Motions for upcoming SGM

nzLARPS
#1

The public consultation on the regional model was pretty conclusive, with 31 votes to 3 in support of the “one big society” model. We are now moving to hold an SGM to amend the constitution accordingly. At the SGM, we will be proposing two amendments: “The Regional Branch must have 15 members” and “The Regional Branch must have 10 members”.

These two amendments are obviously incompatible, and so in the event of them both passing, the one with the most votes will prevail. In the event of a tie, the chair will exercise their casting vote.

The Regional Branch must have 15 members
This reflects the status quo, as the minimum number of members required to form a new incorporated society is 15. It would signify a stronger local community which is better able to support itself. A 15-member region would be more likely to be able to fill the required 5 spots on a regional committee. The target is likely to be harder to reach for new regions.

The Regional Branch must have 10 members
This would make it easier to create new regional branches and spread NZLARPS throughout the country, in accordance with NZLARPS’ growth plan. It would also reflect the anticipated changes to the Incorporated Societies Act recently signalled by the government. A smaller branch may have trouble filling committee positions.

Because we expect most members to participate electronicly, the primary forum for debate on these motions is right here. if you have anything to say, if you think we’ve missed an important strength or weakness of either option, please speak up.

Notice of Special General Meeting: April 9, 2014
#2

I’m in favour of the 10 member minimum. As we reach into smaller cities and towns, some of the branches may start out quite small. I think it’s good to make it easy for them to form branches so they can start interacting with the society and get into the flow of running their committee, and they can grow later. Having said that, I’d be okay with the 15 member minimum too.

So, given I have a preference but ultimately just want one or the other option to pass, what’s the best option for voting? Should I vote for the one I prefer and abstain on the other, so I’m not counted against my less-favoured option reaching a majority?

#3

If you strongly prefer one over the other, vote for that option. If you’re happy with both, vote for both. If you’d rather things stayed the way they are on paper and new branches had to incorporate seperately, oppose both.

#4

Thanks Ryan for saying it is possible to vote for both if you’re happy with either - I was wondering if it was a one or the other (or no confidence) thing.

I will vote for both, however I would like to air a concern about having 10 members.

Many small clubs find that this is the brink of the precipice in terms of being able to get anything done. It only takes a couple of people to be detained from an event and the event becomes so much harder to pull off, and everyone else has to work harder to carry the activities.

The Wellington Medieval Guild has just de-incorporated for this reason; we have changed to the ‘Wellington Medieval social group’ who will basically hold the same status and possible activities, but because we have other priorities as well, we accept that we can’t hold it together as an incorporated society.

While the ten-member limit worries me for this reason, it also occurs to me that for being part of an umbrella group, NZLARPS regional branches will recieve support from the parent body and will not necessarily have so much of a burden on a small struggling branch.

I hope this train of reasoning helps others to think about the vote, whether you come up with reasons to like or refute it.

#5

I would vote for 10 because for reasons that Ryan states above, because it allows smaller groups to get the help of the society, but also because I think that number of members actually belonging and paying there fees, s often not the total number of people who will turn up to events, so it can still be effective in building the culture of an area.

#6

Personally I favour the 15 mark. I feel it is a much stronger representation that there really is enough of a community established to be self-sustaining. The change to becoming a branch of the Society represents quite a shift in how the community in that region will be perceived, going from being a community that needs help coming into existence, to being a community that is to be supported in developing and flourishing. I also disagree with the idea that only a smallish proportion of the community would sign up to NZLARPS at that time. Later on into a community’s existence, that is likely true, but early on I personally believe that there would actually be quite a high proportion of the community join up, so that 15 members could be reasonably estimated as representing a community no bigger than 20 likely regular attendees of games.

All that being said, I intend to vote for both, as I don’t have a great objection the 10 person level, and I would definitely like one or the other of the amendments to pass.