These are guidelines for running Ildhafn - mostly how meetings work, etc. Comments welcome. Current version adopted at February 2019 meeting.
Barony of Ildhafn Governance Guidelines
November 26, 2012; updated March 2016; updated Febrary 2019
1 Definitions
Officer
The local deputy of one of the Kingdom Greater or Lesser officers as defined in Lochac Laws IV.1, i.e., Seneschal, Blue Lymphad Herald, Knight Marshal, etc.; plus any other named officer appointed by the Barony, e.g., Quartermaster.
Committee
The group of all Officers, plus the Baron and Baroness.
2 Procedures
Meetings
Committee meetings are held for the purpose of discussing the regular and occasional activities of the Barony, for approving new event proposals, and for approving expenditure.
Officers should attend meetings whenever possible. All other members of the populace are invited to attend and share their opinions about the running of the group.
Calling Meetings
Committee meetings should be advertised on the Ildhafn email list and website two weeks in advance. An agenda should be sent out as far in advance as reasonably possible to give people time to consider items and send feedback.
Committee meetings must be held with sufficient frequency as to allow for the proper running of the Barony.
Committee meetings are conventionally held once per month at the Seneschal’s house.
In-person meetings should be held at least quarterly.
Quorum
Quorum for Meeting is four people who are members of the Committee. They must be attended by the Seneschal, or their nominated deputy.
If a meeting falls below or can't achieve quorum, the committee can proceed with reasonable business; large expenditure items should be deferred or handled via the mailing list, but less important matters might be able to proceed.
Reports
All Officers should be ready to report at the Meeting, either verbally or in writing.
Decisions
Event proposals, public activities (e.g., demonstrations), financial expenditure and the disposal or use of Baronial property shall be approved by a simple majority vote of those present (including people who aren't officers). The Seneschal retains the right of veto.
Bigger decisions require wider consultation; spending $10 on a new grater doesn't need the whole group to be notified, but spending $1000 on new tablecloths should be discussed with the whole group and not just the committee.
Minutes
Minutes of the Meeting are to be published on the website within two weeks of the Meeting. (They can be entered directly onto the website, which means they can be published immediately.)
3 Purely electronic communication
Medium
The Barony maintains an email list (“Ildhafn Committee List”) for discussion of business outside of in-person Committee meetings.
Decisions
Decisions may be made on the Committee List on the basis that either
1. The decision finalises or confirms a discussion at a in-person meeting, or
2. The decision is ratified at the next regular meeting.
Exceptional expenses
Exceptional expenses authorised as per Section 6.1.1 of the SCANZ Financial Policy must be notified promptly (within 3 days) to the Commitee list and ratified either at an in-person meeting or on-list within 1 week.
4 Other
Account signatories
At any time there must be at least three financial members who are signatories to the Baronial bank account. The list of signatories is to be published on the website.
Alteration of Guidelines
These guidelines may be altered by a simple majority vote at two consecutive Meetings. If the proposed change is accepted at the first Meeting, it is to be advertised – on the Ildhafn list and website – for ratification at the second Meeting.
Relevant SCA Rules and Procedures
This appendix contains extracts of possibly relevant existing rules and guidelines, along with their sources for further consultation. The sources consulted were: Corpora, Society Seneschal’s Handbook, Lochac Kingdom Law, SCANZ Financial Policy, Lochac Procedures Manual, SCA Financial Policy.
Last updated/checked in 2012. These have been updated since then, need to check if the changes have any effect on our policies.
A.1 Rules/Charters/Guidelines
Lochac Procedures Manual 2.2 Charters
2 “If they find it useful to codify their customs, branches and organizations such as orders, guilds, and so on, are permitted to create charters. Charters are primarily administrative tools that can help the group Kingdom of Lochac Procedures Manual to define structure and procedures.”
5.2.2 Appointing New Officers
“Some Baronies and Shires have standard procedures relating to the appointment of officers. It should be noted that these procedures have no force, as SCA law does not recognise charters, constitutions, policies or procedures of a branch below that of Principality. However, if the procedures/policies are congruent with Kingdom law and Corpora...., and they are acceptable to the populace, they should be followed as a guideline wherever possible.”
A.2 Role of Seneschal
Corpora IIA Society Events Defined “All Society events must be sponsored by branches of the Society, registered with the Seneschal of the sponsoring branch....”
IID Individuals in Charge of Events “Where an event involves only one type of Society activity, the responsible member is the appropriate branch officer, or someone dignated by that officer...Where an event includes a variety of activities, the responsible member is the branch Seneschal or someone designated by the branch Seneschal...”
IIE Duty to Enforce Requirements
“2. The responsible officer for the event may find it necessary to remove Society sanction for the event, or call the appropriate civil authorities, such as police, fire, or medical personnel. If the responsible officer cannot or will not do so, the senior Seneschal present, or (in cases involving the Rules of the Lists) the senior Marshal present shall do whatever is necessary....”
“3....it is the responsibility of the officers, particularly the local or Kingdom Seneschal, to ensure that the modern authorities are promptly notified.”
The Lochac Procedures Manual has much more to say on the role of the Seneschal.
A.3 Requirements for Barony
Corpora IIIC
“Barony: area administered by a Baron and/or Baroness, the ceremonial representative(s) of the Crown” and “5...A set of officers acceptable to the Crown...”
Corpora VB
“4. A territorial Baron or Baroness may hold any other Society office for which he or she is fitted and qualified, save only those of Baronial Seneschal and Baronial Exchequer,...”
A.4 Controls on expenditure etc.
SCANZ Financial Policy
2.1 Approved Controls on Accounts
“Approved controls on accounts are requiring two signatures for withdrawal...”
2.3 Signatories
“...At least three officers of the same Branch, or other persons approved by the SCANZ Committee must be listed as signatories on any account.” And “The listed signatories shall be reviewed at least every 2 years and/or when there is a chage of reeve...”
6.1 Responsible officers
“All expenditure must be authorised in advance by two or more persons designated by the Branch....In the case of a Branch account, this should include the Branch Treasurer and/or Seneschal.” And “In emergency situation only, the Seneschal or Branch Treasurer of the branch may authorise expenses on a case-by-case basis. This type of authorisation should be severely limited and must be reviewed within 7 days by the normal authorisation procedure.”
6.1.2 Baronies
“Larger branches, which are those known as Baronies, shall establish a Committee of no fewer than five (5) persons with at least the Seneschal, Treasurer and either the Baron or Baroness as members of this committee with authority to approve major expenditures.”
A.5 Society FP (for reference)
VII FINANCIAL COMMITTEES
“A. All assets (funds and non-cash assets) held in the name of the SCA must be managed by a Financial Committee.
B. All voting members of a Financial Committee must be paid members of the SCA.
C. Financial Committees must have a minimum of three voting members. A simple majority is the minimum requirement for approval of all actions.”