[Noisebridge-discuss] hear ye hear ye, Noisebridge board elections

Fri Jan 27 22:29:16 UTC 2012

Well that's actually a good example: I often try and scope out whether
people *want* NB to fundraise, and there is by no means consensus on this.
Some argue that we should stick to the 3 month in advance figure, so that
we don't centralize or split over NB distributed funds. Others like Miloh
feel we should get more money and use it for NB projects. Others think we
should act as nonprofit infrastructure for other, separately fundraised
projects like Noisetor. (My own position is that we could bring in a lot
more money relatively easily, but that traditional nonprofit fundraising
and distribution would compromise our goals and ideals. I do really think
we can and should build up more of an emergency warchest though, because
one day we will be hit with black sheep event and I don't want to be one of
dozens fundraising for unexpected costs and handling a crisis and dealing
with the inevitable drama simultaneously)

Anyway the point is that having a fundraising board is something you'd want
to seek consensus on, and if you're doing that, why not just doacratically
setup a fundraising faction and start doing guerilla grant proposals? You
don't need to have a board title to do it.
On Jan 27, 2012 4:33 PM, "VonGuard" <vonguard at gmail.com> wrote:

> Just a small note to add to Miloh's wonderful words:
>
> At the Foundation Center for non-profits, they tell new 501c3's that the
> #1 purpose of the board is to raise money for the nonprofit.
>
> I think that'd be a marvelous sole responsibility for the board.
> On Jan 27, 2012 12:59 PM, "miloh" <froggytoad at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I rescinded my membership when I was put on the noiseboard about three
>> years ago. I thought it was important to reinforce the idea that the
>> board wouldn't have power in the consensus process at Noisebridge.
>> Also, it made noisebridge free for me. Free as in beer.  Interesting
>> experiment, but not much came of it, as there's a lot of free beer
>> everytime Noisebridge consents on a new member.*
>>
>> Since that first year on the noiseboard, I returned to paying member
>> status at Noisebridge AND got approvalvoted to stay on the board. Are
>> you READING the WORDS COMING OUT OF YOUR WEBMAIL?!?! I got consent
>> from current members to REjoin the Noisebridge member rolls in a great
>> celebration of delicious COInsensus.**  The principled ones had their
>> chance to block or talk me to death just then, and they missed it!
>>
>> :-)
>>
>> I'm imagining a great and powerful noiseboard, one that could wreck
>> your puny consensus with just a tiny pinky. But actual board duties
>> are sehr langweilig. Not much is explicitly tasked to the board, but
>> we end up performing duties on the board that I don't see others
>> jumping up to do. In addition, I feel a personal connection and
>> responsability for the space (it's sick, I know). I don't want to see
>> it fail or cease while I have any ability to prevent it with my
>> double-vesture of hallowed membership + hallowed noiseboard seat. It
>> was a busy year keeping Rubin from dancing in the ashes of
>> Noisebridge.  Perhaps as a result of just worrying about these
>> distractions, or because you are all lucky, the culture of the
>> noiseboard hasn't been about manipulating people to steer Noisebridge
>> by cabal.***
>>
>> In fact, you might be suprised to find out Noiseboard barely meets
>> IRL. And when we communicate online, it's about bills. Instead of
>> investing any undue powers in the board, there's an unwritten
>> expectation that the we continue the commitments Noisebridge (that's
>> you!) made to maintain a 501c3(cross your fingers!), to pay the
>> landlord, SFPUC, PG&E, Recology, Sonic, MonkeyBrains, our insurance
>> provider, our accountant, and last but not least to deal with
>> commitments to donors(you again!).****
>>
>> So far, the board isn't expected to wield life-changing bolts of power
>> or weave webs of intrigue and deceit, it's expected to pay the bills,
>> move lettes & boxes from A to B, and it's officially supposed to
>> organize an election and membership meeting (or something, sorry about
>> not being all up on that!).
>>
>> I'm all for changing the bylaws to mesh these realities with, well,
>> with real-eality! I'm also curious who thinks board members who are
>> also members of Noisebridge should give up consensus when that
>> happens. Changing the bylaws is going to be a big deal, why shouldn't
>> we try to get *more* people involved and not less?  How about trying
>> to get more people who are quiet members to regularly participate in
>> the consensus process?  Oh well, I'm imagining a few quiet members
>> will come of the woodwork anyways when they hear about opportunities
>> for hijacking Noisebridge, err I mean, changing the bylaws.
>>
>> Seriously though, about these approvalections: when looking for a new
>> noiseboard, why not find a board committed to finding new members that
>> we can consent to, starting new events and groups at Noisebridge, and
>> working on improving the space? Why don't we make this moment the time
>> when we find the people that excite *everyone* to take these tasks on.
>>
>> So what if these people don't exist, this is /my/ utopia of
>> Noisebridge, I think it's okay to try asking more of people, instead
>> of less!
>>
>> that said:
>> PLEASE DONT ELECT TOM TO THE BOARD  :-)
>> Noisebridge needs people committed to participate, not evacuate!
>>
>> While you are at it, don't approval-vote for me either!  Don't elect a
>> board!  Reject the board, free yourself from the chains of 501crocacy
>> and just do your thing! IT WILL ALL BE FINE.  CONSENSO TOLD ME.
>>
>>
>>
>> --Learning Noisebridge detachment since 2009,
>>   Ronald Miloh Alexander
>>
>>
>>
>> * I suggest: elect a board that will abstain from free beer for the
>> duration of their membership.
>>
>> ** does anyone remember that night?  It was free, as in free ice cream
>> sandwiches. Can't use the 'drank too much for consensus' excuse there.
>>
>> ***hey you!  empower yourself!
>> [board]
>> <mailing list>
>> Join the noiseboard mailing list!  Low Volume and cut-rate Hacks!
>> https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/board
>> <archive>
>> Read the noiseboard archives!  Your Not-quite Daily Cabal!
>> https://www.noisebridge.net/pipermail/board/
>>
>> ****and then, in the end, most of the noiseboard work gets transmuted
>> to Treasurer work, who has always had the hardest job at Noisebridge.
>> The equation is something like [Treasurer work] = [Noiseboard
>> work][avg. age of noiseboard]
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>
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