Joe King Statement of Intent BOD 2020

DMS General
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Greeting fellow makers…

I hope that everyone is weathering the Coronavirus and staying safe. I honestly go back and forth at whether I have faith in the current actions to keep everyone safe, but I am staying home and doing my part…

Like many of the issues, sometimes it is difficult to agree on a ‘singular’ best course of action; however, when we all throw our support in the same direction- that action becomes the ‘best’ course of action. Indecision is no decision at all (aka - chaos)

I sincerely hope that we have an early spring and the efforts of ‘shelter at place’ are going to be effective.

Although not as serious as Coronavirus, there are many issues that are facing DMS- many which are going to be made more complex because of Coronavirus. As a member who cares deeply about the success of DMS, I am submitting myself for the Board of Directors.

https://dallasmakerspace.org/wiki/2020_Statement_of_Intent_Joe_King

those who know me know that I am rarely a man of few words. If you have a question for me, please feel free to post or ask me directly [email protected]

Thanks,

Joe

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Joe,

Thanks for running. 8 other candidates (and, apparently, one overly eager general member), have demonstrated their forthrightness, candor, and leadership by answering the Y/N poll question here:

I suspect that single question will guide a large portion of the membership to vote one way or other…it is about far more than its explicit topic:

– it indicates whether or not folks running understand the importance of their behavior here at DMS both in and out of office

– it reflects candidates’ ability to make tough choices and do so publicly

– it shows that candidates can demonstrate they are up to speed on DMS issues of the day

– it clearly expresses an understanding whether or not “stare decisis” will be a valid principle going forward with this and other future BoDs.

Are you willing to participate in that poll as well and let us know where you stand on all of this?

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I just replied to (another) thread with this answer… I do not think this is a Yes/No question. I went and re-read the meeting notes where Kris was banned, but it stated ‘Code of Conduct’ violations and signing documents without authority- without any other explaination.

I was under the impression that the ‘U-Haul’ issue was addressed last year, but with such vague descriptions, it is unclear to me whether the same issue is coming to the Board for a third time, or is this a different complaint.

I think Kris may have made a poor decision, which I would not have done myself; however, whether she committed fraud I do not have enough information.

I am aware that the claims on both sides of the ‘U-Haul’ controversy vary wildly. I do not currently have an opinion on whether Kris should be re-instated. While I like Kris as a person, I would want to hear both positions, see the evidence, and then make my own decision. To ask someone to make a decision without having access to all the information is simply asking them to make an emotional decision.

I realize that Kris has many friends (and enemies) at DMS, but as a Board member; the question should not be based on popularity. If she appealed, I would give her a fair shake and make the best decision for DMS based off of our bylaws, common sense, and impartiality.

I think that Kris may have ‘gone over the line’, but according to her accounts the ‘sharing’ of cost of the U-Haul saved DMS money and was discussed with officers prior to the rental. If Kris acted with the approval/ knowledge of DMS officers, then I fear this could be a witch-hunt; but if she only relented after getting caught, then that’s a different story. I honestly would like to see Kris found innocent, but it’s not clear from the meeting notes what she was even banned for. If a member is banned, the membership should at least know what the member was accused of doing.

The fact that you cite Kris’ ban as a ‘Yes/No’ case, I feel is misleading as the current Board has chosen not have many of it’s meetings in front of the membership. I understand the legal issues, but I also know that ‘smart’ people do not make decisions without facts.

I do not agree with the premise of your question, thus I will not validate your question with a ‘Yes/No’ answer. All members (and/or former members) should have the right to appeal to the next Board if they feel they where not treated fairly.

Since you ask for a ‘Yes/No’, I would have to say ‘No’; however, the only reason to overturn the decision is if Kris could prove that her actions where authorized and/or in the best interest of DMS. Without being involved with this situation, it is my understanding that this is the third time the Board choose to take up this issue. While I believe that we should have rules at DMS, once the Board rules on an issue, I do not feel it is fair to have another Board exact additional punishment for a ‘resolved’ issue (double Jeopardy).

We are supposed to ‘Be excellent’ to each other, so not judging/ re-judging members for past issues should be included in that statement. Again, the fact that I don’t even know specifically what Kris was accused of, is reason enough not to claim to ‘know’ what happened.

…Too much anger, too many cliques, too many grudges, and too much ‘judging’.

The fact the Board ruled on an issue from 18 months prior makes me suspect. If this was a clear violation of the rules, then why not ban her sooner?

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Fairly doesn’t even enter into it. What would be a fair amount of theft?

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Despite the board posting Kris’ evidence was posted to the world here on talk, you think you still don’t have enough information?

This is nothing more than a cop out Joe. The board spent the better part of a year compiling evidence, gathering statements and facts, and gave her ample time to respond though she chose explicitly not to (and sent a letter indicating she would not)

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Since you somehow managed to write a novel about there not being evidence available before actually checking I went ahead and helped you out…

Is this the level of effort we would expect from you as a board member?

Or are you simply avoiding the evidence because she’s your drinking buddy and she let you break the storage rules so you could store one of your boats at the space?

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Well said, so considering that all the evidence was public, and fully available where does that leave you?

The first time I met you you were yelling at a cancer patient because she asked you not to fiberglass indoors. It’s clear nothing has changed, you are still self serving, self centered and willing to ignore the world around you if it suits your needs.

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Did you review the emails?
Did you review the supporting evidence?
Do you think it is appropriate to lie to the membership?

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How can it not be a yes or no question? It was specifically constructed and posed as a yes or no question. It’s like asking if you want a standard light switch on or off…there are only two choices? “Yes”, you support (and therefore would uphold) the ban, and “no”, you don’t support (and therefore wouldn’t vote to uphold) the ban

Almost all of the other candidates made it through the very straightforward ethics/thought process and managed to make a clear determination, but they appear to have the courage of their convictions and be made of sterner stuff…the only ones that haven’t mustered the huevos/leadership are you, Kevin P. @Kevin , Max K @maxk68 , and Mark H. @mrhavens…quite “The Squad” of leadership! (I exclude Curtis Baker @BobTheMad, for the moment as it does not appear he has logged into TALK since Feb 19).

If you truly can’t answer this Yes-or-No question on such a clear binary topic, then your candidacy is clearly a joke, and you are doing a horrible disservice to DMS to distract from what would otherwise be a pretty decent field of candidates (the non-poll-answering-squad excepted).

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I was never asked to vote on Kris’ situation and I have not read hardly any of those posts. From what I understand, it is highly unlikely that Kris is going to appeal so I have no reason to waste my time. I never claimed that the information was unavailable, but I’ve had better things to do.

I feel the next Board’s time is much better spent moving forward versus revisiting old feuds.

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All the candidates were in the general candidates thread; I even tagged the specific post in my reply there where you continued to ignore it.

So basically even when there is hard evidence they stole a significant amount from the org, conspired against a fellow board member because they wouldn’t vote the way you wanted, and even had all the hard evidence proving it… you wouldn’t bother because they weren’t expelled as the person in charge that would normally do that, and instead keep them around because you’re lazy, got it.

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You state that my candidacy is a joke, because I stated that I would look at all the facts before making a decision. The arrogance that you have in calling my candidacy a joke because you didn’t like my answer is the reason why I felt compelled to run.

You are/ have been in a place of leadership in the past year; however when I read through talk I see you and other leaders calling members all sorts of names, just as you have insulted me by trying to associate me with AOC.

I feel that Kris likely made some bad decisions while at the space, but I never saw her yell at members, call them names; and generally disrespect people as you have, along with others who are currently in leadership.

You claim to be a professional, but if you engaged in these sorts of insults against other employees, you would be fired from most corporations.

We need respect from our leadership, and we are not getting it.

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You are arrogant and you are putting words in my mouth… the question was ‘Would I support the lifetime ban of Kris’. If I where put in a position to make that decision, I would certainly vote Yes if the evidence supported. I suspect it likely does, as the Board voted that way; but to say I would simply ‘trust’ the Board’s decision blindly apparently makes me lazy.

Instead of having a rationale conversation, you once again are calling me names.

If the evidence was gathered, and statements where taken; then would it not be lazy not to take a hour or so and make an informed decision.

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You were asked a question by multiple members, one of great importance for determining how things are run.
You proceeded to ignore it, and attack the people instead.

If you were in a position at a firm refusing to make a serious decision regarding a disciplinary matter in your charge, you would be fired on the spot.

Respect is earned; so far copping out of an important question, critical to most of the membership and then proceeding to attack the person asking it after they noted you have refused to answer it, does not earn respect.

We’re not asking you to blindly trust it. As has been repeatedly pointed out to you, the evidence was posted publicly. You do not have to blindly accept anything.

You’re still not answering the question, despite having the evidence presented some time ago. I called it lazy because every answer has been a cop out. You continue to dodge the question, and start attacking those voting members (myself included) who want your answer.

You’ve had plenty of time, and could have spent that time looking through that whole archive, or the thread around it, but instead you continue to attack the voters who are asking you.

You’re running for the board; you can’t cop out of decisions like these. In the end you would have to vote, and to many of us at DMS knowing we have leadership that can make a firm decision is critical. We may not always agree with it, but we can’t have a bunch of hand-wavy nonsense.

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Wow… the arrogance… you claim to know everything about me (not!). The project you mention was epoxy, a material which is used daily at the space, and it wasn’t my project. A new member asked me to help after attending one of my classes.

The Board heard a complaint and did not find me guilty, but yet you are still trying to judge me- a year and a half later.

You and the current Board share a judgmental attitude and you are quick to attack and insult people. You are the reason that I feel compelled to run, because I feel that members should be shown respect.

You claim to have the skills to work with people, but judging me when you don’t even know me, and carrying grudges are not the characteristics we need in our leaders…

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It’s possibly been missed in between a few threads, but if you’re not looking at this post:

which leads to this folder (which requires you to ask for access):

https://drive.google.com/open?id=14mXf6_atpE7qdUKgjPLKEU-ARrip4SQZ

they’re of the opinion you’re not actively trying to look at the facts currently.

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Bingo. The question has been asked and the information is available for you to make decision. It doesn’t appear this is being done. At this juncture it is a valid question to answer.

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If the evidence clearly supports thief, then the lifetime ban should be enforced…

But I will raise you another question… if the evidence so clearly proves theft, then why not prosecute? If crimes take place at DMS, the police/ courts have far me authority than the Board.

From what I understand the ‘U-Haul’ issue was in October, and then this Board took over in April. Why did it take another 11 months to act if the issue was so clearly theft.

The Board has dealt with other member complaints quietly in order not to subject themselves to a lawsuit; however, I am now being told that all the information about Kris is available on Talk?

The honest truth, is that I think Kris made a mistake; but to state that I would ‘step back’ and be impartial if I where put in a position to vote… I think my response is reasonable…

——

So answer your initial question… how much money is too much?

Any amount of money stolen is too much…

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I don’t. It is a binary question. You haven’t answered it. The information is there for you to review. I expect every candidate should and would do that to best answer the question.

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Coming from the member that stole expansion/infrastructure committee materials to make a jack stand shelf, whilst he left his boat blocking both automotive bays from being used by members? The member that refused to clean up their mess in the warehouse when the contractors were coming? The member that kept their boat parked at DMS for extended periods of time? Who has been found storing personal items in committee areas? Who took DMS tools offsite weeks without permission?

And you want to talk about respect?

Like I said it’s earned, not given.

Exactly; it was a pivotal moment for DMS, and one that was sure to generate controversy. Thus, unlike most disciplinary matters (where one would need to go through and request things) it was posted for all to see because of how significantly the membership was being deceived by Kris, how she conspired to get a BoD member removed and prevent them from voting no on something she actively concealed from him as long as possible to prevent a chance of scrutiny.
This was a contentious situation during that board term, and justice being brought was hard sorting and validating all of the evidence.

As a prospective member of the BoD, to willfully ignore this and all of the events surrounding it is frankly appalling.

Read the evidence yourself at this point man, stop copping out

We actually have referred it over to the authorities; read through the thread

Gee, it’s almost like due diligence was done. Interviewing chairs of committees to see if in any way it could be legitimate, sorting out all the information from the trove of documents left behind, and the previous’ boards lack of implementing the financial SOP which made tracking things harder since arms length was not being kept at all times.

It’s not to prevent a lawsuit, it was because most complaints are resolved amicably, do not require action, or don’t need to be publicized whereas the prior board liked to make a circus of everything. Just look at how they Banned LeCody and the finance team for digging into these transactions. They showcased it as a power trip.

This is not a reasonable response, you’ve still copped out to the question and still clearly haven’t read the evidence around it.

This is not the behaviour of someone that should be on the board. This is a binary question.
ALL of the evidence for this decision is available.
There is nothing you do not have at your fingertips to make a decision.
This set of events that culminated in her expulsion was not calm, it was divisive. It was not easy, it required work to validate the evidence. it was not joyous, these were serious accusations. It was not isolated, these events came into play in big showcases during Kris’ tenure on the board, the subsequent elections, and influenced major financial and operational policies.
This is not something to ignore.

Do you, or do you not, support the banning of Kris Anderson for life from DMS?

Answer the damn question.

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