i'm not going to draft a bill on this discussion yet, though i hope one will be forthcoming...
there have been rumblings on this issue before, about staff appointing civitates, and variou half hearted proposals to change this. i think its time to have a solid discussion on possible alternatives, or instead agree to keep the system as it is, i'd like to get civitate input on it certainly...
currently, the situation is that a patrciain approaches a potential client, offers him the rank, the client accepts, and PM's a staff member with a paragraph stating why he would want to be a civitate etc... the staff check him out, vote on him, and a majority vote means he passes and becomes a civitate
i believe the current proposal under voting makes a few changes to this, namely that the vote must be 2/3rds majority, and that the client must not have any warnings...
my suggestion is that we the curia appoint/elect a small body of senior members, an Appointments Committee who handle aspects of civitate appointments, and ADVISE the staff on who should be a civitate.
the system would work something like this.
the curia appoints 8 members, all of patrician rank or higher. 2 other members are appointed by the republican consul - one of them the Pro-Curator, the other any other Prefect. from the curias 8 Councillors, one is named by the committee to be Censor, and Chairman.
a subforum is created in the curia for the council to meet. for new civitates, the patron sends a PM to the censor, including the paragraph his client has written, and the 10 members hold a vote. 2/3rds in favour and the member passes.
all 10 councillors can check the civitates posts and stuff. the Pro-Curator and Prefect (plus any other staff member on the committee) have a respnsibility to bring to the committee's attention any other details about the member that may be relevant - notably warnings
The Censor has mod powers just in this sub forum and is responsibile for maintaining the lists of civitates. upon the completion of each vote, based on its outcome, the Censor as spokesman for the committee recommends that member for civiteship to the Trium. normally i would imagine the committee's advice will be followed, but the trium have the power to veto an appointment if they need to. can't imagine the power would ever really need to be exercised though.
The Censor notifies the trium when a member is ready to be upgraded to patrician as well.
i'm tempted to say this sub forum should be read only for all civitates as well, but if the staff are posting confidential information about warnings, that may not be such a good idea.