Effective: 2024-06-12
The primary reason for establishing this council is to evaluate governance actions and determine whether they comply with the Constitution as approved by the voters. This evaluation ensures that the governance actions align with the principles and guidelines set forth by the Cardano community.
Our diverse backgrounds and experiences allow us to represent a healthy cross-section of cultural and life experiences. This diversity brings a unique perspective when determining the constitutionality of governance actions, ensuring that decisions are made with a comprehensive understanding of the community's needs and values.
Furthermore, it is essential for a seat on the Constitutional Committee to be served by a consortium or council rather than a single individual. This structure enhances operational resiliency and minimizes single points of failure within the system. By having a collective body, we can avoid potential gridlock that could disrupt the larger Cardano ecosystem, ensuring continuous and effective governance.
The Cardano Constitutional Committee is a crucial body within the Cardano ecosystem, responsible for overseeing the adherence to the constitutional framework. The Cardano Atlantic Council serves as one voting member of this committee, providing a voice for the broader community in governance matters.
- Ensure Proper Functioning of the Cardano Blockchain through the
Voltaire-Era Bootstrap Phase
The council aims to ensure that the Cardano blockchain continues to operate efficiently and effectively during the critical Voltaire-era bootstrap phase. This involves monitoring governance actions and decisions to guarantee they align with the constitutional framework and support the overall health and stability of the blockchain. - Achieve a 100% Voting Record
Our goal is to maintain a 100% voting record, meaning that all council members will participate in every vote. This high level of engagement ensures that the council’s decisions are representative of the collective insights and perspectives of its members. - Grow Membership to 9 Voters for Enhanced Geographic Representation
The council aims to expand its membership to nine voters within the first year. By increasing the number of members, we can enhance geographic representation, bringing diverse viewpoints and local insights into the decision-making process. This diversity helps ensure that governance decisions are more inclusive and reflective of the global Cardano community.
- High Participation and Engagement
Success will be measured by the council’s ability to maintain a high level of participation and engagement from its members. A 100% voting record will be a key indicator of this success, demonstrating the commitment and involvement of all members in governance processes. - Increased Membership and Representation
The council will strive to bring on three new voting members within the first year. This growth will not only enhance geographic representation but also contribute to a broader range of perspectives, making the council's decisions more robust and well-rounded. - Effective Governance and Compliance
The council’s primary objective is to ensure that all governance actions comply with the Cardano Constitution. This will involve thorough evaluations and assessments of proposed actions, ensuring they align with the constitutional principles and the community’s values. Success in this area will be reflected in the smooth operation of the blockchain and the trust of the community in the governance process. - Transparent and Inclusive Decision-Making
By adhering to transparent and inclusive decision-making processes, the council will foster greater trust and confidence among the Cardano community. This includes making public the rationale for all decisions, holding regular public educational and AMA events, and ensuring clear communication of meeting dates, times, and outcomes. - Educational Outreach and Community Engagement
The council aims to actively engage with the Cardano community through public educational events and AMA sessions. These efforts will help educate the community about governance processes, the importance of the constitution, and how members can participate and contribute to these discussions.
By achieving these objectives, the Council will play a vital role in ensuring the integrity, stability, and inclusiveness of Cardano’s governance during the Voltaire era and beyond.
To be eligible for membership, individuals must be 18 years of age or older and subject to a background check. Additionally, prospective members must not appear on any anti-terrorism or sanctions lists, ensuring that all members meet the necessary legal and ethical standards required for participation in the council.
The selection of new members requires the full consent of all existing council members, ensuring that each new member is welcomed with unanimous approval. This approach promotes unity and ensures that all members are aligned in their decision to expand the council.
New members must be nominated for inclusion by an existing member of the group. This nomination process ensures that prospective members are vetted and endorsed by current members who can vouch for their suitability and commitment to the council’s objectives.
To maintain a manageable and effective group size, the council may not grow by more than the number of current members minus one in any given year. For instance, starting with 6 members in the first year, the council can add up to 5 new members, reaching a total of 11 members by the end of the first year. In the second year, this growth pattern continues, allowing for the addition of up to 10 new members, which would bring the total membership to 21. This structured growth strategy helps prevent any single external influence from gaining a controlling interest in the council and ensures a balanced and representative expansion.
Council members are expected to participate actively in all council meetings and discussions, ensuring their presence and engagement in the decision-making processes. They are responsible for conducting thorough evaluations of all proposed governance actions, assessing their alignment with the Cardano Constitution and the broader community’s values. Additionally, members must adhere to the principles of transparency, integrity, and accountability in all their actions, fostering trust and confidence within the council and the larger Cardano community.
The council operates on the principle that there is no concept of formal leadership within the group; all members are considered a consortium of equals. When individuals are needed to attend general Constitutional Committee meetings, they are selected on a voluntary basis from the bloc of Council voters. To ensure that the delegate faithfully and accurately represents the Council, the group should send two representatives to larger or formal gatherings, such as meetings of the full Constitutional Committee. Roles such as secretary or recorder, public relations, treasurer, and other necessary positions are defined as needed by the Council and are handled voluntarily by Council members. This approach ensures that responsibilities are shared equitably and that all members have the opportunity to contribute to the Council's functions.
The council's decision-making process is structured to ensure efficiency and inclusivity. The council operates with a minimum of 5 voting keys, and if the number of members falls below this threshold, the council should be disbanded. The maximum number of voting keys is capped at 20 to maintain a manageable and effective size. Decisions are made based on a consensus threshold of 60% ( rounding up), ensuring that a significant majority supports any action taken. If a 60% or higher consensus cannot be reached the Council will vote to abstain on the Governance Action in question.
For a meeting to achieve quorum, it must be attended by at least 60% of the voting bloc. This requirement ensures that decisions are made with adequate representation from the council members. Additionally, voters are allowed to cast their votes asynchronously via an orchestrator, enabling participation even if they cannot attend the meeting in person. This flexibility ensures that all members have the opportunity to contribute to the decision-making process, regardless of their availability.
If a member must be ejected or replaced due to resignation, the remaining members of the Council (excluding the member being ejected or resigning) must agree to bring in a new member. This decision ensures that the replacement process is conducted fairly and with the consensus of the existing members. New voters may be selected from currently non-voting Council members, providing an opportunity for active members to step into voting roles. Alternatively, a new member may be invited to join the Council following the standard Membership Selection Process, ensuring that all new additions meet the established criteria and are approved unanimously by the current members.
Meetings of the council should be scheduled on a weekly basis to ensure regular and consistent communication and decision-making. However, if there is not enough Governance Action activity in a given week, the following meeting(s) may be canceled or postponed on a week-by-week basis. Additional meetings may be scheduled as needed during periods when a large number of proposals must be considered or when complex proposals require additional consultation for decision making.This flexibility helps manage members' time effectively and ensures that meetings are held only when necessary.
Agendas detailing relevant Governance Actions and Council action items should be prepared in advance and shared with all members prior to each meeting. This preparation allows members to review and consider the topics of discussion ahead of time, facilitating more informed and productive meetings.
To maintain transparency and accurate records, all meetings should be recorded for internal use only. Additionally, minutes of each meeting should be meticulously documented and distributed to all members. This practice ensures that there is a clear and accessible record of the discussions and decisions made, which can be referenced in future deliberations and audits.
The council is committed to maintaining transparency and effective communication with the broader community. For every posted vote, a public rationale will be provided. In cases where there is a dissenting opinion, both supporting and dissenting rationales will be shared to illustrate that the group's opinion was mixed. The authors of these rationales will be anonymized to focus on the arguments rather than the individuals.
Meeting dates, times, and attendance will be posted after the fact to keep the community informed about the council’s activities. Additionally, the council will host public educational events and AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions to engage with the community and provide insights into governance processes.
Adhering to Chatham House Rules, the results of votes will be shared with the community in a manner that shows the outcome (e.g., 4 for, 2 against) without specifying which members were for or against. This approach maintains confidentiality while ensuring transparency. All decisions and their rationales will be meticulously documented and shared with the community, fostering an environment of openness and trust.
Council members are held to high standards of accountability to ensure the integrity of the governance process. If a member is approached with an offer of reimbursement to change their vote, they must disclose this to the rest of the group, preserving as many details as possible to maintain transparency and trust. In the event that a member loses or compromises their key, it must be reported to the orchestrator immediately to safeguard the council's operations.
The council's performance will be regularly evaluated based on the achievement of its goals and adherence to established procedures. Additionally, if a member is absent from communication with the group for more than 30 days, they may be removed as a voter from the council to ensure active and consistent participation from all members.
Furthermore, any member found to be violating the integrity of the governance process may be removed from the council with the unanimous decision of the remaining council members. These measures are designed to uphold the council's commitment to transparency, integrity, and accountability.
All current members of the Council understand and acknowledge that there is currently no framework or plans in place for remuneration as part of serving on the Council. The details regarding the Council’s available and necessary resources will be determined over the course of the first year of operations, allowing for more accurate estimates and planning in the future.
During this initial period, the Council will identify and outline potential requirements for resources. These may include consultations with subject matter experts when making decisions beyond the Council's current expertise, ensuring well-informed and effective governance. Additionally, members may require funding for travel, lodging, and incidental expenses when representing the Council at formal functions and events. Training and development opportunities will also be considered essential to enhance the skills and knowledge of Council members, fostering continual improvement and effective participation in governance activities. These considerations will help ensure the Council operates efficiently and effectively while planning for future resource needs.
Amendments to this Charter require a 60% majority vote of all Council Members, ensuring that changes are made with significant consensus and support. This includes all members, whether part of the current voting bloc or not, emphasizing the inclusive and comprehensive nature of the decision-making process. To maintain stability and allow for thorough consideration of any proposed changes, the Charter should not be modified more than once every six months. These modifications must occur through a formal meeting attended by all currently active Council Members, ensuring that every member has the opportunity to participate in the discussion and decision-making process. This structured approach to amending the Charter helps maintain continuity and consistency in the Council's operations while allowing for necessary updates and improvements.
The Cardano Atlantic Council is deeply committed to upholding the principles and values of the Cardano community. Our dedication to transparency, integrity, and inclusiveness guides all our actions and decisions, ensuring that we faithfully represent the diverse perspectives within the community. By actively participating in governance processes and thoroughly evaluating proposed actions, we strive to maintain the Cardano blockchain's proper functioning and alignment with its constitutional principles.
We call on all council members to engage fully and collaboratively in our shared mission. Each member's insights and contributions are invaluable in achieving our objectives and fostering a governance framework that reflects the collective wisdom and values of the Cardano community. Together, we will work towards a transparent, accountable, and inclusive governance system that supports the long-term health and success of the Cardano blockchain.
As we move forward, we encourage open dialogue, continuous learning, and proactive engagement with the broader community. Through our combined efforts, we can ensure that the Cardano Atlantic Council remains a vital and effective component of Cardano's Constitutional Committee, championing the interests and principles of the entire Cardano ecosystem.
Adam Dean Beatrice Anihiri Jenny Brito Mike Hornan Richard McCracken Thiago Nunes