diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 88ed601..0c634fd 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # begin with the base Alpine python image
-FROM python:3.14.6-alpine3.23 
+FROM python:3.14.5-alpine3.23 
 # create a directory to store the application 
 WORKDIR /usr/local/ns-assembly 
 
diff --git a/conf/app/assembly.yaml b/conf/app/assembly.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/src/__main__.py b/old_src/__main__.py
similarity index 97%
rename from src/__main__.py
rename to old_src/__main__.py
index 78a13da..af6f862 100644
--- a/src/__main__.py
+++ b/old_src/__main__.py
@@ -223,23 +223,25 @@ async def _create_thread_ifv_for_proposal(proposal:classes.wa.Proposal) -> None:
 
 # define a method of fetching proposals
 async def _fetch_proposals() -> None:
-    """Fetch World Assembly proposals from the NS API, for both councils, into the database."""
+    """Return World Assembly proposals from the NS API, for both councils, and create threads"""
     for council in [1,2]: # for each council
         logger.debug('New council')
 
         proposals = await ns_api.parse_proposals(council) # load a parsed version of the proposals from the API   
         logger.info('Proposal data fetched from API')
 
+        legal_proposals = []
+
         for proposal in proposals: # for each proposal
             if proposal.legal and proposal.quorum:
                 logger.debug('Proposal legal and at quorum')
 
-                await ns_postgres.nsqueue_add(proposal) # add it to the NSQueue table
-                logger.info('Proposal added to NSQueue')
-
                 await _create_thread_ifv_for_proposal(proposal) # create a thread and add it to the IFVQueue table
                 logger.info('Proposal thread being created')
-        logger.info('Proposal data parsed and stored')
+
+                legal_proposals.append(proposal)
+        logger.info('Proposal data parsed')
+        return legal_proposals
 
 async def _new_sse_event(payload:str) -> None:
     logger.debug('New SSE event received, checking proposals...')
@@ -271,7 +273,7 @@ async def _check_perms(ctx:discord.ApplicationContext, check_kind:str) -> bool:
 async def _get_queue_embed(council:int) -> discord.Embed:
     """Get an embed with the World Assembly proposal queue included."""
 
-    queue = await ns_postgres.nsqueue_get_all_legal_by_council_limited(council = council) # fetch all proposals in the NSQueue table
+    queue = await _fetch_proposals()  # fetch all proposals in the NSQueue table
     logger.debug('Proposals fetched from DB')
 
     table = 'Stance | Name | Status | Proposal Link | IFV Author | IFV Link\n' # create a table, starting with the header
@@ -364,7 +366,8 @@ async def _announce_queue(ctx: discord.ApplicationContext, council:int, ping_use
         logger.info('Queue embed fetched')
 
         if ping_users:
-            ping = await ns_postgres.botperms_get_by_kind('user').identifier
+            ping_object = await ns_postgres.botperms_get_by_kind('user')
+            ping = ping_object.identifier
             logger.debug('Ping role id found')
 
             await ctx.respond(f'<@&{ping}>', embed = embed, ephemeral = False, allowed_mentions = discord.AllowedMentions(roles = True), view=IFVView(council = council))
@@ -489,7 +492,7 @@ async def announce_sc_queue(ctx: discord.ApplicationContext,ping_users:bool) ->
 @bot.event
 async def on_application_command_error(ctx:discord.ApplicationContext, error:discord.DiscordException):
     logger.error(error)
-    ctx.respond('<@1271403487045095465> An unspecified error occurred.')
+    await ctx.respond('<@1271403487045095465> An unspecified error occurred.')
 
 async def main() -> None:
     try:
diff --git a/src/classes/__init__.py b/old_src/classes/__init__.py
similarity index 100%
rename from src/classes/__init__.py
rename to old_src/classes/__init__.py
diff --git a/src/classes/auth.py b/old_src/classes/auth.py
similarity index 97%
rename from src/classes/auth.py
rename to old_src/classes/auth.py
index 37a934c..f839018 100644
--- a/src/classes/auth.py
+++ b/old_src/classes/auth.py
@@ -26,10 +26,12 @@ def fromAttributeValues(self, kind:str, identifier:int):
         self.kind = kind
         self.identifier = identifier
         self.initialized = True
+        return self
     def fromSQLValues(self, values:tuple[str, int]):
         self.kind = values[0]
         self.identifier = values[1]
         self.initialized = True
+        return self
     def toSQLValues(self) -> tuple[str, int]:
         if self.initialized:
             return (self.kind, self.identifier)
diff --git a/src/classes/exceptions/__init__.py b/old_src/classes/exceptions/__init__.py
similarity index 100%
rename from src/classes/exceptions/__init__.py
rename to old_src/classes/exceptions/__init__.py
diff --git a/src/classes/ifv.py b/old_src/classes/ifv.py
similarity index 97%
rename from src/classes/ifv.py
rename to old_src/classes/ifv.py
index 7555da1..e889369 100644
--- a/src/classes/ifv.py
+++ b/old_src/classes/ifv.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ def fromAttributeValues(self, id:str, name:str, thread:str | None = None, ifvaut
         self.ifvauthor = ifvauthor
         self.ifvlink = ifvlink
         self.initialized = True
+        return self
     def fromSQLValues(self, values:tuple[str, str, str | None, str | None, str | None]):
         self.id = values[0]
         self.name = values[1]
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ def fromSQLValues(self, values:tuple[str, str, str | None, str | None, str | Non
         self.ifvauthor = values[3]
         self.ifvlink = values[4]
         self.initialized = True
+        return self
     def toSQLValues(self) -> tuple[str, str, str, str | None, str | None, str | None]:
         if self.initialized:
             return (self.id,self.name,self.thread,self.ifvauthor,self.ifvlink)
diff --git a/src/classes/sse.py b/old_src/classes/sse.py
similarity index 98%
rename from src/classes/sse.py
rename to old_src/classes/sse.py
index ea00cfe..13a5165 100644
--- a/src/classes/sse.py
+++ b/old_src/classes/sse.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ def fromAttributeValues(self, event:int, time:int, category:str, data:list, acto
         self.category = category
         self.data = data
         self.initialized = True
+        return self
     def fromSQLValues(self, values:tuple[int, int, str, list, str | None, str | None, str | None, str | None]):
         self.event = values[0]
         self.time = values[1]
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ def fromSQLValues(self, values:tuple[int, int, str, list, str | None, str | None
         self.category = values[6]
         self.data = values[7]
         self.initialized = True
+        return self
     def toSQLValues(self) -> tuple[int, int, str, list, str | None, str | None, str | None, str | None]:
         if self.initialized:
             return (self.event,self.time,self.actor,self.receptor,self.origin,self.destination,self.category,self.data)
diff --git a/src/classes/wa.py b/old_src/classes/wa.py
similarity index 97%
rename from src/classes/wa.py
rename to old_src/classes/wa.py
index 1df2c9a..19f4ec8 100644
--- a/src/classes/wa.py
+++ b/old_src/classes/wa.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ def fromAttributeValues(self, id:str, council:int, name:str, category:str, autho
         self.legal = legal
         self.quorum = quorum
         self.initialized = True
+        return self
     def fromSQLValues(self, values:tuple[str, int, str, str, str, bool, bool, list[str | None]]):
         self.id = values[0]
         self.council = values[1]
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ def fromSQLValues(self, values:tuple[str, int, str, str, str, bool, bool, list[s
         self.legal = values[6]
         self.quorum = values[7]
         self.initialized = True
+        return self
     def toSQLValues(self) -> tuple[str, int, str, str, str, bool, bool, list[str | None]]:
         if self.initialized:
             return (self.id,self.council,self.name,self.category,self.author,self.coauthors,self.legal,self.quorum)
diff --git a/src/customio/__init__.py b/old_src/customio/__init__.py
similarity index 95%
rename from src/customio/__init__.py
rename to old_src/customio/__init__.py
index ce24716..60eabb2 100644
--- a/src/customio/__init__.py
+++ b/old_src/customio/__init__.py
@@ -17,4 +17,5 @@
 # simple program to combine other modules into the 'customio' library
 from .db import *
 from .env import *
-from .ns import *
\ No newline at end of file
+from .ns import *
+from .conf import *
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/old_src/customio/conf.py b/old_src/customio/conf.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34249cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/old_src/customio/conf.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+'''This file is part of assembly.
+Copyright (C) 2026 HippoProgrammer
+
+This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+(at your option) any later version.
+
+This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.'''
+
+import yaml
+import os
+from .exceptions import *
+
+def load_config_from_file(path:str):
+    if os.path.isfile(path):
+        with open(path, 'r') as file:
+            config = yaml.safe_load(file)
+        return config
+    else:
+        raise exceptions.InvalidPathException('Config path is not a valid file. Cannot start')
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/customio/db.py b/old_src/customio/db.py
similarity index 82%
rename from src/customio/db.py
rename to old_src/customio/db.py
index 5bff1bf..099d974 100644
--- a/src/customio/db.py
+++ b/old_src/customio/db.py
@@ -113,67 +113,6 @@ async def setup_all(self) -> None:
         await self._open_connection_pool()
     async def cleanup(self) -> None:
         await self._close_connection_pool()
-    # NSQueue table
-    async def nsqueue_add(self,proposal:classes.wa.Proposal) -> None:
-        """Add a Proposal to the NSQueue"""
-        try: # protect against PoolTimeouts
-            async with self.connection_pool.connection() as conn: # get a connection from the pool
-                self.logger.debug('DB connection opened from pool')
-                async with conn.cursor() as cur: # open a cursor
-                    self.logger.debug('Cursor opened')
-
-                    await cur.execute("""
-                    INSERT INTO NSQueue (ID, Council, Name, Category, Author, Coauthors, Legal, Quorum)
-                    VALUES (%s, %s, %s, %s, %s, %s, %s, %s)
-                    ON CONFLICT (ID) DO NOTHING;
-                    """,proposal.toSQLValues()) # insert data into the table, but if it already exists ignore it
-                    self.logger.info('Successful query')
-
-                    await conn.commit()
-        except psycopg_pool.PoolTimeout:
-            self.connection_self.connection_pool.check()
-    async def nsqueue_get_by_id(self, id:str) -> classes.wa.Proposal:
-        """Get a proposal by ID from the NSQueue"""
-        try:
-            async with self.connection_pool.connection() as conn: # get a connection from the pool
-                self.logger.debug('DB connection opened from pool')
-                async with conn.cursor() as cur: # open a cursor
-                    self.logger.debug('Cursor opened')
-
-                    await cur.execute("""
-                    SELECT * FROM NSQueue
-                    WHERE ID = %s;
-                    """, [id]) # select all proposals with the supplied ID
-                    self.logger.info('Successful query')
-
-                    SQLproposal = await cur.fetchone() # fetch the proposal (as ID is unique there is only one)
-                    proposal = classes.wa.Proposal().fromSQLValues(SQLproposal) # convert it into a Proposal object
-                    return proposal
-        except psycopg_pool.PoolTimeout:
-            self.connection_self.connection_pool.check()
-    async def nsqueue_get_all_legal_by_council_limited(self, council:int = 1, limit:int = 7) -> list[classes.wa.Proposal]:
-        """Get all proposals that are legal from the NSQueue, up to the specified limit"""
-        try:
-            async with self.connection_pool.connection() as conn: # get a connection from the pool
-                self.logger.debug('DB connection opened from pool')
-                async with conn.cursor() as cur: # open a cursor
-                    self.logger.debug('Cursor opened')
-
-                    await cur.execute("""
-                    SELECT * FROM NSQueue 
-                    WHERE Legal AND Council = %s 
-                    LIMIT %s;
-                    """, [council, limit]) # select all legal proposals, up to the queue limit of seven
-                    self.logger.info('Successful query')
-
-                    SQLqueue = await cur.fetchall() # fetch them all
-                    queue = [] 
-                    for item in SQLqueue:
-                        queue.append(classes.wa.Proposal().fromSQLValues(item)) # convert them into a list of Proposal objects
-                    return queue
-
-        except psycopg_pool.PoolTimeout:
-            self.connection_self.connection_pool.check()
     # IFVQueue table
     async def ifvqueue_add(self, ifv:classes.ifv.IFV) -> None:
         """Add an IFV to the IFVQueue"""
diff --git a/src/customio/env.py b/old_src/customio/env.py
similarity index 86%
rename from src/customio/env.py
rename to old_src/customio/env.py
index 222cbac..af9b47b 100644
--- a/src/customio/env.py
+++ b/old_src/customio/env.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 import os
 import logging
+from .exceptions import *
 
 # set up a logger
 logger = logging.getLogger('assembly.customio.env') # get the logger for this script
@@ -27,13 +28,9 @@ def load_secrets_from_envvars() -> tuple[str, str]:
 
     # sanity-check envvars
     if not os.path.isfile(token_file):
-        msg = 'ASSEMBLY_TOKEN_FILE environment variable is not a valid path, cannot start'
-        logger.error(msg)
-        raise Exception(msg)
+        raise exceptions.InvalidPathException('ASSEMBLY_TOKEN_FILE environment variable is not a valid path, cannot start')
     if not os.path.isfile(pgpass_file):
-        msg = 'POSTGRES_PASS_FILE environment variable is not a valid path, cannot start'
-        logger.error(msg)
-        raise Exception(msg)
+        raise exceptions.InvalidPathException('POSTGRES_PASS_FILE environment variable is not a valid path, cannot start')
 
     # read token file
     with open(token_file,'r') as file:
diff --git a/old_src/customio/exceptions/__init__.py b/old_src/customio/exceptions/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..89fd59c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/old_src/customio/exceptions/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+'''This file is part of assembly.
+Copyright (C) 2026 HippoProgrammer
+
+This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+(at your option) any later version.
+
+This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.'''
+
+# renamed Exceptions for use by custom libraries
+class InvalidPathException(Exception):
+    pass
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/customio/ns.py b/old_src/customio/ns.py
similarity index 100%
rename from src/customio/ns.py
rename to old_src/customio/ns.py
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 2dcf1fb..f90260a 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 py-cord[speed]==2.8.0 # Discord API wrapper
 psycopg[binary,pool]==3.3.4 # Postgres connector
 aiohttp[speedups]==3.14.1 # Async HTTP requests
-validators==0.35.0 # String sanitization and validation
\ No newline at end of file
+validators==0.35.0 # String sanitization and validation
+aiohttp[speedups]==3.13.5 # Async HTTP requests
+validators==0.35.0 # String sanitization and validation
+PyYAML==6.0.3 # YAML parser
diff --git a/sql/init/04-apptables.sh b/sql/init/04-apptables.sh
index 67109c4..d1a48a5 100644
--- a/sql/init/04-apptables.sh
+++ b/sql/init/04-apptables.sh
@@ -20,17 +20,6 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 psql -v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 --username "$POSTGRES_USER" --dbname "$POSTGRES_DB" <<-EOSQL
     \c ns_assembly
 
-    CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS NSQueue (
-    ID TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
-    Council SMALLINT CHECK (Council = 1 OR Council = 2),
-    Name TEXT NOT NULL,
-    Category TEXT NOT NULL,
-    Author TEXT NOT NULL,
-    Coauthors TEXT ARRAY[3],
-    Legal BOOL NOT NULL,
-    Quorum BOOL NOT NULL
-    ); -- create a table for storing queued proposal information, direct from the NS API
-
     CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS IFVQueue (
     ID TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
     Name TEXT NOT NULL,
diff --git a/sql/init/05-appindexes.sh b/sql/init/05-appindexes.sh
index 77d1eea..afc4603 100644
--- a/sql/init/05-appindexes.sh
+++ b/sql/init/05-appindexes.sh
@@ -20,6 +20,5 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 psql -v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 --username "$POSTGRES_USER" --dbname "$POSTGRES_DB" <<-EOSQL
     \c ns_assembly
     
-    CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS NSQueue_ID_index ON NSQueue (ID); -- create relevant indexes on frequently-queried tables
     CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS IFVQueue_Author_index on IFVQueue (IFVAuthor);
 EOSQL
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/sql/init/06-akarischema.sh b/sql/init/06-akarischema.sh
index 91c5aad..95b836d 100644
--- a/sql/init/06-akarischema.sh
+++ b/sql/init/06-akarischema.sh
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ psql -v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 --username "$POSTGRES_USER" --dbname "$POSTGRES_DB" <<-E
     ALTER ROLE ns_akari IN DATABASE ns_akari SET search_path TO akari;
 
     GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON SCHEMA akari TO ns_akari;
+    GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON SCHEMA public TO ns_akari;
     GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON SCHEMA akari TO ns_assembly_app;
     ALTER DEFAULT PRIVILEGES FOR ROLE ns_akari IN SCHEMA akari GRANT ALL ON TABLES TO ns_akari;
     ALTER DEFAULT PRIVILEGES FOR ROLE ns_akari IN SCHEMA akari GRANT SELECT, TRIGGER ON TABLES TO ns_assembly_app;
diff --git a/src/classes.py b/src/classes.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6dd4540
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/classes.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+from copy import deepcopy
+
+class DataStruct:
+    def __init__(self, structure: dict) -> None:
+        self.structure = structure
+        self.data = deepcopy(self.structure)
+    def _from_values(self, values: dict):
+        for key in (set(self.structure) & set(values)):
+            self.structure[key] = values[key]
+    def from_attribute_values(self, **kwargs):
+        self._from_values(kwargs)
+    def from_sql_values(self, values: dict):
+        for key in (set(self.structure) & set(values)): 
+# fix to match above
+
+class IFV:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.initialized = False
+    def fromAttributeValues(self, id:str, name:str, thread:str | None = None, ifvauthor:str | None = None, ifvlink:str | None = None):
+        self.id = id
+        self.name = name
+        self.thread = thread
+        self.ifvauthor = ifvauthor
+        self.ifvlink = ifvlink
+        self.initialized = True
+        return self
+    def fromSQLValues(self, values:tuple[str, str, str | None, str | None, str | None]):
+        self.id = values[0]
+        self.name = values[1]
+        self.thread = values[2]
+        self.ifvauthor = values[3]
+        self.ifvlink = values[4]
+        self.initialized = True
+        return self
+    def toSQLValues(self) -> tuple[str, str, str, str | None, str | None, str | None]:
+        if self.initialized:
+            return (self.id,self.name,self.thread,self.ifvauthor,self.ifvlink)
+        else:
+            raise exceptions.UninitializedException()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/db.py b/src/db.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5355dd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/db.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import asyncio
+import psycopg_pool
+import psycopg.errors
+import logging
+import typing
+import classes
+
+class DBResponse:
+    def __init__(self, success: bool, response: list | None):
+        self.success = success
+        self.response = response
+    def __bool__(self) -> bool:
+        return self.success
+    def get_response(self) -> list | None:
+        return self.response
+
+class Database:
+    def __init__(self, connection_uri: str) -> None:
+        "Initialize a basic asynchronous pool of connections to a PostgreSQL database"
+        self.logger = logging.getLogger(__name__) # give this instance the module-level logger
+
+        self.connection_pool = psycopg_pool.AsyncConnectionPool(conninfo = connection_uri, min_size = 2, max_size = 16, open = False) # give this instance a connection pool to the DB
+        self.logger.debug('Connection pool created')
+    async def _open_connection_pool(self) -> None:
+        await self.connection_pool.open() # opens the connection pool
+        self.logger.debug('Connection pool opened')
+    async def _close_connection_pool(self) -> None:
+        await self.connection_pool.close() # closes the connection pool
+        self.logger.debug('Connection pool closed')
+    async def _query(self, query: str, params: tuple, autocommit = False) -> DBResponse:
+        "Send raw SQL queries to the database"
+        try:
+            async with self.connection_pool.connection() as conn: # get a connection from the pool
+                conn.set_autocommit(autocommit)
+                self.logger.debug('Connection fetched from pool')
+                async with conn.cursor() as cur: # open a cursor
+                    self.logger.debug('Cursor opened')
+
+                    await cur.execute(query, params)
+                    
+                    self.logger.debug('Query executed successfully')
+
+                    results = list(cur.fetchall())
+
+                    self.logger.debug('Results fetched successfully')
+
+                    success = True
+        except psycopg_pool.PoolTimeout as e:
+            self.logger.warning(e)
+            self.connection_pool.check()
+            success = False
+        except psycopg.errors.Error as e:
+            self.logger.error(e)
+            success = False
+        
+        response = DBResponse(
+            success = success,
+            response = results
+        )
+
+        return response
+
+
+
+class NSAssembly(Database):
+    async def ifvqueue_add(self, ifv:classes.IFV):