Election 2019

Evan Allen: I have been an official member since January 1st of 2014 (5½ years). Before that I have been around the space since spring break 2013 and all subsequent breaks while I was at college. Before I was a member I was also heavily involved with the space infrastructure (and became the founding warden of that zone).

Jake Gedrimas: I have been contributing my time to the space since 2013 but have not joined the membership.

Paul Lee: Two years ago in September

Matt Arnold: It will be 8 years, as of November 22.

A'Lisa Krawciw: Officially just a few months. Been a hanger-on for several years. I lived in Ohio and came up once a quarter.

Matt Carpenter: Four years in September, wow!

Thomas Tusano: Two and a half years? It's hard to remember now, but it's been quite an enjoyable blurr.

Mtfurlan (talk): Maybe three years?

L.U. 'Louie' Cymry: I've been a member for 6 months, at the time of this writing, and have been a guest and user group attendant since shortly after Detroit Maker Faire 2017.

Mike Fink: Since April, 2013. About 6½ years.

Jan Henry: It's coming up on 6 years this winter, I think. So a little more than 5 and a half.

What is i3?

John Coggeshall: i3Detroit is a community and a shared resource for it's members in every sense of the word. It's a place that has evolved over time, and will continue to evolve in the years to come -- but I think the description I've given it today will stay true. It's a place for people to meet like-minded makers, a place to share knowledge, and a place to belong to something that provides interest to you with people who feel the same in one way or another. That's the community part. But the community is also a resource! Those same people can help you learn new things, solve problems as well. That of course is on top of the most obvious way the space is a resource which is the amazing tools available to all of it's members. So i3 is a lot of things and I'm not sure any one definition can capture it all completely.

Evan Allen: i3Detroit is a place where people share knowledge. We are also a place where people make things. Those two are in that order because at the base level i3 is most useful as a place to share knowledge of various things because that is hard to find elsewhere, at least for a group as diverse as ours. We are also a shop where you can come make things, but if that's all it was then TechShop would be an equivalent and it most certainly was not. Everything else that i3 is comes from those two things, but even based only off of those the possibilities are endless.

Jake Gedrimas: I3 Detroit is a colocation facility where the general public who are curious and passionate have to opportunity to work on projects that would be out of their scope while utilizing experience and resources that would otherwise be unreachable. A welder a Lathe and a oscilloscope are large hurtles for most people in their project. Having access and training for these tools remove a large cost of entry for the members.

Paul Lee: That's a hard question to answer. i3 is many things to different people and what it is has evolved over time and continues to evolve and grow. Originally, it was a small group of like-minded individuals meeting in a coffee shop. To the government, i3 Detroit is a not-for-profit corporation registered in the State of Michigan. To those less familiar with i3, it is a warehouse in Ferndale full of wondrous tools. But what i3 really is, is its members. You can find a room full of tools nearly anywhere but with i3, you have a membership full of amazing artists, craftspeople, inventors: makers. Makers who have interesting ideas and amazing skillsets. Ideas and skillsets that they don't keep under lock and key but instead share with the group. It is a place of knowledge and growth.; To keep i3 awesome, certain work needs to be done and that's where we get to the heart of what makes i3 special: the members who give up their time to volunteer to do that work, from the board, officers, and zone coordinators, down to someone simply emptying a full trash can.; I believe i3 is an amazing group of people that I consider a second family, headquartered at an amazing warehouse in Ferndale which I consider my second home. In short, i3 is a life changer. At least it has been for me.

Matt Arnold: i3 is an all-volunteer not-for-profit focused on voluntary work, which brings direct value to ourselves, each other, our loved ones, and our immediate community. D.I.Y. means we mostly prefer to increase how much we directly benefit from our own labor, and somewhat decrease our tendency to pay strangers who don't care about us to do labor for us-- or get paid to do it for them. There's already no shortage of that.

A'Lisa Krawciw: "i3" is on one level exactly what you put into it. It can be a community, it can be a space, a workshop. Or it can be your space, your workshop. your family, your hangout, or just a place in Ferndale you have heard of. Isn't just one thing. Structurally though, it has two main segments. The i3 maker community, and the i3Detroit organization. The i3Detroit organization is the not-for-profit bit of i3 community makers that decide to step up for a bit to spend the time effort and energy to manage all the fiddly bits of keeping the lights on, the rain off our heads, and herding the creative cats. Those members are elected, spend their time, vote, step-up, step-down, be the "bad guy", be the advocate, whatever is needed to make sure that we still have the i3Detroit organizational space. Meanwhile, i3 community makers are the 160-ish members and their various guests that meet up and make in the space. This community comes with all the joys and pitfalls of any strong community with a diverse background of expertise and experiences that are regularly drawing in new people.
Thomas Tusano: i3 Detroit is a Community Focused Non-profit organization hosting resources unavailable to an individual on one's own, that grows and changes most members from an individual mindset to one of mindful community centric adults and actors with a focus on doing so through self-explored vocational skillsets and heuristics.

Mike Fink: i3 is a place and a community, both of which promote and inspire creativity and collaboration.

Jan Henry: A community resource, a place to accomplish things you otherwise would not be able to do, a learning environment, a space for collaboration, and actually if you really think about it, it's like the Room of Requirement from the Harry Potter world. It appears when you need it and it's a little bit different for each person who enters!

What types of personal projects do you work on?

John Coggeshall: I have many interests! I started at 10 years old as a programmer and that's still what I do for my day job. But beyond that I am an expert in IoT stuff and maintain my own ESP8266 framework (and very familiar with Arduino too), make lots of things on the lasers including a custom smart fish tank for my daughter and weather enclosures for an outdoor TV. I was quick to get authorized on the HASS CNC, and look forward to when we have a functional wood CNC for the list of projects I have in mind for that as well!

Evan Allen: For the last several months I've been focusing on lots of vintage electronics, bringing old computers and the like back to life (brought that to makerfaire). I'm also involved with making the new wood cnc useful because I have some projects at home that could benefit from woodworking. Sometimes I end up using the machine shop for work stuff because the stuff we have at work is a joke in comparison.

Jake Gedrimas: I'm recreating a plastic controller that was run over using the 3d printers at the space. This is the first time I've worked on something for myself. Once again it has turned into helping a few others on their projects far more than I would be spending on my own.; Usually my projects are either too large, too dangerous or too automotive related to be done at the space.

Paul Lee: Mostly electronics and fiber arts, when I'm not helping maintain and improve i3. I do some occasional vinyl and lasering. I've also done some machine embroidery, including creating custom stitch files.

Matt Arnold: I make board game prototypes for my publisher. I host meetings for other nonprofits that I help to run, such as link Penguicon.

A'Lisa Krawciw: You'll find me most often around sewing machines. I have found a hobby in repairing and bringing back to life old and forgotten sewing machines. I like to mix and match my trades. I have my own mini media, e-lab, and fab-lab at home. But my current bug is anything with the sewing machines for sure.

Thomas Tusano: Large Scale Woodworking and Social Engineering. You'll normally find me hauling logs and lumber through the shop to build something ungodly large and humorously shoved into my small car. I also work on improving my social skills through working on organizing various projects or initiatives to improve vocational education and accessibility to said education

Mtfurlan (talk): The IoT stuff at the space is kinda a personal project, because It's also slowly migrating into my home.; Other things I've been working on include a thinkpad laptop keyboard as a USB keyboard, and learning to weld to play with the powerwheels racing cars (if you want to help manage powerwheels racing, please let #motorsports know)

L.U. 'Louie' Cymry: Projects for this past year include: Programing in Python including Web Frameworks such as Flask. Learning to use single board computers such as RasPi and Beaglebone. Independent publishing for table top role playing games.

Mel Gilchrist: Personal projects? Uh, I don't know if I have any of those. I made a costume for Penguicon using mostly scraps I found around i3 and a tutu that Jan taught me how to make! But, I don't really do much personal stuff.

Mike Fink: I dabble in a lot of things. Most recently I added LEDs to a dragon staff, which included work in the elab, machine shop, laser cutters, and fab lab. I've built several iterations of a fiber optic lighting display art piece. I'm transferring a lot of the IoT/automation stuff we've done at i3 to my house.

Jan Henry: I sew... I'm STILL sewing.... A replica of the 2015 live action Cinderella gown. It's been four years and it will be five by the time I get done. Patience is an acquired skill, I can assure you. It's taught me more than sewing skills. I've learned that stuff eventually gets done if you keep at it. I also make 1:12 scale miniatures with polymer clay, paper or fabric. When I finish with Cinderella I'd like to get out in the shop more, do some welding, try 3D printing 1:12 scale dolls, etc.

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

John Coggeshall: Chairman of the Board of Directors, 2018 and upcoming Warden for the Wood shop CNC. I don't think I was ever appointed but I am the person responsible for the new CRM currently in testing, the electronics guy for the plasma cutter building project, help out with new membership / onboarding improvements (putting together new member materials), and presently a member of the code of conduct committee as well.

Evan Allen: Treasurer from Jan 2014 through elections of that year.; Infrastructure zone coordinator since the position was created.; Tool Crib zone coordinator for the past few years.; Board member for 2014-2017.

Jake Gedrimas: None

Paul Lee: I've been Vice President of Activities and Classes for about a year and a half. I'm currently on the board, and I'm also the Coordinator of the nascent Kitchen Zone. For a while I was the Unofficial Official Tour Guide. I've also been a Maker Faire Coordinator and helped the Maker Faire Coordinators this year.

Matt Arnold: I've been a Board Director multiple times in the past. I have been Laser Zone Coordinator, and Member Advocate, a role I originally suggested and championed. I'm currently the Classroom Zone Coordinator.

A'Lisa Krawciw: No one and nothing! I've slowly been helping Mike Fink out with Meeting minutes, but that's not an official title and that's not perhaps even been a real help. I'm often just the ad-hoc sounding board.

Matt Carpenter: I've been the VP of Membership for the last couple of years, also a board member for the 2018-2019 session
Thomas Tusano: Volunteered to be Woodshop Coordinator, and chair of the Lutherie SIG

Mtfurlan (talk): 2018-2019 board.

L.U. 'Louie' Cymry: 2019 Detroit Maker Faire Organizational Committee - Volunteer Coordinator.

Mel Gilchrist: I've been treasurer since May 2018, I helped run the last two MakerFaires, and I'm currently running our big fundraising campaign

Mike Fink: Board member 2014-2017, 2018-present; Laser Zone coordinator 2015-present; Secretary 2016-present; Chair of expansion committee 2019-present

Jan Henry: I have served on the Board of Directors since September 2016.; I have been Craft Room Co-coordinator/Sewing since May 2016.; Sewing SIG organizer - SIG became active in spring 2016; On the current fundraising committee

What projects have you worked on to improve i3?

John Coggeshall: The biggest project I can give myself credit for is the new CRM system, which I have basically written single-handedly from scratch myself. As soon as I find some time to implement a few required features and squash a few bugs the plan is to move everyone to it. I'm really looking forward to that, because it'll streamline everything including parking permits, storage, dues, donations, onboarding and everything in between! Beyond that I have lent my time and energy to helping the VP of Membership with new member materials, have occasionally fixed the large lasers when they were broken, and various other small things I won't enumerate that I assume everyone who is a member does!

Evan Allen: I've been heavily involved in the expansion, ripping down old piping, wiring, and stringing some new stuff. Getting the new half of the building set up for our IoT system. I finally finished replacing all incandescent and fluorescent lights with LEDs so maintenance of those is a thing of the past. My post on rebuilding the control on the new wood cnc has gone around the internet and gotten us at least some donations for the MEDC campaign. Infrastructure is literally one of my titles around here.

Jake Gedrimas: Most of my involvement has been to improve the space. My latest improvement is aimed at the FabLab and getting every function on every printer running.

Paul Lee: The expansion, including the stylish vinyl signs on all the new doors; the MEDC fundraising campaign, including making a couple of really nice 100% cotton bags to act as incentives for donors; I've worked on increasing the number of classes and activities; I organized Maker Faire last year, didn't burn out, and advised the organizers this year; I represented i3 at NOMCON along with Matt Carpenter and Thomas Tusano; at NOMCON I joined the Fob all the Things project to maybe improve the door key RFID system.

Matt Arnold: I spearheaded and ran the fundraiser which originally purchased our two GK Weike lasers. This year, I ran the fundraiser for the Oculus Quest.

I have also fielded emails to our contact-at address for years. Most of them are from people who don't understand what we are; they only know what they're used to. So they assume we are a business with employees and they can be our customer. My job is to be friendly and helpful, explaining our way of doing things in the hopes that it will be welcoming and attractive to them. Instead of bouncing them off like a "shield", we sort of "funnel" them into becoming one of us. This is culture building work. This an important part of preserving the distinctives that we love about i3.

A'Lisa Krawciw: Recently, I've been getting myself involved as a sounding board and attempting to position myself as a go-fer for things to facilitate completion of projects. As a new person in the space, officially, I have spent time looking at roles and responsibilities to see where I can pick things up to help out within my capabilities. Especially when it has come to expansion work. Mostly this has been found in being a chauffer and food-go-fer for expansion work-workers.

Continued care of the space, I view as an on-going project, so with my expertise in sewing machines, I have stepped up and have taken on some small repairs with the industrial sewing machines to keep them from downtime, and as the sewing zone has acquired new machines I have been servicing them so that we'll have a fleet ready.

Member retention and acquisition is also an improvement project, in my opinion, so even as a new member I've been providing tours, talking to prospective members connecting people with a variety of expertise, and helping people build and make connections within i3 so that there is a community where people can not only work on their projects but also foster and develop their crafts.

Matt Carpenter: I have been continually working to improve the onboarding process since becoming membership VP. This has included updating the questionnaire to highlight information new members should know, adding things to the backend to simplify tracking, and improving the in-person portions of the membership process.

I also totally overhauled how scholarships are handled at i3. This included adding expiration dates; a more well-defined application process; and recently, adding partial scholarships. This has increased scholarship availability while simultaneously improving utilization ensuring scholarships go to those that will use them, not just people who forgot to cancel.

Thomas Tusano: informal member advocate and floating mama bear. I often times try to recognize problems before they're problems and bring them to the attention of members that have the skills to handle them or would care about the outcome. Listen to the concerns of members and do my best to allow them a non judgemental shoulder. Structurally? Writing Woodshop Operating Procedures, analyzing organizational behavior and do the best I can to line us up where we can with other spaces and successful organizations. Fostering connections between us and other Makerspaces. All of this I'm admittedly new at, but I find the efforts and gusto have been incredibly appreciated.

Mtfurlan (talk): Infrastructure, both software and physical stuff; IoT fuckery; expansion stuff.; I plan to continue working to make our bylaws and rules clear, as is they are self-contradictory, and very hard to read. Next steps for that are looking at what PS1 did, they just rewrote everything with help of a lawyer, so stealing that wholesale might not be a bad idea. Let me know if you want to help with that.

L.U. 'Louie' Cymry: Through the member organized Eastern Michigan Python User's Group (EMPUG) that operates from i3, I've helped to better organize those meetings by introducing a split scheduled beginner and experienced tract meeting format, with improved social media communication and outreach, which undoubtedly increased attendance and introduced more public interest to our space.

For this year's Detroit Maker Faire, I introduced a thoroughly detailed and useful process of organizing our volunteers, presenters, and vendors that helped the organizers keep track of the needs, coordination, and communication of everyone helping us run the event.

Mel Gilchrist: Mostly I've been creating a financial system for i3. An actual accounting system that lets us track our income and expenses, generate regular reports, and provide the info for accurate tax returns. My current project is working to raise $100,000 ($50,000 with a $50,000 matching grant) to pay for our expansion.

Mike Fink: I do my best to maintain the laser cutters. I built our security camera system. I've built large parts of the IoT/automation system. I've been heavily involved in the planning and labor for the expansion.

Jan Henry: Everyone should participate so I don't know if it's worth mentioning but I've been taking care of the bathrooms - cleaning, periodically bringing touches from home, seeing if tank tabs and urinal pads keep the facilities a little bit cleaner for longer.; I share our events and stories on Facebook and Instagram, in the hopes others will see what we do and can imagine themselves a part of it too. I seek out what others are doing around the space so that I may write about it -- from welding, to leather, metal, wood, etc. This info can be available to the blog creation as well.; I have been beefing up the sewing options -- advocating industrial machines, large tables, useful tools. In preparation for the future, I have some ideas that I think would make us a great destination for people who sew, for the growing costuming segment, and expand their skill set with the shop equipment we have here that goes beyond what is normally available to them.

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

John Coggeshall: I think it's very important that board members understand it is up to them to make the decisions that lead the space in a positive direction -- the buck stops with them and they set the tone from the top-down on how the space as a whole is perceived and enjoyed by the membership. If the board as a body isn't a strong leading influence, that ultimately has a devastating negative impact on members -- especially as we continue to grow and the community as a whole is less tight-knit. That's a big responsibility and requires not only civility and mutual respect, but also an understanding that their responsibility is the "not fun" part of leadership in the space -- fire codes, legal requirements, financial matters, disciplinary matters, all things that can often be boring and occasionally very challenging to address. But this of course isn't the end of it, because those same board members need to see and understand the more practical side of the space -- the making, the community, the people and do their best to balance the formal with the fun in their decision making process.

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. The ability to not get emotionally involved with situations handled by the board (or the willingness to recuse yourself if you do). To see the decisions through to fruition and, especially, ask for help if it is needed.

Jake Gedrimas: Focus and realism. There are alot of very simple things that need to be addressed that just never get done. There are also a ton of very difficult and costly things thats are very popular for eating up time and effort.

Paul Lee: Civility, rationality, willingness to compromise and work together, diverse viewpoint, a willingness to do what's right for i3, and a love of i3

Matt Arnold: Working out decisions in emails to be prepared in advance of meetings. Assertiveness. Willingness to have one-on-one phone or chat conversations with each Board director one at a time, giving them uninterrupted attention, rather than a debate in a muddle of voices in a meeting.

A'Lisa Krawciw: An understanding of i3's mission, civility, honesty, ethical backbone, willingness to work in tough/tense situations, preparedness for meetings, willingness adapt for effective communication.

Matt Carpenter: I look for good listening skills, willingness to compromise, and a strong understanding of right and wrong.
Thomas Tusano: Contrast and difference without disillusionment and over the top conflict. While I would appreciate a harmonious board, I learn best by not being the smartest in the room and being allowed to be wrong from time to time. In looking over the list of nominees so far, I see no bad candidates, just ones I'm for sure going to learn from. I consider that a positive.

Mtfurlan (talk): Ability to work together to figure out what is best for the space, and I like Evan's words: "To see the decisions through to fruition and, especially, ask for help if it is needed."

Mel Gilchrist: Want what is best for i3 and be reasonable and willing to compromise.

Mike Fink: I look for the abilites 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.

Jan Henry: Thoughtful, good listener, helpful, resourceful, problem solver, finish-what-you-started type. Communication is important too. Being upfront about what you're doing, even if it is to just proceed with doing it yourself, let others know and keep them in the loop. Everyone has input and it should be respected and valued. It's also important to be able to make decisions that support the goals of i3. Fairness is important, as much as possible. And be excellent.

What qualities do you have to be a board member?

John Coggeshall: I have a strong background in leadership, especially in organizations that are entirely volunteer-based. I have been working with diverse opinions and people, all of whom were there only because of a passion for the organization, basically all my adult life -- first in the driving forward of the PHP open source project where I had to learn to work with people from all over the world working for free, and then later in non-profits like the Freemasons and Scottish Rite. I understand how organizations change as they grow both as corporations and in a volunteer model, and how to manage that growth successfully. I was asked to join the board as the Chairman to assist the current board in conducting their business in an orderly and productive fashion, and would gladly assume that role again if asked as a voting member of the board.

Evan Allen: I can recognize when things need a decision made and make that decision. Anyone who's been a member at i3 can probably think of a thing that needs changing but they don't want to bring it up at a meeting, or they don't want to write a proposal. Maybe there's a person who continues to break the rules and other people have been covering for them or there's a rule that is just ignored most of the time because it's not actually solving anything. I want to help get our bylaws and standing rules into a condition where any prospective member can read them and understand how i3 actually works. I can also get a majority of people to understand the problem at hand and cooperate to come up with a solution. It is important to know that virtually nothing requires unanimity and we shouldn't let the status quo be terrible because one person isn't quite convinced about this particular plan. Deliberate, Vote, act on the majority, what's next.

Paul Lee: In addition to the above: experience, diplomacy, diligence, no fear of hard work, empathy, cooperativity, willingness to listen

Matt Arnold: Forward motion. I never call a halt to a process unless I also propose the next step toward overcoming the holdup. I try to add a time to my 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. It's not that we need to rush to the conclusion; we just need to focus on the next step, and ask for it within a specific timeframe. The Board is where most volunteer organizations stall most often. You need someone who keeps it moving.

A'Lisa Krawciw: The background player. The facilitator. I'm the information gatherer sort. I want people to be informed and make the best-informed decision they can. Being frank and honest, I'm best suited in places where I can be the person that helps a person nail down ideas, and build things out. Get action plans going. I'll help draw up the chart, smooth out visions. I'll ask the tough questions. The odd angles. I'm best when providing direction at very first, or given a task to help finish someone else's direction. I plan or go-fer.

Thomas Tusano: Willingness to learn, and ambition to be a solid leader, interest in seeing i3 succeed and building a more solid nation wide Maker Community

Jake Gedrimas: I only operate on results. I'm just here to make sure the necessary components are put in place during this transitionary phase.

Mel Gilchrist: I have a background in legal and financial compliance. I've been using my knowledge for the benefit of i3 for the last couple years. I'd like to continue doing so.

Mike Fink: I try to understand other points of view in differences of opinion and be open-minded going into discussions.

Jan Henry: I am patient and consistent and I value sticking with something until it is done. I am organized and detail oriented.

Why are you interested in being a board member?

John Coggeshall: i3 is a space that exists through the contributions of it's members, and everyone has a contribution they can make. Some can contribute time, some can contribute expertise, but everyone should contribute something otherwise we couldn't continue to exist. I am a firm believer that in an organization such as ours the key to success is when everyone contributes in accordance with their own passions -- you aren't getting paid, you have to enjoy what you are doing. I enjoy solving the sorts of problems i3 is facing as it continues to grow, and I have a lot of experience doing it. I feel like participating in a leadership role is one of the most effective ways I can contribute back.

Evan Allen: I would like to make sure the expansion goes well, as well as securing more (and hopefully regular) funding outside of our membership. What we have now is good, but there are always new things to get in to, new capabilities people will want for i3, difficult to accomplish stuff that is well intentioned but may be doubtful if it will actually work. I want to be on the board so I can vote 'YES' to trying new things, to doing the difficult tasks that pay off, to moving beyond historical self-imposed limits on what we can do at i3.

Jake Gedrimas: I want to take a more active role in the changes that are to come to the space.

Paul Lee: Above all, for the next term, I'd like to see the expansion project that we started this current term to completion.

Matt Arnold: Every week I throw away forty irreplaceable hours of my life making a rich person richer, doing work that does not help anybody I know. Then I go to i3 on evenings and weekends and do work that counts. Work that is meaningful, creative, fulfilling, engaging, which directly benefits me and the people around me. I'm working with you there, and I can rest assured the only reason you are there working with me, is that you want to be, not to pay the bills like some kind of hostage situation. There is almost nowhere else that I can find this. We must put in the work helping people to "get it", explaining it, evangelizing it, doing the grunt work, and the leadership work, and every other level of work.

A'Lisa Krawciw: I'm available to do this, and I want to. That's the simplest answer. Being a part of volunteer organizations that better a community that means something to me is important. I've heard from several members that this is the place that they feel "at home" or "settled", and that is the sort of thing that is important to me. To have this odd ball place where people can meet, and be. Without leadership to smooth out the rough spots, to be the "bad guys" and to keep the lights on other's won't find this same place. And that simply won't do. So I'm here to give it a try myself.

Mtfurlan (talk): Last year I ran on making the expansion happen, I want to continue making the expansion happen.

Thomas Tusano: I believe firmly that self-affirmation and the well being of one's self-esteem relies on Making and having a grasp on one's immediate reality. I3 is where I come to practice that control over the physical world around me through vocation and craft. I also believe strongly in community and when a community gives to you, or allows you a freedom you didn't have beforehand, you find a way to give back to that community. I hope to do so in service to the board, and through meaningful representation of our Maker Community.

L.U. 'Louie' Cymry: I am running for a position on the board for the simple reason that I was nominated to run without any prompting to anyone that I might be interested. I feel honored and humbled that there were members here whom desired and have the confidence in me to want my help in governing the organization.

Mel Gilchrist: I want to continue to work on improving our organization and thus our legal and financial compliance.

Mike Fink: I've enjoyed and found worthwhile my past times serving on the board, and I'd like to see our expansion through for at least the next year.

Jan Henry: We've (i3 has) started the expansion project and I'd like to continue with it, see it through the current legal phase and move into the zone migration process. I enjoy serving and have been honored to be chosen in the past, and to be considered currently, and take seriously the role of board member in making decisions for i3.

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

John Coggeshall: The expansion, and all of it's associated issues, are simply the top priority of the space. Financially speaking we are very extended in our investment there, and that investment can only pay off if we can bring in new zones, more benefits to our membership, and overall growth. Getting serious about our fund-raising efforts like the current MEDC campaign can only help as well -- including beyond MEDC. Those two things are both really big team efforts, and I hope to play a role in addressing them. Personally, I hope to get the new CRM I've built out for the membership to use which will make a fundamentally positive impact not only immediately, but also moving forward for the entire membership and leadership.

Evan Allen: I want to make sure the expansion and creation of new zones goes well. We have a blank slate on to which we can create homes for old and new zones and I will be working hard to make sure things get moved quickly, but also in the right order. I think it's inevitable that we will run into some conflicts trying to make all zone coordinators happy, and thankfully that's been handled largely by voting on and approving a floorplan, but the real test is in implementing it. What will be important is recognizing what hard choices are for the benefit of the most members of i3 and not only listening to the loudest voices.

Jake Gedrimas: There are many facility related issues that need to be tackled before the expansion can be finished. I suspect the majority of my time will be spent on that.

Paul Lee

Two things, really: the immediate thing is getting the $50,000 from the MEDC which is part of my longer term more general goal of having an even more amazing expanded i3.

Matt Arnold: In my previous terms as Board Director, I put a lot of work into managing the problems that come with our growth, and succeeded at that pretty well. There need to be some guard rails on how we fund our growth. It's going really well lately, and I'm proud and grateful for the leadership we have had since I left the Board; at the same time, there are pitfalls I want to watch out for. For example, All Hands Active in Ann Arbor was mostly paid for by a company that worked out of there. They became somewhat dependent and beholden on those funds, so they did whatever that business person wanted. As a Board Director, I'll be watchful to ensure that our ongoing expenses stay low enough that we can be confident the members can pay for it ourselves, and maintain widely-distributed control of our own organization.

A'Lisa Krawciw

Two Fold:

Continuing to work on the clarity and open communication that has been worked on so diligently in the past year. Especially as we get all this fundraising money and as the expansion really starts getting underway. There are many places of potential communication break down with both large funding and large move projects. And we need to continue the adjustment momentum and not get lost in the fuss and muss of these two large changes and lose the momentum we've made.

Expansion committee work, or something akin to it. Speaking with some zone coordinators and the like, there are some things that I have questions on how they are going to get done between expansion, infrastructure, and the individual zones. Getting into some of the nitty-gritty detail work on getting each of the zones moved into their new areas, and planning ahead accordingly. Looking at the infrastructure needs as well as common needs between the groups. And helping the different zones, balance their budgets to carry the responsibility of the move. I'm already making moves to tackle this. This is where I see my skillsets being of biggest use this year, so I'm going to work with Mike and everyone regardless of any board position.

Thomas Tusano: Beginning to think beyond the walls of the space. There are issues and social problems that can be addressed through making and trades. As we moved forward we can't afford to be an inward only concerned organization, as the larger we grow the more impact we're going to begin to have, intended or otherwise. I'd like for i3's step into the limelight to be a positive one. I think we do need to address group cohesion before all this, and some of the spaces frictional issues here or there, but otherwise building a sense of community and identity outside the space is a huge boon to us and the larger maker community.

Mel Gilchrist: Continue our fundraiser and continue updating our financial and legal regulatory framework. I want to fix our bylaws!

Mike Fink: I'd like to see our expansion through, from moving zones to creating new ones, and solving all the problems that come up along the way.

Jan Henry: We have some hurdles to overcome before the expansion can continue, and I hope to be part of the process of solving those. Working with the city on what it needs from us, and then each other as we move into the moving phase, will require professional and clear communication.

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

John Coggeshall: In 5 years I'd like to see an organization that has maximized the potential it has today. A bigger better space with a membership to fill it, a real partnership and fund raising program that gives us more funding flexibility beyond membership dues, stronger community outreach, and solid financials -- in terms of overall solvency, growth plans, etc. I'm not committal about specifics like buying a building or not (I can certainly see the argument in favor), because if my goals for i3 were achieved in the next 5 years we would be in an amazing position to make whatever we want happen.

Evan Allen: In 5 years I would like to see us moving toward owning our own building at least as big as we are now to have more space for more diverse zones. Partnership with the community, specifically our local government and big businesses that we can leverage to ease the burden on our members. I would like the positions of responsibility to all be held by motivated and active members with little to no overlap. I would like to see us do more things that add capability to the space that benefit the surrounding community.

Jake Gedrimas: Evans right, the existence of the space is at the whim of a landowner. with the area growing and demand for facilities like this increasing its only a matter of time before someone makes the landowner a better offer. We need to secure our own building in the next few years.

Paul Lee: Owning our own building: instead of signing the next lease extension, we should instead sign a mortgage. It would be cheaper for i3 as none of our money would go to property taxes, which part of our rent does, and it would also make i3 more secure financially by having equity in a large building.

Matt Arnold: Reinvigorating the office of Member Advocate. I would start back up the quarterly reminders to our membership that we have mediators to address conflict. I would make sure that the next time someone starts a flame war on Slack, a Member Advocate steps in and begins mediation between the parties involved, instead of letting them drag down the whole community in public.

A'Lisa Krawciw: Goodness, gracious this is a tough one for me. I see i3 very much like a living being in a sense. It grows as it needs to, organically. And it adapts to the needs of its members as well as the current hobbies that are available in the market. With this said, I believe in the next 5 years we should spend a little time each year looking at new locations. For rent and for purchase. With the expansion a move is not necessarily reasonable within the 5 years, however, at the edge of 5 years, a plan for a move should be in place. Knowing what kind of other buildings are available and keeping the membership apprised of this will be important to make such a plan. This is just as much as a contingency plan as it is a wishlist. If something were to happen to our space, having a plan in place to rebuild, especially now that we have hit 10 years, is not unfounded.

Mtfurlan (talk): Better understood processes for doing things other than "ask someone who knows, maybe they remember". Too much is undocumented and forgotten.; Having our own building might be cool, but 5 years might be a bit ambitious for that. Either way, something to keep re-evaluating.

Thomas Tusano: I echo the sentiments of many of my nominees, however with the added focus that our community must open itself in more ways, and begin to share an identity with other similar spaces to set precedent for the community as a whole. Without being lost in the noise. We once touted about the first Nomcon that we were well known, I'd like to see people in the Detroit area know our presence better and be known for what we do and the kind, intelligent and vibrant community we can foster when we work together.

Without the fluff this means that we have to foster relationships beyond our walls, do outreach and make ourselves known as a legitimate entity (not that we aren't already) There is work to be done and things we can encourage. Powerful connections for both the sake of higher education and skill acquisition we can assist in. I'd love for i3 Detroit to be known as a hub for the hard-working to come and refine their skills further in the welcoming atmosphere of a relaxed and knowledgeable shop.

Mel Gilchrist: I want to financially position us so that we will be able to secure a mortgage or be in a much better bargaining position the next time we have to negotiate a lease. A side of effect of this will be better documentation for our own purposes, as well.

Mike Fink: In 5 years I hope to see us feeling somewhat cramped (like we are now) while fully occupying both A- and B-sides. To do that, our membership will have to grow. By then, I hope we'll also have better documented financial history and credit to be possibly considering a commercial mortgage.

Jan Henry: More classes in all zones (and the new ones!) and even classes aimed at creating a crossover of skills... for example pulling people into the woodshop who might otherwise not consider it, whether they are from the outside community or within i3. Cross-pollinating the use of these zones, inside and outside of i3. Using grant awards to expand, researching equipment (purchased by budget or grant) that could be cutting edge for the maker community and being that place, where people can come to learn to do.

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

John Coggeshall: The community. Anyone can buy tools, but it takes passionate people willing to give of their own time and energy to make a space like i3 what it is. The people inspire me and teach me!

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.

Jake Gedrimas: The opportunity to work with the members on a vast array of different topics and disciplines is what makes I3 so great. I've come across so many different projects I never thought I would see by just being around.

Paul Lee: The people. I3 has a lot of really cool stuff but more importantly it has this really interesting, smart, and caring community of members that have differing viewpoints and opinions but can still come together and make awesome things and make awesome things happen, things like Maker Faire and Lakes of Fire, things like the open house that the unnamed celebrity came to, and we all share our knowledge to help others make their stuff even better.

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. We're a community of passionate participants with a shared personal stake.

A'Lisa Krawciw: You all don't seem to hate me yet. I kid, mostly. I joined because I enjoy it here, and I always have some project I'm going to be working on anyway, and this place makes it easier for me to do these projects. I've also made the most friends in my adult life outside of University here, which has been pretty fantastic.

Mtfurlan (talk): I keep coming back because you fuckers are too interesting to talk with and work with. There is always someone doing something interesting that needs help, or someone willing to help you on your project.; Are we sure it isn't called i3 because you leave at 3:00?

Thomas Tusano: What keeps me coming back to i3 is something my brother had said to me. At first it was the want of someplace noisy and sawdusty to do my craftwork, but then I began to realize that my craft was a product of agency and an expression of choice. My brother looked at me and said "Amazon offers me 6 figures to lead a team of engineers, and I don't always know what I'm doing, you may ask questions but you're treated as an equal and a leader at that place" He was trying to say that the earned respect of the community and the fact that I could steer my own life, even if I didn't have it all figured out, was amazing to him. I keep coming back because it's made my family and little brother proud of me to know that I'm making a difference somehow and somewhere to a tight-knit group with a purpose. Honest To Thor Truth right there folks.

Mel Gilchrist: The diversity (although it could be better!). Just the sheer range of people with skills and knowledge to offer. It's amazing! The tools are nice, but it's the people that make i3 great.

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.

Jan Henry: I have to finish my project I started... There will be another thing, and another... I keep returning because I know there are some eager to see the finished piece... also it's motivating to create alongside others doing the same thing (creating, not necessarily sewing). i3 is great for community collaboration, for inclusion, for teaching and encouraging people to do for themselves and providing educational access to machines to do that. I'm thrilled to be an active participant in the community and care for it like a piece of myself is attached to it, because it is.

What isn't i3 for?

John Coggeshall: For people, it's not a place for takers who have no intention or desire to give back -- and it's not a place for people who aren't by default relatively self-sufficient. It's not a place to do illegal things, and it's not a place where tolerance and community are optional.

Evan Allen: i3 isn't a job shop, although I have gotten a contract job and two full-time jobs 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.

Jake Gedrimas: If you need a bottle opener you probably would be more comfortable down the street. I3 is about making things work with what we have here.

Paul Lee: I3 is not for the closed-minded. It is not for those unwilling to learn, those that want everything done for them. I3 is not a job shop. I3 is not a child daycare nor an adult daycare.

Matt Arnold: We are not employees, who are obligated to provide services to customers in exchange for money. (Businesses can do things with i3 resources, on their own, but i3 is a 501c(3) nonprofit.) That means if you feel entitled for us to hold your hand every time you should look it up on the wiki, this place is not for you. As a Board member, I will work to ensure that our onboarding process will frustrate your unearned feelings of entitlement to our unpaid labor. Those who are unwilling to DIY at least a little bit, are not part of a DIY space.

A'Lisa Krawciw: - The unwilling to learn and grow. This place is built on learning, growing, and changing within your own projects. Even potted plants grow.; - Running a business out of i3Detroit location itself. The location is not built nor equipt for such a thing. This is a place for prototyping, and DIY. If you have a small business its production runs can be here, but this is not is the place of business. Bringing customers here is a terrible plan!; - Those wanting to do something illegal, you'll just spoil the fun for all of us.

Thomas Tusano: A place for Hate. A place for giving up. A place for blame and anger. What i3 isn't is somewhere for someone to shove off your duties and responsibilities on someone else. It IS However a place to exist and practice as a craftsperson, and to encourage others to hone themselves to their best. A place for community and genuine critique and connection.

Mtfurlan (talk): People lacking in common sense, people who actively ignore rules, people who assume safety is taken care of for them, people without open minds.

Mike Fink: People who are inconsiderate and closed-minded.

Jan Henry: It's not the place for DIYers who expect service. It's not personal storage or a business with staff and janitorial cleanup.

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

John Coggeshall: I'm not sure what you can do besides accept the decision - I'm one vote in this hypothetical. If it was something I was passionate about I may continue to respectfully fight for my opinion, seek compromise, etc. in future conversations in my role as a voting board member I guess, so long as I believed such efforts were productive to the betterment of the space. In terms of enforcement, I would enforce the will of the board as long as I did not find it so objectionable I simply could not, in which case I would promptly resign once I had exhausted all available avenues in correcting it within my power as a voting member.

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).

Jake Gedrimas: I3 is a community. I have no right to take ownership of it. Ultimately if I can't convince the group to see it as I do I'm likely wrong.; I will not however allow someone to be hurt, killed, or abused by gross negligence. I would like to think everyone will always be on the same page on that point.

Paul Lee: The members of the board all bring different ideas and experiences to the table. When, after discussing an issue and deliberating in good faith, the board comes to a decision then that decision is official i3 policy to be followed by everybody, even dissenting board members.

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.

A'Lisa Krawciw: Understanding how unlikely this is, I will enforce the decision within a reasonable discourse. Allowing money laundering is not reasonable discourse. Being permissive of Anti-Semitic behavior is not reasonable discourse, for example. If I object to it I will appeal to the board and/or members to change the decision if I was not involved in the vote. If I was involved in the vote, a nay, abstention, and discussion are all viable. Continued appeals are also available if it is sufficiently problematic of a decision. It is my job as a member and more so if I am a board member to stand up if there is some sort of unreasonable decision being made that is in violation with our mission, anti-discrimination, ethics, law, or is harmful to our membership as a whole.

L.U. 'Louie' Cymry: Unless the majority of board or membership insists to pursue a morally, ethically, or particularly objectionable action; I'll concede to the will of the community despite my being in disagreement. I may still voice my objection for the record, but would not be disruptive to the democratic process and would enforce such decisions. (The exception being for extremely problematic courses of action... which I don't anticipate happening as most onerous activities that I would object to are already disallowed and / or covered by our bylaws and code of conduct.)

Mtfurlan (talk): As everyone else said, unless it's immoral, uphold it and voice disagreement at appropriate times.

Thomas Tusano: Be reasonable, and be flexible, if the board is voting over me, and I cannot see the sense to the logic, I will abstain and resign, and if unwilling to enforce it for conflicting beliefs, I will simply point the rules and serve as reminder. But if truly and surely unethical for one reason or another, I will probably resign as it gets presented and abstain from future matters until it's resolved. This really depends on the severity of whatever is being voted on. I cannot see a situation where a solid argument can't be made for policy that we need to properly run or serve the space.

Mel Gilchrist: I will either enforce the will of the majority, or, if I believe the decision to be too unethical to enforce, I will resign my position on the board.

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 the few 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.

Jan Henry: As long as it's legal, supported by the membership board represents, and all voices of the board are heard. The time to oppose and communicate a different viewpoint is during the discussion phase but once something is approved by the majority, the board must follow it, and as a member of the board yes, I would enforce it. Maturity is important as not everyone will always agree.

Election 2019

Contents

Nominees for Board of Directors

Board nominee survey

How long have you been a member of i3?

What is i3?

What types of personal projects do you work on?

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

What projects have you worked on to improve i3?

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

What qualities do you have to be a board member?

Why are you interested in being a board member?

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

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

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

What isn't i3 for?

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

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