Re: Announcement

Hello All,

At the risk of further continuing this line of discussion unnecessarily, I offer the following:

The Bylaws of the American Iris Society, As Amended, Effective May 30, 2011, and available on the AIS website, states the following in regards to Committees:

ARTICLE VI - COMMITTEES

"The AIS Board of Directors shall, in furtherance of the purposes of the AIS, have the

authority to create and appoint committees and delegate to such committees powers

and functions as seem proper."

That is the ONLY mention of committees in the AIS Bylaws. And, a broad reading of that single sentence in our bylaws could be interpreted to include changing the name of the committee, as long as doing it would seem proper. And, in my view, changing the name from "National Collections, Display & Test Gardens" to the Gardens Committee, certainly seems proper. That is the same committee that was created by the AIS Board of Directors, but simply with a streamlined name.

The bylaws, as mentioned, delegates to such committees powers and functions as seem proper. Now, creating the two sub-committees that Jim announced (obviously with consultation and in concert with this committee) are well within the powers and function of the Gardens Committee. So, Bob Pries chairs the Gardens Committee, and Charlie Carver chairs the National Collections committee (a subcommittee of the Gardens Committee) and George Boyce chairs the Display and Test Gardens Program (a subcommittee of the Gardens Committee).

If you want further evidence that the Gardens Committee itself can create these subcommittees, here is an excerpt from Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised 11th Edition on page 497:

"A committee (except a committee of the whole) can appoint subcommittees, which are responsible to and report to the committee and not to the assembly."

So, broad reading of the bylaws (which gives precious little specific direction to the operations of a committee) and in reading Robert's Rules, the Gardens Committee is well within its power and function to create these two subcommittees; and Jim Morris, as AIS President and as an ex-officio member of the Gardens Committee is within his powers to name these subcommittees as he did. But, Bob Pries could have announced these subcommittees if he wished as well, since the Gardens Committee itself can appoint subcommittees.

Now, having said all of this, motions resulting in policy, managing committees may have been passed. But, if so, those are not published as standing rules and easily accessible with reference to the AIS Bylaws. Committee references in Roberts Rules becomes very complicated and involved. But, we also should reference tradition in regards to other AIS standing committees. The Exhibitions Committee is divided into subcommittees as well. And the Scientific Advisory Committee, when it was formed a number of years ago had 12 members (still has 5 members) and at times formed subcommittees on its own to review an article for the bulletin, or a grant proposal.

In my view, this announcement that Jim made regarding the Gardens Committee and its subcommittees, was and is appropriate, and within his power and the power and function of the Gardens Committee.

Thank you,

Gary White

From: Robert Pries <101p@rewrite.aisboard.org>
To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2015 2:04 PM
Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] Announcement

Susan; Do not bother; I will go back to using the old name. it is not worth your time or the time of this forum to be talking about or researching such matters. We spend entirely too much effort on dotting eyes when we should be thinking about things that make a difference. This is one of the reasons why we do not get productive work done. It would be really stupid to argue about changing a name when I really do not care if it is changed or not. It was just a convenience to me which it seems some people are not willing to extend. And I really would like us to spend our time on something constructive. Case closed.

From: "Susan Boyce" <100T@rewrite.aisboard.org>
To: "aisdiscuss" <aisdiscuss@aisboard.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2015 2:19:15 PM
Subject: RE: [AISdiscuss] Announcement

Hi all,

As Policy chair, I have been asked by a couple of people to review the by-laws and also Roberts Rules of Order, in regards to the changing of a Standing committee name, and the organization thereof. I will do so, but it may take a few days as I have been taking care of my daughter who had surgery last week.

In my view, (and others), following the RULES to make sure a committee is organized the right way, is not considered bureaucratic nonsense.

Susan Boyce

> Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2015 10:56:45 -0500
> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] Announcement
> From: 101p@rewrite.aisboard.org
>
> Janet: You should work as hard as you choose, but I do not wish to be kept from my work by bureaucratic nonsense. If you are trying to block the work of the committee then say that. But lets not quibble about what we name something if it is not going to have any real effect on how it functions.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "George and Janet Smith" <4f80107e1@rewrite.aisboard.org>
> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> Sent: Monday, February 9, 2015 8:19:27 PM
> Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] Announcement
>
> And you think yelling at me will make me work harder than I already
> am!
> I don't think so,
>
> Janet Smith
> Image Coordinator
> Photo Contest Coordinator
> Calendar Coordinator
> Digital/Slides Coordinator
> Slide Preservation Coordinator
>
>
> ---- Original Message ----
> From: 101p@rewrite.aisboard.org
> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] Announcement
> Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2015 11:28:55 -0500 (EST)
>
> >Dear Janet: The Committee remains the same It has either title. The
> >Display Gardens, Test Gardens and National Collections AKA the
> >Gardens Committee. It seems strange to waste time debating semantics
> >when there is so much real work to be done.
> >As I have said over and over the AIS is 5-10 years behind the general
> >society. we will never catch up if we do not consider where we are
> >going and set some goals. I would rather see AIS-Discuss talking
> >about real issues. In the last 10 years the AIS has changed but it
> >was 10 years behind 10 years ago and even with all its change the
> >world has moved forward also. So instead of 20 years behind we are
> >still only 10.
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "George and Janet Smith" <4f80107e1@rewrite.aisboard.org>
> >To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> >Sent: Saturday, February 7, 2015 10:34:24 AM
> >Subject: RE: [AISdiscuss] Announcement
> >
> >Wait, if you eliminate National Collections, Display and Test Gardens
> >title don't you now create new committees?
> >
> >So it should read---
> >
> >National Collections, Display and Test Gardens:
> >Bob Pries = Garden Committee Chair
> >Charlie Carver = National Collections Committee Chair
> >George Boyce = Display and Test Gardens Program Chair
> >
> >Then you have not created new positions but like the Exhibition
> >Committee stretched out the job duties instead of one person doing it
> >all.
> >
> >That makes more sense!
> >Janet Smith
> >Image Coordinator
> >
> >---- Original Message ----
> >From: 4f80107e1@rewrite.aisboard.org
> >To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> >Subject: RE: [AISdiscuss] Announcement
> >Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2015 13:07:33 -0800
> >
> >>So to make sure I understand this:
> >>
> >>1. Bob Pries = Garden Committee Chair
> >>2. Charlie Carver = National Collections Committee Chair
> >>3. George Boyce = Display and Test Gardens Program Chair
> >>
> >>Eliminating = National Collections, Display & Test Gardens Bob Pries
> >>as Chair.
> >>
> >>Thank you,
> >>
> >>Janet Smith
> >>Image Coordinator
> >>
> >>
> >>---- Original Message ----
> >>From: 1005@rewrite.aisboard.org
> >>To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> >>Subject: [AISdiscuss] Announcement
> >>Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2015 15:47:41 -0500
> >>
> >>>I am pleased to announce a new appointment and committee
> >>>rename/realignment.
> >>>
> >>>The former committee named National Collections, Display & Test
> >>>Gardens
> >>>will now be identified as simply the Gardens Committee, chaired by
> >>>Bob Pries.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>As part of this committee, Charlie Carver, Region 13, Orcas, WA,
> >>will
> >>>chair
> >>> the National Collections and will be added to the list-serve for
> >>AIS
> >>>
> >>>Discuss.*
> >>>
> >>>And, AIS Director George Boyce, Region 3, Pennsylvania, (doing
> >>double
> >>> duty
> >>>in Region 1, NJ & NY for the 2016 & 2020 AIS Conventions) will
> >>chair
> >>>the
> >>>Display and Test Gardens program.
> >>>
> >>>Jim Morris
> >>>President
> >>>American Iris Society
> >>>
> >>>*John Jones: please activate this.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>--------------------------------------------------------------------
> >-
> >>To sign-off this list, send email to the AIS Secretary
> >><aissecretary@irises.org>
> >>The archives for AISDiscuss are at:
> >>http://www.aisboard.org/lists/aisdiscuss/
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >---------------------------------------------------------------------
> >To sign-off this list, send email to the AIS Secretary
> ><aissecretary@irises.org>
> >The archives for AISDiscuss are at:
> >http://www.aisboard.org/lists/aisdiscuss/
> >
> >--
> >Bob Pries
> >Zone 7a
> >Roxboro, NC
> >(336)597-8805
> >
> >---------------------------------------------------------------------
> >To sign-off this list, send email to the AIS Secretary
> ><aissecretary@irises.org>
> >The archives for AISDiscuss are at:
> >http://www.aisboard.org/lists/aisdiscuss/
> >
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> To sign-off this list, send email to the AIS Secretary
> <aissecretary@irises.org>
> The archives for AISDiscuss are at:
> http://www.aisboard.org/lists/aisdiscuss/
>
> --
> Bob Pries
> Zone 7a
> Roxboro, NC
> (336)597-8805
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> To sign-off this list, send email to the AIS Secretary
> <aissecretary@irises.org>
> The archives for AISDiscuss are at:
> http://www.aisboard.org/lists/aisdiscuss/

Bob Pries
Zone 7a
Roxboro, NC
(336)597-8805