Further to Kay's message, here is the text of the motion adopted by the Board regarding the ECAC. Whereas, recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications, is one of the five expressed principles in Part 97 of the Federal Communications Commission's rules that describes the basis and purpose of the Amateur Radio Service; and Whereas, natural and man-made disasters in recent years have shown the necessity for the Amateur Radio Service to continue to improve its ability in providing emergency communications on behalf of the public; and Whereas, analysis of the issues related to Amateurs providing emergency communications can be beneficially provided to ARRL's Programs and Services Committee by a geographically diverse panel of emcomm experts. Now, therefore, an ARRL ECAC (Emergency Communications Advisory Committee) is established. 1. Committee membership shall follow the Rules and Regulations concerning Advisory Committees except that Section Managers are eligible. 2. Committee members should be exceptionally qualified and recognized members of the emergency communications community. Directors are encouraged to consult with the Section Managers in their Divisions in selecting the committee members. 3. The committee shall report to the Programs and Services Committee. 4. The activities of the committee shall be limited to studies of emergency communications issues that are national in scope. Staff will provide written guidance during start-up to ensure that members understand the parameters of the committee's responsibility. 5. The term of the committee shall be limited to three years. In considering appointments Directors should also refer to the following Rules and Regulations Concerning Advisory Committees: The following rules and regulations provide for the establishment of national Advisory Committees. Such committees shall be composed of amateurs qualified in various specialty areas of concern to the League. The Committees, acting in their areas of specialty, shall undertake studies, review proposals, and make recommendations to the League management. League members interested in serving on Advisory Committees should make themselves known to their Director. Each ARRL Division is represented on each Advisory Committee. The Division representatives to the national Advisory Committee also serve as special advisors to the Division Director. The Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) may also appoint a representative to each Advisory Committee. 1. Authority for establishing, terminating, or modifying terms of reference of any Advisory Committee rests with the Board of Directors. 2. Any proposal to the Board for the establishment of an Advisory Committee shall outline the purpose of the proposed Committee, the proposed scope of its activities and the Standing Committee of the Board to which it shall report. The proposal shall explain why its objectives cannot be met through the existing organizational structure of the ARRL. 3. The membership of any Advisory Committee shall consist of one Full Member of the League from each Division plus the representative to that Advisory Committee from the RAC who shall be a member of the League. Advisory Committee members are expected to be residents of the Division from which they are appointed and may not hold any League elective office (Officer, Director, Vice Director, Section Manager) during their tenure as a member of an Advisory Committee. Each committee member is appointed by the respective Division Director for a term concurrent with that of the Director. It is recommended that Advisory Committee members shall serve a maximum of six (6) years so as to provide diversity of views within the Division. The Advisory Committee members serve at the pleasure of the Director and shall be responsible to him for the proper performance of their duties. Directors should consider the following in selecting appointees to an Advisory Committee: a. Willingness to serve and participate in committee deliberations; b. Possession of knowledge and expertise in the committee's field of endeavor; c. The ability and willingness to communicate with others in writing and verbally. Communications includes the use of electronic media; d. The ability and willingness to participate in public forums. 4. Each year, the President shall designate one member of each Advisory Committee as chairman for that calendar year. Chairmen will serve in that post for no more than two one-year terms consecutively. Each chairman shall designate a vice chairman to assist him and to assure continuity in the committee's operation. 5. Each Advisory Committee shall report to an appropriate Standing Committee of the Board. The Chairman of the Standing Committee or his designee shall act as liaison to the Advisory Committee. The Executive Vice President shall designate Headquarters Staff to fulfill the functions of Resource and Administrative Liaison to each Advisory Committee 6. Advisory Committees initiate studies upon request by the Standing Committee of the Board to which they report. Proposals for studies may be made to the responsible Standing Committee by any of the following groups or individuals: a. By the Board of Directors; b. Between meetings of the Board, by the Executive Committee or the President; c. By a committee of the Board; d. By the Executive Vice President; e. By the Committee at its own initiative. The Board shall be advised promptly of the responsible Standing Committees' disposition of proposed studies. Advisory Committee recommendations shall be made in a timely manner to the appropriate Standing Committee and shall be advisory in nature. Status reports shall be submitted, to the Board Secretary, at least (30) days prior to any regular meeting of the Board. 7. Members wishing to express their opinion on a matter being studied by, or within the terms of reference of, an Advisory Committee are encouraged to communicate with their Division representative. To this end, the names and addresses of Advisory Committee members shall appear in QST at least annually. Space in QST and other League publications shall be available to the committees, as appropriate. 8. Advisory Committee members are entitled to the same privileges accorded Assistant Directors. 9. Incidental expenses are reimbursable according to guidelines adopted by the Board. Any expenses for the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) representative to any Advisory Committee shall be paid in accordance with RAC policy. 73, Dave K1ZZ -----Original Message----- From: Kay Craigie [mailto:n3kn@verizon.net] Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 1:33 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:18489] ECAC appointments Following the story on the web site mentioning establishment of the ECAC, I am getting a few inquiries from members about how to get on the committee. I'm acknowledging the messages and forwarding them to the appropriate Directors. Once the committee is populated, I will ask for Directors' input on whom to name as chair. 73 - Kay N3KN