All:

As most of you will recall,  during the July board meeting I supported the creation of the Emergency Communications and Field Services Committee.  You may also recall that I expressed reservations with what I considered ‘over-reach’ with some of the language of the motion.   Even so, I believed the creation of the committee was in the best interest of the League and its members and that the language could be ‘cleaned up’ at a later date.  Looking at the language used to create other standing committees as a guide, it is my intent to ensure  that the language used should not be seen to be directive towards HQ staff.  Additionally, all board policy with respect to the operation of the League should be directed to the CEO (and only the CEO) who is responsible for implementation and operation of such policy. 

What follows is my initial attempt to do so.  I welcome any and all feedback.  I intend on introducing a motion at the January board meeting.

73,

Jeff Ryan, KØRM

Director, Rocky Mountain Division

ARRL—the national association for Amateur Radio®

9975 Wadsworth Pkwy K2-275

Westminster, CO 80021

303-432-2886

www.arrl.org

Proposed motion follows below,  following the existing bylaw.  A “markup”  version is included at the end to show the changes and my notes.

-------------beginning of motion-----------------------

Motion by:  Mr. Ryan

Second by:  (TBD)

Whereas: 

The creation of the Emergency Communications and Field Services Committee is in the best interests of the League and its members, and

Whereas:

                The board of directors wishes to ensure the establishing motion is not to be interpreted as directing Staff but rather to maintain the board’s advisory and policy role;

Therefore, be it resolved that the following changes are made to Bylaw 40:

The Existing Bylaw 40 (as noted on the ARRL Web Site):  (noted in italics for the purposes of differentiating)

40. The Emergency Communications and Field Services Committee (ECFSC) shall:

• Create and modify programs, services, training and advise the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Emergency Communications, with the objective of improving the League's support of, and training for, Section Managers, Section Emergency Coordinators, Section Traffic Managers, Affiliated Club Coordinators and other Field Service volunteers;

• Create and modify programs, services, and training and advise the Chief Executive Officer and DIrector of Emergency Communications, in the pursuit of "best practices" for the Amateur Radio Service in the provision of volunteer emergency communications through the League's Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and National Traffic System (NTS);

• Monitor and assess current and evolving trends in emergency communications technology, organizational structures, and participant skills in the United States and around the world, to assure the ARRL's maximum awareness of, access to and implementation of "best practices" in these fields;

• Create and modify programs, services, training and advise the Chief Executive Officer and National Club Coordinator, to improve the League's support for the ARRL's affiliated and Special Service Clubs, including such policy, programs, services, and training as necessary to assist the affiliated and Special Service Clubs in the recruitment and retention of new and existing licensees, Club and ARRL Members, and the enhancement of the technical and communications skills of their Members;

• Coordinate and cooperate with other Amateur Radio national societies, especially within IARU Region 2, in the development and expansion of the ability of Amateur Radio to provide emergency communications services;

• Provide guidance and direction to the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Emergency Management in translating Board and ECFSC policy into prioritized tasking, funding and staffing recommendations for the implementation of the Board policy, programs, services and training created or modified by the ECFSC;

• Provide guidance and direction to the Chief Executive Officer and National Club Coordinator in translating Board and ECFSC policy into prioritized tasking, funding and staffing recommendations for the implementation of the Board policy, programs, services and training created or modified by the ECFSC

• Recommend the creation or modification of Board policy that relates to or affects matters for which the Emergency Communications and Field Services Committee has responsibility.

• Consistent with the best governance of the ARRL, the Chairman and a majority of the Members of the ECFSC shall be selected from the Divisions with the greatest historical exposure to natural disasters.

Initial Membership

          Notwithstanding any provisions of the newly adopted By-Law 37, and at the request of, and with the consent of, the President, the current Members and Chairs of the Emergency Management Director Selection Committee, the Administration and Finance Committee, and Programs & Services Committee are appointed to serve as the Members and Chairs of the Standing Committees until the end of the next Annual Meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors.

To be amended as follows: 

1. First bullet:  delete the phrase “ Create and modify programs, services, training and”;  capitalize the subsequent word “Advise”
2. First bullet:  delete the phrase “and Director of Emergency Communications,”
3. Second bullet:  delete the phrase “Create and modify programs, services, and training, and”; capitalize the subsequent word “Advise”
4. Second bullet:  delete the phrase “and Director of Emergency Communications,”
5. Fourth bullet:  delete the phrase “Create and modify programs, services, training and advise”;  add the words “consult with” to the beginning of the sentence
6. Fourth bullet:  delete the phrase “and National Club Coordinator,”
7. Sixth bullet:  delete entire bullet
8. Seventh bullet:  delete entire bullet 
9. Ninth bullet:  delete entire bullet
10. Delete entire heading and sentence titled “Initial Membership” as it is now superfluous.

The resulting Bylaw  would read as follows:

40. The Emergency Communications and Field Services Committee (ECFSC) shall:

• Advise the Chief Executive Officer with the objective of improving the League's support of, and training for, Section Managers, Section Emergency Coordinators, Section Traffic Managers, Affiliated Club Coordinators and other Field Service volunteers;

• Advise the Chief Executive Officer in the pursuit of "best practices" for the Amateur Radio Service in the provision of volunteer emergency communications through the League's Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and National Traffic System (NTS);

• Monitor and assess current and evolving trends in emergency communications technology, organizational structures, and participant skills in the United States and around the world, to assure the ARRL's maximum awareness of, access to and implementation of "best practices" in these fields;

• Consult with the Chief Executive Officer to improve the League's support for the ARRL's affiliated and Special Service Clubs, including such policy, programs, services, and training as necessary to assist the affiliated and Special Service Clubs in the recruitment and retention of new and existing licensees, Club and ARRL Members, and the enhancement of the technical and communications skills of their Members;

• Coordinate and cooperate with other Amateur Radio national societies, especially within IARU Region 2, in the development and expansion of the ability of Amateur Radio to provide emergency communications services;

• Recommend the creation or modification of Board policy that relates to or affects matters for which the Emergency Communications and Field Services Committee has responsibility.

------------------------end of motion------------------------

A marked-up version, with my notes follows:

40. The Emergency Communications and Field Services Committee (ECFSC) shall:

• Create and modify programs, services, training and aAdvise the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Emergency Communications, with the objective of improving the League's support of, and training for, Section Managers, Section Emergency Coordinators, Section Traffic Managers, Affiliated Club Coordinators and other Field Service volunteers;   (Establishing policy should not include creating programs, services nor training which should be left to Staff to determine the specifics;  also,  language that mentions specific staff such as the EMComm director could easily be interpreted as the committee having the authority to direct staff, bypassing the CEO and any other chain of command)

• Create and modify programs, services, and training and aAdvise the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Emergency Communications, in the pursuit of "best practices" for the Amateur Radio Service in the provision of volunteer emergency communications through the League's Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and National Traffic System (NTS); (Establishing policy should not include creating programs, services nor training which should be left to Staff to determine the specifics;  also,  language that mentions specific staff such as the EMComm director could easily be interpreted as the Committee having the authority to direct staff, bypassing the CEO and any other chain of command)

• Monitor and assess current and evolving trends in emergency communications technology, organizational structures, and participant skills in the United States and around the world, to assure the ARRL's maximum awareness of, access to and implementation of "best practices" in these fields;

• Create and modify programs, services, training and advise Consult with the Chief Executive Officer and National Club Coordinator, to improve the League's support for the ARRL's affiliated and Special Service Clubs, including such policy, programs, services, and training as necessary to assist the affiliated and Special Service Clubs in the recruitment and retention of new and existing licensees, Club and ARRL Members, and the enhancement of the technical and communications skills of their Members;  (Establishing policy should not include creating programs, services nor training which should be left to Staff to determine the specifics;  also,  language that mentions specific staff such as the National Club Coordinator could easily be interpreted as the Committee having the authority to direct staff, bypassing the CEO and any other chain of command)

• Coordinate and cooperate with other Amateur Radio national societies, especially within IARU Region 2, in the development and expansion of the ability of Amateur Radio to provide emergency communications services;

• Provide guidance and direction to  the  Chief Executive Officer and Director of Emergency Management in translating Board and ECFSC policy into prioritized tasking, funding and staffing recommendations for the implementation of the Board policy, programs, services and training created or modified by the ECFSC; (this implies that the Committee will direct the CEO as to how the board policy should be implemented, including establishing the priority of tasks and staffing.  These are clearly staff functions which should not be within the purview of the board or any committee)
• Provide guidance and direction to the Chief Executive Officer and National Club Coordinator in translating Board and ECFSC policy into prioritized tasking, funding and staffing recommendations for the implementation of the Board policy, programs, services and training created or modified by the ECFSC; (this also implies that the Committee will direct the CEO as to how the board policy should be implemented, including establishing the priority of tasks and staffing.  These are clearly staff functions which should not be within the purview of the board or any committee)

• Recommend the creation or modification of Board policy that relates to or affects matters for which the Emergency Communications and Field Services Committee has responsibility.

• Consistent with the best governance of the ARRL, the Chairman and a majority of the Members of the ECFSC shall be selected from the Divisions with the greatest historical exposure to natural disasters.  (this clause unnecessarily restricts which directors can serve on this committee which would have a domino effect on which directors could serve on other committees.  When determining committee assignments, geographic residence should not be a measure of any director’s knowledge nor ability to serve and--  as with other committees--  the League president should retain the authority to appoint any director to any committee)

Initial Membership

          Notwithstanding any provisions of the newly adopted By-Law 37, and at the request of, and with the consent of, the President, the current Members and Chairs of the Emergency Management Director Selection Committee, the Administration and Finance Committee, and Programs & Services Committee are appointed to serve as the Members and Chairs of the Standing Committees until the end of the next Annual Meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors. (as the initial period has passed, this clause is no longer applicable, hence, it is superfluous and unnecessary)