The Barony of White Waters Charter

Article I. Defined Arms of the Barony of White Waters

Section 1.01 The Arms of the Barony of White Waters shall be as registered with the Laurel Sovereign of Arms, here blazoned:

Azure a mullet four points within a laurel wreath Or, a chief wavy argent

Section 1.02 The Badge of the Barony of White Waters shall be defined as: Azure a mullet four points, a chief wavy argent

Section 1.03 The Barony of White Waters shall include the territory covered by the following ZIP Codes:

Saint Joseph County, Indiana: 46501, 46601, 46612, 46613, 46614, 46615, 46616, 46617, 46619, 46628, 46629, 46635, 46637

Elkhart County, Indiana: 46507, 46514, 46515, 46516, 46517, 46526, 46527, 46540, 46543, 46550, 46553, 46573

Marshall County, Indiana: 46501, 46504, 46506, 46511, 46513, 46537, 46563, 46570, 46572

LaGrange County, Indiana: 46565, 46571, 46746, 46761, 46771, 46786, 46789, 46795

Article II Baronial Officers

Section 2.01 The Great Officers of the Barony, as required by Kingdom Law, are Seneschal, Herald, Exchequer, Knight Marshal, Minister of Arts and Sciences, Chronicler.

Section 2.02 Other Great Officers of the Barony shall include: Rapier Captain, Archery Captain, and Chatelaine.

Section 2.03 In order to be eligible to hold Baronial office the following qualifications must be met:

a. The candidate must reside within the confines of the Barony or obtain a waiver from his/hers superior.

b. Be a member in good standing of SCA Inc.,. and pledge to support Corpora, Kingdom Law, and abide by this charter. This statement will be witnessed by the Seneschal and two other baronial officers at the time the Change of Officer form is filled out.

c. Candidates are also encouraged to publicly declare their candidacy

d. Must be willing and able to report to their superiors in a timely fashion. e. Are strongly encouraged to hold office no less than 2 years.

Article III Officer Duties

Section 3.01 All Great Officers of the Barony shall be empowered to appoint such assistants in office as are needful to the effective performance of the duties of that office.

Section 3.02 There shall be maintained a permanent record of all correspondence and activities carried on in the performance of the duties of each office, the same record to be subject to examination by any member, with cause, of the Barony and further subject to be turned over to any successors in the office.

Section 3.03 All officers shall make every reasonable attempt to attend Baronial events. Officers are responsible for overseeing all official activities that fall within their area in person or their appointed representative.

Section 3.04 The Baronial Seneschal shall act as legal representative in accordance with the laws of the Middle Kingdom, and the Corpora of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.

Section 3.05 The Baronial Herald shall act as the voice of the Baronial Seat and if necessary the voice of the Crown in making proclamations of the Baronial Seat in accordance with the Charter, the law of the Middle Kingdom, and the Corpora of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. The Herald shall also lend assistance as needed to the populace to create and submit their heraldic device and persona name.

Section 3.06 The Baronial Exchequer shall submit an income and expense report to the Barony at least once a year in accordance with the Charter, Laws of the Middle Kingdom, and the Corpora of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.

Section 3.07 The Baronial Knight Marshal shall make every effort to promote the safe and orderly conduct of armored combat on the Lists of the Barony in accordance with the Rules of the List, the conventions of the Middle Kingdom, and in accordance with the Charter and the Corpora of the Middle Kingdom.

Section 3.08 The Baronial Rapier Captain shall coordinate all period fencing activities within the Barony. The Rapier Captain shall be responsible for all required paperwork pertaining to period fencing. The authority of the Rapier Captain shall not extend to other forms of combat.

Section 3.09 The Baronial Archery Captain shall coordinate all archery and missile activities within the Barony. The Baronial Archery Captain shall be responsible for all required paperwork pertaining to archery and related activities. The authority of the Baronial Archery Captain shall not extend to other forms of combat.

Section 3.10 The Baronial Knight Marshal, Baronial Archery Captain, and the Baronial Rapier Captain shall be responsible for the proper training and conduct of all participants and prospective participants of the Barony, in their respective areas, and shall develop a positive program and be ultimately responsible for the attainments of this end.

Section 3.11 The Baronial Minister of Arts and Sciences shall have the responsibility for the encouragement and organization of the study and practice of the peaceful Arts and Sciences with in the Barony, and for the maintenance of records of research in these arts and sciences in accordance with the Charter, laws of the Middle Kingdom, and the Corpora of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.

Section 3.12 The Baronial Chronicler shall have the responsibility for publishing and distributing The White Waters Boke hereafter referred to as The Boke, the official newsletter of the Barony of White Waters, on a regular schedule. The Chronicler shall print all public announcements and report news therein in accordance with the By-Laws, the Laws of the Middle Kingdom, and the Corpora of the Society of Creative Anachronism, Inc.

(a) The Boke shall be published on a monthly basis. The deadline for submissions are at the discretion of the Chronicler. Section 3.12 The Baronial Chatelaine shall be responsible for the introduction, and education of the new and prospective members in the culture, customs and courtesies of the Society.

Section 3.13 Selection process of an officer.

(a) Announcement of interest in the office at the monthly business meeting. (b) Announcement published in The Boke for 1 month

(c) One month after announcements are made take a run off election or a vote of confidence from the populace.

Section 3.14 Removal of an Officer. The process to remove a baronial officer from his or her office shall be as follows:

(a) In the monthly business meeting the decision is made that the officer in question is unable to fulfill the office.

(b) The Seneschal will contact the officer and determine if the situation is temporary and the officer will be able to resume his or her duties in a timely manner.

(c) If the situation is not temporary, the seneschal then contacts the Kingdom superior for immediate action.

(d) The seneschal will report on the situation at the next business meeting and recommend a course of action. Possible actions include appointing a temporary deputy to fill the office for a limited time or declaring the office vacant and selecting a successor. Other actions can be determined as the situation requires.

Article IV Term Limits for Great Officers

Section 4.01 The term of office for Great Officers shall be a maximum two (2) years, counted from the date of their assumption of their duties

Section 4.02 The Barony shall place a limit of three (3) consecutive terms a person may service in these positions. A person can sit out one term and then run again.

Section 4.03 All terms of office are subject to warranting by the appropriate authorities.

Article V Powers and Duties of The Baron and/or Baroness

Section 5.01 The Baron and/or Baroness of the Barony of White Waters shall be considered individuals even if the persons are married to each other. The Baron and or Baroness may also be referred to as the Baronial Seat, shall reign in fief to the Crown of the Middle Kingdom, and the Corpora of the Society of Creative Anachronism, Inc.

Section 5.02 The Baron shall be in attendance at least five (5) business meeting per calendar year. Likewise the Baroness shall attend at least five (5) business meetings per year. They mayor may not be the same meetings.

Section 5.03 The Baronial Seat shall hold a minimum of one (1) court per calendar year.

Section 5.04 They may appoint Ambassadors or other ceremonial positions, including champions.

Section 5.05 They will swear fealty in the reign of each new crown.

Section 5.06 They may entreaty with other local groups to alliances during times of war.

Section 5.07 They must make every reasonable attempt to attend events within their Barony. Section 5.08 They shall have the right to bestow Baronial awards as they see fit, and hold regency courts, if the Crown wishes.

Section 5.09 They will make a report to the Crown, in writing, once per reign. Per the laws of the Middle Kingdom.

Article VI Appointment, Resignation, and Removal of the Baron and/or Baroness

Section 6.01 The office of Territorial Baron and/or Baroness shall be for a term of three (3) years. They are eligible for one (1) additional term and may serve if a poll of confidence of the Barony shows support for them. They can sit out one term and then run again.

Section 6.02 Each candidate must posses at the time of the initial polling, and maintain through out the entire warrant period, a valid SCA membership which meets the criteria of Corpora Bylaws.

Section 6.03 If the Baron and/or Baroness fail to meet the requirements set down in Section V and Section VI, the Barony can call for a vote of confidence. If the vote of confidence is negative, then a petition can be circulated and a letter requesting removal can be sent to the Crown.

a. If only one member of the Baronial Seat is removed or resigns the Barony can decide if the other member may fulfill the term of office alone.

Section 6.04 The Crown may suspend and/or remove a Baron and/or Baroness for just and stated caused. In order to remove a Baron and/or Baroness the Crown must request a written opinion from the populace of the Barony before taking such action.

Section 6.05 Upon the resignation or removal of the Baron and/or Baroness the Barony is required to follow polling procedures as set down in Section 6.06 in order to replace either person.

Section 6.06 In all required polls:

a. The Baronial Seneschal shall solicit recommendations for the office Baron and/or Baroness by asking for letter of intent for the position and by an informal polling of the populace. The initial Baronial poll shall be conducted by a committee of three (3) or more members chosen by consensus according to the will of the Crown and following the guidelines in the Organizational Handbook and the laws of the Middle Kingdom

b. The initial polling shall be open to all residents and populace of the Barony. All persons meeting the requirements are eligible for nomination.

c. The purpose of the initial polling is to determine no more than three (3) top candidates for Baron and/or Baroness.

d. A second and final polling shall be conducted by the Regional or Kingdom Seneschal or by the kingdom officer for Transitions, (or their designated representative), using the top three candidates from the initial polling.

e. The Crown, or the Crown's representative, shall consider the recommendations of the populace prior to making their decision

regarding the Baron and/or Baroness. The decision of the Crown must not be substantively opposed by the populace of the Barony.

Article VII Financial Polices

Section 7.01 All Baronial funds spent must be approved by the populace attending the business meeting when the request arises. The only exceptions are money for rent of a club house (if needed), rent for storage unit (if needed) and money for printing and postage for the Boke or for other pre-approved standing expenses.

Section 7.02 To be reimbursed a person must have a receipt and turn in receipts by the day of the Baronial event that the receipt is for.

Section 7.03 Baronial funds may be spent in an emergency situation, before the opportunity of a Baronial meeting. The money spent must have the approval of a quorum of Great Officers.