@conradoplg thank you so much for your suggestions!!! I truely appreciate the time you took to read it and provide your feedback!!! Please let me know if these changes don’t address your concerns or if you have any other suggestions. This would be a pretty serious ZIP to ratify so every suggestion helps 
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I’ve made a few adjustments the major ones are as follows:
- All Zenate members SHALL be compensated for 35 hours monthly at a rate of $100US per hour. Any changes to the compensation, including adjustments for inflation, would require a ZIP change.
- ZCAP MUST be utilized to determine clear community consensus via polling. For the specific purpose of ratifying or amending a ZIP, polling shall present three choices: approve, reject, and withhold vote. Achieving consensus is determined when a majority of participants opt for either ‘approve’ or ‘reject’, excluding ‘withhold vote’ counts. Once a consensus is ascertained through ZCAP polling, the Zenate does not need another poll for minor alterations, as long as they remain consistent with the original intent of the ZIP and poll. For polling questions that encompass more than these three options, they will serve to gauge community sentiments regarding ZCAP’s performance, provide feedback for Zenate’s future direction, and guide Zenate members in prioritizing their contributions.
- The Zenate supervises the allocation of block rewards as outlined in ZIP1014 for the development fund. Actions, decisions, or modifications to ZIPs, particularly concerning the distribution of the development fund, MUST be grounded on clear objectives or detailed business plans. Any modifications to ZIP1014 or its successors, once agreed upon by ECC and ZF, must be incorporated into consensus rules. Crucially, by ratifying this ZIP, both ECC and ZF recognize and accept the Zenate and ZCAP as clear indicators of community consensus in line with the stipulations of the Trademark agreement. This acknowledgment reinforces the Zenate and ZCAP’s roles in decision-making processes related to the Trademark agreement.
- Compensation to Zenate members and staff is executed directly from the block reward to the recipients’ specified addresses. These payments are made 16 weeks in arrears. Such an arrangement is structured to permit payment adjustments to align with the ZIP 200 Network Upgrade Mechanism, ensuring that any modifications take effect before Zcash’s 16-week End-of-Service halt.
For determining the appropriate amount in USD for the compensation, the ZECUSD exchange rate is computed as the average ZECUSD price of the day exactly 16 weeks prior to the previous End-of-Service halt date. This method ensures transparency in the payment process and avoids potential fluctuations that might arise if compensation were based on real-time or near-term exchange rates.
This approach not only fortifies the network’s stability and robustness but also brings predictability and transparency to Zenate and staff compensations. It also instills confidence among the members about the fairness and methodological soundness of the payment system.
ZIP: TBD
Title: Establishing a Zenate for ZIP Governance and Managing ZCAP
Owners: TBD
Original-Authors: Matthew Green (@GGuy)
Credits: Josh Swihart (@JoshS)
Status: Draft
Category: Process
Created: 2023-09-12
License: MIT
Terminology
Terms capitalized such as “MUST”, “MUST NOT”, “SHALL”, “SHALL NOT”, “SHOULD”, “SHOULD NOT”, and “MAY” in this document are to be understood as described in RFC 2119. [#RFC2119]_
The term “network upgrade” in this document refers to the explanation in ZIP 200 [#zip-0200]_ and the Zcash Trademark Donation and License Agreement ([#trademark]_ or successor agreement).
“Zenate” denotes the elected governing body by the Zcash community through the ZCAP process proposed in this ZIP.
“ZCAP” is the Zcash Community Advisory Panel, as outlined at [#zf-community]_.
Abstract
This ZIP advocates for the inception and election of a Zenate (Zcash Senate) via the ZCAP process. The Zenate’s primary function is to act as a governing authority for the formulation, enhancement, and voting on Zcash Improvement Proposals (ZIPs). Upon establishment, the Zenate SHALL manage ZCAP, transitioning from the Zcash Foundation. This document clarifies the composition, governance, and duties of the Zenate and its interaction with ZCAP and the larger Zcash community.
Motivation
In order to enhance the community-driven evolution in the system, a Zenate can facilitate to ensure that every part of the community is heard and their feedback directly influences the direction that Zcash takes. This approach could be more transparent and offer a platform for collaboration, and prove to be more responsive to the vision that the community holds for Zcash.
Specification
Zenate Composition
A Zenate SHOULD consist of 5-7 active members, chosen via the ZCAP process. Members are expected to commit approximately one day weekly to Zenate tasks. Membership tenure is annual, with reelection opportunities. Zcash Foundation (ZF) and Electric Coin Company (ECC) staff are ineligible for Zenate membership to prevent potential conflicts of interest due to their joint control of the Zcash trademark. All Zenate members SHALL be compensated for 35 hours monthly at a rate of $100US per hour. Any changes to the compensation, including adjustments for inflation, would require a ZIP change.
Zenate Governance
Decisions within the Zenate are by majority vote by the elected members. In case of tied votes, a ZCAP community-wide poll will dictate the outcome. The Zenate SHALL NOT have a veto power, however, any body MAY bring concerns to the Zenate which MUST be duly considered.
ZCAP Management
Upon its inception, the Zenate assumes ZCAP management. The first Zenate election is through ZCAP under the Zcash Foundation’s purview. Subsequently, the Zenate is in charge of ZCAP management and organizing its own reelections.
ZCAP Polling
ZCAP MUST be utilized to determine clear community consensus via polling. For the specific purpose of ratifying or amending a ZIP, polling shall present three choices: approve, reject, and withhold vote. Achieving consensus is determined when a majority of participants opt for either ‘approve’ or ‘reject’, excluding ‘withhold vote’ counts. Once a consensus is ascertained through ZCAP polling, the Zenate does not need another poll for minor alterations, as long as they remain consistent with the original intent of the ZIP and poll. For polling questions that encompass more than these three options, they will serve to gauge community sentiments regarding ZCAP’s performance, provide feedback for Zenate’s future direction, and guide Zenate members in prioritizing their contributions.
ZCAP Diversity
The Zenate aims for ZCAP diversity, encompassing developers, leaders, ecosystem partners, and users. Efforts to include both English and non-English participants are vital. The Zenate SHALL take actionable steps to achieve this diverse ZCAP representation.
Community Consensus
The Zenate’s decisions MUST resonate with the Zcash community’s consensus. ZCAP polling remains the primary consensus determinant. Each decision’s alignment with the community consensus, through ZCAP polls, needs documentation. The Zenate SHOULD also gather feedback via various community engagement avenues, such as X, forums, calls, AMAs, etc. Moreover, the Zenate is also expected to evolve and improve community polling mechanisms over time. Any introduction or change to a polling mechanism would require ratification into this ZIP and clear community consensus.
Development Fund Recipients’ Involvement
Monthly meetings involving all development fund beneficiaries SHALL be conducted by the Zenate. These sessions are platforms for discussing Zcash’s future while ensuring transparency and stakeholder coordination.
ZIPs and Governance
The Zenate possesses the exclusive authority to craft, vote on, and implement ZIP improvements. They are responsible for both ZIP submissions acceptance and new ZIPs creation. As a result, the Zenate has the final say on a proposed ZIP’s fate, underscoring their role in shaping Zcash’s vision and rules.
Development Fund Management
The Zenate supervises the allocation of block rewards as outlined in ZIP1014 for the development fund. Actions, decisions, or modifications to ZIPs, particularly concerning the distribution of the development fund, MUST be grounded on clear objectives or detailed business plans. Any modifications to ZIP1014 or its successors, once agreed upon by ECC and ZF, must be incorporated into consensus rules. Crucially, by ratifying this ZIP, both ECC and ZF recognize and accept the Zenate and ZCAP as clear indicators of community consensus in line with the stipulations of the Trademark agreement. This acknowledgment reinforces the Zenate and ZCAP’s roles in decision-making processes related to the Trademark agreement.
Transparency and Accountability
The Zenate SHALL champion transparency and accountability by regularly disclosing objectives and plans. Committee members SHOULD review meeting minutes, making necessary redactions and corrections before publicizing them.
ZCAP Staff
The Zenate MAY hire part-time assistants for tasks like meeting minutes transcription. Such staff receive compensation at market rates.
Compensation Payments
Compensation to Zenate members and staff is executed directly from the block reward to the recipients’ specified addresses. These payments are made 16 weeks in arrears. Such an arrangement is structured to permit payment adjustments to align with the ZIP 200 Network Upgrade Mechanism, ensuring that any modifications take effect before Zcash’s 16-week End-of-Service halt.
For determining the appropriate amount in USD for the compensation, the ZECUSD exchange rate is computed as the average ZECUSD price of the day exactly 16 weeks prior to the previous End-of-Service halt date. This method ensures transparency in the payment process and avoids potential fluctuations that might arise if compensation were based on real-time or near-term exchange rates.
This approach not only fortifies the network’s stability and robustness but also brings predictability and transparency to Zenate and staff compensations. It also instills confidence among the members about the fairness and methodological soundness of the payment system.
Integrating with Existing Structures
The Zenate SHALL work in collaboration with existing panels, committees, and procedures within Zcash.
References
… [#RFC2119] RFC 2119: Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement Levels <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2119.html>_
… [#zip-0200] ZIP 200: Network Upgrade Mechanism <zip-0200.rst>_
… [#trademark] Zcash Trademark Donation and License Agreement <https://electriccoin.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Final-Consolidated-Version-ECC-Zcash-Trademark-Transfer-Documents-1.pdf>_
… [#zf-community] ZF Community Advisory Panel <https://www.zfnd.org/governance/community-advisory-panel/>_