January Exchequer Letter-DOS

["Hinson, Jerome" <hinson.msalan3@mhs.unc.edu>]

Three page (I think) letter attached in MS DOS format.  Let me know if I 
screwed up.  

Ursula

Happy New year to all from Lady Ursula von Bremen, 
Kingdom Chancellor of the Exchequer!

Many thanks to those of you who took the opportunity to attend Unevent to meet and interact with your counterparts through the Kingdom.  Please know, Exchequers of Atlantia, that your service is Greatly Appreciated.  Exchequer certainly isn't the most Glamerous of Jobs, but just watch what happens if you fall asleep at the switch.  Then again, I hope none of you ever has the occasion to find out.

By this time, your 1st, 2nd and 3rd Quarterly Reports, plus the financial reports from ALL events held by your group through November 30 should be in the hands of your Regional Deputy RIGHT NOW.  Your report for the 4th Quarter of 1996 should be in your Regional Deputy's hands no later than January 31st, and your Domesday/Year-End Report is due in the hands of your Regional Deputy no later than February 15th.

As I said last month, according to Kingdom and Society Law, failure to report as scheduled in Kingdom policy without PRIOR notice, or by the end of an extension, could get your branch suspended.  That means all events removed from the Kingdom Calendar until the end of the reporting period following the date that the missing reports are made up.  Plus a Public Announcement in the Acorn.  I kid you not.  If your group is not in compliance with this policy by January 31st, I WILL recommend that your group be suspended.  Please don't let this happen.  Contact your Regional Deputy as soon as possible if you're having difficulties, and keep your seneschal informed.

For the sake of the Regional Deputies, who are dealing with not one group, but 25 in the case of the Northern Region, 18 in the case of the Central Region and 10 in the case of the Southern Region, please do your part.  Get your reports in on time and keep us informed of any problems before they get out of hand.

Any seneschals or autocrats out there - if you're not sure if your group is in compliance, now would be a good time to check.  Seneschals, if your exchequer should suddenly bail out, guess who gets left holding the bag?

Let me also restate that all groups must have a copy of the October 1995 version of the SCA, Inc. Chancellor of the Exchequer Officer's Handbook.  This book contains the forms that you need for your quarterly reporting and for your Year End Reports, plus a lot of vital information that you need in order to do your job (not to mention eliminating the need for long-winded letters in the Acorn from Yours Truly).  You can't comply with the rules if you don't know what they are.  The quickest way for your group to obtain a copy is to send a check in the amount of $13.00, payable the The SCA Marketplace, to P.O. Box 360789, Milpitas, CA  95036-0789.  Remember to indicate what the check is for and where the Handbook should be sent.  The Handbook comes either bound like the Known World Handbook, or punched for a 3-ring binder.  I recommend that you ask for 3-ring style, because it's easier to work with and a lot easier to make copies from.

I was hoping to present a complete roster of warranted exchequers to Their Majesties to sign, but when I attempted to compile said roster, I found that the warranting paperwork for most groups was incomplete.  For too many groups, I don't have any warranting paperwork at all.  For the record, here is what I need to have on file for each exchequer, including seneschals who are acting as exchequers:

[1]   A completed Warrant Request Form.  I prefer the October 1995 version from the new Handbook, because it has a section outlining the exchequer's responsibilities, a space for the incoming exchequer to sign, indicating that they know What They're Getting Into and that they Agree to Do the Job, a space for the outgoing exchequer to sign, indicating their intent to resign and a section for the incoming exchequer's SCAdian and modern information.

[2]   A letter of endorsement signed by at least two of your group's officers, especially the seneschal (unless you are also the seneschal), indicating that you are an acceptable candidate for the job.  Please write the date on this letter.

[3]   A CLEAR photocopy of your photo ID (driver's license, student or employee ID)     and proof of CURRENT SCA membership (Membership card, Acorn or TI label or cancelled membership check).  Please write the group name and the date somewhere on the photocopy.

Out of 18 groups on North Carolina, for example:  I have no warranting paperwork on file for four of them.  Only four exchequers have sent me copies of their proof of SCA membership, three of which have expired (as far as I know).  Six have sent me proof of ID, two of which are unrecognizable as photos of anything.

An exchequer's warrant remains in effect for two years, unless they resign or are removed from office.  If you've been in office for more than two years, you need to renew your warrant.  If you've been at it that long, by the way, let me applaud you for your stamina.  Exchequers that last more than one term are a rarity, and proficient ones that last eore than one term are worth their weight in gold.  There is currently no limit to the number of terms that a local exchequer may serve in this Kingdom.

Please check your files.  If the warranting paperwork that you have on file doesn't meet the criteria as outlined above, I expect you to submit a complete set as soon as possible.  Remember to keep a set for your files.  I'm talking a stamp, an envelope and a few copies, here.  I intend to have a complete warrant roster for Their Majesties to sign by Twelfth Night.  Please chip in and help make this possible.  If you don't have a copy of the October 1995 version of the Warrant Request Form, please contact me now.

Now we move on to bank signature cards and Corporate Resolutions.  Your account must have at least the group exchequer and seneschal and myself listed as signatories.  How many other people are included is up to you, but please note:  according to Corporate Policy, all signatories must be current paid-up members of the SCA for as long as they are listed as signatories.  Therefore, you will also need to obtain photocopies of their proof of ID and membership.  I expect to see these with your 4th Quarter reports, if not sooner.  Even though I'll be a signatory on your account, you don't need a copy of my proof of ID and membership, since they're already on file with the Kingdom Seneschal and the Society Exchequer.  While I'm on the subject of  signatories, please note that the Current Policy states that signatories on your account must live at separate addresses, and may not include current Royalty or (I found this out last night) Landed Barons and Baronesses.  If your signature card is at odds with these criteria, I hate to say it, but . . .

As for Corporate Resolutions, you should write only the group name, the account number and the SCA Tax ID (94-1698556) on the form.  Leave everything else blank unless there is space for signatories' names, signatures and dates.  Don't sign where it says "Secretary".  Corporate Resolutions require the signature of the Secretary of the Society 
and an imprint of the Official Seal of the Society.  When you send me your signature and Resolution, please enclose two stamped envelopes;  one of them should have your bank's return address on it.  That way I can forward them to SCA Corporate a lot faster and they in turn can forward them more quickly to your bank.

(A hook appears from stage left)  "Hey.  Where'd that hook come from . . ?"  In closing, keep up the good work, and may your reports balance and all that good stuff.  If ya got a problem, call.

In service I remain,
Ursula

Done by my hand this 2nd day of December, A.S. XXX, being 1996 Gregorian 
at Castle Kappellenberg.