Dragon's Mist Baronial Polling

Dragon's Mist is currently undergoing a process of polling its citizenry on the topic of whether they desire to advance the branch from a shire to a barony. As a part of this process, mailers were sent to each of the 176 registered members of the SCA inside the zip-code boundaries of the shire.

The results of the initial poll were comparatively weak--only 71 members responded. The Kingdom has granted a supplemental polling to garner the opinions of the additional members who have not responded by use of a website. Baron James Llewellyn ap Gruffydd, Kingdom Seneschal, established a home for this page at http://members.shaw.ca/dragonsmistbaronypoll/index.html.

Baron James' letter to the citizens of Dragon's Mist:

The final results are in and tallied. And while so far there is a very positive response for the move to Barony, the poll was incomplete. The Society requires, when considering a branch change, that a substantial majority of the paid members residing within the affected area respond to the polling, whether in favor, against or neutral.

This did not occur in this polling or in the previous internal one. Currently Dragon's Mist has 176 paid members listed yet only 71 people responded to the recent polling. So to reach an acceptable conclusion to this petition we need more people to respond. To facilitate this, with Their Majesties approval, we will allow on online polling for those who have yet to respond.

A website has been established at: http://members.shaw.ca/dragonsmistbaronypoll/

If you are:

1) a paid member;

2) a resident of Dragon's Mist; and

3) have yet to respond to the poll

please go to this site and complete the poll.

You have multiple options to make this extremely easy to do.

1) Fill out an electronic poll on the website

2) Download the poll form (or have someone print you a copy) fill out a paper poll and scan it and send by email attachment

3) Download the poll form, fill out a paper poll and mail it to me

4) Download the poll form, fill out a paper poll and GIVE it to your Seneschal (who then sends me the data by entering it for them or scanning it and sending it)

The paper poll is in the format of either a WORD document or an RTF document or a TEXT file. The website will also have a 'results' page which will be updated occasionally to simply show you the level of responses.

I will be giving your Seneschal feedback as to WHO hasn't responded so he can encourage you to do so. This poll needs approximately 2/3 of your paid members to respond to be considered valid whether for or against the idea of becoming a barony. If the majority are in favor we need this completed to authenticate that. If the majority are opposed then we need this completed to lay the issue to rest for the time being.

-- Baron James Llewellyn ap Gruffydd, OP Kingdom Seneschal, Antir

A letter from Dragon's Mist Seneschal Eoghan ÓBriain:

Greetings Dragon's Mist!

Strange thing, this! Can you believe our wonderful Kingdom Seneschal would be so efficient as to post this directly to our official anouncements list? I'm forwarding this out to all of the DM lists, as well as PDX Newcomers list, to encourage everyone who qualifies to take advantage of the graciousness Their Majesties have offered us.

If you reside within the boundries of Dragon's Mist, are a paid member of the SCA, and have not, yet, responded to the opinion polling mailed out in October, then log in to the site listed in Baron James' message below and put in your opinion. Whether For, Against, or indifferent, put it in. I know there are a lot of people who may not play in DM, but live here and choose not to state an opinion in any direction. I say to you, you are living within the borders of DM, if you don't care, or are unsure, if DM becomes a barony, please, go ahead and take the 5 minutes to tell kingdom that you're indifferent.

If you are absolutely behind our petition and can't wait until Their Majesties appoint our founding royalty, then take the 5 minutes to tell kingdom that you are in favor.

If you are against the idea and would like to see DM stay a shire, then take the 5 minutes to tell kingdom that you are not in favor.

However you feel, there is an option and ability for you to let kingdom know your opinion. Please, do not "hold out" and abstain from placing your opinion. Also, please don't try to start an "underground movement" encouraging people to abstain. All that does is create division within the branch and ruins the game for everyone.

Having said that, take a look at His Excellency's message to all of us, use one of the polling options he has provided, and make your voice heard!

Unity in Service to the Dream!

Eoghan

Baron James' follow-up letter on 1/24/10:

At this time the polling of your people suggests you have a mandate to proceed with submitting your baronial package.

Their Majesties are happy with the recent polling and now request the package be submitted. Following is a list of required inclusions. Should any of these have been previously submitted simply include them with this new package.

1. A letter of Petition to the Kingdom Seneschal
2. Letters from Peers in the area supporting the change of status
3. A list of proposed officers for the Barony (see Kingdom law for required offices) , a change of officer form for the proposed seneschal
4. A map of the current and/or proposed boundaries, a list of included postal/zip codes
--

I will send to you to add to your package the following:

5. Results of a consensus polling for change of status
6. Letters from the Kingdom Exchequer and Kingdom Reporting deputy stating the current group has had no past issues with required reports.
7. Confirmation from the Kingdom reporting deputy confirming your membership numbers

If any of these have already been prepared and sent they should be included in this final package which should be submitted to: the Crown, Kingdom Seneschal and New Branches Deputy.

If you have any questions I will try to answer them as best I can or send a note to the New Branches Deputy.

Baron James Llewellyn ap Gruffydd, OP
Kingdom Seneschal, An Tir

Status as of August 1st, 2010

A listing of zip codes, formal request letter, and formal polling have been conducted to establish the will of the populace. The kingdom is satisfied with these things.

Contrary to Baron James' original e-mail, the last requirement from Kingdom was to supply change of officer forms for all of our existing officers to transition from shire officers to baronial officers. In order to avoid waiting for the next business meeting to obtain these signatures, shire seneschal Eoghan O'Briain undertook to get signatures at a number of events and functions around the area.