Executive Committee Report to Council - 30 April 2005

Since the last Council meeting, Executive Committee has met face to face on 22 March (in Wellington) and 23 April (in Auckland). The Committee also met by teleconference on 30 March.

1. Items discussed

This lists items discussed during the meeting not mentioned elsewhere in this report. Some were substantive items while others were only raised in passing. For more detail on any of these matters please contact any member of the Committee.

• Domainz retention fund final payment/tax credit and finalisation of agreement with Melbourne IT
• KPMG Escrow account closure
• Telecommunications Act Review wrap-up
• WSA awards
• Regional ICT initiative
• Peering - referred to Council Task Force
• Covec - report
• ISP survey
• ICANN Conference in 2006
• PICSOC - conference matters
• WSIS/WGIG position papers
• Honoraria/Appointments Committee
• Voting software
• Policy manual
• Restructuring
• Monthly meeting schedule for Society committees
• Induction process, incl. governance training, for 2005/6 Council
• Netsafe child porn blocking
• Financial reporting matters
• Agenda for the Council meeting

2. Content Management System project / project reporting

There was some discussion about this project. Reporting has not been managed satisfactorily. Michael Wallmannsberger is Project Sponsor. To address concerns the status of the project is as follows:

• The vendor has been selected and is now working with the operational team.
• Reporting will be formalised, with monthly project reports going to the Project Sponsor (Michael Wallmannsberger) and the Executive Committee.
• There is a clear need for education on the way the project management system operates, and to provide staff support to the Project Management Office.
• The staff member helping with this reporting for a given project needs to be part of the project team.

3. Communications Review

Chris Lipscombe' s report was tabled. Executive Committee agreed that there should be a discussion of the requested time at Council, to go through the presentation including matters relating to any future membership campaign.

Executive Committee also identified a need to develop a concept of membership to discuss with Council, rather than ask Council to do this itself from a blank sheet start. The discussion from the Council meeting can inform such development. Executive Committee can supervise this work, and the broad aim is to go to the AGM with a communications strategy and some focus around what action there should be on Membership.

Budget as defined in the business plan already provides for continued work on communications, and the next step is to develop business plans for each proposed step, building on the recommended activities in Chris' s report. The Secretariat will progress this.

David Farrar will draft a covering note of half a page to suggest to Council how it should deal with this report during the meeting.

4. Governance and Constitutional Committee issues

a) Travel Policies

The Committee noted that this is a joint paper from Executive Committee and the Governance & Constitutional Committee, to discuss and debate the draft. Other Committees should debate the draft policy and raise any detailed concerns with either Committee, and a revised draft will be debated at the June Council meeting.

b) Governance Training for Council 2005/06

There was a brief discussion on a proposal coming forward from the Governance and Constitutional Committee for this. Executive Committee authorised spending of $6500 in principle to have the IoD run a tailored course on non-profit governance for the new Council at its induction meeting in August. Michael Wallmannsberger and Chris Streatfield will continue to work with IOD on the agenda for the induction, reporting back to the May Executive Committee meeting.

5. Council Meeting Schedule

Executive Committee has decided to move the next Council meeting, from the current scheduled 24 June, to 1 July 2005 (the Friday after the currently scheduled Friday). It has also decided, in light of the busy agenda anticipated for the meeting, that the meeting be held from 10.30am to 4.30pm.

6. ENUM Matters

a) Michael Sutton Honorarium

Executive Committee discussed the situation in respect of the writing of the ENUM delegation paper. The Committee recommends the following:

THAT, in recognition of the unique circumstances, Council notes that work has been done by Michael Sutton on the ENUM delegation paper, and after consideration, recommends the payment of $2000 honorarium to Michael Sutton.

b) ENUM Task Force - future actions

The Committee extensively discussed the ENUM project and the events of the past few weeks. The Executive Committee recommends the following to Council:

THAT the President become the Chair of the ENUM Task Force.

THAT the ENUM Task Force Terms of Reference be amended by the inclusion of the items listed as Annex 2 of the Governance and Constitutional Committee' s April Report to Council.

THAT Council ask the ENUM Task Force to give priority to the following activities:

7. Action points

• Executive Director to chase Richard Perry to get letter written and sent to Melbourne IT, regarding the $20k payment
• Ensure last year' s accounts reflect this payment - ED and Treasurer to follow up with auditors and accountants.
• ED to write a wrap-up report on the Telecommunications Act Review (submissions). Thoughts for next time too.
• ED / Simon Riley to follow up with Shane Middlemiss to ensure proper reporting on the CMS project occurs to Michael Wallmannsberger, as Project Sponsor. Reporting to come to Executive Committee and Project Sponsor.
• ED to prepare & schedule the provision of education on the project management system - for the new Council.
• ED to ensure staff resources become available to manage the PMO interface with volunteers, staff and contractors.
• MW to provide feedback on the re-activation of the PMO.
• R&PO to put together a draft issues positioning note for use in meetings with Ministers, in discussion with ExCom - to be regularly updated, and circulated to Council.
• R&PO - Include regional tool kit in discussion with Cunliffe
• ED to convene the Peering Task Force.
• KD to send Grant (thru Council) on the Covec issue.
• ISP survey to become the responsibility of the L&R Committee.
• INZ PIP members to meet to discuss matters relating to the PICSOC conference.
• KD to work on the WSIS/WGIG papers, the aim is to develop a .nz position and be able to incorporate it, eventually, as the New Zealand position. R&PO to work with Keith on this. Back to 13 May meeting.
• David Farrar to provide ½ page overview of comms review paper by Sunday PM.
• Pete to generate/update a Project Register.
• ED to secure staff resource for the development of a Policy Manual as recommended by G&C.
• Secretary and R&PO to work together on Committee schedule, as required by G&C Committee.
• CS and MW to come back to next ExCom and report on progress in developing the agenda for the induction sessions and the IOD training.
• Office to commence booking flights for the 1 July 2005 Council.
• Treasurer to note on the monthly reports a column for major exceptions, for cash forecasting as appropriate.
• ED to invite Jim Higgins to Council at 4pm on Saturday, to speak to ICTUS matters.
• DPF to discuss aspects of the re-formation / consult with members of the ENUM Task Force re the solution on ENUM.