Secretary Resignation - Board of Directors - MakeICT

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Dear Board of Directors, Admin List, Info List, General Forum, and All Members,

It is with great regret that I announce my resignation from the Board of Directors.

Thank you for believing in me and allowing me the opportunity to serve as one of your Directors At-Large for the 2017 year and as your Secretary of the Board for the beginning of this 2018 year. I have done my best to represent you as a board member and I hope that you’ve seen that reflected in my votes.

As I want there to be no confusion as to why I am tendering my resignation, I will be very frank with you. Two decisions were made tonight during this evening’s meeting that I strongly disagree with and feel are contradictory to putting the interests of the members first.

1a. In the last month, one of the At-Large Directors gave his resignation. Instead of addressing that issue in a timely manner, the president refused to acknowledge it and as a result, was unready to take action to discuss filling that spot this evening.

1b. During tonight’s board meeting, with complete understanding of the confusion and concerns regarding the 2018 election, the board voted not to open up the vacant board position to the membership in general. The board voted not to hold an additional election, as our bylaws allow, to fill that At-Large Director vacancy. Instead, the board voted to use the election results from the 2018 ballots and fill the vacancy based on the next person who might have been elected to a spot on the board…if the votes for the candidate who resigned were not redistributed and recounted. I feel like this decision was not made in the best interest of the membership, nor what the membership voted for.

2.The board voted to present you, the membership, with a building proposal at the next membership meeting in September that, in my opinion, is not a good fit for our organization. I hope you consider very carefully how you vote when it’s presented at the September meeting, as the only viable options for pursing this building are to raise dues and sustain a significantly larger membership than we have right now. While I do agree that a different building could be an answer to many woes, I strongly disagree with pursuing a building that is unsustainable and pursuing any move when we are not currently able to engage enough volunteers to take care of our current space.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly, either at this address (kez@makeict.org) or at my personal address (kezcook@yahoo.com).

You are now aware that the Secretary position on the Board is vacant, effective as of the posting of this evening’s minutes (August 16,2018 makeict.org/wiki/August_16_2018). I hope that you contact your board members (directors@makeict.org / admin@makeict.org) and iterate to them how you expect this vacancy to be handled. Please feel free to refer to our current bylaws (makeict.org/wiki/bylaws).

If you would like to have more input into the building search activities, I highly encourage you to connect with the New Building Committee (Jens Torell: Jens@makeict.org).

Let your voice be heard!

Again, thank you for your support and for your votes. I wish our organization the best and I hope that the Board of Directors act with our best interests in mind as they fill this vacancy next month.

Sincerely,
Kez Cook
Former Secretary
Board of Directors
MakeICT

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@Kez

Are you making the accusation that the recent vacancy on the Board of Directors was filled in a way prohibited in the bylaws, or do you just not agree with the option that was chosen in accordance with the bylaws?

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As a regular member that was at the board meeting last night. I will give you my observations. Please read the bylaws and minutes http://makeict.org/wiki/August_16_2018 to make your own decisions.

In my opinion everything that passed was above board.

I agree with one of Kez’s points if you are concerned as a member please come out and assist on a regular basis. More active members at the (non making/leadership level are needed). If is a suggestion of wrong doing I do not think that is the case. It was by the rules (badly worded crappy bylaws), but none the less by the book.

A short recap from my chair if you don’t want to read the minutes.

There was an at attempt to table the vacancy question a bit, to work out the details, but several people board member and members in attendance forced the issue, due to the ways the bylaws are written.

By the consensuses view of the readings of the bylaws there were two options presented nominate someone on the spot or hold a special election (in a few weeks). This all came after discussing the problems with the past election, and the need to do it correctly the next time.

There would be a lot of effort involved with an election. If it could not be done correctly it should not be attempted, so the appointment route happened because it was forced. (there are only so many hours in the day for volunteers)

Since the decision to pick someone last night was forced. There were several options. Pick someone from the general membership and vote them with a moments notice with very little debate. Tried and voted down. The second option that was taken was to go through the candidates from the last election (June) in order of votes received to have a board vote to appoint them.

After sitting through the 3+ hour board meeting it was above the board, and the best lemonade that could be made with the situation.

Tom Bloom

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  1. As written, the appointment to fill the vacant position, is in accordance with the bylaws. After the process was decided to appoint a member It was @Kez that made the first motion to appoint a member, in absentia, to fill the vacancy.

  2. The new building proposal may be a bad fit, and the timing is quite a bit rushed. With such short notice to put a vote before the membership I would have voted against it as well, but the membership should be kept apprised of the proposals.

In my opinion, neither of these issues, separately or combined, are a reason to rage-quit.
This is the way voting works, not every vote will go the way you see it. You chose to run for the board and you were elected. It is unfortunate that you feel it is easier to say “screw you guys, I’m going home!” than stay and do what you were elected by the membership to do.

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As a voting member, I see no problem with filling the vacant position with the person who was second choice. Handpicking a person who did not receive the votes seems against policy.

I am also glad that there is an active discussion about a new space. We are crawling over each other in the current space, especially in ceramics, and this is a deterrent to being able to engage with potential new members. I am not opposed to an increase in fees if it means space to actually be able to work.

That said, I think there needs to be a policy on engagement with members when a person resigns from a position. One member resigned but did it in a way that did not create drama. Another chose to individually email their complaints to the membership while taking a swipe at another board member. This was unprofessional and can create divisions that simply undermine the goals of MakeICT. It is something that should be addressed. I am all for transparency, but this was not necessary.

You can take this for what it is worth, but after reading the email last night, then reading the actual minutes, I feel the email to members was unnecessary.

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After reading the minutes I have a couple of questions that might help with communication.

What is the date of the September Membership meeting? There are references to making a decision about the building, but it’s not on the calendar.

That said, is there a way for proxy voting? This one’s selfish, I’m traveling for a bunch of September, but want to contribute/vote. I don’t see proxy in the bylaws, but may be looking in the wrong place.

For those of us who are new to Wichita (or who grew up never going west of the Canal Route except in dire circumstances), where is the Printer’s Inc building?

It sounds like the planning for the proposal is happening currently, which is great. However, there needs to be a communication roll out (which may be in the works). More information as early as possible to the members is better so that the vote can be as informed as possible. I don’t think that something this big can be presented and voted on in the same meeting.

OTOH, I’m thrilled that we have a big enough membership to need more space.

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Voting is set up to be done through email. Not sure what process we are going to use, make sure you have Survey Monkey not set to SPAM just in case.

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The date was set in the meeting for September 16th.

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The building in questions is on the SE corner of 3rd and St Francis. On the west side of the train tracks from the parking structure of the Old Town square.

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Thanks to all for getting answers so quickly!

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There should be more information on the details put out in a few days. Getting members up the speed on this is very important to the board. There were some reasons we keep this on the down low do to the process of the building being purchased. At this point, nothing is set in stone, but the high level details will are being written up for members. At the end of the day, it will be a member vote that given this a yes or no assuming nothing derails the deal in other ways first.

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That’s a horrible location in a toxic area with no Douglas frontage… sounds like another makeict great again idea. Maybe we should just get a kiosk in the city park that’s equally as half baked and unrealistic. At least then, we can hitch up our unicorns to a tree and have more parking.

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Kez - thank you for all you have given to MakeICT so far. You are an important part of our community of makers and I’m sorry the board hasn’t worked out better for you. I hope we keep you around as a maker, teacher and community leader.

Yes it’s true I did not do much to fill JB’s spot last month when he resigned. I was stressed, distracted, and needed a break… I moved my email icon to page 3 of my phone apps and stepped back. I could make excuses but that won’t help anybody. I was sad that he resigned and just had to process.

We are all volunteers. Before you criticize anyone, ask what you can do to help. There is no rule that the president is the only one who can get the ball rolling on board tasks. If there’s something you think the board needs to do, take the initiative and start that admin list thread. Bounce it off me if you want, but I will never stop you from throwing out a path to solve a problem we have.

Second, when you’re on the board there are times when you will be outvoted. It’s happened to me a lot and I do my best to accept it and support the team’s decision. I’m sorry if you disagreed with the board decision last night. We did not want to bother the membership with another election when they just had an election involving an ample list of interested candidates. If anyone is concerned about this, let me know.

Third, membership will always get a vote if we raise dues or move to a new building. We have not made any decisions about dues or buildings, we’re just putting all ideas on the table. I don’t want anyone to hold back ideas, especially since such a huge percentage of our membership said the most important thing we needed to do this year is find a new building.

I will get the membership meeting posted and sent out by end of the day Sunday.

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I’m going to demand that they dock your pay as President.

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Will
Making ad hominem attacks are not constructive or helpful. Please show up to the next board meetings and contribute.

If you do not event want to consider this building could you create a list of alternative sites with more space on Douglas that meet your criteria and present it to the board?

I am not sold on the proposed new building. Last night at the board meeting was the first time I had seen the proposal. I think it is a good exercise to have even if it does not happen. There are a lot of details that need to be gathered and presented in an adult professional manner to the membership.

There are issues with our current site, and if we do not move things will need to changed or improved. If we want to move anywhere else we will have to answer the same questions. What kind of building does the membership want and what can we afford.

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As you will recall, YOU sir approached me at the laser cutter, an authorized user printing an approved/proofed program…proceeded to dress me down in front of a number of other people on maker night. (Items i was producing for our members to use in the pottery studio FREE of CHARGE)
Prior to that interaction I had never met you, I don’t appreciate any proxy wars that you’re fighting on behalf of Mike to cover for his bad behavior.
I strongly suggest that you get your facts straight with regard to your own poor choices of behavior before you criticise my skill or knowledge level.
Furthermore, start by communicating with your co-leads and take up those issues with them regarding the filament and broken 3d printers under your administration. I offered to repair or replace them at my expense, an offer i NOW RESCIND.
Zac stated to me in an hour long discussion about filaments that he did NOT want to endorse any one particular brand of filament for liability reasons. Not the least of which is from failed prints, up to and including part failure. Ongoing costs incurred, and liabilities MakeICT need not take on for obvious reasons.
Additionally , discuss his training and unilateral information sharing; particularly, focus on discussions that I’ve had with Zac regarding filament endorsement in open forum and servicing strategies of the old laser cutter.

TOM, YOU sir ARE UNINFORMED, I HAVE given advice regarding the building.
I have tried to be involved in that organization and pay it forward.
If you had taking a little bit of time to actually get your facts straight before you produce an ad hominem attack on me and my efforts as they relate to make ICT…I might be a little bit more willing to listen to what you have to say.

You are clearly part of the haze, defame, and plunder clique. Your lack of respect for my privacy and freedom of speech is self evident.

Coming at me with your claws and your horns out isn’t a good idea. As far as, the board is concerned you’ve lost two members in two months., you’ve got a systemic leadership problem that’s far greater than your real estate problem.

Maybe you could talk to Christian and ban My Free Speech just like was done to Jeremiah, a board member…as YOU threatened in your previous post citing my name choice as cause.

Where is that be excellent to one another quote??? I suggest you read Webster’s definition of ad hominem. REREAD this post as many times as it takes until YOU understand the scope of your statements your actions and the lack of acumen has it relates to your position even as an outgoing lead.

Wait, dont you really mean is there’s two classes of people there…people in the bully clique…they can do whatever they want and don’t have to follow the rules… the the rest of us get Hazed, threatend to be banned, or just punished for speaking up. Maybe you should take a good look into why board member Jeremiah Burien quit…his being banned.

I don’t expect you to know the historical value of that moniker to the military. I will overlook your insult to service men as ignorance .

While you’re at it, why don’t you ask Chirstian to find my missing Starett measuring equipment that magically disappeared in your fab lab area…after it was locked up and I was deprived of the use of it. Even though I followed the rules with the Director of the space and under his advisement occupied the locker in a contract that was broken by bully clique of in YOUR organization.

FACT. TOM, You have two sets of rules for that organization and that is not right.

FACT. You sir are the one that attacked me.

FACT. You sir failed to communicate with YOUR co-leads.

I suspect this will be exactly like the Mike situation, the new guy has the guts to stand up to the bully that’s protecting the bad behavior in The Duality that exists in the management of MakeICT.

Meanwhile, the vast majority of members pay for a small CLIQUE of members to haze, harass, insult, assault new members, and their guests with out remedy. To which, I add YOU.

.ps another mad mike incident last NITE.

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As far as the Whimsical conversation is concerned regarding unicorns, do we really need another landlord? Is that really the the solution we need? Or do we need leaders to act like leaders and quit bullying and cover not bad behavior of their buddies. People like you sure make it hard to want to get along.

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Kim does a great job.

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