[maemo-community] Getting the ball rolling for council elections, and proposal to lengthen terms

[From: Simon Pickering]

> > I would also like to propose that we concurrently run a referendum 
> > (yes, another one) on lengthening the council's term to one year.
> 
> I see the council as primarily a reactive role (shepherding 
> some of the key events like the summit, GSoc etc.); and so 
> I'm interested to hear from people who think that there are 
> things the council should be doing which we haven't been 
> (either because they're too big for our scope or whatever).
> 
> > If the council agrees, I'd like to see us run this referendum 
> > concurrently, and thus it would apply to the council elected in March 
> > 2010 (since it seems really weird for me to have it apply to people 
> > who only signed up for 6 months in September).
> 
> Personally, it's not something I'd support. However, I'm 
> happy to open it up to a referendum if there's a support for 
> both sides (or even overwhelming support in favour of the idea).
> 
> In particular, how would Simon & Eduardo - both people who 
> didn't stand again - feel about tying themselves in for a *year*?

Although I've not got married and work is quieter so I will be looking at
standing again, I'm not sure I'd want to stand for a year - mainly because I
really can't see that far ahead (well I can't see 6 months ahead either, but
if I suddenly get very busy at least someone else will soon be able to be
elected in my place).

So, we should look at allowing people to stand down and have replacements
elected during the term (in general, not even just thinking about 1 year
terms). While we're at it we should probably also look at the ability to
have people removed from the council by council majority should the need
arise.

I wonder if we should establish some working groups to deal with certain
subjects (yeah bureaucracy I know!), because different people are interested
in different things, it might be a way of including more community members,
spreading the load and getting the people who are interested involved in the
right places. E.g. organising documentation improvement/corrections, summit
organisation, dealing with extras, etc., etc.

And on that note, yeah I probably would stand for a whole year, just as long
as I don't have to come to (m)any IRC meetings (can I nominate a gopher? ;)
:D

Cheers,


Simon