Nerditorial: I Call Bravo Sierra on Doug Ericksen (a Parli-Pro Rant)

An Open Letter to Whatcom County Council

Thursday, February 23, 2012

To: County Council

Fm: Shane Roth

Re: proposed Order of Business modification

Members of Council,

Nerditorial: Occupy Bellingham and Parli-Pro

It's been a while since I've indulged in a rant on parliamentary procedure... and I'm sure no one is more thankful for that than the readership of Latte Republic.

But that's all over now.

I've watched the Occupy Bellingham movement up close since it started up just a few weeks ago and this, weirdly enough, is relevant to parli-pro.

The Occupy Bellingham General Assembly events, held every day at 5:30 p.m., are almost text book examples of a parliamentary phenomenon known as a "mass meeting".

Mass meetings are temporary societies that make decisions as a group using rudimentary parliamentary procedures to do so...

It would be more accurate to say that Occupy Bellingham employs a method that is based on Consensus Building than traditional Parliamentary Procedures. The group is ostensibly leaderless, with the roles of Chair and Secretary filled by volunteer/appointed members who perform the function on a per meeting basis.

Nonetheless, from a parli-pro standpoint, this is an opportunity to see group decision making unfold in real time, and with real results.

This is not to be missed, even if you are not a parli-pro geek.

History doesn't happen every day.

Go down to Maritime Heritage Park on any given day at 5:30 p.m. and see the democratic process unfold.

Fridays are particularly well attended, but there is a General Assembly every day.

The more the merrier.

Nerditorial: Update on Starkenburg Contract (now with New and Improved FacePalm!)

Nerditorial: A Breach of a Continuing Nature

Nerditorial: Quorums and Governor Walker

Nerditorial: What to do about procedural errors... parli-pro triage.

This is a continuation of an article I posted on December 3, 2010.

Nerditorial: Did Someone Say Procedural Error?

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

(Original Author Unknown)

Nerditorial: Brett Bonner Rises to a Point of Order

Sam Taylor wrote an article in the Herald Politics Blog about an issue that has been brought to light by the indefatigable Brett Bonner. Latte Republic has posted extensively on this matter as well.

Now, it's my turn to chime in...

Straw Polls and Brown M&Ms: An Open Letter to the Whatcom County Council

To the Members of County Council:

I recommend that you cast a jaundiced eye at the next person who suggests that you take any vote characterized as a “straw poll” or any type of informal vote that could qualify for a standing invitation to the Annual Straw Poll Family Picnic And Restraining Order Renewal Breakfast.

Nerditorial: The Power of The One... Surviving The Legislative Zombie Apocalypse

One Council Member might be able to undo Resolution 2010-014.

But first, the little matter about when the Council passes a resolution, and then someone calls it “illegal”.

It must be understood that if the Council takes an action that is in direct violation of its Charter or the WCC, it is not a crime.

It is, however, a procedural error on an epic scale.

Legally, Resolution 2010-014 was not sustained, because the votes cast in favor of it did not have the legal authority to sustain the resolution in the first place.

Nerditorial: When is a Council not a Council? When it’s a Committee.

On Monday, April 12, a UGA settlement conference is scheduled to be held at Cornwall Church.

This one of my parli-pro rants, so continue only if you are willing to wonk this way...

Nerditorial: AB2010-143a, Parli-Pro, and You

Since the writing of this Nerditorial, County Council has delayed introduction of AB2010-143a for reasons not directly related to the concerns expressed here.

[from an e-mail I wrote to the County Council on March 30, 2010]
To the County Council:

There is language in AB2010-143a that is of unusual concern to me as a citizen. These concerns are expressed in this document.

I apologize for the length of the document, but to paraphrase Mark Twain... I didn’t have enough time to be brief.