<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
</head>
<body text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<p>As a follow up to Ayden's call for input here, this is something
that has to come, in the first instance, from the NCSG membership,
and -after that- possibly from the NCSG ExCom. <br>
</p>
<p>Those of us who have just constituted the NCSG Finance Committee
(within the past few days) have no particular individual special
expertise with regard to the proposed ICANN budget or NCSG
interests, concerns and preferences. Given our time frame for the
newly constituted Finance Committee, and history of no real
Finance Committee for years, the FC has not had time to consult
with the NCSG membership to get a sense of an overall NCSG
position. <br>
</p>
<p>The next best strategy here is to look at the links provided by
Ayden, and comment where you can. You can comment in Google Docs,
or pose comments and questions online here in NCSG-Discuss, or to
Ayden as he has kindly offered in his final sentence beelow.</p>
<p>Sam L. <br>
</p>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2/12/2018 9:11 PM, Ayden Férdeline
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:hwzBVy7Yd-_dcBTe22mCV5gsa4vVi8Z6GGGnxzrYC-eGFTaBoWxwXpX2lGt6c98SON5SVaOA6uAFU06B5sW-gkAcb4TermCRrKkKvJoOWE8=@ferdeline.com">
<div>Hi, all-<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>One of the most
important public comment opportunities every year is our chance
to submit a
comment on ICANN’s budget and operating plan. This is our chance
as
representatives of the non-commercial community to ask for
different spending
priorities to be made, to question aspects of ICANN’s
operations, and to express our views on the functioning of ICANN
the organisation.<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The comment period
ends on 8 March, and there is a lot of information to be
processed in order for
us to make an intelligent and informed comment. So far, ICANN
has published some 255
pages of material along with spreadsheets containing thousands
of rows of
projects. More information will be published tomorrow in
response to clarifying
questions that the community has already submitted to the
Finance department.<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>You can access these
materials here, and review the comments that other stakeholders
have already
submitted: <a
href="https://www.icann.org/public-comments/fy19-budget-2018-01-19-en"
moz-do-not-send="true">https://www.icann.org/public-comments/fy19-budget-2018-01-19-en</a><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I have reviewed all
of the material that ICANN has published so far, sought
clarification on a few topics, and pieced together some first
thoughts.
However, I do not track every issue at ICANN, so it’s quite
possible that something
very critical to us has escaped me. I would appreciate your
assistance in
reviewing this Budget as comprehensively as we can. Even little
pieces will help in the construction of the NCSG submission. <br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I have prepared a
first draft of an NCSG comment for your attention and review: <a
href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tBia4z5QQFGz9vFUQUkS0lbZNqU6C5n4pyUmlH3m8e8/edit?usp=sharing"
moz-do-not-send="true">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tBia4z5QQFGz9vFUQUkS0lbZNqU6C5n4pyUmlH3m8e8/edit?usp=sharing</a><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>You are welcome to
suggest edits to the Google Doc itself. Please try to provide
comments by 27 February; on this date, I'll ask the Policy
Committee to begin reviewing our work and to consider endorsing
its submission.<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>If you have any
questions regarding the budget process, or the proposed comment
that I’ve
drafted, I’m happy to take them either on- or off-list, as you
prefer. Thanks
for your help.<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Best wishes,<br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div class="protonmail_signature_block">
<div class="protonmail_signature_block-user">
<div>Ayden Férdeline<br>
</div>
<div><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/ferdeline"
rel="nofollow"
title="http://www.linkedin.com/in/ferdeline"
moz-do-not-send="true">linkedin.com/in/ferdeline</a><br>
</div>
</div>
<div class="protonmail_signature_block-proton
protonmail_signature_block-empty"><br>
</div>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br>
</body>
</html>