[Osmf-talk] Balancing the presence of the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT US Inc) in the OpenStreetMap Foundation

[Blake Girardot]

Hi Nico,

Thank you for the heads up on some of the people running for OSMF board.

Somewhat fact free of course, but none the less enlightening as to 
different people's perspectives.

The only minor correction I would make is that HOT US Inc. is not 
represented on the OSMF board now or ever by Kate, nor will it be 
represented on the OSMF board should any of the people you list or 
anyone else be elected to the board.

Never to my knowledge has anyone from HOT US Inc. (or as we like to call 
it: HOT) ever spoken directly to Kate in her role as OSMF board member 
about any HOT related issue or concern.

And further, I can promise you that the same will apply for me at least 
to anyone that is elected to the OSMF board in the future.

I am a board member for HOT US Inc. (or as I like to call it: HOT ;) and 
in that role I have one main duty and obligation: To do what I think is 
in the best interests of HOT and its mission when I am in my role as 
board member.

I expect that everyone elected to the OSMF Board has a similar duty and 
obligation to OSMF, to do what they believe in the best interests of the 
OSMF and its mission and I trust every board member of the OSMF to do 
exactly that.

I would really like to see some discussion from the people running for 
OSMF board on what their vision for OSM is.

How do they see growing OSM, strengthening the worldwide OSM community 
and ensuring OSM's future.

What do you see as the challenges facing OSM in the near and long term?

Further, lets hear about qualifications?

Any board member needs to bring a strong track record of at least one of 
these three things to their role as board member:

Time, experience or fundraising skills.

I would love to hear any of the candidates support their candidacy with 
their views on which of those three they bring to the effort.

Conspiracy theories are entertaining and all, but I am more concerned 
with reality and getting more good OSM community builders on the OSMF 
board, like we have had in the past.

Cheers,
Blake




On 11/24/2015 11:56 PM, nicolas chavent wrote:
> Dear OSMF voting members and mappers,
>
>
> This short note (also published in my diary [1]) to draw your
> attention on the danger for OSMF (and the OSM project) in the case the
> United States NGO "Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team US Inc" (aka HOT US
> Inc) got a majority at the OSMF Board after this 2015 election.
>
> Mikel Maron, Joseph Reeves and Yantisa Akhadi, all members of the NGO
> HOT US Inc, are running for the OSMF Board [2]; Kate Chapman, the
> former ED of HOT US Inc serves already as Board Officer in OSMF.
>
> Shall Mikel Maron, Joseph Reeves and Yantisa Akhadi be elected, HOT US
> Inc will get a majority at the Board of the Foundation.
> This will provide a single organization of the OSM ecosystem (HOT US
> Inc) with an unprecedented and excessive power of influence over the
> Foundation.
>
> This running of three candidates from the same organization is
> puzzling and troublesome when one considers that HOT US Inc (and
> therefore its perspective around OpenStreetMap) is already represented
> at the OSMF Board since Sept 2013. Why extending its presence and
> influence and consequently diminishing the OSM diversity represented
> at the OSMF Board?
>
> A greater HOT US Inc presence at the OSMF Board would be a matter of
> concern in terms of :
> - balance of powers
> - diversity of visions, thoughts and practices around OSM
> - board dynamics: a collective of HOT US Inc Boardees would interact
> with single individuals.
> This is a bad practice which is not followed by any Organizations;
> this is specifically true for representative bodies (organization
> representing organizations) such as OSMF
>
>
> Here are some elements that OSMF voting members shall have in ming
> prior casting their ballot 28-Nov onwards bearing in minds that HOT US
> Inc and this perspective about OSM is already represented at the OSMF
> Board through Kate Chapman.
>
> The HOT US Inc perspective informs, like other perspectives, the work
> of the Foundation and has its effect on the OSM project, there is no
> need to take risks in providing this group with more room in the
> Foundation which is hot enough in these times of winter.
>
> Best,
> Nicolas
>
> [1]: https://www.openstreetmap.org/user/Nicolas Chavent/diary/36750
> [2]: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Foundation/AGM15/Election_to_Board
>
>