The Barony of Windmasters Hill – Financial Policy
Last updated – November 2007
1. Windmasters. Hill Financial Policy Procedures
1.1 Windmasters. Hill Financial Policy shall be accepted by a majority vote of the populace of the group and replace all previous financial policies and may be amended or replaced by a majority vote of the group.
1.2 Windmasters. Hill Financial Policy is superceded by: Kingdom Exchequer Policy, Kingdom Financial Policy, Kingdom Law, Society Exchequer Policy, Corpora, State and Federal Law.
2. The Chancellor of the Exchequer
2.1 The Exchequer shall maintain a checking account with appropriate signature cards for the group, file all quarterly and event reports as required by Kingdom and Society law and policy, enforce and maintain the group.s financial policy. The Exchequer shall serve as chairperson of the group.s Emergency Financial Committee and hold primary responsibility for coordinating with other members of the committee, and communicating the committee.s actions with the populace.
2.2 The Exchequer shall, upon request, provide access to the group.s financial reports and books to any member of the group and shall publish to the group the annual doomsday report.
2.3 The Exchequer shall pursue any NSF checks received by the group according to the policy outlined in the Society Exchequer.s Handbook. The Exchequer shall also clear .stale checks. . checks not cashed after 1 year.
2.4 The Exchequer shall train at least one deputy to be ready to take over at any time and others as desired. They shall also act as a point of information and assistance to any cantons or sponsored groups of the Barony.
3. Emergency Financial Committee
3.1 The Baronial Emergency Financial Committee shall consist of the Exchequer and deputy, the Seneschal and deputy, and the Baronial Chronicler. Each member must be a paid member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc, be at least 18 years of age, and possess a valid warrant for their office.
3.2 Members of the Committee shall review all proposed expenditures and may authorize any expenditure up to $500 between baronial meetings as an emergency stop gap measure.
3.3 Each member shall have one vote and recuse themselves from voting on any financial decisions in which there is a conflict of interest or appearance of impropriety.
3.4 The Committee shall report all of its activity to the populace at the next regularly scheduled meeting for approval and review.
4. Populace Votes
4.1 The populace, for purposes of the baronial financial policy, is defined as those interested parties who attend the Baronial business meeting and provide proof of current paid membership to the Exchequer (or designated deputy) prior to the beginning of the meeting (or immediately upon their arrival if the meeting has already started). (Approved May 31st, 2004)
4.2 All populace votes to approve or disallow expenditures shall be at a regular business meeting and be by simple majority.
5. Events
5.1 The Autocrat
5.1.1 The autocrat must have a copy of this policy and as a reminder, the autocrat is considered a deputy of the seneschal for the term of the event.
5.1.2 The autocrat shall present an itemized budget for an event at a baronial meeting for approval.
5.1.3 This budget is expected to be followed by the autocrat and event staff. If the event as a whole will be in budget, overages of any line item of the budget may be approved or rejected by the autocrat. If the event is over budget, then these items must be brought to a baronial meeting for approval.
5.1.4 UNAPPROVED EXPENSES WILL NOT BE AUTOMATICALLY APPROVED. In other words, if you weren.t given the money to spend, don.t spend it and expect to be repaid.
5.2 Event reservations and check in (troll):
5.2.1 The person handling event registration and check in is a deputy to the exchequer until the check in books are balanced (which both individuals should do together).
5.2.2 All checks shall be photocopied and deposited in a timely manner. The exchequer will provide deposit slips and an endorsement stamp.
5.2.3 Photocopied checks will be shredded after the checks have cleared, and after the event report has been completed. (recommended language from the Kingdom Exchequer, November 18, 2007)
5.2.4 No funds shall be removed from the check in cash box except as change for funds received (this is not for refunds or petty cash).
5.3 Event Refunds shall be provided as follows:
5.3.1 No refunds shall be provided if the event does not make a profit.
5.3.2 The Exchequer must receive refund requests in writing no later then seven days after the event.
5.3.3 Exceptions may be made by authorization of the autocrat in concert with the seneschal and exchequer.
5.3.4 Donation receipts may be given in lieu of a cash refund.
5.3.5 This policy shall be posted at the check in table at the event.
5.3.4 All refunds shall be paid by check from the group.s checking account and shall not be issued until the event books have been closed and all reservation checks have cleared.
5.4 Event Financial Report
5.4.4 The event financial report shall be presented to the populace at the first regular business meeting of the group after the event books have been closed and published in the Baronial Newsletter.
5.4.5 If the Barony was sponsoring a Kingdom level event, the report is due to Kingdom within 14 days along with the Kingdom tithe (50%). A copy of this report should also go to the Deputy for Kingdom Event Bids.
5.4.6 The Non-Member Surcharge is also due to Kingdom within 14 days after the close of the event.
6.Baronial Pavilion
6.1 Groups/Individuals wanting to use the Baronial Pavilion must apply to the Baronial Quartermaster and pay a $50 fee (to the Barony of Windmasters. Hill, SCA Inc). Educational use (e.g. demos) is exempt from the fee. The party renting the pavilion is responsible for transportation and any wear and tear as well as returning the pavilion in the proper manner.
Note: the populace at a baronial business meeting may waive this fee.
7.Funds
7.1 The Barony has a system of budgeting that includes the use of temporary (for events), renewable (automatic or by vote), quarterly available (Windlore, Scriptorium and Exchequer office expenses), a territorial baronage fund and donation/fundraising categories.
7.2 These funds may be changed or amended at any time by a majority group vote. Please see Attachment A for these funds.
Baronial Financial Policy
Barony of Windmasters. Hill
Attachment A: Baronial Funds Date: 13 April 2003
1.Renewable
1.1 Automatically renewed expenses:
Baronial PO Box . approximately $45 due each June
1.2 Renewable by populous vote:
a)Storage Unit
b)Property Repair
c)Archery Equipment
d)General Equipment
e)Water Bearing Equipment
f)Chiurgeon Fund
g)MOM Fund
2. Quarterly Funds
2.1 These are funds renewable on a quarterly basis. Expenses paid out of these funds must be done only with receipts and announced at Baronial business meetings.
2.1.1 These funds include:
a)Windlore . $300 per quarter
b)Scriptorium – $35 per quarter
c)Exchequer office expenses – $50 per quarter
3. Donated Funds/ Fundraising
3.1 These funds are to be collected and used for the specific purpose under which they were collected.
3.2 If the money for a fund goes unused for >1 years time, this money may be voted upon for return to the general fund. This vote should be announced in advance via the baronial newsletter and then voted on by the general populace.
3.3 Current funds:
a)Baronial tent fund
4.Territorial Baronage Fund
4.1 The territorial Baron and/or Baroness are authorized to spend up to $50.00 of Baronial monies at their own discretion (in compliance with the rules of the SCA).
4.2 No more than this amount may be spent until a report of and approval of the expenditure has been given at a Baronial business meeting.
5.Temporary Funds
5.1 These funds shall be used for events or other expenditures that have an immediate use and end date.
