Changes

In Roman civic administration, two [[Consuls ]] were elected to manage the affairs of the city. Each had broad powers, but every act was subject to veto by the other Consul. This was the model chosen for the administration of The Augustan Society, Inc., in 2007, and is the foundation for consular Consular authority and limits. Obviously, they also serve at the pleasure of the [[Board]] under contract, and under Board direction through the [[President]].

The logic for having two persons share what would normally be the duties of one executive director is that the job is felt to be larger than one person might manage (especially considering it is a volunteer position), and because the only viable candidates identified in 2007 were a couple, both of whom were long-time members having who joined the Society in 1974. Their skills and competencies are were largely complimentary, and while it would be inaccurate to describe their administration as being without conflict, these are were in nearly all cases resolved between them without recourse to Board authority.

Consuls are were permitted by contract to style themselves differently as circumstances permit, especially when dealing with those outside the Society who may not be familiar with the term "Consul". "Executive Director" is was generally preferred for this, and may could be employed by either Consul(unless that title were created for a different office).

Consuls work worked under a [[Contract|Consular Consuls' Contract]], renewed (usually with revisions) for each calendar year. For a brief period of unrest, their contract was month-to-month, but that now is behind us. Their contract includes a payment in lieu of rent for the space the Society occupies in their home. This is meant to compensate them for the space used by the Society within their home, and for the additional expenses of operating Society equipment. It is not meant as compensation for their time—they serve as volunteers.

The rent for space in the Metcalfs' home was set at $2 for 2007, doubling each year thereafter. In practice it has been increasing increased in a 1-2-5 sequencefor the first few years, and there were exceptions made in the year that rent was paid monthly, thus in the tenth year of the contract (2016) the rent was be $2000. It is was expected that multiples of two will would be more strictly applied in future.

The logic for the exponential payments is was that at the time the first contract was signed, $2 was a significant fraction of Society reserves. The predictable increases were intended to give the Society both the incentive and the time needed to obtain a [[Headquarters ]] outside the Consuls' home; not to impoverish or take over the Society (though should this continuethe Board fail to obtain a Headquarters, that would soon be the effect). Consuls will negotiate lower or no increases if the Board demonstrates concrete progress toward the goal of an independent Headquarters facility.

The Metcalfs have expressed a willingness to negotiate lower or no increases if the [[Board]] demonstrates concrete progress toward the goal of an independent Headquarters facility. To encourage this, starting with the 2016 contract, payment will was be split in halfinto two semi-annual payments; the first half due in January2018, and it was split into quarterly payments. This gave the second half in July, giving Consuls Metcalfs the opportunity to waive half a portion of the fee annual rent if the Society — in their sole opinion — has had made significant progress toward moving out. Should the rent be thus reduced, the following year's rent would be twice the reduced amount. Thus continuous progress would result in freezing the rent.

That saidIn general, it the duty of the Consuls is desirable that all duties that do not benefit from being performed at Headquarters be transferred to other volunteers. It would also be desirable to transfer some perform all work of the Society under the direction of the HQ duties once a public [[HeadquartersPresident]] has been obtained and local volunteers become knownthat is not assigned to others.This includes some specific roles:

It has also become customary for * Attendance (by one ) at each meeting of the Consuls to deliver a "Board* Service as [[State Production Editor]] of all Society publications, except as provided by the Board* [[Eagle Assistant Chancellor]] (previously the Eagle Administrator) for the [[Order of the Augustan Eagle]] in cooperation with the [[Eagle Council]]* [[Rose Assistant Chancellor]] (previously the Rose Administrator) for the [[Noble Company of the Rose]] in cooperation with the [[Rose Council]]* [[SDLKJ Clerk]] for the [[Societyof Descendants of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem]]" address at , in cooperation with the [[Annual Membership MeetingDean of the SDLKJ]]. Often * [[SDI Clerk]] for the Board will direct that copies be distributed [[Society of Descendants of Ireland]] in cooperation with the [[Dean of the SDI]]* [[SDS Clerk]] for the [[Society of Descendants of Scotland]] in cooperation with the [[Dean of the SDS]]* [[SDC Clerk]] for the [[Society of Descendants of the Conquest]] in cooperation with the [[Dean of the SDC]]* [[Librarian]]* [[Curator]] (until such time as the [[Museum]] collection is dispersed)* Making themselves available to either the Board or the and Membership. Not all such have been suitable for general publication.as appropriate

Consuls have had a second set of obligations, ones that are were but for this page unwritten, and as a result largely misunderstood.

Consuls, if only by virtue of their long tenure with the Society, including time spent with the [[Founder]], must serve as the Society's organizational institutional memory, especially in those many areas where the history is unwritten. In the performance of this duty, they not only answer questions, but pro-actively advise advised officers and councils of that history. This isn't to say that they have had the authority to block change, only that they may require required that it be done knowingly, and with full awareness of relevant Society history.

They also serve served as that nasty little voice of conscience in the heads of officers, chairmen, and others. They will try tried to keep track of which tasks have had been assigned or assumed, and gently (and privately) remind reminded others of what yet needs needed to be done.

There is was also a negative duty — to conduct ourselves themselves in ways that prevent prevented this from becoming the "Metcalf Society", just as it was earlier the "Hartwell Society". Focusing too much of the attention on any individual is hazardous for such a group— look only to at the chaos that followed our Founder's decline and demise. The Society does not have the depth luxury of management that permits us to allow allowing anyone to become irreplaceable.

Consuls' duty in this regard is was thus to strengthen the [[Board]] so that it can could actually manage the affairs of the Society, to develop volunteer chairmen who can could carry out the work, to develop vice-chairmen who can step up at need, and to deemphasize the need for our their services until we can they could be replaced by a clerk or two.

==Alternative== There is a "Plan B" in reserve that provides for the appointment of [[Board]] to appoint a true "[[Executive Director" ]] to assume all power and authority of the Board save his hiring , compensation, and amendment of the [[By-Laws]]. This would have the effect A draft of making the Society the "Metcalf Society" until such time an implementing By-Law has been drafted, and would require member approval. The challenge here would be to find a suitable candidate, as the Board is ready Metcalfs would prefer to resume its duties ... or we utterly fail to sustain operationsdecline.  This plan will be proposed only as a last resort, as Consuls think it especially if one of the Metcalfs is named Executive Director, is felt to be the worst possible answer short of dissolving the Society.

It has been determined that the The office of '''Consul be ''' was eliminatedeffective 31 December 2017. This was motivated by the failure of this mixed-authority form of Society management, and by the emotional exhaustion of the Consuls. Conversion of the Society to one without Consuls has begun, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2017incumbents.

The Metcalfs intend intended to continue in the elected and appointed offices they now holdheld at the time of termination, generally shown above as Official Duties, but will surrender surrendered their obligation to serve as the motivating force for the Society and other activities shown above as Unofficial Duties. It will thus be up was thereafter to the [[Board]], sub[[Sub-group Groups|Sub-Group]] councils, and especially the [[President ]] to see that things continue to happen. In particular, the Metcalfs would no longer serve as the "acting everything" when a post goes vacant.

They will continue The Metcalfs offered to offer continue their services as institutional memory on request, but will would try to resist the temptation to speak up without invitation. The [[President]] and others who appoint officers will be expected to do their own follow-up.