Meeting Minutes

September 2021 Baronial Business Meeting

South Downs Baronial Business Meeting

01 September 2021, Time: 1930

Notes submitted by Signora Aelia Bassina, South Downs Chronicler.

Lady Bú Feiyan called the August meeting to order. Our Seneschal, Master Nikoslav Mikolaevich , greeted the populace joining the Zoom meeting. Nikoslav read the Kingdom Anti-Bullying statement.

Officers Reports

Seneschal, (Master Nikoslav Mikolaevich)

  • Nothing big new.
  • All the stuff for Castle Wars has started.
  • Concerning Red Tower, with the new COVID numbers in mind, I will be making an announcement regarding Red Tower. I will have a final announcement on that by Friday. If you have any input, please let me know.
  • There is a survey that was put out by the Kingdom Seneschal regarding being for or against vaccines for events.

Herald (Lady Bú Feiyan)

  • We are looking for people to help at Red Tower and Castle Wars with field and site Heraldry. 
  • Congrats to Ælfric on his Meridian Cross.

Knight Marshal (Lady Mairghread Wilson)

  • Heavy practices started off strong initially; 12-14 fighters.  After the mask mandate was put back in place our numbers have dropped off considerably.
  • Upcoming practice considerations:
    • 9/5/2021 – Dragon Con – poll yes/no to have practice
    • 9/19/2021 – Red Tower – NO PRACTICE ON SUNDAY
    • 10/3/2021 – Gulf Wars – No practice unless Gulf gets canceled or other Marshal coverage
    • 10/10/2021 – Gulf Wars – No practice unless Gulf gets canceled or other Marshal coverage
    • 10/31/2021 – Coronation – No practice unless other Marshal coverage
  • Heavy combat schedule for Red Tower:
    • 0900-1000   Armor Inspection
    • 1000-1200   Red Tower Tourney (Format – Double Elim)
    • 1200-1300   Lunch
    • 1300-1430   Baroness Prize Tourney (Format – TBD)
    • 1500-1630   9-Lives Charity Tourney (Format – William Marshal)
  • Youth Combat:
    • Div I & II have been suspended until further notice due to skyrocketing COVID rates & lack of vaccination availability in these age divisions.  
    • Div III (14-17 yr olds) can resume fighting but will wear a mask the entire time, on and off the field, along with any adults who are authorized to spar with youth

Rapier Marshal (Captain Brendan de Hay)

  • Practices have been happening, Sunday afternoons at Liane Levetan Park in Dunwoody, concurrent with Armored fighter practice.  Numbers are low, but understandably so in the current weather and public health environment.
  • Personally, I’m just finishing up a work project that has completely absorbed my time for the last couple of months, and Raven and I are in the process of moving our residence (still in South Downs).  Please bear with me as I re-emerge, but I am still planning on marshaling at Red Tower.  Look for some rapier-related publicity this week.
  • The Nine Lives Tourney, this year to be held at Red Tower does include a rapier list.  Buy some lives, save some cats!

Live Weapons (Mistress Mara Palmer)

  • Nothing to report.

Reeve (Mistress Alessandra Giovanna Fioravanti & La Onesta Signore Justina di Silvestri)

  • Insurance for castle wars has been paid

Quartermaster (Master Ximon Martillo de Cordoba) 

  • Isabetta, Bu, and I went to storage several weeks ago and. Went through and culled out the food and supplies that were out of date. Isabetta graciously has worked to update and reorganize the inventory list and both she and I went to storage last week and performed counts and reorganized the shelves that all of the items were stored at and items are now all grouped by function of use. We do have a few more items that we need to account for, but it’s organized well enough. 
  • We did find that most of the gold key clothing was in cardboard boxes and most were not covered. I would like to ask the barony to review the cost of 6 totes to be purchased.  They are $11.98 each. We also need to purchase a new rolling tote for the Baron pavilion. I’ll get the cost of that later.(thought I had that…?) I know this still has to be approved by the financial committee but the Barony should be aware.

Chatelaine (Lord Nikon Dawidowicz)

  • We don’t have much. 
  • The quarterly report is due by the 10th but I’ll have that in plenty of time.

Demo Deputy (Lady Bú Feiyan)

  • I am putting a hold on indoor demos until the COVID situation improves. 
  • I would like to have an outdoor demo at the Westside Pop-up in October. (I will need permission from Barony as it will cost $25)

Arts & Sciences (THL Alisandre de la Chapelle)

  • The quarterly Report has been submitted. 
  • Not much else to report.

Provost (Daegam Soong Myeong-Su)

  • Class this month will be taught with Baroness Emelina with a title TBD
  • We have an opening in October should anyone want to teach next month

Chronicler (Signora Aelia Bassina)

  • Still looking for a deputy. Please let me know if anyone is interested.

Social Media Minister (Lady Isabella Parr) 

  • Created the Red Tower event. Related pre-reg is required and you now can find the URL link either in the about section or by hitting the tickets button on the event page. 
  • We’ve gotten a spam post within the group. The post was swiftly dealt with by our lovely Baroness so Thank you! 😊 After looking into the poster, It was clearly a fake profile that I kicked from the group. Hopefully, that solves everything. If you notice a spam post please feel free to report it and/ or send me a Facebook message. It really doesn’t matter the hour you message me- I keep odd hours 🙂
  • Also, I’m seeking a deputy

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer (DEI), (Vidushi Mewadi Margavati Bai & Lily of South Downs)

  • This month we will be having a class because it was highly requested, Bystander Intervention on our usual DEI night. It’s a great class at conflict management. 

Webminister (Lady Zhelana Vovkivna & HE Piers Simmons)

  • Updated Plugins
  • Deleted unused themes 
  • Announced Red Tower pre-reg
  • Updates to Red Tower site

Minister of Children (Lady Una Ulfrdottir)

  • Nothing report

Their Excellencies, (Master Wistric Oftun & Mistress Sunneva de Cleia)

  • Thank you to everybody who participated in the poll about vaccine policy. Results have been posted to the Baronial Facebook group on the post with the link to the poll. Results have also been sent to the SCA president, Seneschal, and BOD.
  • A very similar poll is up on the kingdom Facebook group and Baronial FB group. Please participate in that one as well so that the Kingdom Seneschal can accurately report the views of the entire kingdom to the BOD.
  • Her Majesty recently shared a letter that she sent to the BOD encouraging them to reconsider the policy, and I know some of you have also written to them on the matter recently. Pressure is increasing.
  • If you feel strongly about the SCA’s vaccination policy, however you feel, please write to the president@sca.org and comments@sca.org.
  • However, the next scheduled BOD call isn’t until the same day as Red Tower. So Red Tower, if it goes forward, will be held under the current kingdom rules (see Nik). We understand folks are worried about the risk of transmission under the current rules, and we share your concerns. 
  • We urge everybody to do what is best for the health of yourself and everybody around you, including vaccination, masking, maintaining social distance, hand sanitizer, and, if need be, staying home.

SCA Business

  • Red Tower – Iazzie
    • We’re renting a pavilion and using the space in front of it. The area that we have is small. 
    • The site will open at 8 am. That’s the time the area opens so we can’t open earlier than that. Though, if people arrive early, the gates are normally open.
    • Everything will be pre-reg. You will need to get the parking pass on your own. We do not want to have a til there.
    • There are several areas that could be used for Childrens’ activities and a quiet place if needed.
    • The area where classes would be is very big. There are close restrooms as well as electric outlets.
    • This isn’t a state-run park so annual passes won’t work. This is a county park and you will need to pick up your pass on the way in.
  • Castle Wars – Ximon
    • We are actively looking for people to help out for staff.
    • I have talked to the marshals. We are planning right now but will need a goodly amount of marshals.
    • The plan right now is Their Majesties will hold court after lunch, not after fighting.
    • We are still in the early stages and I want to thank Alisandre for handing out the check so we were able to get insurance.
    • In case we can’t have the event in person, we have started talking about online things. 
    • We are looking at maybe doing a raffle or a silent auction to help play for our storage.

 

The business meeting was closed @ 2008.

The next business meeting will be held on 06 October 2021, 1930, Zoom Meeting.