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Interactive, online make ups
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This program is an interview with PDG Don Goe, D5450 who represented the District at the 2004 Council on Legislation completed just last week in Chicago, Illinois. Here are his observations about that event and the reactions to eClub One proposal to make online interactive makeups an official venue for attendance makeup.

ECLUB: Please tell us about the roles you have played in D5450 over the years.

DON: Besides being District Governor 1994-1995, I have served on the Executive Committee for six years and chaired the Nominating Committee one of those years. There was joint district membership in the Presidents' Dinner, PETS, and, of course, I was responsible as DG to convene the District Assembly and the District Conference.

I chaired the PETS Committee in 1987 and have been a participant in every District Conference since 1980. I served on the Zone Nominating Committee for Board of Directors in 2002 as a representative of District 5450.

ECLUB: How does the District select a delegate to the Council on Legislation (COL); what are your duties prior to the COL and what are they when you return?

DON: Clubs nominate for the representative to COL from eligible candidates. To be eligible, one must have served as a District Governor. Prior to COL, one should read all of the pending issues that will be before the Council. One also has the responsibility to become particularly informed on issues of concern to the District and take whatever action seems appropriate to facilitate their passage.

ECLUB: How does the COL operate? How does it manage to consider and vote on all the submissions in five days?

DON: They operate under very strict parliamentary law. Issues are somewhat grouped by subject; however, only when they appear to have over-lapping proposals are they "compromised" -- that is, combined in a way that same proposals will be considered as one. There still is much duplication. Each proposal is moved and debated.

Obviously, some limits are put on the amount of debate, and as the week progressed, increasing limits were placed on the number of speakers and the amount of time permitted for each. One votes with an electronic key and the computer gives immediate returns as to the size of the vote. Since amendments to the RI Constitution require a 2/3 majority, the number becomes very important.

ECLUB: With regard to the initiative from D5450 adding interactive web time to the list of venues that qualify for attendance; what were the arguments pro and con that you heard before the vote - in private conversations and on the floor of the Council?

DON: I anticipated more controversy than I encountered; however, the veracity of the e-club seemed to have been answered by the statistics John had given me about the number of visits, the general responses they have received, and the quality of the programs using some specifics as examples.

I stated that the function of the club was with out question; therefore, the only issue at hand was the consideration of parameters to be placed on visits that would culminate in a make up application. I gave examples of the type of membership the club enjoys and the reason people chose that mechanism for affiliating with Rotary. In particular I used Hans Trabandt who was formerly a member of my own club whose extensive international travel responsibilities made ordinary club participation very difficult, but we did see him when he was in Denver.

I also stated that approval of make ups would not be the prerogative of the e-club but rather that of the club of which the person was a member. Eddie Blender from District 5470 testified as a coordinator in the New Clubs movement that the web site of the e-club was among the best he had ever seen. That seemed to be enough.

I did receive some requests for information about how to start such a club in a couple of districts outside the U.S.

ECLUB: The vote was close; 57% to 43%. To what do you attribute the majority vote? The negative vote?

DON: There was extensive negativism toward internet and electronic media throughout the conference -- particularly from third world countries where the equipment and activity is not general. Most of the other proposals were either defeated or withdrawn. One could say, I believe, that the inability of people to participate plus those whose personal experience doesn't run in these media account for the negatives.

ECLUB: After hearing the debate on our measure and comments following, what would you suggest ECLUB do to increase the margin of acceptance?

DON: If I am right concerning lack of contact and experience, any publicity one can give to the nature and quality of the programs will help. Using those who participate will help. Word of mouth is always a good communicator. Obtaining other reports in the Rotarian concerning your projects and how you function as a Rotary club would be helpful. Perhaps, one of your programs could be published in its entirety in the Rotarian.

ECLUB: Considering all the legislation that passed, what enactments do you consider the most significant? What recommendations most significant? What rejections most significant?

DON: The dues increase, the Strategic Plan, the search for the successor to Polio Plus, the controls placed on funds and operation at the executive offices of RI, attendance reporting, an extension of one year on the Pilot Projects, financial reporting, and the change in the motto to "They profit most who serve the best."

ECLUB: When will the enactments take effect?

DON: Unless otherwise stated, they will start as soon as they can be disseminated.

ECLUB: Thank you, Don, for representing us so effectively. You have provided Rotary on the Internet another solid advance.

Now that you have completed this program, you have these options

To do BOTH use the Critique E-mail first, then return and click on the Make-Up Request Form

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