I would like to know a few things from the current candidates and I hope that they all take a minute to reply and answer them.
However, first some pre-moderation requests:
-Only answer the questions.
-Please do not reply to others. This is not meant to be a discussion. Take that elsewhere and start your own thread.
Candidates,
With all of the current political tension at DMS over this election, would you choose to stay on as a member if you are not elected?
If not, why?
If you are elected, how would you treat your opponents at the space?
If a mixed board is elected, how do you plan to work together for the betterment of the space? Are you open to working with any of the other candidates regardless of personal feelings? Why or why not?
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Thanks.
If I was not elected I would remain a member at least through my remaining annual membership, however my level of involvement would depend on the board.
A board of @skyspook, @Julie-Harris @BobTheMad @brsims and @patrickpleez1 would get my full support as would any board where these people hold a majority.
A board where the blue tape ticket holds the majority would not get my support.
I have no trust in their direction for DMS. They have given no evidence that their mission is anything other than self serving.
I fear they would lead a return to the days of financial irresponsibly, lease violations, unaddressed misconduct and theft from the organization that “blue tape” represents.
My reasons for that fear at:
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They have yet to answer any of the questions that have been submitted by the membership at the meet the candidates meeting. Proving they are not listening to the broader memberships
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They have failed to answer direct questions on their statement of intent threads
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They have time to produce videos to campaign with, but no time to help the space or their current committees.
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Their videos are full of lies and half truths. This indicates that they will say anything to get what they want without regards for morals
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The issues around their 5th candidate are terrifying, especially in light of Mark’s documented history of misuse of member information.
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Yes, absolutely I would stay on as a member. I love my time spent at the DMS too much to let something like that negatively affect me.
I don’t really see anyone currently as an “opponent”. Leaders have a responsibility to be truthful, financially responsible, transparent to the membership, level-headed, and open to honest criticism. Folks are allowed to disagree as to the specifics of running the DMS, but so long as they are actively working towards the benefit of the organization and membership (and not their own self-aggrandizement), and meet the leadership criteria I listed, they will continue to not be “opponents” of mine.
Pretty much the same answer as above. I have no problems hearing opinions that differ from my own, so long as those opinions are based on facts. Living in an echo chambers is rarely beneficial.
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This election has developed, for better or worse, elements of a litmus test. For all their bluster, and there is a lot of it, here are the policies they rail against:
- Don’t steal from DMS
- Don’t live at DMS
- DMS won’t provide you with consumables for free
- DMS is not responsible for paying your rent
That’s it. These are simple tenants that anyone should be able to get on board with, but they aren’t. Instead they get couched in misleading terms and obfuscated rhetoric, we get hour long interviews with disgruntled members because we didn’t ban someone who was mean to them on the internet or that we didn’t discipline a moderator who silenced their blathering long after most people had stopped listening. They say they miss the “community” while refusing to see what we have and trying to damage what they don’t agree with, to bring back the vestiges of the most unfortunate aspects of our past.
An organization that would voluntarily put that kind of nonsense in a position of power isn’t an organization that I’d belong to- much less volunteer hours and hours each week for. An organization like that deserves to fail.
Sure, I don’t care all that much about my own election. That said, should a majority bluetape board be elected, not only would I refuse to serve on it, I’ll pitch my badge on the roof, drive away, and never look back.
Same as anyone else, in terms of my duties. I don’t imagine we’ll be sharing coffee anytime soon.
I think I’ve answered this, but to be perfectly clear- not really. I would tolerate a minority bluetape presence with the proviso that I’m very well acquainted with how much work goes into this even when the Board is united and selflessly seeks to help DMS; even one or two of them could make this difficult to a point that it wouldn’t be worth it to me. This is volunteer work, not an ego trip for me. At the point where we’re not accomplishing anything due to the behavior they’ve exhibited so far, I’ll probably just go home.
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Assuming that the entire blue tape crew doesn’t somehow get elected (which based on the typical responses of the membership seems unlikely), yes. Being on the board is a way to keep giving back to the space, but it’s not like it’s why I’m here. But if these blue tape nuts end up controlling everything, I don’t expect I’ll be around long. Not because of them personally, but because I don’t expect they’ll be able to manage the space and DMS will just tumble downhill. I can’t get behind allowing members to get away with theft, sexual assault, and other things like these people have been using as a rallying cry that we’re somehow “destroying community” by banning members for these offenses.
Same as any other member; I expect them to follow the same rules I have to follow. Other than that, we’re all on the same boat.
I’m open to working with whomever is on the board; my entire operation of management is on the facts of why we are where we are, not speculation about conspiracies. If I have to balance some crazy so be it, I’m going to keep presenting everything in a rational form, with evidence, and without all the puffery that some of my opponents prefer to use and base my decisions on those types of responses. Anything put to a vote before me by them with just vague, non-answers of justifications will summarily be voted No by me. If they present things in a rational form, similar to how I present anything of mine, I’m all ears to dialogue, debate, and collaboration on whatever project that may be.
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I would be happy to support the next D&O team as a regular member and volunteer if I am not elected and they would like my support. I’m not very interested in politics or “sides” and I am generally willing to try to work with anyone. That said, I doubt that I would be able to serve on or support a board with a blue tape majority due to ethical, legal and privacy concerns. Any of the following candidates would be a pleasure to serve with or support - @skyspook, @mrjimmy, @BobTheMad, @brsims, @hon1nbo or @patrickpleez1.
I don’t see anyone as an opponent, it’s just business. If elected, I’ll do what I believe is in the best interest of DMS despite any personal feelings that I might have.
I am open to trying to work with a mixed board but if I have to spend a signficant amount of time fighting or otherwise dealing with a high conflict board or situation where I’m unable to get work done, it wouldn’t be worth it to me. This job is a lot of work - I worked very hard for DMS over the past year and expect another year of hard work if elected to a second term. I don’t think that a mixed board makes sense during all of the uncertainty with COVID.
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Absolutely! DMS will always be near and dear to heart. I love being able to help others and create what I want![quote=“noblegoblin, post:1, topic:72571”]
If you are elected, how would you treat your opponents at the space?
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I would treat them the same way I treat them now. Kind, caring, amicable. You don’t have to agree with things people say to be friends.
Absolutely. I would hope that if a mixed board was elected, we could balance each other out and play on each other’s strengths. I am open to working with anyone who I elected! It takes heart to want to help run DMS.
Personally, I believe these folks have the spaces best interests in mind.
@Julie-Harris @mrjimmy @brsims @skyspook and @hon1nbo This is assuming I do not get elected.
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Sorry for all the archiving and various other things my pocket just did to this thread. I dont moderate talk anymore and it was purely accidental.
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I would. No matter the board composition I’ll be paying attention to the ways I and other members are treated. I immediately bought into the space at a full year of membership, but when that comes up I would be reticent if I did not say that I would be reconsidering if the membership as a whole chooses the “blue tape” crew. Given their treatment of other members at the space, including the use of other’s names and likenesses without permission, I may not feel welcome when my membership comes up.
These are all other members, full stop. Same as I treat them today, with all respect and consideration that is deserved.
Knowing that this is all triggered with the “blue tape” ticket, I understand their sentiment. I just don’t agree with their conclusions. I will attempt to work for the betterment of DMS, as I wholeheartedly believe in it and I will work for it and defend it no matter what my title in it is, and I will give it my all. In that goal, I attempt to seek opinions I have not considered or that contradict my own in order to fully understand something. I expect that will continue.
All that said, I personally believe that current candidates with the temperment and ability to lead DMS aside from myself are @Julie-Harris , @mrjimmy, @BobTheMad, @brsims, @hon1nbo and @patrickpleez1.
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