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

[Blake Girardot]

Hi again Nico and fellow OSMF members.

You know, I was entertained by your original email Nico because it was 
so divorced from reality and lacking any substance, but now after not 
very long thinking more about it I am much less entertained.

You are intentionally feeding the idea that there is a divide between 
HOT and OSM and there is NO divide: Great HOT people are great OSM 
people. We all are dedicated to growing and strengthening OSM and the 
OSM community worldwide.

The people running for OSMF Board (all of them) are good people and 
great supporters of OSM and you have now ignored that and cast doubt on 
the candidacy of 3 people who will be nothing but experienced, tireless 
supporters of OSM (elected to the board or not). And not based on their 
qualifications or dedication, because those are unassailable, but based 
on some unfounded idea that HOT will have anything to do with the OSMF 
board if these people are elected.

It is a cynical, intentionally negative view of the OSM and HOT 
community and I had a great deal more respect for you.

It is really disappointing that you would send this email based on 
nothing, obviously no evidence or history, based on nothing but pure 
innuendo and suggestion to cast these people in a negative light for no 
reason.

I miss the old Nico, please try and find him.

Regards,
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
>
>