[OSGeo-Discuss] Fwd: Board nomination: Jeff McKenna

Wed Oct 18 12:15:59 PDT 2017

On Wed, Oct 18, 2017 at 11:19 AM, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett at gmail.com> wrote:
> Eli the board did not deliberate, you can see the board email list. I have
> been glad for individual such as yourself caring, speaking up, and hopefully
> attending the next board meeting.
>

I thought that this issue might have been of enough concern for the
Board to deliberate it.  Indeed, I thought that Venka's earlier
comment was an indication that that might happen.

> I think we have all learned a lot this election period, and cannot thank the
> cro enough for keeping up.
>

CRO is a very large and difficult job.  Yes, great thanks to the CROs.

> I trust the next board meeting will provide an update from the cro and an
> opportunity for discussion. The board is in a strange situation during
> elections, handing over control of the process to the CRO, and with 1/2 the
> participants at the end of their term. If you track the most recent board
> meetings several items have been deferred to the next board, so I understand
> the board not feeling able to deliberate in the middle of elections.
>

Yes, the Board appoints the CRO(s) to run the elections for them.
While the Board can defer some things to future Boards (especially
future looking things), the Board is responsible for anything that
arises while they are on duty.

> It is also important to trust the CRO to act in good faith on behalf of our
> organization. I did speak up when I was concerned that member list had not
> been updated and would interfere in the CRO performing their task - but that
> was it.
>

I largely believe that once a task is delegated, that person has the
latitude to act.  In this case, I would have thought it was worth
deliberation and consultation with the CRO on how they want to run
elections that don't go exactly following the process.

> This is a hard lesson to learn, when to deliberate and when to encourage.
> Many of the deliberations about foss4g affordability were left until the
> Boston F2F meeting, to avoid distracting from the excellent work being done
> by the BLOC. If if well intentioned, deliberating during the course of an
> activity can distract contributors and bring out feelings of "why bother". I
> think this was the bickering referenced during the candidates debate
> yesterday.
>
> Finally as a candidate in this election I could not see a clear way to
> deliberate the current election that would not be viewed as a personal
> attack, or dismissed as campaigning.
>

This seems rather straight forward.  For the Board to deliberate this
manner fairly, directors like you who are running for reelection would
be obligated to show up for quorum and abstain from discussion and
voting.  The issue would be decided by the portion of the Board with
their term running until 2018 and those who are not running for
reelection.  But yes, I do see how you personally would be hampered
from really engaging this topic.

Best regards, Eli

>
> --
> Jody Garnett
>
> On 18 October 2017 at 10:23, Eli Adam <eadam at co.lincoln.or.us> wrote:
>>
>> On Wed, Oct 18, 2017 at 10:04 AM, Jorge Sanz <jsanz at osgeo.org> wrote:
>> > HI Eli,
>> >
>> > If I recall correctly, we answered you that Jeff immediately resigned
>> > from
>> > his position as CRO and he has not been involved at all in any Board
>> > elections CRO activity so everything is correctly handled except (and we
>> > apologized for that) the lack of a Trac ticket for the alias change.
>>
>> Thanks Jorge.  I know those are the events that happened, however, I
>> never saw the Board deliberate and consider whether that is acceptable
>> or not.  In my opinion, it is not, however I'm not on the Board, nor
>> is one Director's opinion a position of the Board.  In the absence of
>> any Board action on the legitimacy of the CRO accepting a nomination,
>> I was left to conclude "that this issue is of no concern to the
>> Board."
>>
>> Has the Board deliberated or considered this?  Did they take a position?
>>
>> The reason to have a process and follow it even when you maybe don't
>> "need" it, is so that you also follow the process when you *do* need
>> it.
>>
>> Best regards, Eli
>>
>> >
>> > Kind regards
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > On 18 October 2017 at 18:07, Eli Adam <eadam at co.lincoln.or.us> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Hi Venka, all,
>> >>
>> >> On Wed, Oct 11, 2017 at 10:57 AM, Eli Adam <eadam at co.lincoln.or.us>
>> >> wrote:
>> >> > Hi Venka,
>> >> >
>> >> > On Wed, Oct 11, 2017 at 10:15 AM, Venkatesh Raghavan
>> >> > <raghavan at media.osaka-cu.ac.jp> wrote:
>> >> >> Hi Eli,
>> >> >>
>> >> >> First of all, thanks to Jorge for volunteering to be co-CRO
>> >> >> and fixing the CRO alias promptly.
>> >> >
>> >> > Yes, thanks Jorge.
>> >> >
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Regarding your other comment reproduced below;
>> >> >>
>> >> >> The Board did not appear to review this topic at
>> >> >> their last meeting,
>> >> >> https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Board_Meeting_2017-10-05, so perhaps it
>> >> >> is
>> >> >> of no concern to the Board.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> The question of review this topic at the 2017-10-05 board meeting
>> >> >> did
>> >> >> not
>> >> >> arise
>> >> >> as the nomination for our ex-co-CRO was filed on 2017-10-08.
>> >> >
>> >> > Thanks for fixing my mistake, I misunderstood the dates and thought
>> >> > that nomination for our ex-co-CRO was filed on 2017-10-01.  Sorry to
>> >> > suggest that it was of no concern to the Board when it is actually
>> >> > unknown.
>> >>
>> >> It appears that voting has now started and I don't see any Board
>> >> threads on the legitimacy of the CRO accepting a nomination,
>> >> https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/board/2017-October/thread.html
>> >>
>> >> >
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I would like to assure you that I share your concern about the
>> >> >> proper
>> >> >> process.
>> >> >
>> >> > Great, I hope that the Board follows the proper process.  I'll stop
>> >> > making noise and allow the proper process to work.
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >> Should I now conclude that this issue is of no concern to the Board?
>> >>
>> >> Best regards, Eli
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> > Best regards, Eli
>> >> >
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Best
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Venka
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> On 10/12/2017 1:58 AM, Jorge Sanz wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Hi Eli,
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I did it yesterday without having a ticket involved. My bad sorry.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I confirm that the CRO alias is now sending emails only to Vasile
>> >> >> and
>> >> >> me.
>> >> >> --
>> >> >> Jorge Sanz
>> >> >> https://jorgesanz.net
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Sent from my phone, excuse my brevity and typos
>> >> >>
>> >> >> El 11 oct. 2017 18:36, "Eli Adam" <eadam at co.lincoln.or.us> escribió:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> On Wed, Oct 11, 2017 at 7:44 AM, Fenoy Gerald
>> >> >> <gerald.fenoy at geolabs.fr>
>> >> >> wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Dear Eli,
>> >> >> as you may have notice, Jeff has stepped down from his position of
>> >> >>
>> >> >> co-CRO when accepting the Nicolas’ nomination [1].
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I didn't find that thread while scanning through the archive.
>> >> >> Thanks
>> >> >> for pointing it out to me.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Jeff was involved in the charter member election process as co-CRO
>> >> >> but
>> >> >>
>> >> >> he is no more so, I guess, there is no issue for the board election.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Was the cro at osgeo.org email alias updated?  I didn't notice a ticket
>> >> >> for that.  I'm impressed that there is so little concern about the
>> >> >> proper process.  The Board did not appear to review this topic at
>> >> >> their last meeting,
>> >> >> https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Board_Meeting_2017-10-05, so perhaps it
>> >> >> is
>> >> >> of no concern to the Board.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Best regards, Eli
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Best regards,
>> >> >>
>> >> >> [1]
>> >> >> https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/discuss/2017-October/036449.html
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Gérald Fenoy
>> >> >> http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/User:Djay
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Le 11 oct. 2017 à 16:04, Eli Adam <eadam at co.lincoln.or.us> a écrit :
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Nicolas,
>> >> >>
>> >> >> On Sun, Oct 8, 2017 at 2:48 PM, nicolas bozon
>> >> >> <nicolas.bozon at gmail.com>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> It is my honor to nominate Jeff McKenna for the OSGeo Board of
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Directors
>> >> >>
>> >> >> election.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I don't think that you can nominate the CRO, nor can the CRO accept
>> >> >> your nomination,
>> >> >> https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Chief_Returning_Officer.
>> >> >> In some past years the CRO was a sitting Board member with a year
>> >> >> remaining on their term thus avoiding this situation.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Most of you knows Jeff's energy and passion for everything OSGeo,
>> >> >> and i
>> >> >> would probably be mistaken trying to summarize his countless
>> >> >>
>> >> >> contributions
>> >> >>
>> >> >> over the years, at every level of our Foundation. His leadership and
>> >> >>
>> >> >> long
>> >> >>
>> >> >> involvement in the OSGeo and FOSS4G communities made him the Winner
>> >> >> of
>> >> >>
>> >> >> the
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Solz Katz Award in 2016, and i cannot add more. For those of you who
>> >> >>
>> >> >> may
>> >> >>
>> >> >> really not know Jeff yet, the User:Jeff_McKenna wiki page is a good
>> >> >>
>> >> >> read
>> >> >>
>> >> >> before you vote.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Jeff already served three times at the board and has a deep
>> >> >>
>> >> >> understanding of
>> >> >>
>> >> >> both the director role and the current OSGeo strategic plan.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Experienced
>> >> >>
>> >> >> with OSGeo governance and bylaws, Jeff also knows a lot about
>> >> >> projects
>> >> >>
>> >> >> and
>> >> >>
>> >> >> people. He is always ready to help build locally and to represent
>> >> >>
>> >> >> globally.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Jeff is a great communicator and enthusiastic community leader, and
>> >> >> i
>> >> >> believe he will be an excellent OSGeo director again. Please let us
>> >> >> all
>> >> >> welcome Jeff back at the Board!
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Best regards,
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Nicolas Bozon
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>> >> >> Jeff McKenna agreed to be nominated and i decided to send the
>> >> >>
>> >> >> nomination
>> >> >>
>> >> >> directly to the Discuss list with cc to CRO, so it avoids Jeff to
>> >> >>
>> >> >> confirm to
>> >> >>
>> >> >> himself that he accepts the nomination. The Board Nominations page
>> >> >>
>> >> >> still
>> >> >>
>> >> >> need to be updated, could you please Vasile ? Sorry for shortening
>> >> >> the
>> >> >> nomination process in this special case.
>> >> >> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>> >> >>
>> >> >> The point is not to avoid Jeff confirming to himself that he accepts
>> >> >> the nomination, it is to avoid the CRO running an election and
>> >> >> counting votes when they are also standing for election. It is
>> >> >> really
>> >> >> the Board's (and CRO's) responsibility to ensure that this situation
>> >> >> doesn't occur.  The Board should not appoint CROs who might accept a
>> >> >> nomination and people who might accept a nomination should not
>> >> >> accept
>> >> >> appointment as CRO.  Maybe we should return to the tradition of the
>> >> >> CRO being a sitting Board member with a year remaining on their
>> >> >> term.
>> >> >> CRO is a difficult job and much credit to those who do it.  Also,
>> >> >> someone (other than me) should be paying attention to the basic
>> >> >> process and raise these issues.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Best regards, Eli
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> _______________________________________________
>> >> >> Discuss mailing list
>> >> >> Discuss at lists.osgeo.org
>> >> >> https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>> >> >>
>> >> >> _______________________________________________
>> >> >> Discuss mailing list
>> >> >> Discuss at lists.osgeo.org
>> >> >> https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> _______________________________________________
>> >> >> Discuss mailing list
>> >> >> Discuss at lists.osgeo.org
>> >> >> https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> _______________________________________________
>> >> >> Discuss mailing list
>> >> >> Discuss at lists.osgeo.org
>> >> >> https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>> >> _______________________________________________
>> >> Discuss mailing list
>> >> Discuss at lists.osgeo.org
>> >> https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Jorge Sanz
>> > http://www.osgeo.org
>> > http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Jorge_Sanz
>> _______________________________________________
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>
>