AGM / Vote

monaghan · Apr 24, 2014

So what do we all think about the items on the agenda and the candidates?

Anyone know why it is so critical Clive continues, surely there's sufficient time to organise a successor to help with the accounts and there's no need to extend?

monaghan · Apr 24, 2014

invincible said:
You start...

I don't know the candidates, hence the question. Hoping others will share their insight. I've seen Hazel pop up here every now and then.

PoshTiger · Apr 25, 2014

invincible said:
I assume you have taken a look at the candidates statements and are aware of the two candidates that the existing board are recommending? Have you also been reading the Nominet members forum? There's some discussion over there. The rest of the AGM literature can be found here.

I 've met a few of the candidates, and chatted to Sebastien Lahtinen quite a bit. He's one of the two that the existing board are recommending and is also an existing board member standing for re-election. He's a member of this forum.

Oscar O'Connor is the brother-in-law of Lucien Taylor who stood last year but is unable to this year. I've never spoken with him but his statement is there for anyone to read and he posts on the Nominet forum. Nominet have added a disclaimer above his statement ("Disclaimer: While we have published all statements in full in order to give candidates the opportunity to express their views, the statement below repeats longstanding complaints that Nominet has reviewed and refuted comprehensively in the past.") which he has objected to, I believe.

Oliver Hope works for HostEurope. Some may remember him attending the Registrar Information Day back in late 2012 where he said that customers were telling them that they wanted direct.uk domain names, but he wasn't really able to provide much more detail when questioned back. He was also in attendance at the Registrar Agreement meeting in London last year. I've never personally spoken to him. Seems to have an accountancy background.

Denesh Bhabuta has been involved in domain names and web hosting for as long as I remember. I've met him a few times but I don't believe he and I have spoken much. Seems a nice guy and appears to have a lot of useful experience.

Hazel Pegg member here so you can read what she thinks. Nice enough but a bit batty.

Thanks for the potted history - I'm relatively new to the domaining world so info like this is very helpful to me.

Edwin · Apr 25, 2014

Worth noting that Nominet members should have received an individually tailored email, subject line "Nominet AGM and non-executive director elections", from Popularis Ltd <help(at)popularis.org>.

So if you're a Member and you've not had the email yet, it's worth checking your spam folder since it wasn't sent by Nominet themselves.

It is legit by the way - Nominet have used Popularis for years to send out the e-ballot stuff.

Inside the email, you'll find your assigned username and password to access the voting area.

There are TWO separate votes. One for the resolutions, one for the non-executive director election (the interface isn't super clear, but you will need to vote TWICE using the 2 different links if you want to exercise your full rights as a Member). You can vote for any number of directors - you do NOT have to vote for all of them - and you can assign preferences (1, 2, etc.) such that if the person you picked first isn't voted through, then your 2nd, 3rd etc. choices get your vote. Again, you do NOT have to assign all 5 candidates a preference, you can stop with 1, 2, 3 etc.

The whole process start to finish takes no more than 2 minutes, plus whatever time it takes you to read the Candidate Statements from the candidates for director.

Remember: if you've completed the process online, you don't also have to do it on paper. And you can't also do it in person i.e. you can only vote by ONE route.

I've got my "duty" out of the way for another year

AssetDomains · Apr 25, 2014

Thanks for the info Invincible, Edwin had a brief look yesterday at the statements will take a more detailed look when the paper pack comes through.

I assume that Oliver Hope is nailed on for a place with host Europe's voting power or will the cap let the other big boys block him if they choose.

Denesh Bhabuta looks like an interesting choice may send a vote that way.

Is anyone attending in person this year is there going to be a meetup.

martin-s · Apr 25, 2014

Does anyone understand what's going on with Dr Clive Grace OBE? Why the special treatment?

Edwin · Apr 25, 2014

martin-s said:
Does anyone understand what's going on with Dr Clive Grace OBE? Why the special treatment?

No idea, but that was the one line item I voted "no" to on that form.

Important: it's again not very well designed, but the form's an either/or: either you fill in that you agree to the Chair exercising your proxy (in which case your vote count will be cast in the way the Chair sees fit) OR you complete the checkboxes down in the second part of the form to give granular feedback on each point at issue.

Either way, you'll need to "sign" your form electronically by typing your name in the Signature box, but it's important to only complete one part or the other.

martin-s · Apr 25, 2014

How come you voted no without first understanding it?! Edwin I'm shocked!

Edwin · Apr 25, 2014

martin-s said:
How come you voted no without first understanding it?! Edwin I'm shocked!

I voted "no" because I don't believe that anyone needs special treatment - the maximum term for a non-executive director had already been extended in the past and is now pretty long, and it's a slippery slope to start pushing the boundaries even further through a "one-off" vote. It also allows his successor time to get used to things rather than being thrown in at the deep end on the first day of a new financial year.

BTW, Nominet have supplied a reason: "This re-appointment would ensure continuity over the audit and reporting of the current financial year." which I felt was inadequate for the reason I outlined above (3rd paragraph of the below)
http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/late...-meeting-and-non-executive-director-elections

Hazel Pegg · May 1, 2014

invincible said:
Hazel Pegg member here so you can read what she thinks. Nice enough but a bit batty.

I'll take that as a compliment. Totally barking might be more accurate

monaghan · May 1, 2014

martin-s said:
Does anyone understand what's going on with Dr Clive Grace OBE? Why the special treatment?

I got the call yesterday and the chap could only provide the "Nominet supplied response", but didn't seem surprised when I asked why the special treatment and seemed to hint that I wasn't the 1st person to ask the question.