Election 2015

Nominees for Board of Directors

• Brian McPherson
• Nathan Warnick
• Lucas del Castillo
• Leora Druckman
• Jim Kemp
• Jamie Burdeski
• Matt Gardeski
• Michael Fink
• Matt Arnold
• Evan Allen
• James O'Dell
• Matt Huber
• Jefferson Marshall
• Tom Kim
• Corey Tebo
• Hans Chen

Board nominee survey

How long have you been a member of i3?

Name

Response

Nathan Warnick

6.5 years, I am a founding member.

Matthew Gardeski

I've been a member since March 2013, and an occasional guest in the previous years.

Leora Druckman

Since the beginning of 2015.

Matt Arnold

Four years. I was a frequent guest for a year before that.

James O'Dell

A little over a year ago. Joined June 2014.

Evan Allen

I have been an official member since January 1st of 2014. Before that I have been around the space since at least spring break 2013 and all subsequent breaks while I was at college. In the time before I was a member I was so involved with the space infrastructure (and became the founding warden of that zone).

Mike Fink

Almost 2.5 years. I joined in April 2013.

Jamie Burdeski

I joined in July 2013, right after Maker Faire, but I was a persistent guest since April 2013

Corey Tebo

I have Only been a member of i3 for about 3 months, but I have been coming in and helping out now and then for the past 3 years, and was a member at All Hands Active for 4 years

Brian McPherson

I've been a continuous member since April of 2014, I was a member previously and have been around the space since the founding.

What types of personal projects do you work on?

Nathan Warnick

Most recent, I have worked on an i3 team project BattleBoats

Other more recent projects involve homebrewing (off site) with a Sig:Brew in the near future.

Glass etching and laser cutting for my online etsy store

Matthew Gardeski

I have lots of personal projects, but I rarely find time to work on them. I've started sewing sails, building switching power converters, fixing my car, but group projects always seem to grab my attention first.

Leora Druckman

Creating the Jewelry Zone

Developing a Basic Jewelry and Metalsmithing course for i3Detroit

Promoting fundraising and donations for i3Detroit (ex. wrote a Donation Letter Template )

Jewelry Making

Learning how to use i3Detroit Equipment and Tools

Kiln Glass Experiments

Building a Workbench

Rebuilding an old dental rotary motor

Constructing stainless steel kiln molds

Making layered jewelry with the laser cutter

James O'Dell

RGB LED projects

Presented Infinity Mirrors at Maker Faire.

Working on LED grid of clear plastic tubes for a light sculpture

I plan on making a Halloween costume with Lots of LEDs

Evan Allen

My personal projects tend to be electronic, but I am branching out into metalwork and lots of recent lasering. I recently picked up a 58 year old car and a 72 year old house, both are getting rehabbed in true maker style.

Mike Fink

A variety of laser-cut wood and acrylic projects. General woodworking. Some small electronics projects, mostly to make things light up. Ex: Laser Cut LED Chandeliers from the Halloween party, Cloud Chamber and Glow in the Dark Giant Spirograph from Yuri's Night

Jamie Burdeski

I mostly work on the laser cutter and in the craft room, making pretty things like spiderweb lamps. I also was part of the Pyro Board team. I made a hurricane cape and leather mask for halloween last year, I made a 4 foot tall hurricane lamp for maker faire. See my wiki page for more information!

Corey Tebo

I improve and modifying things, usually small electronics and programs. I also repair under used and unused items and relish in trouble shooting projects gone a`rye.I am an instigator for small party and love to push the limits of what appears to be possible.

Brian McPherson

All kinds. My current projects which I don't have enough time to complete are adapting an existing bike carrier to allow a fat bike or standard bike to be mounted without an adapter. I'm also in the process of remodeling the bathroom in my house and constantly work on vehicles when I have time and opportunity to.

Matt Arnold

Laser-cut board games, costumes, marionettes, parade puppets, and digital art.

What appointments have you held/do you hold now at i3? (previous board, officers, zone wardens, committee chairs, etc)

Nathan Warnick

2009 Founding Member

2011-2013 Board of directors

2011-2012 Welding zone Manager

2012-2014 Welding zone Associate

2012-2014 Vinyl zone Manager

2014-current Injection Molding zone Manager

Matthew Gardeski

I have served about 9 months on the Board of Directors

Leora Druckman

(relatively) New and Enthusiastic Member

Board Nominee

Donations/Fundraising Chair

Jewelry Zone Co-Coordinator

James O'Dell

I have not head any former positions at i3.

I have been teaching a monthly workshop.

Evan Allen

Treasurer from Jan 2014 through elections of that year.

Infrastructure zone warden since the position was created.

Board member for the past year.

Mike Fink

Board Member for 2014-2015 term

Laser Zone Coordinator from Feb. 2015 - present

Jamie Burdeski

Current secretary, although I am not planning on running again

Current board member (first term)

Wiki Coordinator

Creator of current scholarship program and sometimes head of scholarship committee

Other: Member of various committees - floor planning, party planning, maker faire planning, bylaws/standing rules updates planning. Helped run the Siemens Solid Edge event. I help with PR whenever I can, and I'm one of the people who answers the contact email for i3. I did a couple of interviews for i3 around Maker Faire time.

Corey Tebo

I have held no previous position at i3. I have how ever served as officer and or organizer for a linux user's group a programming competition a scifi club and and sister space All Hands Active.

Brian McPherson

I ran for board in 2014 and was not selected.

I held the CEO position this year until the board voted to eliminate the position. I stepped down rather than waiting out the rest of my term to help the transition easier for those who were in the other positions rather than have the change occur in an election cycle.

Matt Arnold

Past Coordinator of the Laser Zone; current Coordinator of the Classroom; past and current Board Director; and current Member Advocate.

What projects have you worked on to improve i3?

Nathan Warnick

I help maintain parts of i3's infrastructure, along with machine maintenance such as the Laser Cutter, Drill Press, Welders.

Matthew Gardeski

Laser cutter ventilation, wood shop lighting, Open Access system, kitchen door decoration, network jacks, website migration to private VM hosting, shop air expansion to laser cutters, laser cutting metal, shop lighting upgrades, sump pump installation, HAM antenna mount installation, making that roof vent stop squealing, electrical upgrades...

Leora Druckman

Proposing and creating the new Jewelry Zone

Developing a 'Donation Letter Template' available for use by all members which can be accessed at https://www.i3detroit.org/wiki/Logos_and_Publicity_Resources

Finding and purchasing good quality (used) chairs for the common area for a ridiculously low price

Creating a design for painting the front of the i3Detroit building.

James O'Dell

I have been encouraging people to teach classes and workshops to extend their expertise to other members and the public.

Evan Allen

I've been involved in ripping down old piping, wiring, and stringing some new stuff. OpenEVSE (electric vehicle charger), Open Access system, kitchen door decoration, shop air expansion to laser cutters, installation of the new air compressor...

Mike Fink

I've been involved with planning and coordination for many space events (Halloween Party, Maker Faire and After Party, Yuri's Night). I've taken part in several committees to revise our rules. Also lots of laser repair and maintenance.

Jamie Burdeski

I proposed the initial classroom renovations and spearheaded the move of the vending machines and refrigerators outside the now-classroom and played a large role in getting the wall torn down. I completely revamped the wiki and made lots of magic code to better document i3's equipment, history and processes. I've started documenting board duties and responsibilities too, but there's still a long way to go on that.

Corey Tebo

When I come in I am often the last to leave, cleaning up at night, and often during the day. I have lent my hand to sevral i3 parties and their cleanup years before I moved into the area. I can't stand to see a project almost done but struggling, I have jumped in to help wrangle projects to a close.

Brian McPherson

I outright purchased the new air compressor to end a long disagreement about what to do about air. Our previous supply was sometimes insufficient and the space greatly benefits from the new compressor. i3 currently owns about 5/8ths of the compressor thanks to the donation of others to assist in the cost. My company was also the one to donate the HAAS and have been grateful that it has seen more use in the past months.

Matt Arnold

I raised the funds from the membership to buy our [Bumblebee laser cutter].

What qualities do you look for in a fellow board member?

Nathan Warnick

Mentor - Someone the membership looks up to for guidance.

Socially Friendly - Is someone the membership feels they can talk to.

Committed - Takes on tasks to improve the vision of the group.

Resume - Not just adding a title to their resume for personal gain.

Matthew Gardeski

I'm looking for individuals who want to work as a team, which means clear communication is incredibly important. This doesn't mean every board member must always agree on everything, but should make an effort to acknowledge differing perspectives when proposing solutions. I value serious effort put in to try to solve problems before meeting time. Also, every board member must be willing to take ownership of their actions. I also never want to see personal grudges become the membership's business.

Leora Druckman

Respect - Treats all people with respect.

Diversity - Brings unique and complementary perspectives, skills, experiences and strengths that add to the overall functioning of the group.

Accessible - Someone members can reach out to and feel comfortable going to with input, questions and concerns.

Listener - Takes the time to really understand what someone is trying to communicate.

Flexible - Able to consider new ideas and perspectives that run contrary to their own.

Critical Thinker - Able to think things through in an informed and rational manner.

Communicator - Gets ideas across clearly in writing, speaking and all other forms of communication.

Emotionally Mature - Able to be productive and problem solve without taking things personally or letting strong emotions sabotage progress.

Enthusiasm - Believes in the mission of i3Detroit and is excited by what it is and what is possible for the organization.

Takes Action - Volunteers to get something done, does it in a reasonable period of time (involving the appropriate people) and communicates that it has been done.

James O'Dell

A person who can work with the group and communicate their ideas to the board and the membership.

A board member should be able to make decisions and be flexible enough to to listen to others opinions.

Evan Allen

Board members should, of course, be prepared to not be universally liked and should not try to be. The board is elected to make decisions that keep the space useful to the membership and that's not always popular with everyone. That being said, I would look for a vision of the future and an open mind to tackle problems that we may face without being weighed down by the past. A willingness weigh all the options and make the tough decisions. To see the decisions through to fruition and, especially, ask for help if it is needed.

Mike Fink

I look for the abilies to hear multiple viewpoints before drawing conclusions, to not enter discussions closed-mindedly, and to keep separate personal opinions and what is best for the space overall.

Jamie Burdeski

A focus on progress and getting things done is the most important quality to me, but being that i3 is a relatively small community in its formative stages, it is just as important to focus on the details and make sure things are done right the first time. I think the board necessarily has to deal with more of the rules and paperwork than any other members, so it’s important for a fellow board member to have a high tolerance for that sort of thinking.

Corey Tebo

A level head and a different perspective, you need both. Presuming we all have the interest of the space above our own we need to be able to talk and we need to be able to help each other see past our respective blind spots. The board handles big picture questions, problems, and opportunities. you need to be bold enough to think you can and should make a difference, humble enough to be wrong and wise enough to not meddle we things will continue to work well without intervention.

Brian McPherson

Board members all need to be committed to improving the space. While sometimes I won't agree with the decisions and ideas of the other board members, the majority of their intentions are what I would prefer to select them by. A board that always agrees 100% of the time is not really a desired thing as the membership certainly won't end up doing that, neither should the board. Having the ability to resolve their differences or come to a mutual agreement is a very desired trait, however. Compromise is not when part of the board always gives in to the louder members.

Matt Arnold

Forward motion. When you point out an obstacle to forward movement, "be excellent" by proposing the next step toward overcoming it. When you call a halt to a process, share the responsibility to come up with solutions. Try to add a time to your requests, such as "Please respond by one week from today." Wrapping up a discussion could be as simple as getting the majority of the Board on record saying that the Board will not take action on the discussion. You don't have to rush to the conclusion; just focus on the next step, and ask for it within a specific timeframe.

What is your stance on rules/organization vs pure do-ocracy in the space? When/where is there a place for each?

Nathan Warnick

We have a mix of both, Rules needed to keep the shared space functional, while also being able to perform smaller tasks.

As we grow, do-ocracy without some rules can be less productive and healthy for the group. Ex. Classroom expansion.

Matthew Gardeski

There is a place for both at i3. Do-ocracy can be and has been used effectively to bypass the intentionally slow bureaucratic process, but all actions must still be carried out within the rules the board and membership have established to ensure the well-being of every member of the community and the prosperity of i3.

Leora Druckman

It is important to have the right balance of both. i3Detroit will always be trying to provide information and guidelines without overreaching into controlling behavior (which drains energy and creativity). This is one of our strengths. But it is important to remember that empowerment is not abandonment. People need tools, information and feedback in order to do things “on their own”. This is definitely *not* the same thing as trying to control people. A healthy level of information sharing and support, in most situations, should come from all members, not just the board. But, there will be situations that require board intervention (ex. major safety concerns, setting up systems that improve communication, etc.). This dynamic will evolve over time as our organization grows, matures and internalizes guidelines and other information.

James O'Dell

I prefer organizations that operate using set policies and rules. I think board decisions and actions should follow established bylaws and standing rules.

Do-oracy works well for situations that need fast responses or can be completed without requiring a group decision. For example, organizing a cleaning party.

Evan Allen

The rules that govern this space exist for decisions that need to be made repeatedly. They keep the space running the way it should (for the most part). I take issue with having rules for the sake of rules, but it is useful to have a specific way to handle common problems. The do-ocracy spirit is something else entirely and can be wielded in a constructive or destructive manner. In my mind it is most useful when a small group of members gets together, decides how something should get done, and (after consulting those who would be affected by it) does it in a very timely manner. Good do-ocratic projects tend to be small and quickly accomplished by a small group of members that care about getting something done. Bad do-ocratic projects don't consult the members affected by the change and/or leave the space in a less useful state than it was previously (this includes long hiatuses in progress).

Mike Fink

The rules should guide and make way for the do-ocracy. Simple rules like “Always leave a note, especially when in doubt” can do a ton to avoid conflicts and complications. Especially with questions like “Is someone using this material?” or “Who is working on this project/space improvement? Can I help? Or will I probably just break things?” When making changes to the space, members (and sometimes even Coordinators) should bounce their ideas off a few people, make sure they've considered all the ramifications, who may be affected, whether things can be reverted, etc before going through.

Jamie Burdeski

I think that the role of do-ocracy is inversely proportional to the size of an organization. With only 20 members, do-ocracy is the best, and really only way to get anything done. As the size of the organization increases, the need for organization increases. For an organization like i3, there doesn't need to be a huge number of rules, but the rules we do have need to be as efficient and effective as possible.

Corey Tebo

Rules should serve to clarify what is unclear when an idea is necessary to guide, convey both a spirit and letter of how to get along in a shared and finite space and protect that winch is prone to be destroyed if left to tangle on it's own. chaos and emergent behavior are beautiful things but some problems are not well disposed to be solved by emergent culture alone.

Brian McPherson

Rules should be put in place to assist getting things accomplished when there is no clear way of having a do-ocracy without upsetting people about what was decided. The issue with rules is that people will always look for loopholes around them and that's where the do-ocracy does come in.

Matt Arnold

When expectations are unclear and confused, there will always be more fights over them. Rules set the expectations between people who do not know each other well. When a small number of people (like one dozen) know each other well, they can predict each other's expectations well enough that they can avoid fighting-- in other words, all their "rules" are unwritten. At i3Detroit, most of us are strangers walking in off the street, so we need to set clear expectations. But also, the list of ways you can hurt another person is infinite, so it's impossible to list all the rules. We have a Board of Directors to settle conflicts in those areas whenever necessary.

What is the biggest issue at i3 that you hope to address in the next year, whether you serve on the board or not?

Nathan Warnick

Safety - Procedures, rules, signage.

Growth and location

Parking - Lack of.

Matthew Gardeski

Communication.

Leora Druckman

Clarification of our future vision/direction, including developing and beginning to implement three to five year plans.

James O'Dell

I want to encourage more people to teach classes to spread their expertise and knowledge to the i3 members and the public. This will help improve i3's public image.

We as a creative group need to share our projects publicly on the wiki, the blog, or external web sites. We need to show that i3 is working on a wide variety of projects.

Evan Allen

We have competing ideas of the direction i3 should take, there are many things that I would like to see done (equipment fixed or removed, space expanded, classes taught) but the number one thing I see that needs clarification is what we, as an organization, are trying to do. I see two major camps: One being that we should expand into more space as is reasonable and create more zones, more variety, and serve more members of the community. The second being that we should limit membership to below what we have now, focus on having a community where everyone knows each other and the space is run for the benefit of those members. I think we need a discussion and decision on the direction we are going and a plan to get there.

Mike Fink

I want to make i3 feel more like a living organization, especially for those who aren’t there all the time. Meeting attendance is fairly stagnant, the mailing list doesn't reach everyone. Finding ways to more easily and effectively communicate with the largest group should make i3 feel more like a community to everyone.

Jamie Burdeski

Member involvement is a widely recognized problem, and I think the best way to tackle it is one person at a time. Therefore, one of my goals is just to talk to every single person at i3, and be able to attach all the names to faces, interests, and personalities. I also want to make it easier to identify other members by adding more pictures and even badges, etc to the corkboards at the front of the space. The best interaction is always going to be in the physical space, no matter how many directories/mailing lists we create.

Corey Tebo

we are hitting a critical size wherein many organizations begin to fracture as it is harder to know everyone, who is helping and who is not. I hope to help walk the line of funsize innovative do-a-cratic Vs professional and fair during this transition.

Brian McPherson

I would love to see i3 expand into a larger building but as of now it's not something we can afford. It would be nice to have some additional zones that take up a large volume of space but we'll see if we can come up with a way to proceed.

Matt Arnold

A photo board of all wardens, board members, and officers, and laser-engraved name tags (opt-in) that any member may wear if they wish other people to easily approach them for help. A couple of years ago I came up with a list of problems that result from getting too large, and with the help of many others we have fixed a lot of the things on my list. This one, however, is new. Thanks to Leora for the idea!

What are your long-term (5+ years) goals for i3?

Nathan Warnick

Growth - Membership, Resources, Presence.

Business Plan - Based on our vision, construct the groups 5 year plan, which includes paths and goals the group needs to take to accomplish those goals.

Matthew Gardeski

I want to see positive growth in active membership every month in the next 5 years, and whatever it takes facilities-wise to support that growth.

Leora Druckman

Taking concrete steps that will move us toward our future vision/direction

Increasing donations and financial support

Growing and diversifying our membership

Improving our communication systems, including storage and availability of information (ie. safety procedures, etc)

James O'Dell

To work toward education the public on what defines a Makerspace, how a Makerspace can be run, and how more spaces can benefit communities.

To get the idea of a Makerspace spread out to the public.

Evan Allen

In 5 years I would like to see us physically expand to have more space for more diverse zones. I would like the positions of responsibility to all be held by motivated and active members with very little overlap. I would like to see us do more things that add capability to the space that benefit the surrounding community.

Mike Fink

I see us growing in size and range of membership, as well as growing in terms of functionality of the space. I think it's time we made some specific plans for growing the space, instead of expanding ad hoc. I believe we have a lot of room to grow in our current space. It could take a lot of work, but we're all creative problem solvers. Specific things I would like to see added to the space in the future: a spray booth, expanded quiet work space and/or soundproofing of the loudest equipment.

Jamie Burdeski

I want i3 to reach towards the vision of being an amazingly well-equipped space that makes incredible things, and shares that knowledge. I want i3 to be known in the community not just for existing and being a cool place to hang out, but for being an active part of the community.

Corey Tebo

I want to leave the board and governing positions with the tools and culture to handle an unpredictable world winch we likely will have not created or consented to. and if possible, have a hand in creating and consent to that world. Specifically I would like to see more community collaboration with and outreach to the surrounding community. It is easy to be a monk on a mountain but in the streets of the city is where real problems lie. I think we can leave quite a mark on Ferndail's art and night scenes, and I would like to see some cross training programs between us and manufacturing professionals trying to retool their careers.

Brian McPherson

I believe that we shall have found a better space in the next 5 years that will allow us to potentially continuously add space onto the building itself rather than having to move from one space to another because we are never in a large enough building.

Matt Arnold

My vision is for a place where members feel like our floor space is allocated according to deliberate priorities, where they know who to talk to when another member mistreats them, and where Ferndale has a huge parade of twenty-foot tall puppets built in our space.

What makes i3 great? Why did you join/why do you keep coming back?

Nathan Warnick

Like minds, I helped create i3 to find others like me.

Tools and resources, without the tools I've had access to, my entire past 6 years would be completely different. Resources, The like minds I mentioned, somethings you just can't find on the internet where a personal opinion or helping hand makes the difference.

Matthew Gardeski

The diversity of perspectives and backgrounds in i3's community and the general open-mindedness is something I don't think I could live without.

Leora Druckman

i3Detroit is a unique organization. While our budget is limited, our enthusiasm and ingenuity is extensive. I have followed the maker movement and the development of i3 from afar for a number of years. When my husband and I moved to the area, it was the first local organization I joined. The idea of a cooperative, creative, community based, education focused, relatively non-hierachial, group of individuals focused on working together to make really cool stuff is like a dream come true for me. I like the people here. They are intelligent, imaginative, interesting and each has unique talents and experience to share. The wide variety of tools and equipment to learn about and put to use makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop. I can’t wait to learn another new skill. While I enjoy making things on my own, there's nothing like making things with, for and around other people. i3Detroit provides an ideal space for that. There is no other organization that I would rather contribute my time and skills to at this time.

James O'Dell

The fellow members. I like working on a new idea and having people stop to discuss what my idea is and often contributing ideas and suggestions of their own.

I have had several of my projects improved by other people suggestions.

Evan Allen

What makes i3Detroit great is the diversity of membership. Sure you get differing points of view that may be contentious, but you get so many cross-disciplinary ideas and projects that allow people out of their comfort zones. I joined because thanks to everyone here I can learn whatever skills I need in almost any subject simply by finding the person who's passionate about it and letting them know I am too. Similarly I take great benefit from teaching other members things they are interested in that I happen to know.

Mike Fink

There’s a high concentration of smart, respectful, helpful people with diverse skillsets and experience. Plus all the tools that I could never afford/justify buying on my own, and seeing all the awesome things people do with them that expands my ideas of what I can do.

Jamie Burdeski

I joined i3 for the community. I love coming here and seeing people being creative, it inspires my own creativity. Being able to be creative is really relaxing for me, a nice counterpoint to my job as an engineer. As a more established member, I like that i3 is a microcosm that I actually have the ability to shape and improve. It gives me a sense of purpose to see it grow and develop before my eyes.

Corey Tebo

The People and Ideas. Members are a hacker space's most important asset.

Brian McPherson

i3 is great because of the different area of expertise of the membership, and those people that aren't familiar with specific areas are willing to learn about them to further their own skillset.

Matt Arnold

We don't have a "customer/business" relationship, where the customer says "I paid for my experience-- now provide it for me" and the business employees can't wait to clock out on Friday. Instead it's a community of passionate participants with a shared personal stake.

What isn't i3 for?

Nathan Warnick

Personal storage - Parking Permit/ticket system is enforced.

Matthew Gardeski

We won't do your project for you. You must be willing to learn and to help others learn.

Leora Druckman

People who are knowingly and intentionally disrespectful of others’ property, space, and/or feelings

People who expect everything done for them and are not interested in learning

Personal storage

James O'Dell

Disrespect and harassment. People who argue with other members, leave tools and materials laying around, and don't operate the machinery properly causing breakdowns. These attitudes hurt the whole of i3.

If people do not feel comfortable being at i3, then we will leave permanently and the group will probably not know why members are leaving.

Evan Allen

i3 isn't a job shop, although I have gotten a contract job and my current full-time job just by hanging around here. i3 isn't a place where seniority trumps sense, experience is always useful, but this is one of those places where age isn't a factor in intelligence. i3 is the place where you do things yourself, if all you have is suggestions for how someone else should do something don't be surprised when they do it their way.

Mike Fink

Jerks and customers

Jamie Burdeski

Like everyone else has said, i3 isn't a job shop, and it isn't for people who don’t play well with others. I would also add that it isn't for people who are terrible at communicating and don’t even try. Joining i3 means you are entering into a relationship with 100 other people, and you are going to have to stretch yourself out of your anti-social tendencies and ask for help, admit when you made a mistake, contribute to the communal knowledge pool, and resolve conflicts in a mature manner.

Corey Tebo

Death traps, indifference and pity parties. Most other problems indirectly stem form some combination of of thees.

Brian McPherson

i3 isn't a place to abandon your stuff or your mess. If everyone returned things better than they were when they started we wouldn't have any of the issues that we do as far as space cleanup goes.

What will you do if the board or members pass a decision you disagree with? Will you enforce it?

Nathan Warnick

The discussion would have already happen prior to this point, my opinion will have been voiced, if this is a topic I feel strongly affects i3 in a negative direction, I will proceed to amend the rule. Otherwise YES, once the rule has been voted on it is my duty to correspond with the rule.

Matthew Gardeski

After a decision is passed and becomes policy, the discussion is over we all must work together to adhere to it, otherwise we defeat the purpose of having the board as leadership. Enforcement is not the time to express disagreement with current policy.

Leora Druckman

I will support board decisions. Assuming that all appropriate information has been considered, it is my duty as a board member to support all decisions made by the board whether I completely agree with them or not. If there is additional information that has come to light or needs to be considered, it is my duty to make sure the board is aware of it and to suggest reasonable amendments and/or additions as needed.

James O'Dell

I would back a decision made in accordance with the bylaws and standing rules. I would hope that I had a chance to state my opinion and why I disagreed with the decision. A group of people making decisions will not always agree with every decision.

Evan Allen

If a decision has already been passed then my time for discussion of the subject is over and it is important to adhere to the will of the membership. If it turns out I was right then there will probably be a backlash anyway and I can get behind the repeal of an unjust policy (but if I'm consistently the outlier, maybe there isn't a problem).

Mike Fink

All rules and policies should be enforced with equal weight, regardless of personal agreement. If a significant portion of the membership or board thought something was a good idea, in spite of arguments against, then it likely has merit. Varied enforcement leads to confusion of correct policy and often forces those who properly enforce the rules to take the unpopular role of strict enforcer. This turns potential conflict with organizational policy into personal conflict which can be far more dangerous for a group like i3.

Jamie Burdeski

I believe in arguing the finer points of a decision passionately while it’s under debate. However, once a decision is made, I will abide by that. A very important quality in serving on the board is being able to see the bigger picture and let things go when necessary. This is also kind of a silly question because no one’s going to admit to this during their campaign :-p

Corey Tebo

i will enforce any policy I believe to be legal, safe and ethical. I would sooner step down than draw out a protracted passive aggressive fight over a major issue. I would not contradict policy unless I had already addressed my concerns through multiple venues and believed any perceived lapses to be major.

Brian McPherson

I would say it depends on what the decision is. I would be surprised if there were any decisions passed that I wouldn't be willing to enforce that would have egregious consequences for the space.

Matt Arnold

This is unlikely to ever happen, but if I'm not going to enforce something set down by the Board, I would say so during the deliberations about whether to pass the motion. I won't spring it as a surprise when the time comes to enforce it. If I don't want to enforce something which is the express will of the overall membership, I may either abstain, or step down. The group has the right to govern itself the way that it wishes. Participating in a group means accepting that.

Should we work to make i3 more inclusive and diverse? How can we?

Nathan Warnick

Part of our nonprofit status goals is to include the public with classes and events. We need to continue this to meet our organization's overall goal. Our diverse nature attracts groups to work together that would not have been considered combinable by standard practice.

Matthew Gardeski

Absolutely. Diversity is what makes me come here instead of buying my own tools for my garage. I would like to dedicate more time to address who we are not doing a good job of reaching out to.

Leora Druckman

Yes. We have an unique and valuable ability to pull together people who have different skills, backgrounds and experiences, who then successfully work together on common goals. Our differences make us stronger, more creative and better able to handle a wide variety of projects. Supporting more zones with an ‘artistic’ bent in addition to those that are more ‘industrial’ will attract different members. Inviting more groups from the area (students from local schools , community organizations, businesses, etc) to events will bring in more potential members (and supporters) with diverse backgrounds. Diversity keeps i3 alive, interesting and constantly evolving.

James O'Dell

We can reach out to college students and demonstrate to them how the people, equipment, and resources at i3 can help them with their class projects. Engineering senior projects require a lot of resources and expertise.

Evan Allen

When I hear the term 'diversity' used about i3, I tend to think about everyone's differing interests and skillsets enriching the whole. In that way we are a very diverse group and I would like us to become more so. As a group we are one of the most inclusive I know, we will readily give anyone a tour if they show the slightest interest and let them use our facilities as long as a current member will attest to their integrity. I am heartened by our existing inclusiveness and excited by the prospect of increased diversity.

Mike Fink

Yes. In general, broadening the space's capabilities should make the overall skillset of the group more diverse. I'm eager to see how the Jewelery Zone turns out and what effect that has on membership. It is a good example of testing the proactive creation of a zone with the goal of attracting a wider range of members into the space. In terms of inclusivity, it's important to make sure that new members get that i3 is a community in addition to a workspace.

Jamie Burdeski

We can start by electing the only female nominee this year to serve on the board! :-p (edit: also elect Leora!) Ok but seriously, this is a really complicated question, and it’s not specific to i3, but to all communities. While the philosophy of “be awesome and don’t actively discriminate, and diversity will naturally happen” is appealing, I do think that more realistically, diversity does need to be actively sought after, just to overcome our own unconscious bias toward attracting people that we connect with, in whatever sense. A step I've done in the last year is to get the scholarship program running, which I feel has attracted a diverse set of new members already. Teaching more classes in the community, and partnering with other organizations that cater to different groups would be ways to increase reach. For me though, diversity is a long-term stretch goal, and while I support it, I’m more interested in improving day-to-day operations first.

Corey Tebo

Amalgamation is the word I have used in the past to describe places like i3. Most people in a hacker space a chronically restless; a self selecting group of people consistently experimenting and fraternizing about formally impossible or forbidden possibilities. We can and should diversify but we may have to cane structure and activities to accommodate more ways of thinking. Any self selecting group is inherently lacking some quality of diversity; in this case most people here have ADHD or some near flavor of it. Some people have no interest in hacker spaces as they currently exist. me must strive for inclusion and expansion but as with engendering we may have to redefine the problem, the solution and the use case to get every thing to fit together. The wider the net of inclusion we successfully cast the more painful the transition, but the less likely the fully integrated community is to get stuck on any one particular issue as a stumbling block.

Brian McPherson

Diversity as far as skills and experience, absolutely. One of the reasons we are held back is due to lack of space to put additional zones and I think that's where i3 needs the most work in using what we do have the most efficiently.

Matt Arnold

People like to hang out with others like them, and pretty soon they become an echo chamber. But they usually don't practice exclusion intentionally. Without meaning to, we would make entire groups of valuable people feel unwelcome, unless we take specific measures to avoid it. For starters, now that we have a jewelry zone, we will no longer restrict all the world's crafts to one tiny craft room. We can also specifically seek out women and minorities to nominate and elect to our offices and directorships to make sure their viewpoints are represented.

Do you agree with i3's current Harassment Policy?

Nathan Warnick

Yes,

Matthew Gardeski

Yes, and I think we could communicate to the membership more clearly what specific actions to take so that everyone has confidence that i3 takes such matters very seriously and we will do their best to resolve them as quickly as possible.

Leora Druckman

Yes.

James O'Dell

Yes. I really like that there is a designated person that anyone can talk to about harassment or other issues confidentially.

Evan Allen

Yes, although I think this question would be equally as important if it asked 'do you agree with the bylaws' or 'do you agree with the standing rules'.

Mike Fink

I do. It does a good job of making most expectations and responsibilities fairly clear.

Jamie Burdeski

Yes. It’s not enough to have a Harassment Policy though, the enforcement is key. I watched from the sidelines as this came up last fall. I think the current board did a good job of handling it, given that it was the first time that anyone had had an opportunity to enforce the policy. There is always room for learning and improvement.

Corey Tebo

All claims of harassment must be treated carefully weather or not they are in the current policy because harassment is unacceptable and current policy may not cover an every widening armaments and insensitivities of harassers and new and unexpected sensitivities of harassers.

Brian McPherson

Tis a silly question, but yes, of course.

Matt Arnold

Yes. I wrote it, I advocated for it until it passed in a vote, and I drafted its revision.