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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Dear Council Members,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Staff wanted to draw your attention to one of the agenda items in preparation for the Council call on 12 October. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>You might recall discussions at ICANN59 about the possible formation of a standing committee to assist the GNSO Council’s participation in the annual ICANN Fiscal Year Budget and Operating Plan process and to become more proactive in preparation of public comments on behalf of the Council. Attached, you will find a draft document that first contains a call for volunteers within the Council and secondly the document contains a proposed draft charter for the standing committee activities. Should the Council support the standing committee formation and with adequate volunteers, the charter can then be further refined and later approved by the Council. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In related news, you just saw a note sent by the Council Chair with the announcement of the public comment period for the PTI FY19 draft budget. In the past, the Council has not submitted public comments because it is more to do with operations that affect registry operators and less to do with policy development. However, that does not prevent the Council from submitting comments for this cycle. The comment period will close <b><u>26 November</u></b>. The target for PTI budget approval is <b><u>9 January 2018</u></b>. There will also be two sessions at ICANN60 relating to the FY19 Budget:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>ICANN Budget Basics (30 Oct, 1515-1645) <a href="http://sched.co/CbEv">http://sched.co/CbEv</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Budget Working Group (1 Nov, 1030-1400) <a href="http://sched.co/CbGT">http://sched.co/CbGT</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Also, ICANN Finance held an <a href="https://community.icann.org/display/projfinadhocws/FY19+Planning+Process">FY19 Planning webinar in September</a>. The public comment window for the ICANN Org budget is set to begin on <b><u>15 January</u></b> until <b><u>4 March 2018</u></b>. You might notice this schedule is earlier than prior years to allow the ICANN Board to approve the budget and still provide adequate time for review by the Empowered Community (EC). The earlier process cycle and Board approval is to mitigate ICANN Org from having to enter into the “care-taker budget” process should the EC choose not to reject the budget. Staff will remind the Council often as key milestones on the budget process draw near.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you for your attention and staff looks forward to assisting the Council on this process.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>B<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Berry A. Cobb<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>720.839.5735<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:mail@berrycobb.com">mail@berrycobb.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>@berrycobb<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>