Stepping down as chair of digital media

DMS General
#1

Fellow makers,

I am sad to announce that after deep deliberation I have decided to step down as Chair of Digital Media. I am afraid that the values and atmosphere I once cherished at Dallas Makerspace have slowly been pulled out of the day to day operations of the space. With constant fighting over funds, with distrust and a lack of communication running rampant and an outright attack on the foundation of our space, our teachers, I have decided I simply cannot take part.

I cannot support a board that refuses to communicate clearly and ethically. I cannot support a space that removes people from positions without even the decency to speak with them first. This type of leadership, in my opinion, is not fit to lead. I have been busy in Las Vegas starting a company and itā€™s where my focus feels most deserved. I hope when I come back DMS will have regained some of the compassion that once made it a place I was proud to be a part of.

Cheers,
Adnan E. Chahbandar

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Hack DFW: 2019 Hackathon Winners
#2

Iā€™m sorry to see you go. Good luck with the company.

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#3

Thanks. It will be an interesting ride for sure

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#4

Best of luck with your company endeavors and thank you very much for all you have done for DMS.

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#5

We implemented ā€˜Board Office Hoursā€™ at the beginning of the 2019-2020 Board term to provide (at a minimum) monthly open forums available for all members to communicate face-to-face with the Board regarding any/all discussion topics.

To my knowledge, nobody in any Leadership positions have been removed. If youā€™re referring to the Boardā€™s decision to not appoint ā€˜people in waitingā€™ for a Leadership position, then your argument needs to be better constructed/worded. Leadership deciding not to appoint a Committee Chair nominee for a leadership position is not the same thing as ā€˜removing people from positions.ā€™

But I suppose it makes for a more tantalizing story, even if itā€™s not true.

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#6

Scott, Kris was stripped from chair, my credit card was canceled, you tried removing me as procurement officer and this morning I got a alert saying Iā€™m no longer an admin on Facebook. All of those were with no warning and no conversationā€¦

But please continue to tell me I donā€™t know what Iā€™m talking about and instead verify exactly what my post was talking about

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#7

And that is doesnā€™t count the egregigious move of making infrastructure a group without consulting the membership, calls for CFO and CTO that weā€™re not listed publicly or given any attempt to ask membership to apply. There have been decisions to cut classes and dishonest answers given as to why.

And now you are attacking my resignation postā€¦

Itā€™s disgusting that you think this is suitable for a board member

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#8

My problem was not with my inability to talk to the board. I went to those office hours. Nobody even hinted that they were planning on removing procurement officers within the days following.

Not a peep.

Transparency is not waiting around for people to ask you what you are doing, transparency is taking the first step and making sure your motives are known

You have failed in doing that and left campaign promises empty and left to dry.

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#9

It is why I stopped volunteering for infra and the calender ā€¦ I hear ya ā€¦ right now Iā€™m not doing anything for the space ā€¦ Iā€™m waiting ā€¦ perhaps things will get better ā€¦

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#10

Kris was never chair of any committee.

That was likely PR, theyā€™ve got new leadership and I assume are getting everything setup, perhaps ask them about it?

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#11

One must have possession of something in order for it to be ā€˜strippedā€™. You canā€™t lose what you never had.

Your credit card was suspended, set to zero, canceled (whatever the Finance team decided) due to concerns over past transactions on your card. The suspension of your Card privileges and Procurement member privileges are tied to this concern.

As for your FB Admin. privileges, Iā€™ll defer to @yashsedai.

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#12

Againā€¦ all without a a peep, not a conversation.

Good job Scott :slight_smile: glad to see you can now have conversations with people.

(PSā€¦ winning an election is earning a chairā€¦

Not appointing someone is stripping them of their winā€¦ we can argue semantics all day but you knew exactly what I was referring to because truth rings clearer than word games)

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#13

Iā€™ll be happy to speak with this. This did not occur at our behest or our approval. This was PR. We do not currently manage this.

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#14

My comment was made about the culture of the space at large. (Reread the postā€¦ grammar is importantā€¦)

It was not only directed at the board, but Iā€™m glad people feel the need to come forward and defend themselves.

It doesnā€™t change the fact there is a lack of trust in the community and itā€™s now starting to show at all seams.

:v:t3: And good luck

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#15

You are so welcome! Enjoy Nevada.

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#16

Adnan, while I appreciate your attempts at walking back your bare criticism of the board and those running the day to day operations, it is a fact that you too share in the changes that have occured. There have been many opportunities for you to communicate, help improve, etc. Iā€™ve seen little in the way of anything that looked like an effort from you to help.

As hard for you to understand, ā€œwinningā€ does not equal being appointed. DMS APPOINTS chair people. Elections are merely the committees vote that they would like that person appointed. The ultimate choice is the boards.

It is obvious you didnt ā€œfeelā€ that this board lined up with your ā€œviewsā€. Thats ok. But denigrating them for doing their duty to right the ship. Nah, thats not ok.

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#17

The lack of trust came from the previous board and MULTIPLE members making extremely questionable purchases, along w/ the obvious abuse of the honorarium system. Unfortunately that ā€œless than excellentā€ behavior has forced current leadership into difficult decisions. If you donā€™t like the results or outcome, this board has offered many avenues in which to address concerns. Sorry to see you go, best of luck on your new adventures.

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#18

Freddyā€¦

Believe it or not, kris lack of appointment was not the basis of this. Just a small addition to the total overhaul of culture that weā€™ve been experiencing. If it was my main point, I would have named her explicitly.

We can choose to deflect my post in any way we wantā€¦ Iā€™ve made my point clear.

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#19

Best of luck man.

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#20

I will say though.

Most places when someone announces theyā€™re leaving (even if everyone hates that person)

They show respect for what theyā€™ve done and wish them well. Obviously nobody here has the ability to hold their tongue. Everyone has to be right.

Thatā€™s the problem at the space. Everyone has an opinion and nobody has some common sense. Either way. Good luck

1 Like