I’m glad that you’ve discussed it with the area leads for ceramics and the inventory and procurement committee, that’s a step in the right direction. I assume the fire bricks then are to build an outdoor kiln? While that is in the purview of the ceramics department and they have the initial responsibility to okay it since they’ll be taking care of it; @pwhutchi @ScottS.
It’s a wider issue than Ceramics for MakeICT since we will have to find an appropriate spot on the campus to locate it and fit it into our master plan for our acreage, all things that are possible. The MABCD, as gleaned from past discussions with them, takes a dim view of natural fire kilns located inside buildings. Outside the building they’re acceptable but have distance regulations, hence putting it on the Boards radar allows us to marshal resources to make it happen, as opposed to setting a hoard of fire bricks on the property and then figuring it out. A great example of how this worked recently is the discussion around putting up a radio antenna for ERP and the amateur radio club. Devin you jumped to reading my earlier post as a No, it was not. Yes, I used the word ‘board’ when I meant it in the more general proscription for the chain of command at MakeICT that ends ultimately with the board.
I think that for any donation the first conversation is with the Area Lead and then with Inventory and Procurement, and then if something is going to cost money to maintain, complete or as reimbursement, the Board. However, that is really only the case if the item in question is contained entirely within the confines of a single Area.
@SeanSandefur, to your assertion that this is a bureaucratic mess I would counter that it is not nearly the mess that allowing 400 members to do whatever they want whenever they want would present. We are a community that organizes around a hierarchical system as laid out in our by-laws that maintains a space for the benefit of ALL our members. We are all paying members here and we are all part of the community attempting to make the best decisions possible to increase the usefulness of MakeICT. I simply asked for further details about this mission for bricks because it would be a bummer, and we’ve seen it before, to have all these bricks show up on our property with no clear plan for what they’re being used for, how it will be accomplished, how that will be paid for, or where it will go. These are not hard questions and they’re not unusual.
Your Board is here to facilitate the areas and help them to make the most of the resources available to them but that requires that they be clued in early so that they may marshal the maximum help possible without having to rob other areas to do it or go further into debt. We have already gone through a period of failure that had members leaving in droves and it was not because of too much bureaucracy.
Finally, to the matter of the lockers and why that is different. The lockers were purchased without explicit approval of the board because we felt that it fell within the discretionary renovation spending of the AdHoc Renovation committee. The decision to purchase the lockers was made by two active board members and it was time sensitive. We had a plan for installation, location and revenue, as well as, a budget that allowed for it. That is the difference. The lockers will generate both revenue and added value to our space, as I assume a kiln would too. Those of us familiar with the timetable that volunteer labor lives on would argue that the lockers are being put in place at a very acceptable pace. Obviously it could go faster with more hands but we do what we can with the able and diligent folks that show up on Tuesday evenings to volunteer their time to complete the renovations and we ask of them only what they are available to give. You are welcome to join us this evening to complete the lockers, I will be at the building by 6 for our routine work night. The rest of your assertions about locks and whatever are baseless.
I hope this clears up my position and encourages you to fill in the blanks on the fire brick donation rather than abandon the whole project at the first hurdle. MakeICT is always striving to be an inclusive place but we are still a hierarchy and it is neither unusual nor out of character for me to ask for clarification on something that effects the bottom line of MakeICT or the facility; it is my duty as President.
I am always available for further discussion if you wish to seek me out.