The following Laws and Policies do not supercede the Kingdom Laws. These local laws are meant for the populace of St. Swithin’s Bog and the daily governing of the group. These Laws and Policies must be reviewed yearly, or as needed, by the officers of the group and appropriate changes made per that group.
Changes to Baronial Laws and Policies take effect upon publication in the monthly newsletter.
Baronial Laws and Policies will be published in its entirety once a year only if changes have been made to the Laws and Policies. Laws and Policies will be reviewed every April.
The populace and individuals representing the Barony of St. Swithin’s Bog are expected to conduct themselves with honesty and chivalry at all times and obey both Kingdom and mundane law.
A. All offices (except where noted), will be limited to a two-year term. Three (3) months
prior to the end of a term, the officer must announce that his/her term is ending and their intentions. Announcements will be made verbally at the Baronial business meeting and in writing in the monthly newsletter.
B. Interested parties/candidates for an office must announce their interest no less than two (2) months prior to the term ending. Announcements will be made verbally at the Baronial business meeting.
C. In the event that more than one (1) person is interested in the same office, a vote by the populace must be held. This vote shall take place at the Baronial business meeting, no les than one (1) month prior to the term ending.
D. A vote of confidence may be called on any office at any time during the term.
E. Offices will change hands at different times during the year in order to aid in the smooth transition of the governing body.
1. The offices of Seneschal, Herald, and their deputies will change at the Twelfth
Night Event.
2. The offices of Exchequer, Arts & Sciences, and their deputies will change on
the first of March.
3. All other officers and deputies will change at the September Baronial business
meeting.
F. When an officer steps down before his/her term of office is completed and a replacement is not immediately available, the Drop-Dead will call for letters of intent and maintain the office until the position is filled.
1. The Drop-Dead, whenever possible, will be the person who previously held the
position.
A. REQUIREMENTS
1. All officers and Drop-Dead deputies must be paid national members and meet
Kingdom requirements. (See AEthelmearc Law & Policy book and /or Seneschal Handbook.)
2. All officers must obey and support the laws of Kingdom and the Baronial Law
& Policies with out prejudice.
3. All officers are expected to attend officer meetings as scheduled by the
Seneschal. All officer meetings are open to the populace.
4. All officers are encouraged to support and train deputies of that office.
a. Although not required, it is recommended that a person serve as Deputy
of the office he/she is interested in before taking on the responsibilities of that office.
5. All officers will provide a list of Baronial property held by their office to the
Seneschal on a yearly basis.
6. Copies of all quarterly, event, and year-end reports will be given to the
Seneschal.
7. Officers are expected to keep the populace informed of the workings of their
office via the monthly newsletter and/or at Baronial business meetings.
8. Upon the presentation of receipts, all offices will be reimbursed a yearly, non-
cumulative, amount of $50.00 to cover any administrative expenses, i.e. printing, postage, or other necessary supplies. Any expenses over $50.00 must be voted upon by the Financial Committee.
9. Contact information for all officers will be published on the official St.
Swithin’s Bog website. This information will consist of SCA name, mundane name, a phone number, and an e-mail address. Contact information will also be published on-line in the event announcement section of the official St. Swithin’s Bog website for Autocrats, Feastocrats, Reservation Clerks, and any other contact persons included in an official event announcement.
B. SENESCHAL (President)
1. The Seneschal office is a 2-year term running from January to January.
2. The Seneschal will oversee the finances/expenses of the group, including the
co-signing of checks, signature cards, Corporate Resolutions, and any other related banking procedures. The Seneschal must review and co-sign all Kingdom-required Exchequer and Baronial reports. The Seneschal will also be responsible for ratified funds heard and voted on by the populace.
3. The Seneschal is in charge of monthly business meetings. This means calling
on officers or their deputies at each meeting to discuss their relative offices with the populace.
4. Monthly meetings require the presence of the Seneschal, or his/her deputy,
three other officers or deputies, and at least 10 members of the populace of St. Swithin’s Bog.
5. If the Seneschal and his/her deputy cannot be present for a meeting, they must
inform the other officers as soon as possible.
6. The Seneschal is responsible for scheduling officer’s meetings.
C. THE PENNSIC LAND GRAB AGENT (Falls under the office of Seneschal.)
1. The Pennsic Land Grab Agent is a 1-year term, January to January, with an
automatic roll over to the next year. The office will continue to roll over until the PLG Agent no longer wishes to hold the office, or another party expresses interest in the office. The PLG Agent is not an officer, but an Agent for the Barony.
2. The Pennsic Land Grab Agent is responsible for obtaining the information
about the Pennsic War land rush from the Pennsic land distributor and for submitting the necessary paperwork to reserve camping space for Barony members at Pennsic each year, preferably in the traditional area.
3. The PLG Agent is allotted a yearly allowance of $100.00.
4. The PLG Agent shall be present at the Pennsic War for the required time and
shall assist in the placement of campers to insure fair distribution of the reserved land.
D. EXCHEQUER (Treasurer)
1. The Exchequer office is a 2-year term running from March 1st to March 1st, as
this will facilitate the filing of the year-end report.
2. The Exchequer is required to keep the original paperwork of all incoming
funds and all outgoing expenses.
a. The bank signature card is also the responsibility of the Exchequer.
This card requires four signatures:
(1). The Seneschal.
(2). The Exchequer.
(3). The Kingdom Exchequer.
(4). A third Barony member agreed on by the Seneschal and the
Exchequer. (Preferably one of their deputies.)
(5). No two signatories on the bankcard shall share the same
address.
3. The Exchequer is required to have a current balance of the Barony’s account
and a complete breakdown of incoming and outgoing funds and furnish that balance at the monthly meeting. Bank statements will be sent to the Exchequer with a copy to be given to the Seneschal monthly.
4. The Exchequer must not furnish any funds to any person without ratification from the Financial Committee or consent from the Seneschal.
5. The Exchequer must follow Kingdom rules and laws and train his/her Deputy, in these procedures.
6. The Exchequer is required to fill out quarterly and bi-yearly reports to the Kingdom Exchequer.
7. The year-end report must be published in the Barony’s newsletter one month after the report is filed.
8. The Exchequer is responsible for completing and filing event reports to the proper Kingdom officers. Reports will be published in the Baronial newsletter.
9. The Exchequer is responsible for sending the event waivers to the proper Kingdom official.
10. The exchequer is responsible for sending the Non Member Surcharge from events to the proper Kingdom official.
11. All monies collected from events, demos, fundraisers, or in any way in the name of the Barony or SCA must be deposited in the Baronial bank account within 3 business days of receipt.
E. CHAMBERLAIN
1. The Chamberlain office is a two-year term running from August to August.
2. The Chamberlain is responsible for keeping track of all Baronial property/regalia.
a. Provide complete listings of property/regalia, updated yearly as to condition, repair, and removal.
b. Provide copies of listings to Seneschal, Exchequer and Baron/ess bringing to those officer’s attention any missing property, need for repair or removal.
c. Responsible for obtaining bids for any purchase of Baronial property and presenting to the Financial Committee.
d. In the event the office of Chamberlain is vacant, these duties revert to the Exchequer.
F. FINANCIAL COMMITTEE
1. The Financial Committee is responsible for any changes to these particular
policies.
2. The Baronial Seneschal and the Exchequer are members of the Financial
Committee as are the Baron and Baroness.
3. The officers and their Excellencies shall serve on the financial committee for
the term of their offices.
4. Two paid National Society Baronial members who do not reside at the same
address or hold any of the above offices shall be selected from the populace to fill the final two seats of the committee. The term for these two members is limited to one year.
5. Each member of the committee as allocated one vote. The exception would be
when a Baron and Baroness are both serving on the committee. Their Excellencies shall share one vote between them.
6. Unless otherwise specified, a majority of votes, of the full financial committee,
is sufficient to carry any decision.
7. All members of the Barony are welcome to observe any Baronial Financial
Committee meeting.
8. The Baronial Exchequer is responsible for creating and proposing a yearly
budget. The members of the committee may make suggestions to the addition or subtraction of any budgeted item or propose new items be included in the budget. The final version of the budget must be approved by vote of the Baronial Financial Committee members.
9. The Exchequer shall ensure that the final budget is published, along with the
annual financial report, in the Baronial newsletter. The Exchequer should received requests for additional funds with sufficient time to convene the Financial Committee. Changes to a final budget must be reviewed and approved by the Financial Committee.
10. The Financial Committee shall create and approve all officers’ funds (does not include Kingdom Office sponsorships). The Exchequer shall maintain a list of these funds, their purpose, duration, any restrictions, and the method of dispersal of any funds remaining at the end of the fund’s life. This information shall be available upon request to the committee.
11. The Financial Committee shall be responsible for approving documented
reimbursements or cash advances in lieu of documented receipts for amounts greater then $50.00. Emergency expenses can be reviewed and voted upon via e-mail or an on-line meeting of the committee.
12. The Baronial Financial Committee shall work in concert with the Baronial
Chamberlain to handle purchase requests for the Barony. All bids shall be submitted to the Financial Committee for review and selection. Upon selection of a bid, the Chamberlain shall notify the person submitting bids of the results and coordinate the purchase of the approved item. Receipts shall be handled following the same process for other Baronial expenses.
G. HERALD
1. The Herald’s office is a 2-year term running from January to January.
2. The Herald is required to submit quarterly reports to Kingdom as necessary.
3. The principle job of Herald is to help members of the group acquire names, badges, and devices. The Herald is also responsible for announcements at events, tournaments, and arranging and running Royal and Baronial courts and submitting completed court reports to the Principle Herald of the Kingdom within 7-10 days. (The choice of Herald at a court is the sole prerogative of the noble holding that court.)
4. The Herald is responsible for the heraldic library and must make it and himself/herself available to the populace on a regular basis for consultation and submissions.
5. The Herald should also keep the populace aware of any changes regarding submission policies/fees. The Barony does not pay for heraldic submissions, except for Baronial devices or badges, since these submissions are for the populace, not one person.
6. The Herald is also responsible for maintaining and updating the Baronial Order of Precedence.
H. ARTS & SCIENCES
1. The A&S officer is a 2-year term running from March 1st to March 1st.
2. The A&S officer must submit all required reports to Kingdom.
3. The A&S officer will adhere to all Kingdom requirements and laws.
4. The A&S officer will be in charge of scheduling and conducting any monthly A&S classes and informing the populace of such meetings.
I. CHATELAINE
1. The Chatelaine office is a 2-year term running from September to September.
2. The Chatelaine’s main duties are to welcome new members into the Barony and the SCA, and to see that such persons obtain the information they need to function as part of the group.
3. The Chatelaine is the “contact” person to whom all inquiries regarding Society activities should be referred. It is the Chatelaine’s responsibility to arrange demonstrations of various Society activities, as time and availability of members to participate allow.
4. The Chatelaine’s duties regarding demos are to get members and equipment to show the diversity of studies, i.e., dancing, garb making, brewing, calligraphy, etc., and different types of marshal activities.
5. The Chatelaine’s duties regarding new members are to make them feel welcome, answer questions about the Society, provide beginner information about event requirements, and introductions to members that may share an interest in an activity or study.
J. CHRONICLER
1. The Chronicler’s office is a two-year term running from September to September.
2. The Chronicler’s duties are to produce and distribute, by the 28th of each month, the following month’s newsletter including publishing the electronic version of the newsletter on the Barony website. This means collecting articles, artwork and information from the group about upcoming events and items of interest to the Barony such as business meeting time and place, meeting times and places of various guilds, etc. The minutes from the monthly meetings should be published in each newsletter.
3. The office of Scribe is a volunteer office and answers to the Chronicler. The Scribe does not have to be a national member. The office of Scribe will be responsible for the meeting minutes and will give them to the Chronicler at the end of the meeting or within 7-10 days for publication. If neither the Scribe nor the Chronicler can attend the monthly meeting, the Seneschal must be notified.
4. The responsibilities of the Scribe are not a responsibility of the Chronicler.
5. The Chronicler will compile an updated Baronial Directory yearly, or assign the task to another member willing to do it. This Directory will be made available to any member of the group who wants one.
a. Permission must be given by individuals for contact information to be published in the Directory.
K. HISTORIAN (Falls under the office of Chronicler.)
1. The Historian’s office has no set term.
2. The Historian will be responsible for collecting and maintaining the following records:
a. Very early records of the Shire and Barony, i.e., official paperwork and notes pertaining to when the group achieved each status.
b. Compile and maintain a comprehensive list of all those people who have held the various offices in the Bog since it’s beginning.
c. A hard copy of every newsletter published by the Shire and Barony.
d. Other Shire and Barony publications (Boggers Guide to the War, miscellaneous fliers, advertisements, etc.).
e. Program books from Shire and Baronial events.
f. Local newspaper articles about the group.
g. Magazine articles in which the SCA was featured, especially if they contain people in them belonging to or known by the local group.
h. An obituary list of those Boggers who have passed on.
L. MINISTER/MISTRESS OF LISTS
1. The MOL office is 2-year term running from September to September.
2. The MOL is the scorekeeper for tournaments and keeps track of who fights who and who wins that competition.
3. The MOS must work closely with all Baronial Marshals.
4. The MOL is responsible for all Kingdom-required paperwork and waivers.
M. MARSHALS
1. The various Marshals are: Knight Marshal (heavy weapons), Marshal of Fence, Archery Captain, Thrown Weapons Marshal, and Equestrian Marshal.
2. All Marshals must be warranted by Kingdom and be pain National members.
3. The Baronial Marshals will be voted on by the participants directly under this Marshal. Warranted deputies are encouraged.
4. The Marshals are responsible for the safety and conduct of the participants on the field, participant authorizations, and equipment inspection. Marshals must get a signed waiver form and provide Kingdom rules to all new participants. They must keep the participants updated on all Kingdom rules that affect them.
5. The Marshals are responsible for getting signed waivers from minors, nonmembers, or members who cannot produce a current membership card at any and all gatherings where fighting may be taking place. These waivers must be sent to the appropriate Kingdom official for filing monthly.
N. MINISTER OF YOUTH
1. The Minister of Youth office is a 2-year term running from September to September.
2. The duties of this office are to provide structured activities for children at Baronial events. This is not a baby sitting or day care service.
3. It is suggested that the Minister of Youth obtain other adult assistance when conducting Baronial children’s activities.
O. CHIRURGEON
1. The Chirurgeon’s office does not have a limit due to the training necessary.
2. The Chirurgeon is responsible for the administration of first-aid only to the limit of the Chirurgeon’s mundane certification. The Chirurgeon is responsible for stocking and updating the first-aid kit.
3. The Chirurgeon must comply with all Kingdom requirements (see Kingdom Law and Policy Book).
P. WEB MINISTER
1. Responsible for maintaining and upgrading of the Baronial web pages.
2. Responsible for obtaining written consent for publication of personal information on the web.
PART III: FINANCIAL POLICIES
The following Baronial Policies are in addition to those functions
stated in the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. Financial Policy and in
the Financial Policies of AEthelmearc.
A. FINANCIAL COMMITTEE
1. MEETINGS
a. The Financial Committee must meet in person at least 2 times a year.
(1). Recommended times are in the spring and fall of each year.
(2). After face to face meetings, the Financial Committee may conduct business electronically, so long as all the members have access to e-mail.
b. The Financial Committee is responsible for any changes to these particular
policies.
c. The Financial Committee consists of the Baronial Seneschal, Exchequer, and the Baron and Baroness. These FC members serve for their term of office. Two additional members shall be selected from the paid SCA members who reside in the Barony, but do not live at the same address as any other FC member. These two selected members shall serve a 1-year term.
(1). Those members are selected from a pool of volunteers and may not serve consecutive years.
d. Each member of the committee is allocated one vote.
(1). Their Excellencies shall share one vote between them.
e. Unless otherwise specified, a majority vote of the full financial committee is sufficient to carry any decision.
f. All members of the Barony are welcome to observe and recommend any changes in policy or disbursements of funds.
(1). The Financial Committee will then vote on the proposed change or disbursement request.
g. Summary reports of the actions of the Financial Committee will be submitted by the Exchequer at the next possible Baronial meeting and after approval will submit reports for publication in the next possible issue of the Baronial newsletter.
B. EXCHEQUER RESONSIBILITIES
In addition to those functions set forth in Corpora and Article VI of
the Laws of AEthelmearc, the Chancellor of the Exchequer shall perform the
following duties:
1. The Baronial Exchequer is responsible for creating and proposing a yearly
budget. The members of the committee may make suggestions to the addition or subtraction of any budgeted item or propose new items to be included in the budget. The final version of the budget must be approved by vote of the Baronial Financial Committee members.
2. The Exchequer shall ensure that the final budget is published, along with the
annual financial report, in the Baronial newsletter. The Exchequer should receive requests for additional funds with sufficient time to convene the Financial Committee. Changes to a final budget must be reviewed and approved by the Financial Committee.
3. The Baronial Exchequer must be notified of all fundraising to insure that it complies with SCA Corporate Guidelines.
4. Any monies raised in the Name of the SCA, including monies collected at troll, must be put into the Baronial bank account within 3 to 5 business days of receipt.
5. The Exchequer is responsible for filing the Event Report with their perspective officer designated by the Kingdom Exchequer within 30 days of the event.
6. Failure to comply with Corporate, Kingdom, or Baronial Law and Policy may result in immediate release from the office of Exchequer and possible prosecution.
C. DISBURSAL OF FUNDS
1. All funds released by the Barony must be documented by means of a receipt.
2. All Baronial checks require 2 signatures to be released.
3. The Financial Committee shall create and approve all officers’ funds (does
not include Kingdom Office sponsorships).
a. The allotted funds are to be used to pay for supplies needed to maintain the office, as well as long distance phone calls necessary in the communication with Kingdom officers or in the course of duties of the office. The funds may also be used for travel when the office requires that the Baronial officer be at an event for a meeting related to their office. The marshals may use the funds to replace loner gear, or other equipment as necessary to maintain the programs offered locally.
b. Officer’s yearly allotted disbursement amounts include:
(1). Baron and Baroness- $200.00 collectively
(2). Arts & Science Officer- $50.00
(3). Scribal Master/Mistress- $50.00
(4). Chirurgeon- $50.00
(5). Chatelaine- $50.00
(6). Minister of Youth- $50.00
(7). Knight Marshal- $50.00
(8). Fencing Marshal- $50.00
(9). Archery Captain- $50.00
(10). Thrown Weapons Marshal- $50.00
(11). Baronial Seneschal- $25.00
(12). MOL- $25.00
(13). Herald- $25.00 above the cost of Heraldic________________
(14). Exchequer- $25.00
(15). Chronicler- $25.00 (above the cost of publishing)
(16). Historian- $25.00
c. Fees and honorariums:
(1). Land Grab Agent- $100
(2). Web Minister- The Barony will pay the cost of any Baronial hosted web pages and domain names.
d. The monies allotted for each office are for yearly expenses and may not be carried over to the next year.
e. Additional funds:
(1). Monies needed above the stipulated amounts may be requested and approved by the Baronial Exchequer and Baronial Seneschal of Financial Committee as stated in these policies.
4. The Financial Committee shall be responsible for approving documented
reimbursements or cash advances in lieu of documented receipts for amounts greater than $75.00. Emergency expenses can be reviewed and voted upon via e-mail or an on- line meeting of the committee.
a. The Baronial Seneschal and Baronial Exchequer may approve the release of funds in the amounts up to $75.00.
5. The Baronial Financial Committee shall work in concert with the Baronial
Chamberlain to handle purchase requests for the Barony. All bids over $75.00 shall be submitted to the Financial Committee for review and selection. Upon selection of a bid, the Chamberlain shall notify the person submitting bids of the results and coordinate the purchase of the approved item. Receipts shall be handled following the same process for other Baronial expenses.
6. In the event the office of Chamberlain is vacant, these duties revert to the Exchequer.
D. EVENTS
1. The Baronial exchequer is authorized to release funds to the autocrat of an event in the form of an advance in the amount needed to procure supplies and foods for the event as budgeted in the event bid. The exchequer will designate who receives the advance. Advance checks must be in the name of a Baronial member and may not be made out to “CASH”.
2. The Barony will allow the following Kingdom and Baronial personnel to be compensated at events in the following way:
a. The King and Queen of AEthelmearc (and any of their minor children) will not be charged the site and feast fee.
b. The Prince and Princess (and any of their minor children) will not be charged the site and feast fee.
c. The Baron and Baroness of
3. Additional compensations to event:
a. The Autocrat and Feastocrat will not be charged a site fee.
b. Up to 4 other attendees may be compensated the site fee after approval of the Baronial Exchequer and event Autocrat.
4. The Barony of
a. Site fee- Attendees under the age of 18 will pay ˝ the site fee. Those 5 years of age and under will be free.
b. Feast- Those 5 years of age and under will be free.
5. All other feast discounts will be at the discretion of the Autocrat.
6. All checks shall be made payable to SCA Inc., Barony of St. Swithin’s Bog (BSSB) and deposited into the Baronial bank account within a reasonable amount of time.
7. A Nonmember Surcharge (NMS) will be collected from all event attendees who do not show proof of Membership and is due to the Kingdom NMS regional officer within 15 days of the event.
8. Troll shall be reconciled by the Exchequer along with one other Baronial member. Both must sign the troll sheets after reconciliation and monies collected must match monies deposited for that particular event, including advance money.
E. PENNSIC WAR
1. The Baronial Exchequer is authorized to release (documented) funds up to the amount of $500.00 to be used at the Pennsic War for the following:
a. Firewood for the Baronial camps.
b. Oil for the camp torches.
c. Supplies for the Baronial fly on the battle field.
d. Food and supplies for Baronial open camp night and for Baronial meetings held at Pennsic.
2. There is only one Official Baronial Camp.
3. Should the Baron/ess choose to camp other than at the Baronial camp, then their expenses should come from their allotted stipend.
PART IV: EVENTS AND DEMOS
A. PREFERRED DATES FOR TRADITIONAL EVENTS
1. 12TH night-the 3rd weekend in January.
2. Annual July Event-the 2nd weekend in July.
3. Baronial Champs-the 1st weekend after Pennsic.
B. EVENT PROPOSALS
1. Call for proposals will be made to the populace at the monthly meeting in October for the upcoming Three Day event; April for the upcoming 12th night event; any other event should be proposed a minimum of three months in advance of said event. This does not include bonfires and other single-evening gatherings. All Autocrats and Co-Autocrats must be paid national members. It is strongly suggested the Autocrats are active in Baronial activities.
2. The annual 12th Night event and the Three Day event should have both an Autocrat and a Co-Autocrat.
3. The proposed event must be delivered in a planned manner, not just suggested. Use the Event Bid form in the appendix.
4. The proposal must include the following information: Proposed event date, site and site fee; Autocrat and Co-Autocrat (s); proof of membership; Feastocrat; and a general idea of cost.
5. Once a bid has been accepted, the Autocrat or Co-Autocrat will provide progress reports on the event at the monthly meeting until the event is held.
6. If for some reason the event plans are not progressing as proposed, the Seneschal and Baronial officers may step in and take over responsibility for the event.
C. BID FAILURE
1. If no event bids are received by the deadline, any subsequent bids can be presented at an officer’s meeting/monthly meeting. The minority need for approval is the Baron/ess, Seneschal, and Exchequer.
D. EVENTS
1. The Autocrat has the final word on all decisions during the event, however, the Seneschal can intervene in case the Autocrat is unavailable, or when Kingdom and mundane laws are being broken.
2. The Autocrat must consult with the Baron and Baroness and Herald on matters of protocol and court.
3. The Autocrat must work with the Marshals to see that all marshal activities are safe and meet all Kingdom requirements. Waivers must be signed on all minors, nonmembers, and members who cannot produce a current membership card. These waivers must be sent to the appropriate Kingdom official for filing monthly.
4. The Autocrat must work with all officers to complete all the necessary paperwork within 30 days of the end of the event.
5. The Autocrat or
Co-Autocrat must be on site at all times and be easily identifiable.
E. POST EVENT
1. The autocrat must see
that the site is well cleaned and restored to its original condition (preferably cleaner that the original
condition).
2. The Autocrat must
save all receipts.
3. Immediately contact the Exchequer to frill
out the Kingdom event report.
4. Any monies collected
in the course of Events/Demos must be given to the Exchequer at the end of the event. If this is not possible, arrangements must be
made to get the money to the
Exchequer within 24 hours of the event.
Failure to do so may result in prosecution.
PART V: BARON AND BARONESS
A. GENERAL
1. The Barony of
2. The Baron and
Baroness will serve a 3-year term.
3. The Baron and
Baroness will be limited to 2 consecutive terms, but may run again upon the next election process.
B. RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. RIGHTS.
a. The Baron/ess has the right to display the arms of the
Barony of St. Swithin’s
Bog or to delegate the carrying of the Baronial banner.
b. The
Baron/ess has the right to appoint a Captain of the Guard to serve at his/her pleasure.
(1). The Captain of the Guard will be
responsible for deciding the make- up of the guard.
(2). Anyone may be appointed to serve in the
Guard.
c. The Baron/ess has the right to hold
(1).
Baronial awards carry no precedence and are equal in status.
(2).
Baronial awards shall be known as The Order of St. Swithin.
(a). Service: Purpure, three bulrushes Or.
(b).
Martial: Gules, three bulrushes Or.
(c).
A&S: Azure, three bulrushes Or.
(d).
Youth (for children age 16 and under):
Pending.
(e). Friends of the Bog: Pending.
(3). There will also be a Special Order of St. Swithin to be given by the Baron/ess once a year at their pleasure to any individual they feel has shown outstanding skill, grace, courtesy, chivalry, and service within the Barony: Sable, three bulrushes within a bordure Or.
d. The Baron/ess has the right to choose various Baronial Champions by whatever methods he/she desires.
(1.) Only members of the Barony whose physical residence is within the borders of the Barony may be considered for Baronial champion.
e. The Baron/ess will be allotted a yearly amount of #200.00 to cover any administrative expenses (printing, posting, or other supplies) or traveling expenses for their office.
f. The baron or Baroness has the right to resign at any time.
2. RESPONSIBILITIES
a. The Baron and Baroness are Baronial Officers.
b. The Baron/ess has a responsibility to the Barony to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects the ideals of the SCA.
c. The Baron or Baroness shall make every effort to attend all official events and meetings held within Baronial borders.
d. The Baron/ess are liaisons to royalty and hold the Barony in fealty to the Crown.
e. The Baron/ess hold a seat on the Financial Committee.
C. QUALIFICATIONS FOR BARON AND BARONESS
1. The Baron/ess must be at least 18 years of age.
2. The baron/ess must be paid National members of the SCA.
3. The Baron/ess must have resided within the Baronial borders for at least 1 year prior to the election process.
4. The Baron/ess must have at one time submitted a name
and device to the
5. The Baronial Seneschal and Baronial Exchequer may not run for the position of Baron/ess. Should he/she wish to run, he/she must step down prior to the published call for letters of intent, and take his/her name off the Baronial checking account signature card.
D. ELECTION PROCESS
1. VOTER ELIGIBILITY
a. Voters must be at least 17 years of age.
b. Voters must be pain National members.
c. Voters must have a society recognized postal address within Baronial borders.
2. ELECTION PROCESS
a. Ten (10) months prior to the end of the Baronial term (September), a call for letters of intent will be published in the Baronial newsletter.
b. Any Baronial member who wishes to run for Baron/ess may do so by submitting an application packet to the Baronial Seneschal.
c. Packets must include, but are not limited to:
(1). SCA and mundane name.
(2). Proof of national membership in the form of a mailing label of copy of membership card.
(3). Proof of having submitted a
name and device to the
(4). Letters of intent which must include:
(1). Qualifications.
(2). Willingness to travel
(3). Willingness to accept the costs associated with the office.
d. Letters of intent must be received by the Seneschal no later than the published deadline (October).
e. Letters of intent must be published in the Baronial newsletter and sent to the AEthelmearc Crown.
(1.). It is the responsibility of the candidate to submit their letters to the Crown and the Barony Chronicler.
(2). Failure to provide the information outlined above will disqualify the application packet and the candidates submitting it.
3. BALLOTS
a. Ballots will contain the required vote on change of status.
(1). If the majority vote is to change branch status, the election process will stop and the Crown will be notified.
b. Ballots will contain a list of single candidates and/or couples from which to choose either a single Baron or Baroness or a couple to hold the position jointly.
c. The candidate(s) receiving a plurality of the votes cast will hold the office.
d. In the event of a tie, the Crown will choose the next Baron/ess.
e. Ballots will be mailed using the mailing labels supplied by the corporate office of the SCA. Any member who is not on this list may vote by showing proof of membership to the Seneschal prior to the counting of the ballots.
4. VOTING
a. Ballots (votes) will be counted at the Barony meeting seven months prior to the end of the term of the present Baron/ess (December).
b. All ballots should be mailed to, or brought back to the Seneschal prior to the date of counting.
c. Absentee voting will be permitted for members not able to attend the meeting where the vote is taking place. An absentee vote must be received by the Seneschal prior to the counting of the ballots at the December meeting.
d. Ballots will remain sealed until the count of all ballots takes place.
(1). To insure one vote per member, ballots must contain the mailing label sent on the ballot envelope to verify membership.
e. The ballots must be counted by the Seneschal and two other officers.
(1). None of the officers counting the ballots may be named on the ballots, nor may any of their family or Society household members.
E. RESIGNATION OR REMOVAL OF BARON OR BARONESS
1. REMOVAL
a. A vote of confidence may be called upon the Baron/ess at any time.
b. The vote of confidence will be a formal mailed polling overseen by the Baronial, The Seneschals of any Cantons, and the Baronial Herald.
(1.). Should the vote be to remove the Baron/ess, the Crown will be requested to appoint a Vicar until such time as the procedure to select a new Baron/ess can be implemented.
2. RESIGNATION
a. Should the Baron or Baroness choose to resign, he and/or she must send a letter of resignation to the Baronial Seneschal, Kingdom Seneschal, and the Crown.
b. In the case of a reigning Baron AND Baroness, should only one choose to resign, but not both, the one remaining will serve for the remainder of the term.
c. Should the Barony be left without a titular head, the Barony will ask the Crown to appoint a Vicar and the election process will begin.
(1). Should this occur during the last 6 months of the term, no replacement will be invested; instead, the Crown will be asked to place a Vicar until the next scheduled election process. Any appointment of a Vicar will proceed according to Kingdom Law.
F. REGALIA
1. All regalia will be inventoried and inspected on a yearly basis by the Baron/ess, Seneschal, and Chamberlain.
G. CANTONS
1. FORMATION
a. Formation will be according to Corpora and
the Laws & Policies set down by the
2. FUNDING
a. Upon
incipient status any monies raised by the
b. If necessary, the barony will permit a
“one-time” transfer of funds of $500.00 (maximum), to the
3. REPORTING
a. The
(1). Report directly to Kingdom officers according to Law & Policy with copies sent to their Baronial officer.
(2). Report through Baronial
officers who would then file complete reports with
Kingdom according to Law & Policy.
Should this be the chosen report
route, Kingdom officers would have to be notified by the
PART VI: ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
A. E-GROUPS
1. The official Bog e-group will be listed in the newsletter upon approval by the Baronial Seneschal.
a. For the purpose of timely inter-group discussion and messaging.
b. Polling for general consensus on issues may be conducted on the e-group.
B. ELECTRONIC VOTING
1. Only officers unable to attend monthly meetings may send a vote on agenda items via e-mail to the Seneschal or Their Excellencies, to be counted with meeting votes.
a. Agenda items must be e-mailed to all officers via the Bog e-group early enough to allow officers who will be absent from the meeting enough time to get their vote in to either the Seneschal or Their Excellencies before the meeting takes place.
PART VII: OTHER
A. MISCELLANEOUS
1. Disputes are to be handled according to Kingdom guidelines.
2. Interpretation and clarification of Baronial Law will be the responsibility or the Baron/ess and the Baronial Seneschal.
APPENDIX
A. Sample Baronial Election Ballot
B. Informed Consent for personal information publication.
C. Officer’s meeting Minutes
D. Business Meeting Minutes
E. Event Bids
F. Post Event Reports