2023 Board Election Candidate Profile: Treasurer - Nicole Reid

Leadership
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Tell Us About Yourself

  1. What are some favorite things you have already done for MakeICT?

After attending my first finance committee meeting, I have worked diligently with the treasurer and am able to produce accurate and reliable financial reports in QuickBooks, which includes each area’s spending limit revolving each month. This has helped the makerspace have a clear understanding of their financial status like never before. I have also taught some beginner quilting classes to increase participation in textiles.

  1. What in your opinion qualifies you to be a board member?

I am detail oriented, proficient with accounting software and related laws, and will respond timely to comments, questions, or concerns from the members. I am the Chief Financial Officer for a restaurant management group in Wichita, which includes a lot of the same responsibilities that the Treasurer at MakeICT is responsible for.

  1. If you have served on the Board in the past, What do you feel you did right? What do you think you did wrong, or could have done better?

This will be my first time serving on the Board.

  1. Are you able to be at Board meetings, Maker Mondays and other events for the duration of your term?

Yes, I plan to attend any and all the board meetings and events in person as possible.

  1. It is our mission to innovate, learn, and build community at the intersection of art, technology, science, and culture. How would you support our mission as leadership?

Increasing social media presents, sharing information with the community, and highlighting areas of the makerspace. This will provide the community with information and inspire the community to “MAKE”.

  1. Do you promise you can serve out your entire term until next June? Do you predict that you’ll be open to running for a second or third term so MakeICT has a continuous, stable board of directors?

I will serve my entire term and am open to running for a second term.

  1. Have you read our bylaws and standing rules?

Yes!

  1. What areas of the makerspace are you proficient/not proficient in?

I am the most proficient in the textiles and ceramics studios. I have a good understanding of the fab lab, the screen printing space, and the garden. I have no experience in the ERP, wood shop, metal shop, and letterpress, but am willing to learn and listen to their needs.

  1. How long have you been a member?

I have been a member since November of 2022.

  1. Do you see there being anything that would keep you from helping out at the makerspace on a daily basis?

Everyone needs a healthy balance between all parts of their lives. I normally dedicate a few hours 2-3 times a week to the makerspace to either keep financials updated or utilizing the space to make amazing things!

What Should We Do Next?

  1. What are your thoughts about MakeICT’s direction in the coming year?

I would like to see MakeICT continue to update policies and increase transparency between the board and the members. I believe this will increase the members willingness to participate in events and community outreach programs. MakeICT is a hidden gem in Wichita, I would like to see MakeICT have more exposure to the community.

  1. What areas would you like to see MakeICT develop and evolve?

I would like to see safety measures increased by adding more lighting to the parking lot and more cameras in each individual room. I would also like to see MakeICT continue renovations on the new building to increase the visual appeal of the space. More like a makerspace, less like a school. A great area of opportunity for MakeICT is advertising to spread the word about this amazing resource available to the Wichita community and surrounding areas.

How Should We Operate?

  1. How will you ensure that the board stays focused on long-term strategy instead of getting wrapped up in day to day issues?

Being a part of the makerspace community you will always hear or be involved in some day to day issues. This is normal. Keeping long term strategy items always on the agenda for the board meeting and assigning tasks or research items is a great way to keep moving forward. Also, making sure the area leads know their full responsibilities so the board doesn’t need to get involved.

  1. What did last year’s board do well?

Recognized that the roof needs to be fixed and went through the appropriate channels to get bids and have an insurance claim submitted.

Held a successful auction to get rid of overstock and items that are of no further use to the space.

  1. What could last year’s board have done better?

Transparency with the members about financial situations and responsibilities for each position of leadership. Expressing how important filling out the donation envelopes are.

Transparency between the board and the members is imperative. The board would not exist without the members.

  1. How will you gauge whether we’re successful as an organization?

Success has many different meanings. I would consider MakeICT successful by seeing a continual increase in membership year over year, continual improvements to the space, a healthy financial status, and increased involvement with the community.

  1. Do you see a need to increase dues?

Currently the members of the makerspace community are doing a great job at providing additional donations, taking classes, utilizing storage options, and contributing to the space in other ways. Financially, I do not see a current need to increase the dues.

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This excites me. Thank you for stepping up to the plate. Your report at the finance meeting was good to see.

So the makerspace hasn’t had a Director since 2018. It’s a lot for a volunteer to take on. What are your thoughts on hiring our first employee? Since you have gotten familiar with our financials. What would that take?

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Thank you very much Malissa. I’m excited to help out and see MakeICT grow.

As for hiring a director, let alone the first employee at MakeICT, there would be significant structure and policies that would need to be created. Here are some of the big ticket items: An employee handbook, a job description, an employee folder, will additional benefits be offered, who would be the one to hire or fire this employee (the board, membership vote, etc), purchase of workers comp insurance, upgrade Quickbooks to process pay and filings, and apply for the Kansas unemployment insurance tax rating. I know you mentioned at the last finance meeting that there is a grant available that could pay for an employee at MakeICT, how much was that going to cover?

The key to a successful organization is transparency, I am very passionate about this point. The director would need to be someone who is trustworthy since they will be reporting their own time. Someone who is able to communicate with the members and the board quickly and efficiently. Someone who has MakeICT’s best interest in mind at all times.

I would need to know more about the director position and duties before I make my decision.

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The grant we are working on through the city would give us approximately $20,000 or 15% of our expenses. Thanks for your well thought out answer.

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It is typical that the board hires the executive director and the executive director would hire any other employees.

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Hi Nicole. I’m excited to vote for you and I thank you for all of the work you’ve done thus far.
What’s the probability/feasibility of MakeICT hiring a janitor? Even just hallways, bathrooms, “special activities” room.

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That’s one of the things we are considering for the grant amount stated above.

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I would love to see what the membership would rather have, a director or janitor, since their dues and donations would go towards that paid position. Is that something that can be part of the election next month? The grant would greatly help towards a paid position but would not cover 100% of the cost of having the first MakeICT employee. The #1 priority for expenses is raising enough funds to fix/replace the roof.

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Oooh, definitely a janitor. I’ve thought that for years.

I wonder what the cost difference would be in using a contract service instead of employing directly. Possibly a little more money, but less in work comp insurance, taxes, benefits, etc.?
Just a thought.

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Can maker space just pay someone as a contractor? This would cut the cost of needing all the extra things a employee comes with. The contractor would need to file their own taxes. This is how i’ve paid my workers for years but i also carried insurance on them which was around $28 a month for liability

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If you tell them where to be to do their work or what time they can not be a contact employee.

We can not wait until the election to decide how to spend the Grant money if we receive it. We have to submit what it will be used for on June 2. We have talked about using it to cover expenses of running the makerspace so we can use other funds we receive differently.

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We could easily use a janitorial service which is likely to be cost effective and less trouble overall.

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Actually, as someone who as worked for a contract service for the majority of the last 7 years, as the client site - you can tell them when and where to be, even if you aren’t carrying work comp etc on them. :woman_shrugging:t3:

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The difference between an employee and a contractor is a very fine line. Hiring a janitor service as a vendor would alleviate most difficulties. For the grant, cant the description state, “expenses at MakeICT that could include, cleaning service, director pay, and/or routine monthly expenses”

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Agreed. There are a lot of misconceptions about contract employees. Besides a custodian job can be done at all hours. It would be best done at night probably also. Maybe a part time position with flexible hours.

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You are not contact labor as @Pinbot described you are contacted labor and there is a difference.

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I would have to look at what the question is and how we have to describe it in the answer.

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:rofl:

In both cases, what @Pinbot described and what I described, you can tell the worker when and where to be. :woman_shrugging:t3:

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No, there are people who take advantage of the law because employees don’t know their rights. I have gone through several government programs which are very clear about who is and isn’t contact labor.

“You are not an independent contractor if you perform services that can be controlled by an employer (what will be done and how it will be done). This applies even if you are given freedom of action. What matters is that the employer has the legal right to control the details of how the services are performed.”

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Either way. I feel like this thread has gone off topic. The discussion and research about the difference between an employee and contractor should be discussed during the fundraiser and finance committee in person meeting, once the decision has been made on how to utilize the funds. All committee meetings are open to all members :blush:

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