[NCSG-FC] Finance Committee Intersessional Taskforce

Sun Jul 21 01:36:21 EEST 2019

Thanks Sam,

That is perfect feedback to be channeled through the constituency/stakeholder group chairs as they begin the preparations for our next Intersessional.

The role I saw for the Finance Committee was contained less to the substance of the Intersessional, and more to documenting the preparatory process and resulting outputs so that we have records - and results - to be able to include in our future Additional Budget Request(s) that we may/may not submit for a future Intersessional.

This is a very important resource for the NCSG. And it's cost to ICANN is considerable. I personally consider it a high priority that we're harnessing it as best we can. We can debate what the role here may be of the Finance Committee, but what I will not relent on is NCSG members having some oversight and insights into how its preparations are going.

Best wishes,

Ayden Férdeline

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
On Saturday, 20 July 2019 18:09, Sam Lanfranco <sam at lanfranco.net> wrote:

> In my personal capacity as one who has participated in a couple of Intersessionals (one as a last minute substitute and at my own expense) I would like to share a personal reflection on my sense of a couple of the shortcomings of the manner in which they occurred, as seen through my eyes. This area is, of course, outside the remit of NCSG-FC so bear with my minor rant here.
>
> As I understood the mandate of the intersessional, it was to allow constituencies to work on areas of difference to expand the areas for consensus and compromise in the rest of our ICANN engagement. Some of that did, of course, take place but my sense (again a personal view) is that too much time was devoted to: (a) constituencies basically restating their positions from their engagement in the PDP's, and from the larger ICANN meetings, and (b) constituencies meeting on their own to deal with/conduct internal constituency business.
>
> It is my view that (b) conducting internal constituency business at ICANN meetings is also a bad use of time and resources, dealing with internal matters (e.g. Charter review) that should be handled between face-to-face meetings. Again, this is out of our FC mandate, others may disagree with me, and I will not belabor this any further.
>
> Sam L.
>
> On 7/20/2019 12:46 PM, Ayden Férdeline wrote:
>
>> Hi Thato,
>>
>> I agree that we need Internal Operating Procedures to guide us on our activities; where we differ in opinion is on what those procedures should be.
>>
>> It is not just the Finance Committee that needs procedures either; that's just our remit. Personally I'd like to see the NCSG Executive Committee adopting a procedure on the organization of the Intersessional, so there is no confusion as to when members should be consulted and how this important resource is utilized. But that's a topic for another forum.
>>
>> We can discuss further what our role could be, on Tuesday.
>>
>> Best wishes,
>>
>> Ayden
>>
>> ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
>> On Saturday, 20 July 2019 10:42, Thato Mfikwe [<thatomfikwe at gmail.com>](mailto:thatomfikwe at gmail.com) wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Ayden and FC members,
>>>
>>> I will push to attend the upcoming Tuesday FC meeting. Anyway, the FC should provide financial advice/recommendations and report to the community and the EC on NCSG spending, financial plans and budgets, furthermore, the EC makes the final decision.
>>> The FC should not impose itself but offer advice and report financial activities and monitor spending in a collaborative and transparent fashion with its stakeholders (PC, EC, C's and community) according to my understanding, this is one of the reasons why an FC Operational Procedure doc is important to clearly articulate this responsibilities in the most clinical/actionable way while respecting stipulations of the charter to avoid further confusion, reinventing the process will only frustrate and delay activities of the FC as mentioned.
>>>
>>> The FC cannot effectively contribute or move forward if it has no Operating Procedures that articulates its responsibilities, not just community engagement processes and codes of conducts, this will make it simple for the FC to execute its fiduciary duties as listed in the Charter.
>>>
>>> Thato Mfikwe.
>>>
>>> On Sat, Jul 20, 2019 at 6:25 AM Ayden Férdeline <icann at ferdeline.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Thanks Sam,
>>>>
>>>> The situation is quite a bit more nuanced than Farzaneh’s email below suggests.
>>>>
>>>> We can discuss further on our call on Tuesday. I believe there is an important role for the Finance Committee to play in ensuring that stakeholder group resources are being appropriately utilised.
>>>>
>>>> I have heard a disturbing allegation that I am in the process of verifying. If true, I believe it would be appropriate for the Finance Committee to act. Until I can confirm it’s veracity, which I am doing as we speak, I will say no more.
>>>>
>>>> Best wishes,
>>>>
>>>> Ayden
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, Jul 20, 2019 at 01:14, Sam Lanfranco <sam at lanfranco.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Farzaneh, Ayden, et. al.,
>>>>>
>>>>> It may seem minor but there is an ocean of difference between a Finance Committee "telling the stakeholder group how it should spend the money". which it cannot and should not due, and the Finance Committee looking at how money is spent and offering commentary, through the channels by which it reports, to assist NCSG to "ensure that the funding is being put to good use". "Good" here is defined within the context of (a) most efficient ways (e.g. email not fax :-) ), (b) the Charter of NCSG, and (c) the terms of reference and conditions set down by ICANN. Rest assured, this in no way suggests that the Finance Committee is about to go setting priorities for expenditures.
>>>>>
>>>>> Sam Lanfranco, NPOC
>>>>>
>>>>> On 7/19/2019 7:38 PM, Ayden Férdeline wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Dear Farzaneh,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> As you have not been on any of the Finance Committee’s calls, at least since March when I became Chair, you may not be aware of our current activities. We have been taking great care to stay within the parameters of our Charter and have been developing Internal Operating Procedures and a Code of Ethical Conduct to guide our behaviour.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I would like to give you the opportunity to learn more about what the Finance Committee has prioritised and what we are working on this month. While you are not a Member or Observer of this committee, as defined within the Charter you reference below, we do value the input of all those who take an interest in our work.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Please advise if you are available for a call on Monday at 1500 UTC so we can discuss this issue further. I will ask the Ombudsman to join us.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Kind regards,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Ayden Férdeline
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Fri, Jul 19, 2019 at 19:22, farzaneh badii <farzaneh.badii at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Dear Finance Committee,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Please remember your mandate as defined by the charter. You are not in charge of telling the stakeholder group how it should spend the money or "ensure that the funding is being put to good use" otherwise, you will be violating the charter.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Ayden really cares about the intersessional so he wants to do whatever in his power to shape it the way he wants it to be held. On its own, this doesn't really matter. He can provide  his feedback.  But bringing it to a committee that we have said over and over is not in charge of telling the stakeholder how to spend the money is not the way to go.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> A very humble observer on this mailing list.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Farzaneh
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Fri, Jul 19, 2019 at 4:50 PM Ayden Férdeline <icann at ferdeline.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Dear all,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I would like to encourage the Finance Committee to initiate a taskforce to monitor Intersessional preparations to ensure that the funding we have graciously received to host this event is being put to good use. We can discuss further on our next call. Thanks.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Kind regards,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Ayden Férdeline
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> ------------------------------------------------
>>>>> "It is a disgrace to be rich and honored in an
>>>>>  unjust state" -Confucius
>>>>>  邦有道，贫且贱焉，耻也。邦无道，富且贵焉，耻也
>>>>> ------------------------------------------------
>>>>> Dr Sam Lanfranco (Prof Emeritus), Econ, York U., CANADA
>>>>> email:
>>>>> sam at lanfranco.net
>>>>> Skype: slanfranco
>>>>> blog:
>>>>> https://samlanfranco.blogspot.com
>>>>> Phone: +1 613-476-0429 cell: +1 416-816-2852
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
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>>
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>
> --
> ------------------------------------------------
> "It is a disgrace to be rich and honored in an
>  unjust state" -Confucius
>  邦有道，贫且贱焉，耻也。邦无道，富且贵焉，耻也
> ------------------------------------------------
> Dr Sam Lanfranco (Prof Emeritus), Econ, York U., CANADA
> email:
> sam at lanfranco.net
> Skype: slanfranco
> blog:
> https://samlanfranco.blogspot.com
> Phone: +1 613-476-0429 cell: +1 416-816-2852
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