November 2000 finds me with just seven plus months to serve as your Eastern Section Councilor to the AC, and with much remaining to be done. First and foremost, we need to identify and nominate strong candidates for national office. Eventually, we need to think about who will next serve the Eastern Section on the AC. See my comments on Alternates at the end.

Edward K. David, Chairman of the AAPG Nominating Committee, which is a committee of the Advisory Council, has issued a call for nominations for AAPG office for the Spring 2002 ballot (candidates selected by the AC and EC in the Spring of 2001 will run for office until the Spring 2002 election). Candidates are being sought for the offices of President-Elect, Vice-President and Treasurer. If you wish to nominate someone for one of these offices, you may do so directly, or by contacting me. However, even if you do so directly, please advise me so that I can prepare in advance to be a worthy champion of your candidate at the February 2001 meeting of the Nominating Committee.

All nominations must be made on one of the new nomination forms and must be accompanied by a Commitment Statement signed by the potential candidate. Do not submit

any additional backup material; it will not become part of the nomination packet distributed to committee members. For your convenience, the new forms are available on the AAPG website (http://www.aapg.org/business/officer_non/). You have the option to print out and mail the forms, or to submit them electronically to nominate@aapg.org. If you choose to mail the forms, send them to Regina Gill, AAPG, P.O. Box 979, Tulsa, OK 74101 by December 6, 2000.

The Executive committee has requested that you do the following:

1) Obtain the nominee's permission to submit his/her name; this can only be accomplished by submitting a signed Commitment Statement

2) Make it clear to the person being nominated that a nomination does not ensure candidacy; many will be nominated, only two names will appear on the ballot for each office

3) Inform the potential nominee of the level of commitment the office requires. Candidates are expected to attend the national and all section meetings. If elected, they will have a minimum of four Executive Committee meetings each year, although one of these may be at the national meeting

4) Inform the potential nominee that officer-candidates will be allowed an expense reimbursement to attend section meetings other than his/her own, unless they are reimbursed by their employer. Currently, these expenses have the following limits: President-Elect, up to $3,000; Vice-President, $1,000; and Treasurer, 1,000

5) If the status of your nominee changes once submitted, you should inform the Chairman of the Nominating Committee of this change.

The Executive Committee recently released the list of Awardees for the Denver 2001 meeting. Once again, the Eastern Section was well represented. Carl J. Smith, Deputy Director of the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, will receive AAPG's second highest award, Honorary Membership, for his contributions to the science of geology and his continuing service to AAPG. In addition, Robert C. Milici, a well known geologist with the USGS, will receive AAPG's third highest award, the Michel T. Halbouty Human Needs Award for his long-term efforts on behalf of the people in India and Bangladesh. Finally, Kenneth Dale Owen and David L. Rice will receive AAPG's Special Award for their part in preserving and restoring the historic oil and gas site at New Harmony, Indiana. Our congratulations to each of these truly deserving awardees.

At the August meeting of the AC at the Arlberg Club, west of Denver, CO, the AC discussed numerous issues, some of which were decided, some of which were referred to committee, and others of which were discussed again in two October teleconferences.

The AC recommended to the Executive Committee that the International Best Poster Award be named for Professor Ziad Beynoun, a distinguished geologist from Lebanon.

The AC approved the double-sided nomination forms for officer candidates and honors & awards that I was asked to design. The AC also approved, with modifications, single-page commitment forms for potential officer candidates. Use is to begin immediately.

The AC recommended to the EC the immediate formation of the Ethics Committee. This committee has been appointed.

AC Chairman Ray Thomasson appointed a Nomination Procedure Review Committee to draft new guidelines for the Nominating Committee. I was appointed to this committee.

Chairman Thomasson also appointed two members of the AC to serve on an ad hoc Committee On Electronic Future of AAPG, which is to produce a white paper by February 2001.

A Program and Services Enhancement Plan Committee was created and charged with developing a membership retention plan, beginning with an assessment of what we offer now, and what we should offer in the future. I also was appointed to this committee.

The Chairman of the House of Delegates requested a recommendation regarding adoption or rejection of all or parts of the COCBAP report (Committee on constitution and Bylaws Amendment Process). The AC recommended defeat of provision 3, calling for a proposed amendment that would prevent any one body (AC, EC, or HOD) from proposing amendments that would "alter the composition, manner of selection, the terms of office, the specific duties, responsibilities, and other matters relevant to such bodies and officers" without the consent of the affected body. However, the AC requested that the HOD C&BL Committee formulate language to embrace the intent of COCBAP provision 2(A), which requires an opinion from the AC, EC or HOD on all resolutions for amendments by September 30 of each year.

The External Awards Committee was restructured with new members, and charged with providing nominations under the External Awards Guidelines for consideration by the Honors & Awards Committee at the 2001 meeting. These awards are given by other organizations to AAPG members recommended by the AC.

Finally, language is being drafted for discussion at the February 2001 meeting of the AC regarding Alternates for AC members. The main point of the proposal is that for members of the AC who currently are not allowed to send an Alternate, that Alternates be allowed, and that these Alternates should be the immediate predecessor of the seat. Thus, for each three-year term the newly elected Representative would serve, and his/her Alternate would be the person who had just served. This would mean that if elected to the AC from the Eastern Section, your commitment would be six years, three active, three as an Alternate. I personally support this proposal, because I know how difficult it would be for a totally inexperienced person to be asked to attend a meeting on short notice and be an effective advocate for the ES. Also, I do not believe that the Alternate would be called on more than once or twice to serve, so it would not be an undue burden.

The AC will meet again in February 2001 to consider reports by committees and to convene the Nominating Committee to review your nominations. I'll report back to you between the February meeting in Tulsa and the June meeting in Denver, which will be my final AC meeting as your representative.

Douglas G. Patchen

ES Rep to the AC, 1996-2001