SI MONTHLY NEWS November 2006 Exco Info
From SI Exco News
Brief Update
Your Executive Committee of Servas International has met frequently in telephone conference calls. SI News Editor Jane Giffould has published our short reports on our work in the Monthly Servas Newsletters which are on www.servas.org Some of these are quite detailed, e.g. the October issue. Please, if you have a website, link it to the Servas Monthly News.
National secretaries are also encouraged to send news items to Jane (jgiffould[at]aol.com or newsletter[at]servas.org).
Her next deadline is 20 December.
Like some of you, we have felt delays from life's unexpected personal challenges and from Servas International's regulated banking procedures and other routines.
It now seems that we will be ready for the Distant Vote decided at the GA in Latina, about July-August, 2007. Before then, we will prepare a good consultation with national secretaries, so that no one is surprised by the Distant Vote and so many can input to the budget materials.
Next week some members of EXCO will be meeting to advance special topics:
a) Money Committee – setting it up, again (it has not met since Thailand). It would collect advice and help in the medium and long term plan for Servas.
b) Budget timetable and forecasts -- preparing for 2008 and future; examining trends and issues; arranging consultation process, in advance of Distant Vote, etc.
c) Internal Audit Committee hearing from at least some of the Audit Committee, on what information might influence the Budget; and also reviewing and settle international administrative requirements to complete the Outside Audit.
Because General Secretary Pramod is on temporary assignment in Western Europe, the meeting will be in Frankfurt , November 25. Thanks to Treasurer Omer and to Markus Kappenberger. Your advice or questions are welcome in advance of the meeting. We also look forward to learning more about your own work, successes and challenges.
As you may recall, the General Assembly at Latina encouraged developing a new SI Board. We already know more work is needed, e.g. on Outreach, and on providing a stronger focus in Servas leadership of Servas Travelers and Workers , and on planning for the GA. We are aware that Servas is thinly spread in many areas, and that Servas needs to study and find ways to advance the ethics and practice of Democracy.
The strong team at present assembling to work with ICT, on improving the SI website will help some of this. You may also see results from EXCO's offer to all other Committees, to help improve communication without interfering in their work.
Meantime, this week is founder Bob Luitweiler's birthday. Might you take a moment to send him a birthday greeting note saying how Servas has touched your life, or changed the lives of others whom you know -- or telling your hopes for Servas in future? His address is bob[at]steadi.org [BOBL[at]STEADI.ORG] If you wish, please send a copy to us; perhaps we could put excerpts from some of your best on the website -- or in other outreach?
Gary Sealey, President, EXCO
Exco in action
On 25 to 27 November, 2006 Servas International meetings were held on the following subjects:
1)Budget update for SI for 2006/2007 and outlook for Budget 2008-2010. We analysed the current situation and prepared a call for advice from National Secretaries.
2)Draft Plan for Distant Votes for 2007 (drafted a letter to be sent to National Secretaries)
3) Appointment letter for External Auditor
4) Statement on completion of Internal Audit (meeting with two of Internal Auditors)
5) Design of Book-keeping action plan to improve rapid updates and access to books
6) Opening of renewed discussions on WHALE and Dolphin.
Present at these meetings: Gary Sealey, Omer Ozkan, Anna Flammini, Burcu Duzguner, Markus Kappenberger, Pramod Kumar, Eva Meggender, LV Subramanian Miroslav Wasilevski. We were very grateful for the assistance of Markus Kappenberger and Servas Germany hosts Markus, Margrit, Rudolf and Ursula, Franke, Alpert and Christine, Rahel, and other friends and the Osterkirkche and Lukaskirche of Frankfurt.
Gary Sealey, President
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