CONVENTION 2 RECORD
Members Convention Index New Constitution
07/09/2002
Beginning of Constitutional Convention 2. 15 invitations sent out. Ben Suda of ND, Barry W. Pezzullo of IN and Steve Mount of VT will attend.
07/10/2002
Ken Grady of CA and Dennis Lapcewich of WA will attend.
07/22/2002
Message Board for correspondence/discussion/debate set up by Mr. Mount.
08/09/2002
Webb Ferrall of PA will attend.
08/19/2002
Barry Richard Morrison of WA will attend.
08/20/2002
Mr. Ferrall recommends we publish the reasons for what we produce, in addition to the new Constitution document itself. Chair suggests this be discussed after the formal Call to Order and adoption of rules.
Mr. Pezzullo nominates Mr. Slavin as Chairman. Mr. Slavin accepts, with the proviso that perhaps nominations should come after rules are adopted.
08/22/2002
Official Call to Order by Mr. Slavin as temporary, de facto Chairman, including proposed rules of procedure.
Mr. Pezzullo renews his nominaton of Mr. Slavin for Chairman and requests a second.
08/24/2002
Mr. Mount seconds the nomination of Mr. Slavin. Mr. Ferrall votes for Mr. Slavin.
Discussion of procedural rules continues.
08/25/2002
Mr. Mount opens debate. Mr. Lapcewich requests debate wait until rules are adopted.
Discussion of proposed rules continues.
08/26/2002
Mr. Lapcewich moves the Convention adopt Robert's Rules of Order, with two additions: 1) friendly amendments to a motion to be permitted, if the mover and seconder concur; and 2) that each poster be limited to two postings, to be extended only by approval of incidental (non-friendly) amendment. Mr. Slavin rescinds his original motion regarding rules in favor of Mr. Lapcewich's motion, and seconds the same. Mr. Mount votes in favor.
Mr. Lapcewich makes a motion as to technical procedure on the Message Board - that the Subject Line include the word "Motion" when a motion is made, then to be changed to "Debate" for discussion of a seconded motion.. Seconded by Mr. Slavin and agreed to by Mr. Mount.
Mr. Lapcewich moves that debates be limited in time to one week from the date a seconded motion has been opened for debate. Mr. Mount and Mr. Morrison concur with the proviso that this may be altered in the future should experience dictate a different time period.
Mr. Mount inquires as to technical procedure for the Message Board - whether the automatic inclusion of a posting to which one is replying should be turned off. Mr. Slavin opposes. Mr. Suda concurs.
08/27/2002
Discussion of rules continues. Mr. Morrison votes for Mr. Slavin for Chairman.
Mr. Ferrall opposes Mr. Mount's suggestion to turn off the auto-inclusion.
Mr. Ferrall makes the motion that "Any seconded motion for a rule supercedes all discussion until the rule is accepted, rejected, or postponed. Such motions to be dealt with in the order of posting." Mr. Morrison seconds. Mr. Slavin concurs.
Mr. Ferrall makes the motion that: "1) A motion is accepted or postponed on the concurrence of three-quarters of the members voting within (time period); and 2) Membership participation of greater than fifty percent is required for a vote to be considered valid."
Mr. Slavin concurs with the motion to limit debate to one week.
Mr. Slavin posts all pending motions in one post and requests all be answered soon, to complete the adoption of rules and begin the Convention proper.
Mr. Pezzullo votes in favor of all pending motions.
Mr. Lapcewich proposes some additional rules clarifications.
08/28/2002
Mr. Morrison clarifies his votes on several issues.
Mr. Slavin agrees with Mr. Lapcewich’s rules proposals.
Mr. Pezzullo clarifies a vote on one issue.
08/29/2002
Mr. Ferrall clarifies his vote on several issues. For some items he indicated “postpone.” Since there has been no motion to postpone, Mr. Slavin records such votes as “no.”
Mr. Slavin posts the votes to date and requests any final clarifications.
09/04/2002
Debate has continued over the rules of procedure. The vote on the Chairman will be final the evening of 9/5/02; the vote on adoption of Rules, Time Limit, Subject Titles (1st motion) and the Priority of Motions will be final the morning of 9/6/02. Debate will continue on Subject Titles (2nd motion) and the requirement for Majority and Quorum. Since the issue of Majority and Quorum has not yet been decided, the Chair is accepting a majority vote on the remaining items.
Mr. Lapcewich moved, and Mr. Morrison seconded, that certain protoccols be observed among the members.
09/05/2002
Debate begins regarding the motion on member protoccols, entitled “Addressing the Members.”
Mr. Ferrall moved, and Mr. Morrison seconded, that the Chair shall be entitled to vote; provided, however, that the Chair may be excluded from voting on a particular measure by a majority vote of the other members, upon seconded motion to that effect. This motion, entitled “Chair Vote,” is moved into debate.
Mr. Pezzullo moves, seconded by Mr. Lapcewich (and superfluously seconded by Mr. Grady) that a Member may yield to another Member one or both of his two permitted posts on a given debate, should the former member wish to do so.
The vote on Mr. Slavin as the Chairman passes.
09/06/2002
The motion “Majority and Quorum,” having been debated for one week, is put to a vote, which vote shall be reported after the 9/13/02 deadline.
The motion “Yielding Debate Posts” begins debate.
The following motions pass: Priority of Motions; Rules of Order; Subject Titles (1); Time Limit for Debate.
09/07/2002
Voting continues on the Majority and Quorum motion.
Debate continues on Chair Vote, Yielding Debate Posts, Subject Titles (2) and Addressing the Members.
09/08/2002
Voting continues on the Majority and Quorum motion.
Debate continues on Chair Vote, Yielding Debate Posts, Subject Titles (2) and Addressing the Members.
Mr. Mount raises a point of order regarding the requirements to pass a motion while the Members are still considering a measure that will provide for this, specifying that a simply majority of votes cast is sufficient in Robert’s Rules of Order (already passed, with some unrelated modifications). Mr. Lapcewich, the Convention’s parliamentarian, and the Chair concur.
09/09/2002
Voting continues on the Majority and Quorum motion.
Debate continues on Chair Vote, Yielding Debate Posts, Subject Titles (2) and Addressing the Members.
01/09/2003
After a holiday recess, Mr. Pezzullo moves that the Chair from the current membership, call the roll. The Chair will set a deadline for members to respond, any member not responding will be dropped from the Constitutional Convention as an active member. Mr. Ferrall seconds. The Chair set the 7-day voting deadline, as mandated by the Rules. The Chair skipped the Debate phase, since members appearing for debate would thereby indicate their presence, in accordance with the motion, thus precluding the need for debate.
As to events occurring during the four-month hiatus since 09/09/2002, interested parties may viewing the Voting Records page for the outcome of various motions made, since the Chair did not maintain this Record during the hiatus. Failed motions are included as well as passed motions, as is a new link to the Rules of Debate.