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Charter

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The Community, The Admin Group, The Working Groups

The PAC Community is broadly defined as anyone that participates in any official or unofficial PAC event or action. Official PAC events or actions is anything that involves using the PAC name or branding publicly, or involves any persons acting on behalf of STL PAC publicly. Unofficial events and actions occur between members but have not been announced formally for public involvement or use PAC branding or messaging. This includes the Discord-Only events. No Community Member or Working Group may take official actions without approval.

 

The Admin Group is all PAC Community members that are a part of at least one Working Group. All Admin members also must complete an acknowledgment of PAC policy norms and guidelines. 
 

Work Groups are teams with narrowly defined projects and goals that have been approved by the Community and Admin Group.


Working Groups

STL PAC will be organized into Working Groups. Any group of 2 people can create a working group. Working Groups organize and act autonomously but in coordination with other Working Groups and with the oversight of the whole Community. 

 

What is needed for Working Group Formation and Amendment:

  1. The name of the proposed Working Group

  2. A description of the Working Group’s goals & what Domains & Aims will the Working Group will work to fulfill (See PAC’s Mission)

  3. At least two (consenting) members of the Working Group

  4. A member designated as the Group’s Coordinator

  5. A meeting frequency

  6. A list of pre-approved actions, if any

  7. A list of responsibilities, if any

  8. A listed Coordinator

  9. A written charter to be voted on by the community at a community meeting

 

Coordinators

Each Working Group must have a Coordinator at all times to ensure accountability of the Working Group. Coordinators communicate between their own Working Group’s members, other Working Groups, the Core Group, and the Community to share what events, actions, and meetings are being taken by the group. The coordinator ensures members stay active for notes who is not for possible removal of inactive members by the Working Group

 

Working Group Meetings

Each Working Group is expected to hold regular public meetings, as determined by their set meeting frequency. The time and location (can be virtual) of such a meeting must be communicated to the community at least 3 days in advance, and ideally occurs at a regularly scheduled date/time to make access easier. Working Groups must keep minutes for meetings, and make them accessible to the Community.


 

Decisions

Decisions can be made “by consensus” at monthly, publicly advertised Community Meetings where at least 3 Admin members are present.

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Community Meeting

The role of community meetings is to facilitate regular in-person dialogue, which is important for embracing transparent communication, conflict, and idea-building. Community Meetings are monthly meetings open to all Community members. Its location, agenda, and time must be announced publicly at least 3 days ahead of the meeting. The Community Meeting must have a live virtual option, and minutes must be kept and made available to the Community afterwards.

 

A “By Consensus” decision is passed if no one “objects” to the action. The Consensus process is as follows: 

  1. The item is presented verbally and in writing

  2. All present people will get a turn to voice questions, comments, or concerns until all present people are satisfied.
    All people present will vote Aye or Nay to the action (or they may abstain) 

  3. Anyone present can objection verbally or by writing. Objection must include reason for objection and what action will satisfy objection. 

  4. If less than 3 Admin people are present, the item being decided on will be sent to the absent Admin members. They will have 7 days to say Aye or Nay to the item.

  5. If no one does so, the decision is approved.

 

What uses “by consensus” decision-making?

  • Adding to a Working Group. Members should only object to adding a member to a Working Group if they have a concern about a conflict of interest, or that person’s ability to represent the standards and values of StL PAC.

  • Amending a Working Group’s name, description, meeting frequency, responsibilities, and/or Coordinator

  • Removing an inactive member from a working group if an attempt to contact that member has been made at least 7 days ago (with no response), and they have not attended any PAC or Working Group meetings in at least a month. Any member can leave a Working Group they’re a part of at any time, by informing the other members of that Working Group and the Core Group as a whole.

  • A list of pre-approved actions for a Working Group

  • Removing a member from a Working Group.

  • Amending a list of pre-approved actions for a Working Group

  • Dissolving a working group. A Working Group that has not had a meeting or done any actions in at least 3 months can be dissolved by a “without objection” decision.

  • Amending any part of this charter

 

A Working Group may take any of their pre-approved actions by consensus within the Working Group. Consensus can be reached by any method the Working Group agrees to, in a meeting or in asynchronous communication, as long as all members of the Working Group get equal input. Any Working Group or Community Member may also take any other specific action after receiving approval by a “consensus” decision.

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