chair called the meeting to order at 10:15 AM. Attendance as recorded on the sign up sheets was 96.

John Pomeranz moved to thank ConJosé for coffee.

Mark Olson moved to thank the team who had assembled the past WSFS minutes – Tim Illingworth, Pat McMurray and Ben Yalow.

Both Motions passed without objection.

1. Committee Reports

1.1. Mark Protection Committee (Including Nominations for MPC)

Committee appointed new trademark attorney and commenced the process of protecting marks.

Jonathon Cowie: Examples of items being protected?

Stephen Boucher: Examples include

1. Currently protect “Worldcon”, “WSFS”, “Hugo”, “NASFiC” and “World Science Fiction Society”

2. Examining protecting rocket design

3. Domain names

Ruth Sachter, Scott Dennis and Donald Eastlake III’s terms having expired, there were three vacancies on the Mark Protection Committee. The three incumbents were nominated without objection.

There were no other nominations, so nominations were closed. Write in ballots are allowed, so voting will take place tomorrow.

All three candidates signed acceptance forms.

1.2. Nitpicking & Flyspecking Committee

No objections to Chair reappointing Donald Eastlake III, Tim Illingworth, Kevin Standlee and appointing Pat McMurray to the committee.

1.2.1 Short Title: Extended Distribution

Chair: Debate time for motion will be set at five minutes.

Ben Yalow: Move to add

Provided that the Business Meeting requests Noreascon 4 to follow this motion.

Ben Yalow (F): Just asks, not binding

John Lorentz (A): No need to add this to Constitution

Chair: This is a provision, not a Constitutional amendment.

Seth Breidbart (A): This provision cannot be imposed, since it forces additional costs on Noreascon 4 and Interaction.

Chair: Split provision as separate resolution.

1.2.1B Requesting Extended Distribution

Business Meeting requests next three Worldcons follow the procedure in Item 1.2.1

Ben Yalow: Is it the ruling of the Chair that even the most minimal cost from a motion does not bind a sitting Worldcon?

Chair: Difficult to lay a rule.

Ben Yalow: Intent of “no additional charges clause” is to cover big, different charges, but not such items as adding a new Hugo! Ordinary and necessary kinds of change are not forbidden under this clause.

Chair: Withdraw ruling, submit to members.

Chair: The question to members is: Does Item 1.2.1 impose additional costs within the meaning of the WSFS Constitution?

Andrew Adams: Point of Inquiry: Which section of the Constitution?

Chair: 6.4

Andrew Adams (F): Clear in Constitution.

Tom Beck (A): Request, not require.

Chair: Are we entitled?

George Flynn(F): When the original motion was made, an amendment to include the word “substantial” was not accepted by that Business Meeting.

Rick Kovalcik (A): Small type – no additional cost.

Mark Olson (A): Current practice is to require committees to comply.

Chair: Time over for debate.

Question: Is item 1.2.1 imposing an additional cost as defined by Constitution Section 6.4?

Failed many to few. (So 1.2.1 does not impose an additional cost as defined by Constitution Section 6.4, and standing Worldcons must comply with this motion if it is ratified next year, but a request is made to Noreascon 4.)

Sparks: Question of Priviledge: Members should speak into microphone and direct comments to the Chair.

Paul Krause: Parliamentary Inquiry – we haven’t really resolved the meaning of 6.4.

Chair: Without objection, Refer 6.4 to the Nitpicking and Flyspecking Committee for investigation and consideration.

Richard Russell: Suggest NPFSC appoint George Flynn as a consultant.

Chair: NPFSC will take this request under advisement.

Ben Yalow: Point of Order, what is the time limit of 1.2.1B.

Chair: Apologies, 5 minutes.

1.2.2 Short Title: Moving Works

Louis Epstein: What is the difference between a professional and a fan artist?

Gary Blog: Move to amend to “works or nominees”

John Pomerantz: Should try and avoid discussing alternate wording on the floor of the meeting.

Chair: Without objection, the motion is referred to a committee comprising the Nitpicking and Flyspecking Committee members, Gary Blog and John Pomeranz; and the committee is directed to report back to the main meeting any suggested changes."

Chair: Debate time for motion will be set at five minutes.

1.2.3 Short Title: Default Rates

Chair: Debate time for motion will be set at ten minutes.

1.2.4 Short Title: Counting Votes (and Breaking Ties)

Chair: Debate time for motion will be set at five minutes.

Ben Yalow: This motion covers both Constitutional Amendments and Standing Rules. Move to add a proviso that the Standing Rules are not in effect until the Constitutional Amendments are ratified.

Mark Olson. Move to refer 1.2.4 back to Nitpicking and Flyspecking Committee for further explanation, with them to report back next year.

Motion passed without objection.

[Secretary: In fact, the Preliminary Business Meeting cannot refer motions back to committee – see minutes for Main Business Meeting on Saturday.]

1.2.5 Short Title: Tied Races

Chair: Debate time for motion will be set at five minutes.

Andrew Adams: Point of Order: This motion and the motion at 4.3.1 interact.

Richard Russell: Does new 2.6 conflict with 4.5.7?
Seth Breidbart: Move to amend, by adding “pursuant to this section” so that the revised Section 2.6 will read:

Section 2.6: Incapacity of Committees. With sites being selected three (3) years in advance, there are at least three selected current or future Worldcon Committees at all times. If one of these should be unable to perform its duties, the other selected current or future Worldcon Committee whose site is closer to the site of the one unable to perform its duties shall determine what action to take, by consulting the Business Meeting or by mail poll of WSFS if there is sufficient time, or by decision of the Committee if there is not sufficient time. Where a site and Committee are chosen by a Business Meeting or Worldcon Committee pursuant to this section, they are not restricted by exclusion zone or other qualifications.

Seth Breidbart (F): existing wording could be subject to inappropriate interpretation.

Linda Ross-Mansfield: Is “failing to perform its duties” self-determined or decided externally?

Chair: Refuse to rule on this because the “failing to perform its duties” phrase is not directly under consideration by this amendment, and is included only to provide context for this amendment.

There was no objection to the amended phrasing.

Paul Birnbaum: Point of Order: New paragraph is in wrong place, should be in 4.5.6.

Chair: Point of Order not well taken, amendment is in right place.

1.3. Worldcon Runners' Guide Editorial Committee

Chair: Reappoint Sharon Sbarsky until next year. Thanks for her work.

On a motion by Mr McMurray the meeting recessed at 10:55 and resumed at 11:15.

1.4. Hugo Eligibility Rest of the World (HEROW) Committee

Report was presented by Jim Mann.

1.4.1 Short Title: This Year's Model

Gary Blog: Move to amend by replacing the word “published” - doesn't cover dramatic presentations.

Chair: Motion is not in order; “published” is more wide ranging and includes dramatic presentations.

[Secretary: This follows CH2002-2, a ruling from last year on this matter.]

Lew Wolkoff: To what extent is this binding on next year?

Chair: As binding as next year's Hugo committee wishes it to be.

John Lorentz: Should Nitpicking and Flyspecking Committee be directed to investigate the word “published”.

Chair: We can't deal with that at this point in the meeting.

Gary Blog: How does this affect the John W Campbell Award?

Chair: I rule that the Business Meeting does not have direct jurisdiction over the Campbell Award.

John Lorentz: Point of Information: Campbell tends to follow Hugo rules.

Ben Yalow: Point of Information: Didn't 1997 make a similar ruling?

Chair: Maybe, I don't know.

{Secretary: I've researched this, and I believe Ben Yalow is referring to the 1998 Business Meeting, at which a petition had been presented that Susan Matthews' eligibility for the Campbell Award should be extended. Ben moved a substitute motion, that the Business Meeting would commend such an extension, as the meeting had no authority in this matter. These objections having been minuted, and it being made clear that the petition was a request and not a direction, Ben withdrew the motion. It is clear that the Business Meeting has never claimed jurisdiction in this matter, and therefore there is no earlier explicit Ruling than the one made above.]

The motion was passed by a ¾ majority.

Chair: The Nitpicking and Flyspecking Committee is directed to examine the matter of whether “published” covers all Hugos.

1.4.2 Short Title: Holding on for a HEROW

Committee was continued without objection.

Chair (of Meeting) requested that those who are interested in serving on the Committee should talk to the podium staff.

1.5. Formalization of Long List Entries (FOLLE) Committee

Mark Olson: An ongoing process – we've received additional information even today.

Vince Docherty: Yes, we discussed the interpretation of the Chair terminology. KIM Campbell is the convenor of 2005, which makes her effectively Co-Chair.

Jim Briggs: Move to commend the FOLLE Committee. Passed without objection.

Ben Yalow: Note for the record that convention committees have control over their other records, FOLLE does not control long list details.

Chair: Appoint a committee on directions for the FOLLE Committee consisting of Mr Yalow to report tomorrow.

1.5.1. Short Title: Extended Folly

Motion passed without objection.

Chair: Mark Olson is reappointed as Chair and may add and remove members as he chooses.

2. Worldcon Reports

2.1.3 LoneStarCon 2

Chair's ruling: LoneStarCon 2 should report on any unspent funds from seed money for cons.

Louis Epstein: Point of Inquiry: no interest income is listed?

Chair: Income generated after the convention is not reportable.

Ben Yalow: Bouchercon is not a local convention

Kent Bloom: Point of Order: Not germane

Chair: Not well taken

Kent Bloom: Appeal Chair's ruling

Chair: Discussion of appropriate ways to spend surpluses is germane to financial reports.

Kent Bloom (A): Receipt of financial reports is a different matter from a resolution criticizing that expenditure, therefore they belong in different places in the agenda.

Ben Yalow (F): Germane in this case. Need to agree exactly what is reportable and that needs to be here.

George Flynn: Point of Inquiry: Does 2.9.3 cover this?

Linda Deneroff: Point of Inquiry: What response can we make if spending is deemed inappropriate?

Chair: Not in order at this time.

Chair's ruling was sustained; this discussion is germane.

A motion was made to extend debate by 3 minutes – bare 2/3 pass.

Ben Yalow: appropriate spending would be covered by precedent.

Seth Breidbart: There are various hypotheses.

Chair: In the best interests of WSFS, the Chair wishes to avoid making a ruling that could prevent a Worldcon Committee from ever filing a final report.

Paul Birnbaum: What is difference between seed and grant?

Chair: Bouchercon was internal, Armadillocon was external.

Rick Kovalcik: Did Bouchercon make money?

Chair: Irrelevant

Paul Krause: See versus grant

Mark Olson: Mustn't legislate here.

Chair: What we said was not a ruling.

2.1.4 Bucconeer

Final report.

[Secretary would like to congratulate Bob McIntosh on this. Secretary is quite a lazy individual and is pleased to have fewer Financial Reports to deal with in future.]

2.1.5 Aussiecon Three

Report tomorrow.

2.1.6 Chicon 2000

Report is attached.

In response to a question from the floor, the Chair noted that the WSFS Business Meeting does not have jurisdiction over Pass Along Funds. It is a private arrangement between individual Worldcon Committees, not a WSFS matter.

2.1.8 ConJosé

Gary Blog: Complaint about packs not having been sent out yet to supporting members.

[Secretary: Meeting Chair stood down and Don Eastlake took over as Chair.]

Kevin Standlee: ConJosé sincerely regrets not having accomplished this. The Co-Chairs in particular are very apologetic – insufficient people points to accomplish everything.

Craig Miller: Apology would have been sufficient without long explanation.

Mr Standlee resumed the Chair.

3. Business Passed On from ConJosé

3.1 Short Title: Lesser Minutes

Chair: Debate time for motion will be set at eight minutes.

4. New Business

4.3.1 Short Title: Back to the Future

Object to Consideration failed.

Chair: Debate time for motion will be set at twenty minutes.

Ben Yalow: Point of Order: Note that this any part of this amendment can be amended, including the provisos.

Ben Schilling: Move to Amend, by striking the unnecessary phrase “that this amendment shall not take effect until the conclusion to the 2004 Worldcon, Noreascon 4;”

There was no objection to this amendment.

6. Adjournment

Linda Ross Mansfield: Can we re-arrange the seating pattern?

Elspeth Kovar (Hotel Liaison): Will try for tomorrow.

Ben Yalow Point of Order: The Preliminary Business Meeting can't refer 1.2.3 back to the Nitpicking and Flyspecking Committee.

Chair: Well taken – will now consider this tomorrow.

[Secretary: In effect the Chair's ruling was that the motion to Refer to Committee passed earlier in the meeting was erased and that the parliamentary situation was the same as it had been before the original referral was passed.]

Meeting adjourned at 12:00

WSFS BUSINESS MEETING

First Main Business Meeting, Saturday, 30^th August 2003

Chair: Kevin Standlee Secretary: Pat McMurray

Deputy Chair / P.O.: Donald Eastlake III Timekeeper: Clint Budd

The Chair called the meeting to order at 10:16 AM. Attendance as recorded on the sign up sheets was 124.

Secretary made a series of amendments and corrections to the published agenda. [The versions included here are fully corrected.]

Raymond Cyrus: Move to suspend the rules and immediately consider Item 4.3.1

Motion was seconded, but failed to pass.

Don Eastlake: As Chair of next year's Business Meeting, would like volunteers to make themselves known.

1. Committee Reports

1.1. Mark Protection Committee (Including Nominations for MPC)

On a motion by Ms. Sbarsky and without objection, the rules were suspended and the three nominees were elected to fill the three MPC seats.

Chair: MPC Meeting will be held after Sunday's Business Meeting.

In response to a Parliamentary Inquiry, the Chair noted that proxy voting is not allowed. You have to be present to vote at a WSFS Business Meeting.

1.2. Nitpicking & Flyspecking Committee

1.2.1A Short Title: Extended Distribution

Louis Epstein: Concerned about practicality of this, does it cover every type of work?

Chair's Ruling: Blanket extension

Motion passed.

Forwarded to next year's Business Meeting for ratification.

1.2.1B Short Title: Requesting Extended Distribution

Motion passed without objection.

Forwarded to next year's Business Meeting for ratification.

1.2.2 Short Title: Moving Works

No report from ad hoc committee.

Louis Epstein: Concerned about practicality – no real effect, and what about fan artist / pro artist.

Similar situation with fan writer / pro editor.

Motion passed.

Forwarded to next year's Business Meeting for ratification.

1.2.3 Short Title: Default Rates

Tom Veal (A): Average of last three Worldcon voting fees is much higher than typical NASFiC voting fees.

Rick Kovalcik (F): Prefer this to be too high rather than too low – only a default.

Perianne Lurie (A): Low default would encourage bidders to work together.

Seth Breidbart (F): High default fee prevents spoilers driving down the fees.

Motion passed.

Forwarded to next year's Business Meeting for ratification.

1.2.4 Short Title: Counting Votes (and Breaking Ties)

Referred back to the Nitpicking and Flyspecking Committee at yesterday’s meeting without objection.

1.2.5 Short Title: Tied Races

Someone?: Parliamentary Inquiry: Is there explicit provision for how the Business Meeting would handle this?

[Secretary: Apologies – This person didn't identify themselves and I don't know everybody in fandom. There was no verbal response to this inquiry, but shuddering and moaning could be heard from many parts of the meeting.]

Kent Bloom: Move to divide Section 3 of 1.2.5

Chair Ruling: They can be separated:

Alex von Thorn: Point of Inquiry: Would we then decide Section 3 next?

Chair: Yes

Seth Breidbart: Point of Inquiry: What would happen in the event of a Site Selection tie?

Chair: This would return to the Business Meeting.

Rick Kovalcik: Move the question.

Motion to divide fails.

Louis Epstein: Point of Inquiry: Section 4.0 “consulting by mail poll”

Chair: Not necessary

Kent Bloom (A): Opposed to only Section 3 of motion.

Paul Birnbaum (A): Why should Business Meeting have to override electorate?

Kent Bloom: Move to strike section 3

Seth Breidbart (A): Tie between two parties in a three way race.

Paul Birnbaum: Move to extend debate by three minutes.

Motion fails

Motion to strike section 3 fails.

Main motion passed.

Forwarded to next year's Business Meeting for ratification.

1.5. Formalization of Long List Entries (FOLLE) Committee

Committee consisting of Ben Yalow has reported back a motion:

Moved: The Business Meeting supports the methodology used by the FOLLE Committee and recommends that this Committee continues their procedure of consulting Worldcon Committees as part of their research.

Ben Yalow (F): we like what they are doing and how they are doing it.

Motion passed without objection.

2. Worldcon Reports

2.1.9. Time Travel Worldcon

The attached report was submitted.

Louis Epstein: Move to refer to 1939 Worldcon Business Meeting.

Chair's Ruling: Motion is frivolous and dilatory as creating indefinite time loops is a bad idea.

Andrew Adams: Move to refer this report to Minneapolis in 2073

Chair: Funny once, but not twice.

3. Business Passed On from ConJosé

3.1 Short Title: Lesser Minutes

Motion passed.

Now forms part of Constitution.

A short recess was taken to 11:10.

Deb Geisler: On behalf of Noreascon 4 Committee we would like to thank the Time Travel Worldcon Committee for pass-along funds and ConJosé for coffee.

4. New Business

4.3.1 Short Title: Back to the Future

Rick Kovalcik: Move to suspend the rules and postpone indefinitely:
Motion fails.

Stephen Boucher (F): Covered main arguments in Motion's rationale.

Raymond Cyrus (A): Conversion fee will be higher with a shorter period of time; there will be fewer GoH choices; fewer hotel choices; harder to get MTCC; penalise NASFiCs by forcing one year running; 500 mile rule penalises North American bids against non-North American bids; we have real world jobs with less time in the shorter run.

Pat McMurray: Move to add proviso:

Provided further that the Chicago bid announced at Torcon 3 will be exempted from any new limitation of Section 4.7 of the WSFS Constitution imposed by this amendment.

Ed Green: What are the effects of this amendment?
Pat McMurray: Removes potential impact of the main motion on the Chicago bid.

Rick Kovalcik: Point of Order: That was a speech in favour.

Chair: No, that was an explanation of a complex matter.

Mark Olson (F): Courtesy normally extended to existing bids.

Rick Kovalcik (A): Feel for C2009, what about the St. Louis NASFiC bid?

Glenn Glazer: Move to extend debate two minutes

Motion fails.

Craig Miller: Want to move amendment to the amendment.

Chair: Not allowed.

Sharon Sbarsky: Will two year lead time impact on 800 km / 500 mile limit>

Chair ruled that C09 would be valid for a KC06 Worldcon.

Tom Veal: Move to suspend the rules and alter the amendment to

Provided further that C2008 and C2009 would be eligible in any event.

58 in favour, 42 against, Motion needed 2/3 majority so fails.

Craig Miller: Move to suspend the rules and introduce an amendment to suspend implementation for one year.

Motion fails

Lynn Anderson: Move to extend total debate time by ten minutes.

Motion was passed.

[Secretary: We now return to considering Pat McMurray's amendment, the additional proviso.]

Ben Yalow (F): Try not to affect existing bids. A potential 2007 NASFiC bid would be OK. Move to suspend rules, using Tom Veal's motion and adding an exception that this is “not valid if KC06 and Columbus 07 win.”

[Secretary: If KC06 had won, and then Columbus 07 win, then Chicago would not have been valid for either 2008 or 2009, under either new or old rules. It would have been as improper to make them valid, as it would have been to close out the window of opportunity for them.]

Craig Miller: Move to postpone consideration of all matters to tomorrow's Business Meeting.

Seth Breidbart: Move to adjourn

Motion to adjourn fails.

[Chair: In effect, adjourning at this point would have had the same effect as adopting mR Miller's motion and then adjourning. Unlike ordinary societies that meet more often than every three months, all of the meetings at a single Worldcon are a single legislative session and any unfinished business simply picks up where it left off at the next meeting. In an ordinary society meeting more often than every three months, adjourning at this point would have killed the pending motion.]

Motion to postpone passes.

6. Adjournment

Meeting was adjourned at 11:47.

WSFS BUSINESS MEETING

Site Selection Business Meeting, Sunday, 31^th August 2003

Chair: Kevin Standlee Secretary: Pat McMurray

Deputy Chair / P.O.: Donald Eastlake III Timekeeper: Clint Budd

The Chair called the meeting to order at 10:15 AM. Attendance as recorded on the sign up sheets was 157.

Chair announced that the Chicago bid had dropped their objections, to rapturous applause.

5.1. Report of the 2006 Worldcon Site Selection & Presentation by Winners

Bob McIntosh reported, see attached.

LA won

Without objection, ballots were destroyed

Christian McGuire, LA Chair: Thanks to Margene Bahm and the entire KC crew.

Convention will be called L.A.con IV and guests are Connie Willis, James Gurney, Howard deVore and Frankie Thomas.

Margene Bahm, KC Chair: Thank everyone who helped and supported us, Committee who worked so hard, and L.A. Bid who became good friends. One final announcement, we intend to bid for the 94^th Worldcon in 2036 and I would like to introduce the bid Chair, Samantha Myers.

Samantha Myers (Aged 6): We're going to win!

5.2. Report of the 2005 NASFiC Site Selection & Presentation by Winners

Kevin Standlee recused himself and Don Eastlake chaired the meeting.

Bob McIntosh: After three rounds of counting, Seattle won.

Without objection, ballots were destroyed.

Bobbie duFault, Seattle Chair: Thanks to Pat Porter who had to step down for health reasons. The convention will be called CascadiaCon and guests are Fred Saberhagen, Liz Danforth, Toni Weisskopf and Kevin Standlee. Thanks to Charlotte, who were friendly and helpful throughout.

Kathleen Meyer, Chair of Charlotte: Thanks to Seattle, thanks to Charlotte committee.

Mr Standlee resumed the Chair.

1. Committee Reports

1.4. Hugo Eligibility Rest of the World (HEROW) Committee

Chair: Ed Green will chair this Committee.

2. Worldcon Reports

2.1.9. Time Travel Worldcon

David Kyle reported back from the 1939 Worldcon, see attached.

4. New Business

4.3.1 Short Title: Back to the Future

Amendment was withdrawn without objection.

Chair: Debate time is reset to 20 minutes.

[Chair: This is a standard parliamentary rule, not an arbitrary ruling. Debate times are per day, and if the debate continues into a new day, the debate clock resets.]

Pat McMurray (F): Main points from rationale.

Louis Epstein: Point of Order: Imposes additional costs on L.A.con IV so is not in order.
Chair Ruling: Not well taken, no additional costs.

James Brigg: Point of Inquiry: where will 2007 NASFiC vote take place

Chair: At L.A.con IV

Chair reversed this ruling later, see below.

Rick Kovalcik: Point of Order: Motion doesn't address NASFiC.

Chair: Point not well taken; motion addresses lead time, and NASFiC lead time is defined in terms of Worldcon lead time.

Dennis Caswell (A): Two year cycle on NASFiC implies a one day bid.

Chair: Note section 4.8.1. Changing the Worldcon lead time automatically changes the NASFiC lead time. NASFiC lead time is not “two year”; it is “one year less than Worldcon.”

Rick Kovalcik: Appeal Chair's Ruling.

Chair: You're right. If required, the 2007 NASFiC site selection will take place at the 2005 NASFiC.

Tom Veal (A): Big problem – introduces immense new element of uncertainty as to what year a city is eligible, will only know four years in advance not six. This is another major change, and too soon after the last one.

Janice Gelb (F): This motion is supported by many Worldcon Chairs; shortened bidding cycle is a good thing; and what do you do with that first year, anyway?
Raymond Cyrus (A): Proposers are attempting to limit the flexibility of bid committees – benevolent despotism.

Kent Bloom (F): Do Worldcons cost too much? A two year cycle should reduce the cost.

Alex von Thorn (A): More choices with a longer planning cycle. People issue – timescales are just right. NASFiC – one year bidding cycle is crazy.

Paul Krause: Point of Order: what is history of Worldcon bidding cycles.

Chair ruled this wasn;t a Point of Order, but a miscellaneous Inquiry, and provided a short history.

Ed Green (F): Three year bid cycle is too long; there are practical considerations.

Don Eastlake (A): Two to three year change was made for facilities reasons and we might be forced to change back if economic cycle turns around.

Ben Yalow (F): I pushed the move from two to three years, which seemed like a good time. Things like us are now bidding six, eight, even ten years. Facilities issues are irrelevant – people get tired, I've seen this so many times, we're burning out people.

Louis Epstein: Move to extend debate five minutes.

Motion fails.

Motion passes 90 in favour, 83 against.

Forwarded to next year's Business Meeting for ratification.

5. Site Selection Business

5.3. Reports by seated Worldcons

5.3.1. Noreascon 4 (2004)

Deb Geisler, Chair of Noreascon 4: We're at T-369 and counting.

Derryl Exlins: Big Dig?

Deb: Biggus Diggus - no real impact on us

Micheal Pins: Will there be mallets?

Deb: We're not going to arm you.

Ken Smookler: Will the hotels match the lowest published rates?

Deb: Yes.

Lurianne Perie: Hotel forms?

Deb: PR5 in December, direct reservations with the hotels.

Danny Liebermann: Hugo and Masquerade night?

Deb: Hugos Saturday, Masquerade Sunday.

5.3.2. Interaction (2005)

Vince Docherty, Chair of Interaction: Will answer questions

Rick Katze: Why does your Committee have such confidence in you?

Vince: They have a choice?

[Secretary: Worth mentioning that this was a jocular exchange...]

Linda Ross Mansfield: Pedestrian bridges and hotel facilities.

Vince: Now three hotels on site, 2.5 x number of beds in Glasgow. Remembering that our rates are quoted to include tax and breakfast we're looking at a range of £30 to £100 per room per night.

Richard Russell: Cheap accommodation?

Vince: Students apartments

Mike Willmoth: Hotel bureau?

Vince: Yes have to, but not the same one as Intersection's. We will start taking bookings at Noreascon

Gary Keith Feldbaum: Party hotels?

Vince: Haven't decided yet, won't be Central.

Richard Russell: Will one of onsite hotels be party hotel?
Vince: None of them are suitable.

Michael Donahue: Airline?
Vince: Not yet.

Glen Glazier: Distance between party hotels and site.

Vince: about a mile – one stop on train, 20 minutes walk, cheapest taxis in UK
Vince: Delighted to announce we're also the 2005 Eurocon.

5.4. Presentation by future Worldcon bids, time permitting

5.4.1. Presentation by bidders for 2007

5.4.1.1 Nippon 07

Hiroaki Inoue: Will make presentation. Our Chair, Shouichi Hachiya, has throat problems.

Date: Labour day weekend

Place: Pacifico Yokohama, 5,000 person hall, 1,000 bedrooms on site.

Will also be Japanese National SF Convention for 2007.

Holding 2005 convention there for practice, and it was site of 1992, 2000 and 2003 conventions.

Programme will be bilingual in English and Japanese with simultaneous translation for major events.

Pat McMurray: How many attendees at Japanese National SF Convention?

Hiroaki: Between 2,000 and 2,500.

5.4.1.2 Columbus 2007

Kim Williams: Convention pace; 24 hour food court, connected hotels, hotels are experiences, Marcon is held in the Hyatt regency; agreed $105 room rates and corkage waiver.

Janice Gelb: Committee Worldcon experience?

Kim: Kidcon, filk, dealer's room.

Chair: Announce that L.A.con IV have appointed Craig Miller as their Mark Protection Committee representative.

Chair Ruling: 2004 Worldcon elects 2007. This could cause a 2007 NASFiC to be necessary, in which case the 2005 NASFiC would administer the election. The just passed item, if ratified, could first effect a hypothetical 2008 NASFiC, voting for which would take place in 2007.

6. Adjournment

Meeting adjourned at 11:58

AGENDA FOR WSFS BUSINESS MEETING

Preliminary Business Meeting, Friday, 29^th August 2003

Chair: Kevin Standlee Secretary: Pat McMurray

Deputy Chair / P.O.: Donald Eastlake III Timekeeper: Clint Budd

[Secretary: If you’re new to Business Meetings, the last document in the set attached explains WSFS Business Meeting Procedures, and should be the first document you read. Really, we mean it, when we say please ask for any assistance you may need in interpreting the rules or in any other matter.]

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 met last night. A formal report should be available at the Business Meeting tomorrow.

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 within one hour of the end of the Preliminary Business Meeting.

The members whose terms of office expire at this Worldcon are: Scott Dennis (Central), Donald Eastlake III (Eastern), Ruth Sachter (West). Due to zone residency restrictions, we can elect at most two people from the Western zone, one person from the Central zone, two people from the Eastern zone, and three people from the Rest of the World. Write-in votes are allowed, but write-in candidates must submit their consent to election by the close of balloting.

(See the head table staff for a nomination acceptance form.)

1.2. Nitpicking & Flyspecking Committee

Report is attached. The following resolutions arise from this report.

1.2.1 Short Title: Extended Distribution

1.2.2 Short Title: Moving Works

1.2.3 Short Title: Default Rates

1.2.4 Short Title: Counting Votes (and Breaking Ties)

1.2.5 Short Title: Tied Races

[Secretary: In a vain attempt to save trees I have not reproduced the full texts of the resolutions here – they’re in the report.]

1.3. Worldcon Runners' Guide Editorial Committee

The Committee has had a quieter year than expected, largely due to computer problems. No data has been lost.

People who are interested in helping next year should meet with Sharon Sbarsky in this room, immediately following the Preliminary Business Meeting.

1.4. Hugo Eligibility Rest of the World (HEROW) Committee

We believe an extra year of eligibility for works first published outside North America in English is currently appropriate, but that market changes could render this unnecessary in the future. We recommend an annual one-year extension and continuation of the committee to monitor the situation.

1.4.1 Short Title: This Year's Model

Moved, To extend eligibility for all works which are allowed by a resolution under the following sections of the WSFS Constitution:

3.2.3: The Business Meeting may by a 3/4 vote provide that works originally published outside the United States of America and first published in the United States of America in the current year shall also be eligible for Hugo Awards given in the following year.

3.2.4: A work shall not be eligible if in a prior year it received sufficient nominations to appear on the final award ballot.

This motion extends eligibility for the Hugo Award; therefore, it requires a 3/4 vote.

1.4.2 Short Title: Holding on for a HEROW

(To be moved only if This Year's Model is passed.)

Moved, To continue the Hugo Eligibility for the Rest of the World (HEROW) Committee as previously charged, with a new Chair and members appointed by the Chair of the Business Meeting, and with the Chair of the HEROW Committee authorized to add additional members to the committee.

Note that the current Chair of the HEROW Committee will not accept reappointment as Chair of the committee, although he will continue to work with the committee if it is renewed, because he has too many other things that tie up too much time.

1.5. Formalization of Long List Entries (FOLLE) Committee

Report is attached.

1.5.1. Short Title: Extended Folly

Moved, To continue the Formulation of Long List Entries (FOLLE) Committee until Noreascon Four under the same terms as previously constituted;

To direct the Committee to continue perfecting the Long List of Worldcons and NASFiCs; and

To direct the Committee to produce a Long List of Hugo Nominees and Winners.

2. Worldcon Reports

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