Minutes Østgarðr Commons meeting October 20, 2017
Transcribed by Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
Roll Call
• Branimira of the Isles, Hostess
• Suuder Saran, Viceroy
• Lada Monguligin, Vicereine
• Francesco Gaetano Greco d’Edessa, called Bish, Seneschal
• Ian of Clan Mitchell, Chamberlain
• Katherine Gilliesfleur, Deputy Chamberlain
• Brekke Franksdottir, Lions End Seneschal
• Rufina Cambrensis, Chronicler
• John Elys, Deputy Chronicler
• Alec MacLachlan, Fencing Deputy
• Richard the Poor of Ely, Historian
• Angelica di Nova Lipa, Exchequer
• Alienor Salton, Whyt Whey Seneschal, Acting Webminister
• Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin, Youth Combat Marshal
# Absent Officers
• Mongu Chinua, Herald (preparing Goat’s Tavern site; report submitted)
• Beatrice della Rocca, Chatelaine (on vacation; report submitted)
• Wilhelm of Northpass, Northpass Seneschal (preparing Goat’s Tavern site; report submitted)
• Marion of York, Fencing (power outage; nothing to report)
• Sofya Gianetta di Trieste, Minister of Arts & Sciences (on expedition to Drachenwald)
• Ervald LaCoudre, Knight Marshal (on expedition to Drachenwald)
• Erich Guter Muth, Minister of Lists (on vacation)
• Arnbiorg Helga Niálsdóttir, Archery
• Brandr Aronsson, Brokenbridge Seneschal
Opening
The meeting was called to order at 8:01.
Officers Reports
# Bish, Seneschal
• Northpass has a new seneschal, Wilhelm. He is interested in recruiting a replacement.
• Northpass asked if a person who lives outside the canton can serve as seneschal. EK law (as confirmed by EK seneschal) says it is allowed if their canton bylaws specifically allow it.
• Oliver is willing to serve, but lives in a part of the province that is just outside border of the canton.
• Oral history suggests that Whyt Whey used to have such a provision as part of its bylaws, but that it was later removed.
# Lada, Vicereine
• Important to note that, if planning an event, please check to avoid conflict with neighbors. Use the seneschals’ list to ensure that you find events that weren’t listed on the EK calendar yet.
# Bish, Seneschal
• From EK, edict from Queen, Mord has been banished from the royal presence for the remainder of the term.
• Ian: 91 knights and masters submitted petition requesting court of chivalry, to banish from the kingdom for the remainder of the term.
# Rufina, Chronicler
• Seahorse is out. Encourage people to subscribe. It’s free and makes a tasty snack.
• Question: Would you consider moving the Seahorse mailing list to the EK server? This would simplify subscription process, and would mean that other people would be able to send the Seahorse if you were unavailable.
• Rufina: Prefer to keep current process as avoids issues with EK server downtime.
• John: Sending mechanism is via Panix command line. Agree that we should have that process documented, backed up somewhere.
• Question: Can we post issues of the Seahorse to the provincial web site?
• Rufina: Yes, this is possible; wasn’t done in recent years but have no objection to doing so in the future.
# Angelica, Exchequer.
• We have money, about the same amount as last time.
• Process for PayPal setup is underway, awaiting signoff from Lada, which is forthcoming.
• Once completed, PayPal can be enabled on an individual event basis, which means that people could pay for their reservations to that event by PayPal or credit card.
• Paypal does take a few percentage points as a fee, but the convenience makes it worth the overhead for some people.
• Some confusion about whether this would impact process for accepting checks, but no changes to that side of things at this time.
# Mathghamhain, YC
• Demos at Queens Farm and Cloisters were well received.
• We’ll have a small meet at Goat’s tomorrow.
• Efforts to hold local practice in Central Park have been stymied by scheduling difficulties; recent Wednesday and Saturday proposals were swamped by conflicts with after-school activities, sports teams, and high-school admissions craziness. Will keep trying.
# Alienor, Whyt Whey
• Seventy three(!) volunteers, many from other land groups, assisted at our Cloisters demo at Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival at the beginning of the month. Extremely successful outreach & engagement.
• We had a weaving workshop as our A&S activity this month, complete with celebrity weaving visitor from An Dubh. 🙂 Very informative. Many thanks to Lady Angelica for teaching this class.
• Our Schola in the Solar is next week. We still have room for attendees! We are offering 11 classes for a range of experience from novice to proficient, please check them out on our website: http://whytwhey.eastkingdom.org/2017/10/11/schola-in-the-solar/
# Alienor, Acting Webminister
• Recently streamlined the web site.
• New Google inquiry form, 14 submissions.
• Document library will be made public on site soon.
• Bish: could we add links to office-specific forms like heralds’ quarterly reports?
• John: In addition to EK law we used to have a link to SCA corpora here.
• Alienor: (post-meeting addition) I forgot to mention the novice’s mailing list, newcomers
ostgardr.eastkingdom.org, managed by our Chatelaine, to which the newest inquirers from Cloisters & Queens Farm demos have been added.
# Brekke, Lions End
• Working on a demo in Farmingdale on June 2nd (raindate June 9th).
• Lions in Spring, our local bardic competition and arts schola, scheduled for fourth weekend in April.
• Trying to make this an annual event.
# Katherine, Deputy Chamberlain
• Green and white is out, will be returned soon.
• Alienor: We need to arrange to return this from our storage unit. Will follow up with Ian via email to find a time, maybe after next week, when Math or Alax can assist with the unloading.
• Katherine: Feast gear is still out, maybe have it brought back this winter?
• Ian: Maybe leave it in Northpass because that’s where it is most often used?
• Katherine: Fine to leave it there if we get an updated inventory.
• Bish: were new knives purchased?
• Ian: expense was authorized.
• Angelica: check was written.
• Bish: Presumably that means they’ve been purchased and are in collection in Northpass.
• Katherine: We should get the inventory updated to be sure.
# Richard, Historian
• Is it true that at An Dubh investiture, Sofya received a Maunche and was made a Laurel, both on the very same day?
• All: yes, it may seem crazy, but it’s true. Also was apprenticed and then released from apprenticeship.
• Richard is assisting several people who are investigating history for 50th.
• Annals are being shared now and plan is to print a nicely formatted copy for 50th.
• Lada: We could have scribes write it out. Maybe Alienor could work with other scribes to letter the whole thing?
• Richard: there’s a type of historical document called a canon table; we could do one of those for each of the various championships, each order, etc.
• Lada: there is a Seadog scroll which we need to update with recent recipients.
# Alec, fencing
• Have been holding practices in Central Park. Attendance last month has only been 2-4 people.
• Investigating an indoor space for use over the winter
• New Facebook page under construction for local fencing efforts named “HART”
• Several people: make sure you avoid confusion with the Hart of the Kingdom of Acre
# Chinua, herald, reported by proxy
• There was a court at Cloisters. New champions were selected. No precedence-creating awards given out.
# Wilhelm, Northpass, reported by email
• My apologies that I could not be able to attend in person but I am onsite helping to prepare for Goat`s Tavern. First, I look forward to seeing many or most of you there. If any of you are not yet decided on your attendance, you should consider the many classes, the great company, and the joy of gathering at the Blue Mountain lodge. It should be excellent.
• We completed another Barleycorn (John Barleycorn Silver Celebration) and appreciate greatly Lady Aurora ffolkes for her running of the event. We love the site and have happily run the event for either at least a quarter century and appreciate the support that Northpass has received from Greater Ostgardr and beyond. It is a very large endeavor and we will be beginning to plan for next year soon. There is a few remaining reporting items that have yet to be in final form as of this writing but all is in order.
• The other item of note is some officers have changed in the last few months. Firstly, Lord Thomas has stepped down, effective immediately after announcement at our last Northpass commons. The Cantonal Knight Marshal position is also newly declared open. So, as drop dead I am newly re-minted to be the Seneschal. I do not expect a long term though and my goal is to get deputies and seek one of them to take the post as soon as he /she is ready and willing.
• We have a very long list to things that are in process so we expect to have much to report going forward.
# Beatrice, chatelaine, reported by email
• We have had a great last month, with some really wonderful demos. Cloisters, by Whyt Whey was tremendously successful, with larger numbers than we had last year, from all reports. The weather was beautiful, and everyone had a great time. We also had Queens Farm demo, which was my first time there. Despite some unfortunate circumstances on my part, a good time was had by all. I think it’s a demo with a great deal of potential, and I’m looking forward to working with the autocrat to make it even better next year.
• All told, we had 86 potential newcomers sign up for more information. They have been added to a new mailing list, and information sent to them.
• Gold Key is still in good condition and all accounted for. A tub will be sent up to Goat’s Tavern this weekend, with Lady Angelica di Nova Lipa, my new deputy. Many thanks to the folks who reached out and asked for it.
Officer Elections
# Bish
• Several people have put in for officers positions.
• Lada: if you don’t have a deputy, publicize that you are looking for recruits.
• Bish: Open offices are seneschal, herald, webminister, fencing, chronicler,
• Alienor: Why is Exchequer not up for replacement, given that she has served for two years?
• Several people: Because it’s in the bylaws that Seneschal and Exchequer should not change hands at the same time because they are key members of the provincial finance committee.
• Others: We’ve reviewed the bylaws and they don’t mention this issue.
• John: There is a Policy and Procedure Manual, the PPM, which contains additional rules that aren’t in the bylaws. Some processes were recorded in this separate document to make it easier to change them without the overhead of changing the bylaws.
• Mathghamhain: I’ve never heard of this document and it does not appear to be available online.
• Lada: Would the current exchequer like to step down?
• Angelica: yes, as family obligations mean that sometimes I am out of town for several months which makes it hard to fulfill the duties of the office.
• Several people: Richard is the emergency deputy exchequer; perhaps he could be convinced to serve for one year and then seek new candidates in the next year’s election cycle.
• Richard: let me think about it overnight.
• Mathghamhain: we should put out a call for volunteers to either take on this role or serve as deputy.
Future events:
# Vika & Thorfinn, submitted by email
• Thorfinn and Vika intend to run Picnic in the Ruins again, at the same site. We will submit our proposal to the parks department in early November when proposals open up, and will request the last weekend in April, and failing that, the first Sunday of May. We won’t know whether we have the site for several months, and will update the officers when we find out.
• Several people: Need to resolve conflict with Lions in Spring
• Alienor: (post-meeting addition) Thorfinn and Vika have been informed and will select a non-conflicting date.
# Lada
• Deck the Halls of Valhalla, Jan 13, same plan as last year
# Lada
• K&Q bardic in Feb
• Have volunteers, could use more general assistance
• Would like to find a volunteer for royal liaison, although maybe royals will provide one from their end. Volunteer needs to be available for the full day, interested in playing this type of role, and able to go up & downstairs with ease.
• Was investigating hotel block, $125/night for nearby hotel. Regular rate is $160.
• Question about whether we should sign this contract as it requires that we’re on the hook if the event is cancelled.
• Need to decide this in next few weeks.
• Angelica: let’s check rates via alternate booking mechanism, and check the wording of contract.
• Lada and Angelica will discuss, and are empowered to make this decision as they see fit.
• Bish: would welcome the input of anyone who is running for next term of seneschal.
# Rufina:
• Musicians’ Day is usually in November, not happening this year due to site issues, but maybe next year.
• Also, unrelated, Alexandre and Eularia are in Finland for Drachenwald crown tourney.
# Katherine:
• Queens Farm about to go into quiet period for the winter, we could approach them to use their education building for events.
• They have a big space that could be used for a large A&S event, tent painting project, or other craft event that needs space.
Other Business
# Lada:
• Bylaws committee, want to meet at our place sometime soon? Propose Nov 12.
• Committee members will discuss and confirm.
• Alienor: do you want a mailing list for the committee?
• Lada: yes.
# Bish:
• Any updates on the regalia committee?
• Lada: No recent changes. There are a couple of design ideas in circulation. We’ll present those after we have a chance to talk w. Sofya.
Upcoming Meetings
• Nov 17: at Chinua’s in Staten Island
• Dec 15: at John and Rufina’s in Richmond Hill
• Jan 19: at Alienor’s in Manhattan
• Bish: thanks to Branimira for hosting tonight’s meeting here at her home.
• All: Enthusiastically seconded.
Closing
• Richard: Motion to adjourn, 9:12
• Many people: seconded