[HOT] suggestion for HOT Board vote

[Schuyler Erle]

Okay, I'm responsible for the confusion.

Yes, we have a vacancy on the board of directors of the HOT Foundation; yes, the foundation is electing a new board member; however, yes, you must already formally be a member of the foundation in order to vote for the board.

I didn't realize until I sent my email to the list that the election announcement was only sent privately to the 20 or so people who are already formal members of the foundation. I am personally of the opinion that this kind of announcement and discussion ought to be on the public mailing list, but I have not been the one doing the work, so I can't really complain.

I'm sorry if this has thrown anyone for a loop!

SDE

On Jul 17, 2011, at 12:25 PM, Floris Looijesteijn wrote:

> Are we voting for a new board? Where's the announcement of that?
> I probably missed it but I don't see anything on the HOT website either?
> 
> Greetings,
> Floris Looijesteijn
> 
> On Sun, Jul 17, 2011 at 12:15 PM, Schuyler Erle <schuyler at nocat.net> wrote:
>> Hey gang,
>> 
>> If you haven't cast your ballot for the HOT Board of Directors yet, I would like to encourage you to consider this, briefly:
>> 
>> There is no question whatsoever that all three nominees for board positions are eminently qualified to represent HOT, and would be valuable additions to the Board of Directors, however -- our board already has a preponderance of Americans.
>> 
>> I mention this primarily because we, as HOT, have to deal with a humanitarian aid community -- and particularly that part within the UN system -- that is sometimes suspicious of Americans. We are sometimes perceived, regrettably, as having a tendency to try to take over and run the whole show, whatever the show is. Now, you all know as well as I do that the Americans involved in HOT are sensitive to political nuance, and do strive to be suitably respectful of our colleagues in other organizations, regardless of nationality. The problem isn't with the HOTties -- it's with the possible perception of HOT from *outside* our group.
>> 
>> I believe that it is of the utmost importance to the future of the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team that the organization is NOT perceived by others as primarily an American initiative. We are a group with a genuinely international character, and the rest of the world should see us as such.
>> 
>> Therefore I will tell you that I am voting for Harry Wood for the available directorship. Harry is at least as qualified, as skilled, and as committed as anyone else who has been nominated -- and he has the advantage of being from someplace other than the US. I know that he will continue to be an asset to our organization as a director on our board, and I hope that you will elect him to this role.
>> 
>> Yours truly,
>> 
>> An American.
>> 
>> 
>> 
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>>