The business meeting of the 56th West Coast Science Fantasy Conference was held in Room Cascade 13 of the SeaTac Doubletree Hotel, Seatac WA, on Saturday, July 5, 2003. The meeting was called to order at 12:03 PM, Ben Yalow presiding and Kevin Standlee serving as Secretary.

The following people signed the attendance list: Judith Bemis, Seth Breidbart, James Briggs, Jordan Brown, Sandra Childress, James Stanley Daugherty, Kathryn Daugherty, Linda Deneroff, Ed Green, Saul Jaffe, Rick Kovalcik, John Lorentz, Linda McAllister, Christian B. McGuire, Beth Moursund, Ruth Sachter, Sharon Sbarsky, Elisa Sheets, Michael Siladi, Hank Smith, Kevin Standlee, Roger S. Wells, Mike Wilmoth, Ben Yalow.

There were no committees created or continued by Westercon 55.

There were no bylaws amendments or other business passed on by Westercon 55.

Ms. Sbarsky introduced the following Bylaw amendment.

Ms. Sbarsky spoke in favor of the amendment, explaining how the existing requirement potentially conflicts with changing technology of progress report distribution, making it difficult to meet the letter of the rule. Mr. Lorentz spoke against.

Mr. Breidbart moved to modify the amendment by striking out and adding text as follows (deletions in bold strikethrough, additions in bold underline):

Mr. Breidbart spoke in favor of the amendment, saying that the purpose is to make sure that the membership number gets to the member. Ms. McAllister asked how it would impact people who do not want their names or numbers printed in publications or placed on the convention’s web site. The Chair ruled that the Westercon would need to inform such people of their numbers by paper mail. Mr. Brown asked about ballots distributed by private individuals. The Chair ruled that this rule has no effect upon them, as it only applies to the administering Westercon. The Chair further ruled that ballots handed out at the Westercon where the election takes place are not affected by this rule, as membership numbers are easily available at the convention.

The amendment passed on a voice vote. The motion as amended passed on a voice vote and is passed on to Westercon 57 for ratification in the following form:

Ms. Sbarsky introduced the following Bylaw amendment.

The Chair ruled that this change was non-substantive, and, without objection, instructed the Secretary to make the change immediately. This change will appear in the Bylaws passed on to Westercon 57.

Mr. Briggs introduced the following Bylaw amendment:

Mr. Briggs spoke on the intent of the motion. The maker’s argument attached to the proposal read as follows:

The motion passed on a voice vote and is passed on to Westercon 57 for ratification.

Ms. Sbarsky introduced the following Bylaw amendment:

Ms. Sbarsky spoke on the intent of the motion. The maker’s argument attached to the proposal read as follows:

The motion passed on a voice vote and is passed on to Westercon 57 for ratification. The Chair ruled that the title change was non-substantive, and, without objection, instructed the Secretary to make the change immediately. This change will appear in the Bylaws passed on to Westercon 57. [Note: The Westercon 56 Secretary has modified the enacting clause in the copy passed on to Westercon 57 so that it refers only to the additional word, not the already-enacted title change.]

Mr. Brown introduced the following Bylaw amendment:

Mr. Brown spoke on the intent of the motion. The maker’s argument attached to the proposal read as follows:

Mr. Lorentz spoke against the motion, saying the rule serves as useful guidance to Westercon committees even though it is sometimes ignored.

Mr. Green spoke in favor of the motion on the grounds of the current rule being impossible to enforce.

Mr. Siladi spoke against, saying the technology does exist to handle long names and we should continue to encourage Westercons to print names in large type.

Mr. Brown spoke in favor, saying he is in favor of large type, but people should not be forced to truncate their names because of it.

Mr. Kovalcik spoke against, saying that there must be a better way than truncating names to meet the requirement.

Mr. McGuire spoke in favor, saying that forcing names to be truncated is discouraging.

Mr. Breidbart spoke against, pointing out that most of the Bylaws are unenforceable, and that the current rule does not require incompetent performance. Enforcement of this particular Bylaw may be limited only to complaints, but because it’s a Bylaws violation, it has more teeth than most complaints.

Mr. Green spoke in favor, asking "when did a bid ever lose because their previous Westercon’s badge type was too small?"

Mr. Daugherty spoke against, saying that his name was truncated at this year’s Westercon, although that had never happened to him before.

Ms. Deneroff spoke in favor, saying that minutiae such as this should not be in the Bylaws.

Ms. Sachter spoke against, saying it is a matter of concern to the Westercon community, as shown by the amount of emotional reaction this issue generates every time it comes before the Business Meeting.

Mr. Brown spoke in favor, reiterating that this requirement does not belong the organization’s Bylaws.

Ms. Daugherty spoke against, saying that point size is a marker between fan-run conventions and "gate shows" that use badges primarily as tickets rather than membership indicators.

Mr. Standlee moved the Previous Question (Close Debate). After taking a show of hands to determine who still wanted to speak to the pending question, debate was closed on a 2/3 vote.

The motion failed on a voice vote.

Mr. Brown introduced the following Bylaw amendment (as restated by the Secretary)

Mr. Brown spoke on the intent of the motion. The maker’s argument attached to the proposal read as follows:

Mr. Standlee spoke in favor, noting that the parliamentary note attached to this section (addressing certain implications of the provision and its enforcement) would then be dropped as well.

Mr. McGuire spoke against.

Mr. Wells, the Bay Area Science Fiction Association’s Ambassador to the US Congress, spoke in favor, citing the potential conflict between his obligations to BASFA and his mundane diplomatic career.

Mr. Breidbart moved by substitution to replace the original motion with the following:

Ms. Deneroff spoke against the amendment, saying that she doesn’t think Australia should be eligible to host a Westercon.

Mr. Lorentz spoke in favor of the amendment, saying that there are past Westercon sites that probably should not have hosted a Westercon -- so what?

Mr. Brown moved the Previous Question (Close Debate) on the pending amendment only. After taking a show of hands to determine who still wanted to speak to the pending question, debate was closed on a standing 2/3 vote.

The amendment by substitution passed.

The Previous Question was then moved on the resultant motion (Mr. Breidbart’s amendment, above). After taking a show of hands to determine who still wanted to speak to the pending question, debate was closed on a 2/3 vote.

On an inquiry, the Chair ruled that Australia should be interpreted as the political entity, not the geographic definition. (That is, the country of Australia, not the continent of Australia.)

The motion passed on a standing vote and is passed on to Westercon 57 for ratification.

The Westercon Bylaws do not require a Site Selection Business Meeting. Unless there is a disputed election, tie, or other unusual event, there will be no such meeting, and the Site Selection Administrator will publicize the results through the convention newsletter and other means. Should a special Site Selection meeting be required, the need for such a meeting will be publicized in the convention newsletter and other means.

The meeting adjourned sine die at 12:59 PM.

Kevin Standlee
Secretary