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| NAHNS Convention Manual September 9, 1998 |
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FOREWORD This Manual is a revision of the Convention Manual approved by the Executive Board, at its meeting on August 31, 1994, prior to the 24th Annual Convention, in San Francisco. Subsequent to the Board’s action, the Delegates at the said Convention ratified the said Manual, and incorporated it, by reference, into a newly-adopted Policy Manual, on September 3, 1994. The Manual adopted at the San Francisco Convention was substantially equivalent to the "draft version" of the same Manual, which was circulated, for review and comment, at the 1994 Spring Board Meeting in Niagara Falls, Canada. This September 9, 1998 updating of the Convention Manual was prepared by the Convention Committee, chaired by Recording Secretary Joseph Russell, who was appointed to replace the late John Ornella. Members of the Committee included Regional Vice President Salvatore Pezzolanti, and Regional Assistant Vice President Richard Vasicek. After initial drafting, the Committee submitted the draft Manual to Third Vice President Richard Wieand. Mr. Wieand reviewed the said draft, with the assistance of several members of the Buffalo Diocesan Holy Name Union, including National Past President Melvin Carroll, Diocesan Executive Director Valentine Owczarczak, and Diocesan Executive Secretary Edward Nowak. After review, Mr. Wieand re-submitted the said Manual to the Convention Committee Chair for his approval, which was granted. As a final step, Mr. Wieand submitted the revised Convention Manual to the President, and to the Executive Board. Joseph Russell, Chair - Convention Committee Richard Wieand, Third Vice President TABLE OF CONTENTS
Substantive Provisions
Site Selection
Convention Committee Structure
Return to Table of Contents APPENDICES
"Generalists"
APPENDIX D – Convention and/or Meeting Expenses
APPENDIX E – Registration Form Return to Table of Contents NAHNS CONVENTION MANUAL BACKGROUND
SUBSTANTIVE PROVISIONS Theme The Constitution does not mandate any explicit procedure for the selection of a Convention theme, but a regular process has evolved over the years. In the earliest days, when there was a Dominican National Director, he would have selected the theme. Once the 1975 Constitution was adopted, the theme recommended by the National Director would have been submitted to the National Episcopal Moderator for his approval. When the Dominican Order withdrew from active governance of the National Association, the Executive Board, with input from the National Spiritual Director, would have submitted a recommendation to the Episcopal Moderator. Gradually, the National Spiritual Director’s role in the process developed into that of a participating Board member, rather than a distinct and separate step. Even though the Constitution mandates that the Third Vice President handles Convention arrangements, this office holder, until recently has had no role in the selection of a Convention theme. The local diocesan host committee has also been given a key role in the process. Specifically, the current Theme Selection procedure is as follows:
SITE SELECTION In future years, the Executive Board, having been reminded of its Constitutional prerogative to select the time and place of Annual Meetings/Conventions, may exercise its right to make this decision. In the event of being given such an assignment, the Third Vice President would have to consider multiple factors, such as: CITY Geographical Suitability: Considering that the NAHNS is a North American association, it is vital that the convention sites be regionally diversified. This consideration is particularly important if the NAHNS is actively choosing sites, rather than passively responding to invitations. Convention registrants will expect that equitable consideration be given to equalizing the burden of travel distance and expense; favoritism to any one region of the North American continent would be intolerable. Approval of Local Church Authorities: While the NAHNS would not require the same degree of cooperation from local church authorities if it were holding a "Business Only" Meeting as would be necessary for a National Convention, it would still be appropriate to request the Diocesan Bishop’s permission to meet in his diocese. Not only is this a proper courtesy to observe, but it is entirely possible that such a letter might stimulate the local church to take an interest in the Holy Name Society. In the rare instance where a bishop might have objection, the NAHNS would naturally desire to respect his wishes. COST One of the advantages of having the Executive Board choose the meeting site is that it would enable the body to consider the costs of the location. When the previous year’s convention was in an expensive locale, it would make sense to give the Delegates a financial "break". Conversely, special circumstances may justify an especially festive Convention, e.g. Jubilee Year 2000, or the 100th Anniversary of Blessed John of Vercelli’s beatification [2003]. LOCAL COOPERATION If the NAHNS plans to hold an Annual Meeting, limited to business in a city where there is no diocesan Holy Name Union, then the local Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) can be helpful; if, however, a National Convention were to be attempted without the sponsorship of a local Holy Name Union, then the CVB will be absolutely essential. MISCELLANEOUS CONSIDERATIONS Depending upon circumstances, other factors may also be critical. As an example, in Jubilee Year 2000, the opportunity for media exposure may be vital. A high profile city, like Honolulu which was chosen, offers obvious advantages. "Political" considerations may also play a role; was it purely an accident that Pope John Paul II chose to conduct a recent World Youth Day in Denver, considering that Colorado was then under boycott by militant gay activists? In the normal course of events, however, it is probably reasonable to assume that the Executive Board will continue to follow the prevailing practice of waiting for Diocesan Bishops to issue letters of invitation. The Third Vice President cannot, however, simply presume that such invitations will be forthcoming, with no effort on the part of "National". While the "inviting" bishops must be credited with generosity, it is safe to say that they might not come forward, except for the initiative of their local Holy Name Unions. The Third Vice President must urge member unions to consider hosting a Convention. HOTEL If the National Association ever chooses a site on its own initiative, it will have to select the Convention hotel. Since there have always been local sponsors, the selection of the meeting facility has customarily been treated as the prerogative of the host Convention committee. Even so, the Third Vice President must be knowledgeable about selection criteria, which include general type of hotel, meeting and dining facilities, price range, room appointments, amenities, and moral considerations. A discussion of each of these factors follows. General Types: Hotels may generally be divided into 5 classes, based upon quality and 4 classes, based upon location. The 5 major quality types are: Luxury (e.g. Ritz Carlton}, Upscale (Marriott), Standard (Holiday), Luxury Budget (Fairfield Inn) and Budget (Motel 6). A 6th Class is All Suites; most of these would be in the Upscale or Standard range. The 4 location types are Downtown, Airport, Suburban and Resort. Traditionally, the National Association has held its Conventions at either Upscale or Standard hotels of the major chains, e.g. Holiday, Radisson, Sheraton, and in the Downtown area. There have been exceptions. It is safe, however, to assume that the Convention hotel should, at minimum, be a Standard facility, and that, unless the host committee desires otherwise, or price considerations are prohibitive, it should usually be in a Downtown location. Airport hotels have obvious noise disadvantages, and suburban locations may be too remote from the Diocesan Cathedral, if the Closing Mass is to be celebrated there. While the NAHNS has never experimented with holding a National Convention at a Resort hotel, the atmosphere would be too distracting. Such a locale might be suitable, however, if the Annual Meeting were to be a "business only" session. Meeting and Dining Facilities General sessions of an Annual Meeting/Convention will require a meeting room with a minimum capacity of 200, classroom style. Theater style seating is not acceptable for the Delegates, who need a desk surface to review their manuals and to make notes. A raised platform should be available for the National Officers. In addition, a smaller, but more comfortably appointed room will be necessary for Executive Board meetings, and such committees as may need to meet during the working sessions (e.g. Clergy Committee). For morning Masses, a room with seating capacity between 50 and 100, theater style would be large enough. Since the Annual Banquet is traditionally held in the Convention Hotel, dining facilities must be adequate. When the National Association is depending upon its convention attendees only, space for 200 would probably be adequate. If the local committee is strongly supporting the banquet, dining facilities may be needed for 500-600 or more. PRICE RANGE In recent years (1989-98), the daily room rate has ranged, approximately from Sixty ($60.00) to One hundred and nine ($109.00) dollars, plus tax, single or double occupancy. Parking fees have been additional. In all cases, the local convention committees have negotiated very substantial discounts from the "rack rates" of these facilities. For the foreseeable future, i.e. the term of the incumbent Third Vice President, when a convention hotel is being selected, either by the NAHNS itself, or by the local committee, these upper and lower limits are realistic. Within this dollar price range, obviously the less expensive the better, assuming quality is acceptable. ROOM APPOINTMENTS This point is largely an aesthetic judgment, but would include such factors as room size, view, bathroom facilities (such as a second sink), furnishings, etc. Major features, such as king or queen size beds, or in-room refrigerators, will be readily apparent, but even small features may be significant to a guest, such as properly functioning remote control devices for television. Other factors being equal, an All Suites hotel would offer superior value for the money, compared with traditional hotel rooms. While the NAHNS thus far has never held a Convention at an All-Suites hotel, there is no obstacle to doing so in the future. Personal Amenities These are features which will benefit our convention registrants as individuals. Some of the features above-described as "Room Appointments" could also be classified as "Personal Amenities". Other examples would be such things as a swimming pool, exercise room, bed "turn down" service, etc. Group Amenities These are features which will benefit the National Association, and where applicable, the local host union, as corporate entities. Examples would be complimentary guest rooms or suites for dignitaries, based upon the number of guest room nights booked (See Section on "Convention Expenses"). Free refreshments for coffee breaks or for an hospitality suite would be another instance of a "Group Amenity". Mixed Amenities These are features which inure to the benefit of both the National Association as a body, and to particular registrants. Housing all convention registrants on a particular floor, or in a particular wing of the hotel, and/or complimentary upgrades to suites or to the Concierge Floor for National Officers would qualify as a Mixed Amenity. MORAL CONSIDERATIONS When the National Association comes together at an Annual Meeting, we are seeking a harmonious occasion to celebrate our commitment to the Lord. Because we live in a pluralistic society, we cannot expect that the surrounding environment will be totally supportive of our Catholic values, but we can, and must, expect respect for our principles. Accordingly, there are certain questions which we are entitled to ask of any prospective host facility. Scheduling Conflicts: As of the time of our meeting with the hotel management, are there any other groups scheduled to meet concurrently with our Convention Dates, whose values are directly antithetical to ours? NOTE: Since we cannot reasonably expect the hotel management to know what we mean, we must make it clear what type of organizations we are talking about. Our main concern will not be overtly anti-Catholic groups, like the old American Protective Association (APA), whose explicitly stated organizational objective was to prevent Roman Catholics from being elected to public office. Rather, we would be more concerned with groups adamantly opposed to our moral agenda, such as Planned Parenthood, NOW, "Gay Rights" groups, etc. In this respect, we must make the hotel management aware that even some groups which are professedly Catholic (e.g. Dignity, Catholics for a Free Choice, etc.) may hold views incompatible with our own. While we need not absolutely rule out a hotel because of such a scheduling conflict, we must be assured that our business sessions, and even more importantly, our worship services will not be disrupted by protesters. Hotel Policies and Reputation Are there any policies of the hotel itself, which we would deem to be immoral? NOTE: Obviously, this question must be approached indirectly. When, as is the usual practice, there is a diocesan host union, the National Association may rely upon their discretion to steer us away from any hotels which engage in the more extreme forms of commercial immorality, such as encouraging the patronage of prostitutes. However, there are subtler forms of immorality, where we must be on our guard. The most obvious example is the all too prevalent practice of offering guests sexually explicit in-room movies via the cable television system. Regrettably, we cannot recommend that this practice should be an absolute disqualification, because it has become so widespread in the hotel industry, that it may be difficult to find an otherwise acceptable hotel, which refrains from it. At a minimum however, the National Association must be assured that any promotional materials for these films will be removed from the guest rooms to be occupied by our registrants. This is not so much to protect our people from temptation as it is to spare them from having their sensibilities affronted. Also, by raising this point, we communicate to hotel managements that not all guests appreciate this "service". Since Catholic "morality" does not consist entirely of negatives, and certainly not exclusively of sexual prohibitions, there are certain positive factors which should dispose the NAHNS favorably toward a hotel as a possible convention site. An example would be a favorable relationship with the local Church authorities. If a particular hotel has been the site for Church events, such as Holy Name banquets, this would indicate that it is a suitable facility. Return to Table of Contents CONVENTION COMMITTEE STRUCTURE National Association The Third Vice President has Constitutional authority to oversee the Annual Meeting. He is assisted by a Convention Committee, whose duties are described in the Policy Manual (See Appendix B). While there has never been any precise definition of the responsibilities of the National Convention Committee, its broad charter may be considered to be long-term planning to improve the Annual Meeting process, rather than specific details of setting up a particular event. An appropriate analogy would be that the National Convention Committee is intended to serve the Third Vice President in the same way that the Advisory Board is intended to serve the Executive Board. Local – Host Diocesan Union Whenever a local Holy Name Union is hosting, it will need a Convention Committee, consisting of 15-20 persons, to undertake all of the responsibilities involved. This Committee should be appointed promptly after the Third Vice President notifies the local union Spiritual Director or President of the NAHNS acceptance of the Diocesan Bishop’s invitation. Appendix C provides an excellent working model for a Convention Committee. The responsibilities of each Committee member may be more specifically described as follows: Return to Table of Contents GENERAL CHAIR This is the local person in overall charge of the Convention, with whom the Third Vice President will interact. The Diocesan President should be encouraged to appoint a person in whom he has complete confidence, since it will be necessary to delegate to this individual responsibility for making decisions, in conjunction with National, regarding the overall structure of the Convention. Once this individual is appointed, the Third Vice President must quickly establish a good working relationship, and make it clear to the General Chair that each of them speaks for their respective organization. In other words, the Third Vice President will not go "over the General Chair’s head" to the Diocesan Spiritual Director or President, and similarly the General Chair should not "appeal" to the NAHNS President. However, the General Chair must also be advised that, at times, the Third Vice President may need to directly contact a Sub-Committee Chair, such as the Program or Hotel Chair, if information must be obtained expeditiously. ASSISTANT GENERAL CHAIR This is the vital backup position, in the event of the unavailability or incapacity of the General Chair, as well as the person to whom major responsibilities may be delegated. The Diocesan President should be encouraged to appoint this person with the consent of the General Chair. Return to Table of Contents PROGRAM CHAIR This is the person responsible for the Program Book, which supplies the primary profit for both the National Association and the host Union, from the Convention based upon the advertising revenue. The Diocesan President should be encouraged to appoint a person strongly motivated to excel, and surpass last year’s record. The Program Chair should be encouraged to review prior Convention Program Books, so that prospective repeat advertisers are not overlooked. As a general principle, there are several classes of previous advertisers who are good prospects for repeat ads, as follows:
In addition to firming up these "repeat advertisers", the Program Chair must solicit ads from the local community for "this year only". Typical sources of ads would include:
Return to Table of Contents PRINTING AND MAILING CHAIR This post calls for a person who is familiar with the printing industry, and is very detail-oriented. Printing expenses can be substantial, although it is sometimes possible to negotiate a discounted rate, or even to have printing donated as a good will or public relations gesture. HOTEL CHAIR This position requires a person familiar with the local hotel industry, who is a good negotiator, and is unbiased regarding the selection decision. The person will work directly with the Third Vice President, to arrange for a site visitation to the projected convention facility. It is the Third Vice President’s responsibility to communicate to the Hotel Chair regarding NAHNS needs for a convention hotel, but the ultimate decision will be made by the Local Convention Committee. It is the Diocesan Union, rather than the National Association, which is the signatory to the contract with the hotel. The legal status of the National Association is that of a third party "donee beneficiary", which has made "detrimental reliance" upon the faithful fulfillment of the contract between the Local Union and the hotel As a point of strategy, the Hotel Chair should arrange for the Third Vice President’s site visitation to come after the Diocesan Convention Committee has already chosen its preferred site, but before the legally-binding contract has been signed. At this point, it may be possible to secure a few additional minor concessions from the hotel to "satisfy National", whose approval for the Convention is being sought. Also, because of his "institutional memory" of prior conventions, the Third Vice President will serve as a "disaster check", in the event the Local Committee has overlooked any factor crucial to proper hotel selection. Return to Table of Contents BANQUET CHAIR Essentially the same skill are required as would be needed for a Diocesan Banquet Chair, except that site selection will not normally be a responsibility, since the Presidential Banquet has invariably been held in the Convention hotel. The Banquet Chair will coordinate with the Third Vice President, regarding the Agenda, and Head Table Seating. Certain questions have arisen at prior National Conventions as to who is entitled to be seated at the Head Table. To avoid future controversies, the following guidelines are recommended: Even-Numbered (Non-Election) Years National: The Episcopal Moderator, National Spiritual Director, Chair of Awards Committee and ALL SIX National Officers should always be seated at the Head Table. NO ONE ELSE from National should be there, unless explicitly requested by the Host Union. Local: Diocesan Bishop (or his authorized Delegate), Diocesan Spiritual Director, Diocesan President, General Chair and Guest Speaker. Other Diocesan Officers, or County/Deanery/Vicariate Union Presidents may be seated at the Main Head Table, or a Secondary Head Table, on a space-available basis. Odd Numbered (Election) Years National: Exactly the same as in even-numbered years, except that there is no seat required for the Awards Chairman, and additional places must be set aside at the Head Table, so that both outgoing and incoming National Officers may be seated. Theoretically, if there were a complete turnover, National might need fourteen (14) seats, but realistically no more than three (3) new persons will enter the National Officer ranks during any given election cycle. Because the precise number of National seats cannot be known until Saturday afternoon, when the election is held, there should be a Secondary Head Table to accommodate overflow. Local: Same as even-numbered years. In addition to the Head Table(s), there should also be a reserved table on the floor, for Regional Vice Presidents and their spouses. Return to Table of Contents REGISTRATION CHAIR This person must be detail-oriented, and capable of organizing volunteers to perform a tedious by necessary task. Someone in the advertising specialties field would be ideal, because the person would find it easy to secure donations of small "gift items" for the Registration Packet. The Registration Chair must be prepared to send out the first mailing shortly before the Spring Board Meeting of the year, which will almost invariably be held between February and April, with the exact date and place chosen by the President. A second mailing should be sent out approximately three months prior to the Convention. Of necessity, the Registration Chair will have to coordinate with the Printing and Mailings Chair. The Registration Chair has many tasks to perform, including the following:
NOTE: Some registrants will fall into more than one category. As a point of protocol, registrants should always be given the highest ranking ribbon to which they are entitled. Therefore, it is essential that the Registration Form be drafted correctly, since the Registration Chair cannot be expected to have personal knowledge of the various capacities at which everyone works on the National level. For further discussion of the Registration Form, see Appendix E. Return to Table of Contents WORKSHOPS CHAIR This person must be skilled in recruiting speakers, and have the contacts to do so. The individual must also believe strongly in the Convention theme, since the workshops must be harmonious with the said theme. Also, a Workshops Chair must work closely with the General Chair and Third Vice President, to fit workshops smoothly into the overall Convention Agenda. PARADE CHAIR This position is optional; a parade is not always held. The Parade Chair performs a unique combination of tasks, such as contacting the city to obtain a parade permit, having signs printed for the sides of dignitaries cars, securing a marching band, if desired, and organizing the group after the Closing Mass, to march back to the Convention Hotel for the Presidential Banquet. MASS ARRANGEMENTS CHAIR This position requires a person with a sensitivity to liturgical issues, and a sense of Holy Name history. The person should also be skilled in interacting with ecclesiastical dignitaries. Return to Table of Contents SPOUSAL TOUR CHAIR This position requires a person with an awareness of local points of interest. Such a familiarity should not be presumed: it is a surprisingly rare quality. They must also be able to negotiate with a charter bus company, unless this task is performed by the Transportation Chair. FINANCE CHAIR This position requires a person with knowledge about such issues as cash flow, budget development and record keeping. It is essential that monetary issues be kept under control, since the Convention offers the greatest opportunity for profit for both the local Host Union, and the National Association of the Holy Name Society. It is the custom to split profits equally between the national and local sponsors. Return to Table of Contents TRANSPORTATION CHAIR This post is responsible for local transportation only, such as meeting dignitaries upon arrival, and setting up local tour buses. Long distance transportation to the Annual Meeting is the responsibility of individual registrants. Depending upon the circumstances of their arrival, the following dignitaries should be met by the Host Union; the greeter need not be a member of the Transportation Committee, but the Chair has the responsibility to see that the task is performed. AIRPORT ARRIVAL National Episcopal Moderator, National Spiritual Director, and all National Officers, subject to the following exceptions:
TRAIN STATION ARRIVAL National Episcopal Moderator and President should automatically be met, subject to the same exceptions as Airport Arrival. Other dignitaries should be contacted, and asked if they wish to be met at the train station. AUTOMOTIVE ARRIVAL If any dignitary’s estimated time of arrival is known, it would be appropriate to have someone meet the said person in the Convention Hotel lobby. Otherwise, the dignitary should simply be introduced when appearing on the floor of the Convention. NOTE: In order to assure that "arrival" protocol is observed, the Registration Chair must notify the Transportation Chair as soon as a dignitary has registered for the Convention. The Transportation Chair should then contact the said dignitary, and ascertain travel plans and arrival schedule. Return to Table of Contents DIGNITARIES RECEPTION CHAIR This position has responsibility for arranging the details of the Presidential Reception. Since this event will be held in the Convention Hotel, it must be coordinated with the Hotel Chair. This person is also responsible for arranging for the greeting of any "Special Dignitaries", such as visiting Bishops, and the Guest Speaker, whose time of arrival must be communicated to the Transportation Chair. PUBLICITY CHAIR This position requires a person who is skilled in communication with the media. In addition to seeking coverage in the diocesan Catholic newspaper, the person should seek to place free announcements in parish bulletins, and to secure coverage in the secular media, both print and electronic, in the surrounding region. Furthermore, this person should communicate with the Newsletter Editor, to assure proper announcements of the Convention, and coverage thereafter, in the HNS Newsletter. To the extent possible, press releases should also be sent to diocesan Holy Name newsletters. Return to Table of Contents
Return to Table of Contents
APPENDIX B INTRODUCTION The Constitution mandates that the National Association of the Holy Name Society shall meet annually, at a time and place designated by the Executive Board (ARTICLE X, Section 1, Sub-Section a). This Annual Meeting may be limited to a business session, or may take the form of a National Convention as may be decided by the Executive Board each year (ARTICLE X, Section 1, Sub-Section c). Election of officers shall take place at every second Annual Meeting/Convention (ARTICLE X, Section 1, Sub-Section b) (NOTE: Since the Constitution was ratified in 1975, this means that elections are held in odd- numbered years). The Third Vice President directly supervises arrangements for the Annual Meeting/Convention (ARTICLE IX, Section 8, Sub-Section b), aided by a Convention Committee (ARTICLE V, Section 1, Sub-Section a). Pertinent provisions of the Constitution read as follows: ARTICLE V – Committees – Section 1 – Permanent Committees The permanent committees of this Association shall be …Convention … ARTICLE IX – Duties of Officers and Chairs – Section 8 – Third Vice President shall directly supervises the arrangements for the Annual Meeting/Convention ARTICLE X – Meeting and Voting – Section 1 – Annual Meeting
The Policy Manual describes the Convention Committee (ARTICLE I, Section 5, Sub-Section 1), and explains its operating procedure (ARTICLE I, Section 5, Sub-Section 2) as follows: ARTICLE I – Section 5 – Sub-Section 1 – Convention Committee This permanent committee, as defined in our constitution, shall consist of a chairman, the NAHNS third vice president, and 3 to 5 other members as nominated by the chairman and approved by the president, who are as far as possible to be geographically interspersed as to locations within NAHNS overall membership. ARTICLE I – Section 5 – Sub-Section 2 – Operating Procedure This committee shall operate as per specific guidelines set forth in the NAHNS Convention Manual, and as otherwise directed by the president. Return to Table of Contents
APPENDIX C
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APPENDIX D The following items may be considered Basic Convention or Meeting Expenses: HOTEL EXPENSES The hotel lodging expense of the National Episcopal Moderator, National Spiritual Director, Vice Postulator for the Cause of Blessed John of Vercelli, President and Third Vice President are Basic Convention or Meeting Expenses. Because the circumstances, scheduling and responsibilities of each of these National Officers vary, the number of days lodging will vary also. Barring extraordinary circumstances the maximum number of days lodging for each Officer will be as follows: National Episcopal Moderator – 3 Days – Arrive Thursday and depart Sunday of Convention Week. National Spiritual Director – 5 Days – Arrive Tuesday and depart Sunday of Convention Week Vice Postulator for the Cause of Blessed John of Vercelli – 4 Days – Arrive Wednesday and depart Sunday of Convention Week. President – 5 Days – Arrive Tuesday and depart Sunday of Convention Week. Third Vice President – 7 Days – Arrive Sunday and depart Sunday of Convention Week. Lodging Accommodations: National Episcopal Moderator: Out of respect, both for his office, and for his duties at the Convention, e.g. providing facilities for a Clergy Committee meeting in his room, possibly entertaining other Bishops or dignitaries, etc., the National Episcopal Moderator should be provided with a Suite on the Concierge Floor, or equivalent lodging space National Spiritual Director: Since his duties at the Convention do not include entertaining dignitaries, the National Spiritual Director does not require a Suite, but should be housed on the Concierge Floor. Vice Postulator: The Vice Postulator for Blessed John of Vercelli shall be provided with a room on the Concierge Floor President: The President shall be provided with a Suite on the Concierge Floor, suitable for entertainment. Third Vice President: The Third Vice President shall be provided with a room on the Concierge Floor. In the event that the Convention Hotel is an All Suites Hotel, the foregoing distinctions will be moot. Similarly, if there is no Concierge Floor, adaptations will have to be made to assure that housing for these dignitaries is suitable. Return to Table of Contents CONVENTION REGISTRATION: Convention Registration Fees are waived for the National Episcopal Moderator, National Spiritual Director and Vice Postulator for the Cause of Blessed John of Vercelli. This waiver of registration fees is not an out of pocket cost, but still should be considered an "expense", because income is foregone. The President and Third Vice President are expected to pay Convention registration fees, like other registrants. MEALS Since both the National Episcopal Moderator and National Spiritual Director will receive courtesy registration, they will automatically receive tickets to the Presidential Reception and to the Convention Banquet, since these meals are normally included in the registration fee. Similarly, the President and Third Vice President will have "paid for" these same events, by paying their registration fees. Regarding other meals, if either the National Episcopal Moderator or the National Spiritual Director charge any meals to their rooms, these charges should be paid on their behalf, even though their meals are not normally considered to be Convention Expenses. The easiest way to cover this contingency is to arrange for the hotel to bill these costs to the Host Union, so that no questions arise at checkout. Similarly, the hotel bills of the President and Third Vice President should be paid by the Host Union; any incidental charges by either of these officers should be deducted from the NAHNS share of the "Split" of convention profits. In this manner, the President or Third Vice President may bill items to their rooms as a convenience and subsequently reimburse the NAHNS treasury after the Convention. NOTE: Any bona fide expenses for entertainment, on behalf of the NAHNS, incurred by the Third Vice President, should be paid by the National Association. The Third Vice President need not remit any funds to the treasury for these charges, but should send a brief note of explanation to the Financial Secretary. If there were also personal expenses billed to the room, a check in reimbursement of these costs should accompany the note. Return to Table of Contents TRANSPORTATION The Transportation Expenses of the National Episcopal Moderator are not a normal Convention Expense, and will only be paid if the Bishop explicitly so requests. The Third Vice President should not voluntarily offer this option to the Episcopal Moderator, unless he is aware of emergent events, such as a financial crisis in the Bishop’s diocese, which would otherwise preclude his attendance at the Convention. The Transportation Expenses of the National Spiritual Director, President and Third Vice President are never to be deemed Convention Expenses. TOUR OR EXCURSION FEES The Tour or Excursion Fees of the National Episcopal Moderator and National Spiritual Director are considered Convention Expenses. In the past, the cost of the planned tour or excursion was automatically included in the Registration Fee, and hence was covered by its waiver. In recent years, the tour expenses have sometimes been broken out as a separate item, to offer registrants the choice of omitting this group activity if they prefer to tour privately. However, the National Episcopal Moderator and National Spiritual Director should still be invited to be our guests on the planned tour. SITE VISITATION BY THE THIRD VICE PRESIDENT Prior to the Convention, the Third Vice President should make a visit to the Convention Host Union, to inspect the selected hotel before the contract is finalized, and to meet with the Diocesan Convention Committee. The cost of this visit is deemed to be a Basic Convention or Meeting Expense, because the NAHNS benefits as much from this visit as does the local Convention Committee. The Third Vice President represents the "institutional memory" of the NAHNS regarding "what works and what doesn’t" at National Conventions, and therefore is able to assure that the interests of the NAHNS are properly taken into consideration when planning decisions are being made. The authorized Site Visitation by the Third Vice President is subject to the following ground rules regarding reimbursement: Only one (1) site visit to a Host Union will be reimbursed. The local Host Union should be able to arrange for free lodging with the hotel, as part of the site inspection. Therefore, none of the LODGING COST should be allocated to Basic Convention Expenses. Meal Allowance, not to exceed Fifty ($50.00) Dollars per day, for a maximum of three (3) days, or a grand total of One Hundred and Fifty ($150.00) Dollars Transportation to be by the least expensive reasonable alternative; this would usually be coach airfare, but could be train or private automobile. Reimbursement for automotive mileage would be at the rate of Fifteen ($.15) Cents per mile, as specified in the Policy Manual as the appropriate rate for auto expenses. Maximum Transportation Allowance to be Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars, or actual cost, whichever is less. OVERALL CONVENTION INCOME/EXPENSE ALLOCATION A. Gross Convention income $ ______________ B. Less Convention expenses $ ______________ C. Balance to be shared between $ ______________ Host Union and NAHNS The amount provided to NAHNS would be half of the above "balance". NAHNS "surplus" would be the said amount less any NAHNS expenses. The amount of NAHNS and Host Diocese "surplus" may differ, because of differences between NAHNS and Host Diocesan expenses. Return to Table of Contents
APPENDIX E
"BLESSED JOHN OF VERCELLI, PRAY FOR US."
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