Charter of the Shire of Altenberg

Section I

Preface

This document is intended to be a record of the customs by which the Shire of Altenberg operates, and is superseded by the laws of the Middle Kingdom, the Corpora of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), the laws of the city of Mt. Clemens, Macomb County, the State of Michigan, and the Constitution of the United States.  These customs are common practice and are subject to change by vote of the members of Altenberg.  These customs are enumerated to assist in solving practical problems, and are not intended to establish immutable laws.

 

1. Membership

The Shire citizenry consists of all members of the SCA residing within or near the borders of the Shire who are at least fifteen years of age, and have attended at least one Shire sponsored event or Shire meeting within the past year, and who wish to be members of the Shire. 

 

2. Newsletter and other communications

The official Shire newsletter is the Gale Winds.  The Shire web site is located at http://www.sca-altenberg.org.  The public Shire mailing list is “AltenbergList@sca-altenberg.org” and can be subscribed to through the web site.

 

 

Section II

Officers

At present the Greater Shire Officers are the Seneschal, Exchequer, Minister of Arts and Sciences, Herald/Pursuivant and Marshal.  (“Greater Shire Officers” are those listed as required for recognized groups by Kingdom Law, Article XIV, Paragraph 200.)  The lesser Shire Officers are the Chronicler, Chatelaine, Web Minister, Chirurgeon and Archery Marshal.  Any appointed or elected officers not mentioned here should be considered to be “lesser” Shire Officers. 

 

1. Resignations

When a Shire Officer resigns, he shall give notice in writing to the Crown, to his superior officer, and to the seneschal of the Shire. 

 

2. Removal

  1. If an officer misses three consecutive Shire meetings without cause or notice, or is otherwise negligent in his official capacities, the Shire officers may give that officer thirty (30) days written notice, and then request the Crown and the Kingdom officers to declare that office vacant and cancel the officers warrant.  This notice and request may be interceded by a simple majority vote at the next official Shire meeting.
  2. Any member of the Shire may call for a vote of “no confidence” on any officer at any regular business meeting.  If a simple majority of those present agree that such a vote is warranted, a notice shall be caused to appear in the next issue of the Gale Winds.  At the following regular business meeting a vote shall be held, a super majority  being required to remove the officer.  This vote shall be by secret ballot.  If such a vote is passed, a request must then be made to the Crown and Kingdom officer to declare that office vacant and to cancel the officer’s warrant.

 

3. Filling Offices

When a Shire office becomes vacant, the Shire shall recommend to the Crown a successor as follows.

  1. If the retiring officer wishes to recommend a deputy who is willing and qualified to fill the office, the Shire shall support that recommendation upon a super majority vote, that is, 2/3s (66%) of those present, except as provided in II.3.D, below.
  2. If the retiring officer has no recommendation, the Seneschal shall have published in the Gale Winds a Notice of Vacancy, a job description, and a request for written applications for at least one month, or one issue, whichever is greater.
  3. All applicants shall be interviewed by the Seneschal, the retiring officer, and members of the Shire.  An appropriate officer appointed by the Seneschal shall attend if the retiring officer is not available.  Applications for Seneschal shall be interviewed by all officers and those Shire members as wish.
  4. All applicants are then voted upon by the Shire, a simple majority, that is, 50% of those present, being required before being put before the Crown.  If necessary the Seneschal may appoint a pro-tem officer to carry out the vital services of an office until a permanent successor can be chosen.
  5. Any individual remains free at any time to recommend to the Crown his own choice for officers, apart from any Shire recommendation, but such a suggestion shall not in any way represent the Shire as a whole.

 

4. Seneschal Decisions

Any decisions of the Seneschal may also be called to a vote, and the Seneschal shall abide by the results of that vote. Failure by the Seneschal to sustain a decision of the populace shall initiate a vote of “no confidence”, see II.2.B.

 

 

Section III

Shire Meetings

 

1. Official Shire meetings are open to the public. “Unofficial” meetings need not be.

The date, time, and location of official Shire meetings must by published in advance in the Gale Winds and on the Shire website.   Meetings include, but are not limited to: business, social, fighter practice, workshops, heralds, arts and sciences.  Wherever possible these meeting will be held at public locations.  When held at private homes the owner may deny entrance to whomsoever they wish, except for official Shire business meetings which must remain open to the public.  If such a homeowner wishes to deny entrance to anyone, notice must be given publicly at a preceding business meeting.

 

2. At least three Greater Officers must be present for a Shire business meeting may be considered "official".

Other types of meetings do not have this officer requirement.  Official Shire business meetings must be held in a public place.  Changes, or additional official meetings, must be announced at least two (2) weeks prior to the date of the meeting.  The announcement may be in the Shire newsletter, in the mailing list, or by individual personal contact (e-mail, phone calls, etc.), but must be made to all Shire members.  In the case of an emergency change of a meeting, the Seneschal and/or Pursuivant must make a reasonable effort to inform the Shire members in a timely manner.

 

3. Shire policy decisions, officer elections, and large fund disbursements may only be conducted at official Shire meetings.

See the relevant sections for further definitions of these terms.  A simple majority vote should be sufficient in most cases to resolve policy decisions, but certain cases may call for a super majority.  Any issue put forth in a meeting can require a vote.  Any vote can be called for a re-vote at the next Shire meeting.  Any decision of the Seneschal may also be called to a vote, and the Seneschal shall abide by the results of that vote (see II.4).

 

 

Section IV

Voting

 

1. Eligible Voters

Votes may be cast by any member of the Shire present when the vote is called.  Each member may cast only one vote.

  1. Proxy votes may be used if a member cannot attend a meeting during which an announced vote will be held.  In this case, the member must communicate his/her vote to one of the Greater Officers of the Shire.  This communication must be in writing.  (Email is acceptable as well, but must be sent to the officer in a timely manner so that it can be retrieved prior to the meeting.)
  2. Exceptions to who is eligible may be made in certain circumstances, usually at the time of the vote.  For example, for votes to elect a member to an Officer position, the group may determine that candidates for the position should not cast a vote.

 

2. Simple Majority (or “simple vote” or “majority vote” or sometimes just “vote”)

A Simple Majority vote is a vote cast by Shire members present for a vote.  The “winning” option is that which receives more than 50% of the votes.  In the case where there are more than two options being decided, the “winner” will be that option which receives more votes than the other options.

 

3. Super Majority

A Super Majority vote is one in which the winner is determined by 2/3rds, or 66%, of the total votes.

 

4. Vote Casting and Tally

All votes must be conducted at official Shire meetings.  Votes may be by secret ballot, open ballot, “roll call”, show of hands, or by voice (“Aye/Nay”).  One or more Shire members must be designated to count the votes.  (This is usually, but not always, the Shire Chronicler.)  Vote results must be read into the meeting minutes, and must be presented in the next issue of the Gale Winds.

 

5. What Requires a Vote

Any decision, whether made by the Seneschal or other officer or other members of the Shire, which shall affect the Shire populace or material goods, or a significant portion thereof, shall require a vote at an official business meeting.

 

 

Section V

Disbursement of Funds

 

1. Authority to Disburse Funds

The only officers who may approve expenses and write checks are the Seneschal, the Exchequer and one other officer designated by the Seneschal and Exchequer.  Minor expenses under fifteen (15) dollars in an emergency may be approved by either the Seneschal or the Exchequer and reported at the next Shire meeting.  Expenses over fifteen (15) dollars but less than one-hundred (100) dollars must be approved by both the Seneschal and Exchequer and reported at the next Shire meeting.  Major expenses over one-hundred (100) dollars must be approved by a simple majority vote of the citizenry present at the Shire meeting, prior to the incurrence.  Any citizen of the Shire may seek in writing the use of Shire monies, but only for SCA purposes, and all unspent monies, or proceeds of sale of goods purchased with Shire monies, or sold in the name of or to benefit the Shire, must be returned to the Shire.  Requests of this nature must be presented to the citizenry at a Shire meeting.  Any persons utilizing Shire monies must return to the Shire cash and/or original or copies of receipts and/or proofs of purchase for goods or services purchased, for the full amount tendered.

 

2. Pre-Authorized Funds

Up to one-hundred (100) dollars may be made available to an Event Steward, up to the date of an event, to cover unexpected expenses.  This amount may be increased or decreased by a simple majority vote (50% of Shire members present) at an official business meeting.

 

3. Reporting of Funds

All officers must submit an annual financial report to the Exchequer.  Households and Guilds within the Shire may raise, hold, and disburse monies as they see fit, as long as such is in accordance with the rules of the SCA, Middle Kingdom, and local laws, but must submit an annual financial statement if they wish to use the SCA tax number and tax exempt status.  All official Shire events must submit a financial report to the Exchequer.

 

 

Section VI

Shire Awards

Awards may be proposed, by any Shire member at any official business meeting.  Such proposal may be voted on at the next business meeting, to be approved by a simple majority vote (50% of those present).

** We do not currently recognize any shire-level awards, although both Corpora and Kingdom law say that we could.  This section would define any/all Shire awards, how someone can qualify, what the award signifies, etc., including a description of any medallion.  Shire awards can be submitted to and recognized by the College of Heralds, but it's not necessary.  See here for an example:

The Wyvern Service Award (Shire of Dragon's Laire)

The Wyvern Service Award is awarded to citizens of Dragon's Laire for exceptional service to the Shire.  The award is given at the discretion of collected holders of the award.  The frequency and number of awards are determined by the holders.  Recipients of this award will retain the honor for life, and it cannot be removed or revoked by any process within the Shire.  Holders of the award are allowed to wear a medallion signifying the award: "A Wyvern argent couchant, wings adorsed"

 

 

Section VII

Amendments to this Charter

This Charter may be amended by a super majority vote at an official meeting.  All proposed amendments must be published in the Gale Winds for at least one issue before being put to a vote.  Any part of this Charter found to be in conflict with any higher laws will be immediately and automatically void.