NZLARPS National Committee quarterly summary July 2017.
The NZLARPS National Committee doesn’t formally meet, and instead conducts business through its Diatribe forum. As a result, we don’t publish formal minutes. Instead, we have decided to provide a quarterly summary of business.
Matters discussed
Since April the National Committee has:
- Uncovered a constitutional problem around financial transaction limits which threatens the ability of NZLARPS to fund existing projects. Following discussion, the committee voted to call a Special General Meeting to amend the constitution to allow business as usual to continue, and to consult NZLARPS members on what should be done in the long-term. The Auckland region will need to pass a motion validating its past spending at its regional AGM later this year.
- Continued to discuss GST registration. James has been meeting with accountants and has got some quotes for them to handle it for us, but the cost would be significant (~$1800 / year). At the moment it is looking like we will not exceed the threshold until at least August, so everything is on hold at present. But we are still likely to have to register at some point in the future as the society grows.
- Formally established a branch in the South Island (announcement here), and (following the procedure used on the establishment of the Wellington region) recognised an interim committee after consultations among South Island members. As part of this process the committee also agreed to hold the usual membership sale to boost membership in the new region.
- Discussed regional committee structures, and ways of ensuring that geographically large regions could guarantee geographic representation on their regional committees.
- Received a request from the Auckland region to amend project guidelines on a national level to add safety requirements (public consultation here). There was some discussion about the powers of regions to set their own guidelines within the constitutional ones, and a general agreement that there needed to be better information flow about project approvals. The IT officer has proposed an online form to solve this problem.
- The Auckland Marketing Officer has proposed a full constitutional redrafting to update the constitution and put it into more readable language. He has taken responsibility for it and is planning to have it ready for the AGM.
- Concluded an affiliation agreement with SAGA, Inc, the University of Canterbury gaming club. Details here.
- Discussed using Google Forms rather than email for online voting. This would enable automatic membership checking and vote counting, but there are some concerns around security.
- Discussed building our own ticketing system to incorporate with the NZLARPS website. It was generally agreed that this was a bad idea.
- Continued to discuss adopting a formal disciplinary process for handling complaints under the code of conduct.
- Continued to discuss the NZLARPS Facebook group and its links with NZLARPS.
- Received a report on proposals to establish a larping group in the Bay of Plenty.
- Received an update on membership numbers from the Secretary.
- The Treasurer announced that he will not be continuing in the role past the AGM.
Motions passed
2017-3 (1 May 2017): That we offer $10 membership rates in the South Island until 31 July 2017. 3 in favour (James, Naomi, Malcolm), 1 against (Brad), 1 abstention (Phillip).
2017-4 (2 May 2017): That we form a regional branch in the South Island. 3 in favour (James, Naomi, Malcolm), 1 abstention (Brad).
2017-5 (16 May 2017): That we recognise the people listed below as the interim South Island Committee.
List from here:
President: Matt Swain
Secretary: Sally Hayes
Treasurer: Edward Stutters
Gear Officer: Amber Coste
Marketing Officer: Stuart Stoddart
General Committee: Jennifer Hay and Jo East
4 in favour (James, Naomi, Malcolm, Brad), 1 abstention (Phillip)
2017-6 (18 May 2017): That NZLARPS affiliate SAGA.
3 in favour (James, Naomi, Malcolm), 2 opposed (Phillip, Brad). Affiliate agreement here.
2017-7 (18 May 2017): That we call an SGM to fix the transaction limit. 4 in favour (James, Naomi, Malcolm, Brad).