December 18, 2022

Meeting opens at 1301
Agenda reviewed by Aurelia
Minutes of previous meeting reviewed and approved
Officer Updates
- Minister of Lists
  - No Update
- Herald
  - No new business
  - Heraldry workday mentioned
    - Unlikely to happen due to time prior to 12th Night
- Social Media Officer
  - No Updates
- Webminister
  - Unavailable
  - Wishes to remind people to share anything on Facebook be forwarded to her for cross-posting
- Chatelaine
  - Nothing to report
- Minister of Arts and Sciences
  - Reported by Edward
  - December A&S Report is in
  - People are very quiet about projects.
    - Aurelia made suggestions on how to get people to share what they’re doing.
  - 12th Night A&S is being organized.
  - No-Stress book club
    - Favorite or foundational work that shapes your SCA experience
- Knight Marshal
  - No changes since last time
- Exchequer
  - Ending balance for NOV $19571.07
    - Some uncleared checks
    - End of Q3 14712.32
    - There is a substantial check that has not cleared. Financial Committee met to organize budget
    - Reimbursement policy discussed
  - Financial Policy for Events
    - Issues regarding receipts being received after event report submitted
    - Reimbursement must be timely
    - Section 3 amendment
      - General Purchases
        
        New policy read by Rosaline
        
        Policy, along with Amendments, is in Appendix I of the minutes below.
      - Operating budget
        
        Each Department will be pre-approved for expenses
        
        All martial arts are to be directed via the Knight Marshal
- Seneschal Report
  - Branch Status Change
    - Official Binding Polling of the populace
      - Only blue-card carrying members can vote
    - This is official notice that we are moving forward with polling
      - There will be contact with the polling deputy
      - List of zip codes shall be compiled
      - Timeline discussed
        
        Polling runs no less than 30 days but no longer than 45 days
    - At least half of the polled populace must respond or the polling is null and void.
    - Polling shall take place after 12th Night to respect schedules
    - Forms will be counted within two weeks of receipt by EK
    - Once compiled and reported to EK Seneschal and Crown, they will report results.
    - EK is soliciting letters of opinion regarding the transition to Barony.
      - This includes dissenting opinions
    - Reminder of additional positions created by Barony
  - Addendum to bylaws
    - Full Addendum language is in Appendix II below.
    - Update details on Section III for shire terms of office
      - Misunderstanding on how things were written
      - In order to make bylaws fit actual practice, the bylaws will switch even/odd layout of Exchequer and Seneschal to reflect when they are elected and take office in practice.
      - There are three months’ time between election and taking office
      - Discussion
      - Julien offered to write a housekeeping bylaw amendment for the Q1 meeting
      - Original amendment removed from table
      - Aurelia may shorten term to correct for office term issues
      - Issue Tabled
    - Additional Marshal Officers
      - Misinterpretation of role of Knight Marshal Addressed
      - Budgetary issues discussed
      - The proposal for optional Marshal Offices
      - Concerns over Panteria expressed and addressed through the movement of that activity for the event, rather than a sustaining marshal activity
      - Distinction between Deputies of Seneschal and elected officers had
      - Motion placed on the Floor By Julien McBain
      - Votes
        
        9 For
        
        0 Against
        
        1 Abstain
    - Social Media Officer Election Year
      - Aurelia proposing it be in even-numbered years
      - Motion made by Aurelia
      - Votes
        
        8 For
        
        1 Against
        
        1 Abstain
    - Parliamentary Authority
      - Motion made
      - Motion made to table
      - Motion tabled.
  - What constitutes a meeting (Quorum)
    - Discussion regarding what forms a Quorum
    - Issues with what officers must be present
      - 3 required officers, one must be Seneschal or Exchequer
- Events
  - 12th Night
    - Event is moving along
    - Proposed Potluck on Friday Night
    - Taz will make a hearty dish to go with it.
    - Friday starts at 10am and goes until finished.
    - Hotel extended reservation until 16 December
    - 59 paid, 7 non-paid reservations
    - You can register on Paypal until 3 January
    - Court will start at 4pm, no morning Court
    - No list of classes submitted
    - Need for contact with Merchant Coordinator
    - Be prepared for a late night
    - Call for volunteers suggested
  - Panteria
    - Aldis will be autocrat for Panteria
    - Rena will be co-autocrat
    - Laura shall be Equestrian Liaison
    - Rosaline asking to be added to email chain as Exchequer
    - Julien will be Fencing Marshal-in-Charge
  - No other events have been proposed
- Any additional business opened to populace
  - Winter Ren Faire
- Next Meeting
  - 12 March 2022
  - Meeting to be at Rosaline’s house
  - 1300 EDT

Appendix I: Addendum to Financial Policy

Section 1: Reservations for Foreign Attendees

Residents of Tir Maria and other non-US countries are welcome to pre-register for any Shire event and pay upon arrival at the gate, as per the East Kingdom Exchequer Policy created on 3-16-2015 for Foreign Currency Accommodation (Event Reservations).

Support policy:

East Kingdom Exchequer Policy Created 3-16-2015 Foreign Currency Accommodation (Event Reservations)
To support all of the citizens of the East Kingdom, all groups shall have a reservation policy that relates to persons that live in a country that is different from the country from which an event is hosted.**

The default policy for groups that do not adopt a policy shall be:

Non-paid reservations will be accepted from foreign attendees for Royal Progress events. **
If a group’s reservation policy does not incorporate the Kingdom Default Policy, they should consult the Chancery of the Exchequer for approval of the policy.
Financial Policy requires all monetary instruments be deposited into a group’s account within very specific time frames after they are received. Thus ‘holding’ a foreign monetary instrument (to be returned to the person making the reservation) is not an acceptable policy.

Section 2: Complimentary Gate Passes

Panther Vale will waive the gate and feast fees for our seneschal, autocrat(s), feastocrat(s), the East Kingdom Crowns and Their Heirs, as well as Foreign Crowns and Their Heirs. The Shire will also waive both gate and feast fees for the Kingdom’s Crowns’ and Heirs’ immediate family, defined as partners/spouses and children.

Panther Vale will waive gate fees for key event staff defined in an event’s budget. This includes but is not limited to MiCs, Kitchen staff, and Coordinators. In order for a position to be considered for compensation, volunteers must put in a certain amount of time (based on the event*) either in pre-event planning, working during the event, or a combination of the two. Any kitchen staff who spends their event working on feasts will have their feast fees waived and be fed.

*this number will be determined later

Supporting law, rule

Exchequers handbook – II. INCOME CATEGORIES Income categories include gate registration, feast registration, camping/cabin rentals, etc. Registration income can be broken down by adult member registration, child registration and potential family cap. If your Branch offers discounts for kitchen workers, event stewards, feast stewards and other attendees, or if there are comps (complimentary passes) given, they must be clearly defined in your Branch Financial Policy (See SFP VIII A.8). Most Kingdom Financial Policies allow comps for attendance by Crown and Heirs (along with any visiting royalty).

SFP VIII A.8 – 8. Policies regarding event admission charges, refunds, or complimentary passes.

a. Non-members may not receive complimentary passes. However contractual obligations may be exempted on a case by case basis.
b. A written policy on refunds must be included, especially if the branch uses PayPal or any other approved event registration program.

Section 3: Reimbursement for Expenses

Section 1: General Purchases

Shire of Panther Vale members who make approved purchases for the Shire should submit the receipts to the exchequer as soon as possible for reimbursement by check. Every effort should be made to turn in original receipts but a clear facsimile or a copy of a bank statement will be acceptable. The exchequer will maintain a list of approved purchases, which will include the item(s), price and date approved. Reimbursement will not exceed the approved amount more than a small amount, for example sales tax. Any purchases that exceed the approved amount will need to be reviewed by the financial committee for a variance.

Section 2: Event Purchases

Purchases for event expenses shall be collected by the Autocrat for approval. Receipts need to be collected at the event, with possible pre-arranged exceptions allowing no later than 14 days after the event ends. Approved receipts should be submitted to the exchequer at the event, if possible, but not later than 15 days after the event.

Event expenses shall not exceed the approved event budget. The autocrat may reallocate minor expense amounts within the budget so long as the total event expense does not change. If there are expenses outside what was originally budgeted for the event, the autocrat must contact the Financial Committee immediately for explanation and approval of the additional expenses.

All expenses for an event are considered expenses for an event and must come out of the event’s budget. If there are items that would be deemed more appropriately as an item for the general use of the Shire, they must be approved through the official channels before they are purchased. The Shire will not approve expenses after the fact and they will not be reimbursed.

Section 3: Advances

It is the policy of the Shire to reimburse expenses. There are some high-priced purchases that require an advance, for example food for a feast. A check for an advance will be written for the smallest amount reasonable. Receipts must be collected for all funds that are advanced at the event, if possible, but not later than 14 days. If all advanced funds were not spent, the remaining amount must be collected with the receipts.

Supporting Law/Policy

Expense Reimbursement and Invoice Payment

NO RECEIPTS MAY BE REIMBURSED FROM THE CASH BOX AT EVENTS (SFP XI). Expenses shall be reimbursed by the Exchequer based on receipts tendered. In all cases, valid written receipts must substantiate disbursements. Expenses will only be paid with a valid invoice. Honoraria may be paid based on Financial Committee approval (a copy of a letter thanking the person included with the check serves as the documentation). Reminder: All Honoraria must be approved in advance and show on the Pre-Event Budget. All funds advanced in excess of receipts tendered must be returned to the Exchequer for deposit. This must be done within 30 days after the event. Exchequer should collect all the receipts as soon as possible, and set a cut-off point of 14 days after the event. That way you can meet the 30-day deadline for the Post-Event Report. When making reimbursements, keep track of how much of each budgeted category has been spent. If, for some reason, money is paid directly to a vendor personally for services rendered (such as honoraria, custodian fees or site rental to an individual), keep track of how much is paid over the year. If it‘s more than $600 and the branch is in the U.S., an IRS 1099 form will need to be filled out for that person. The Society Treasurer fills out the IRS form. The information required is name, SSN, Address, amount paid to them and for what. This information is to be sent to the Treasurer by December 31 of that year, as the SCA has to file with the IRS by January 30 of the following year.

If a specific policy does not exist, then we will defer to the East Kingdom Policy. If East Kingdom policy does not exist, we will refer to Kingdom policy.

Appendix II: Addendum to Bylaws Policy

11/22/22

Update the following:

Section III: Shire Terms of Office

The following officers shall serve for a term not to exceed four years: Seneschal and Chancellor of the Exchequer. The elections of the Seneschal and of the Chancellor of the Exchequer must only occur in concurrent years barring resignation or other vacancy. The election of the Seneschal will take place in odd numbered years. The election of the Chancellor of the Exchequer will take place in even numbered years.

**this is to align with how we have elected our recent seneschal and exchequer

3. The following officers will be elected in even numbered years: Chatelaine, Herald, Knight Marshal, Social Media Officer

**this was left out either as a mistake or because the position had not been added yet by EK law when the PV bylaws were written

Proposed Amendment: Additional Martial Officers

Additional Martial Shire Officers can be created as need arises. For a new marshal officer position to be added, there must be a regular sustaining practice for a season, for an outdoor only activity, or six months, for flexible activities that can be held both indoors and outdoors. If a Shire member wishes to call for the addition of a martial officer position, they must provide the appropriate information as called for here to the Seneschal via email at least 30 days prior to the next business meeting. The position will be announced with the agenda of said business meeting, including a call for any eligible members to put their names forward to fill the position. To be considered eligible for the position, one must meet East Kingdom officer requirements and be a warranted marshal of the desired activity. The position will be made official at that business meeting and a vote will be taken. The officer position shall follow all protocol as outlined in the Shire Bylaws, with the only exception being that the newly elected position will begin immediately after the new officer is voted in rather than waiting until the start of the next calendar year. Possible positions include but are not limited to: Marshal of Fence, Captain of Archers, Marshal of Equestrian Activities, Captain of Combat Archers, Siege Marshal. If the practice is inactive for the same amount of time as mentioned previously, the Office will be removed by the Seneschal at the following business meeting until the activity is revitalized and the position is again requested.

*Knight marshal only covers Armored Combat. Therefore, as there are other martial activities in the shire, it would benefit the shire to have a policy in place to cover other activities..

**Covid time will not count towards or against listed times if there was a pre-existing regular practice before this.

***This will provide some clarity to our budget as we will not be allocating funds to activities that do not exist or are not regular in our shire.

Quarterly Meeting Minutes: Q4 2022