[Linux-aus] Proposed constitutional changes: cessation of membership

[David Newall]

On 02/05/11 18:25, Mary Gardiner wrote:
> The goal is, as in both the current (2005) LA constitution and the model (2010)
> constitution, to allow the organisation to collect money from membership fees
> at the discretion of the Council.

I'm suspicious of constitutional changes, however if a change is 
necessary then a change there must be.  The trouble is, there doesn't 
seem to be any actual need for this change.  Mary's comment, quoted 
above, implies that nothing changes, in which case let's change nothing.


> $2 per year ... I would*guess*  that
> it's their estimate of the reasonable cost of maintaining the membership lists.

I'm not impressed with that line of reasoning when, in the very next 
breath, so to speak, the committee ignores the model in terms of 
collection period.  If there is no better reason that this then we 
obviously don't want it.


>     - it doesn't require that the organisation maintain a list of liabilities
>       for likely small-ish amounts for 99 years

As a matter of fact, a one month period does do exactly that, only for 
one month instead of 99 years.  The difference between one month and 99 
years, as anyone who operates a computerised ledger will be able to 
affirm, is that the smaller period is more work, requiring collection of 
money and updating the debtors list, while the latter perhaps does not.


I want to know--as asked in prior messages--what need there is to charge 
a fee.