I won't comment too much on the build-out of the space since I have largely been absent in this process. That said, communicating projects is important. The subject of prioritizing things has been brought up before but never applied. Though originally in the context of distribution of funding I think it could equally be applied to date of completion.
Having a list of projects that need completed in order for opening day to really showcase the SynHak community could streamline this. It would allow people to see what needs done and identify if projects can be completed in parallel or must be done sequentially. Since there are only a handful of people at the space at any given time this could alleviate some unintentional conflicts and lack of foresight. *I would welcome an explanation of how this means that SYNHAK needs to provide education.* "This corporation shall be organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes *within the meaning of Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code*..." -SynHak, Inc. Bylaws "(3) Corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, *scientific*, testing for public safety, literary, or *educational purposes*, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition (but only if no part of its activities involve the provision of athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals...." [emphasis added] http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/501 "Provide details on any structured educational programs for members AND the public. Also state whether your members just " undertake their own activities" with no structured education from the organization." --Inquiry by our IRS agent In order to warrant the charitable status we currently have SynHak, Inc. must provide some form of educational material. If your intention all along was to provide space and only space then we have applied for and been granted the wrong tax status. We should have applied for the club exemption that was initially suggested to us by the IRS in their questions sent to us back in September. I am unsure why the board and founding members applied for an educational exemption if the intent was not to provide education. To that end, currently we are classified as an educational non-profit corporation that offers structured educational programs, though to paraphrase Jayne Cobb, they were not specific as to how. We should be able to meet this requirement through the hosting of the Speakers bureau or if we wanted to, through the publication of a recurring newsletter. There is a lot of wiggle room in meeting this requirement but if we want to stay on the right side of the law we need to provide some structured educational content or begin meeting one of the other requirements for our tax classification. Going to 'con's and teaching people how to solder or other lessons should also apply. s Regarding special rights and differentiation based on membership status. Members by definition do have special rights compared to non-members, though like you said there have been attempts to extend these privileges from what was originally set forth. These privileges are voting rights, opportunity to have project storage, opportunity for 24/7 unfettered access, and lastly ability to run for officer/board positions. Our community are the shareholders. If the current board/officers can't provide the 'space to do projects or keep the 'space running smoothly; the members have the ability and responsibility to depose them. While I understand the tendency for people to want to increase their reach, and to some extent I'm not sure I have a problem with it. It is certainly something worth clearing up. We have to balance making members feel like their contributions to the community don't go unappreciated with encouraging people to join our community. While contributing hundreds of dollars a month towards their membership just because they want to see the community thrive is enough for a few, most people will only pay as much as they feel they are getting benefits back for. We should continue making our goals not to exclude anyone nor make them feel unappreciated. regards, Andrew L On Sat, Feb 22, 2014 at 3:39 PM, Torrie Fischer <[email protected]>wrote: > On Friday, February 21, 2014 21:11:31 a l wrote: > > *I'm not happy with SYNHAK's image and our interpersonal communication. I > > feel that some members of the community are trying to treat SYNHAK as a > > faceless corporation that caters to people who pay dues. I often hear of > > strong delineations between Members and non-members, where Members have > > first pickings for certain things or other rights that are not given to > > non-Members. Over the weekend, I saw someone say "SYNHAK is starting an > > ISP!". SYNHAK, Inc has a handful of tax exempt accounts at various local > > establishments with no clear rules on how to use them. We're sacrificing > > hacking space to one person through a real lease, with legalese and > > everything. I can't count how many times I've heard the phrase "SYNHAK is > > going to do X" as if it were some official statement that everyone is > > obliged to follow.* > > > > > > > > SynHak, Inc. Does indeed have tax exempt accounts at a number of > retailers > > and while we have not explicitly stated how these accounts are to be used > > there are explicit rules, with penalties for non-compliance. The summary > is > > that they are to -only- be used in furthering the mission statement of > > Syn/Hak, inc. > > > > > > > http://www.tax.ohio.gov/faq/tabid/6315/Default.aspx?QuestionID=433&AFMID=113 > > 54 > > > > The point about us being an event center is an important one. While > members > > may use the space for events it must be explicit that SynHak, inc. is > not a > > host of events unless they are educational in nature or otherwise further > > our goal as defined in the articles of incorporation. This is very > > important when it comes to retaining our tax exempt status. > > I wholly agree. Too many people are thinking that because something is > being > done at SYNHAK, it is suddenly something sanctioned by SYNHAK, Inc. > > > * My last full day of Champion is 6 days away, on February 27th. I'm not > > running for the Board or re-running for Champion. I'm not doing those > > because I want to finally step back and enjoy the fruits of my labor as a > > member. I'm lately finding it hard to enjoy, as I feel that the > > collaborative culture of SYNHAK is being slowly eroded away in favor of > > behind-the-back communication channels, assumptions that others who > > disagree with you are acting in bad faith, and "Professionalism". * > > > > There have been a number of disagreements and arguments that could have > > been avoided simply by talking about what people are doing. Some of this > > was simply because there had been discussion with sub-groups of people > > about a given decision but never a discussion with the body whole. This > > results in surprise and confusion as people think there is consensus when > > there is not. Further there has been a rise in people using 'do-ocracy' > > as a cover for unilateral action. There is a fine line between doing > > something because it needs to be done and no one is stepping up, implicit > > approval, and doing things that an individual wants done while no one is > > around to tell them no. This line is often blurrier than we care for and > > people may not realize they have run afoul until there is public outcry > > seemingly from no where. > > This lack of communication is wholly pissing me off. Forever ago, we > agreed on > the (possibly unwritten) rule of "If it didn't happen on the list, it > didn't > happen." Myself and others have fought very hard to encourage that through > mailing meeting minutes to discuss@, mailing membership applications to > discuss@, calling board votes through the various lists, working to get > our > proposals in writing on discuss@, etc. > > Here's a very poignant example: Last week, I had been painting the hexagon > wall that Chris had laid out. I came in earlier this week and electrical > conduit had been mounted over the unpainted wall adjacent to it and the > still > unifinished hexagon wall. > > I'll admit that I hadn't announced my intention to continue its progress on > build@ or anywhere else. I had grown weary of nobody telling me what they > were > working on or what they were planning to start, so I stopped caring about > making the weekly buildout report. > > However, the wall was clearly not finished. The excellent thing to do > would be > to mail the list or otherwise get in contact with me and ask when I was > going > to finish the wall. It is *incredibly* unexcellent and demotivating to > mount a > bunch of shiny conduit that we all agreed should not be painted over to an > unfinished wall, and not put any painters tape on it or even try to figure > out > if it makes sense to delay it. > > > > > Just because we are a hackerspace does not mean we can't be > > professional. Likewise > > we don't have to be professional at all times, but SynHak, Inc. is a > > company and if we want to keep working with the local government, > schools, > > and library it would make things easier if we considered our surroundings > > when conducting ourselves. > > > > > > * To me, SYNHAK is a community that wants to build a space for hackers. > As > > part of that mission, there is a limited infrastructure that is used by > the > > community to collect rent, pay bills, and protect that limited > > infrastructure against legal hassles. It isn't a machine shop, a computer > > lab, an event space, a datacenter, a warehouse, a garage, a classroom, or > > even a kitchen. 48 S. Summit has those features. 48 S. Summit is a side > > effect of SYNHAK that is a result of that limited infrastructure's > mission > > to provide a space for hackers to accomplish what they want to > accomplish. > > 48 S. Summit isn't SYNHAK. It is our community's largest group project > that > > many of us are working on in whatever ways we think are the most helpful > > way to carve out a space for hackers like ourselves. The electronics lab > > isn't SYNHAK, Inc.'s electronics lab. It is a tool that the community we > > have come to call "SYNHAK" can use and in exchange maintains. Much of it > is > > on loan from members, some of it is even owned by the limited > > infrastructure set forth in our bylaws and incorporation document filed > > with the State of Ohio. The same can be said about our kitchen, data > > center, etc, etc. If someone wants to run an educational program out of > 48 > > S. Summit, they are more than welcome to. SYNHAK, Inc does not and > *should > > not* run educational programs. I do not want anyone to feel obligated to > > contribute to running an educational program. The global community of > > hackers or a subset thereof are welcome to use SYNHAK to run an > educational > > program in the City of Akron, but that is their own endeavor. * > > > This part I > > must disagree with. As we are currently established SynHak, Inc. is a > > charitable organization with educational and instructional endeavors. > Our > > mission statement, state, and federal tax exemptions are all contingent > on > > SynHak, Inc. providing some form of education. > > This does not mean that every member must participate in public outreach > > but it does mean that as a company SynHak must provide educational value > if > > it wants to continue operating under the exemptions it is currently > > enjoying. The requirements are not specific in how we meet this > > educational goal. The speakers bureau is one way, the childrens outreach > > known as the Young Aristotles is another way, the reference library we > > maintain is a third way. These methods were chosen because there was > > community interest in supporting them. While every member is not > required > > to contribute it is unrealistic to expect the entire educational > > requirement to be met by one or a few members. > > Educational value does not necessarily require a structured environment. > > For me, the educational value comes from the collaborative atmosphere > within > the community. People are encouraged to work together and bounce ideas off > of > each other. We learn from each other and share in kind. > > This has been stated at nearly every single meeting: > > "SYNHAK provides space, tools, and infrastructure to help others learn new > skills and create cool things." > > SYNHAK doesn't provide educational programs. Members can use SYNHAK to > provide > educational programs. > > I would also like to argue that we did not establish SYNHAK, Inc with > educational and instructional endeavors. The corporation was established to > protect our members, board, and officers against financial liability along > with providing a structure to organize the community and allocate shared > resources. Should SYNHAK's finances run out, no single person can be held > responsible to pay our rent and bills. > > It took us at least two months to hammer out the mission statement: > > "SYN/HAK provides an environment for people to educate, create, and share > amongst themselves and others within the domains of technology, art and > science." > > I do not see how that says we incorporated as SYNHAK, Inc with > instructional > and educational endeavors. It clearly says: > > * SYNHAK provides an environment > * This environment is provided for people > * People can use the environment to educate, create, and share amongst > themselves > * People can use the environment to do those things if they're related to > technology, art, and science. > > I would welcome an explanation of how this means that SYNHAK needs to > provide > education. > > > > > * I live outside mainstream culture. The world is full of interesting > > problems to be solved. Attitude is no substitute for competence. Freedom > is > > good; I have an instinctive hostility towards censorship, secrecy, and > the > > use of deception to compel others. I'm always willing to act on those > > beliefs. * > > > > Perhaps this is in regards to the 'back-channels communication' > referenced > > before, I don't see censorship or intentional deception to compel anyone > > at synhak. I have been less active than others though so perhaps I'm just > > not there to see it. > > > > > > > > > > > > * When I'm done as Champion, I will continue to use our limited > governance > > infrastructure to carve out a space for hackers in the City of Invention. > > SYNHAK is a hacker space. A space for hackers. Not a space for corporate > > bullshit.* > > > > I mentioned this in another discussion. Like it or not the state and > > federal government see us as a corporation. There will be times when > > SynHak, Inc. must behave as a corporation particularly if we intend to > get > > preferential treatment in the form of tax exemption and tens(hundreds?) > of > > thousands of dollars in grant money as is currently being discussed. > > > > It is possible to behave as a corporation without acting like we have > shareholders, members have special rights over non-members, or stifling a > creative atmosphere with bureaucracy. I hate rules unless they're > absolutely > needed, which is why I waited 'till now to post the recent series of > threads > for discussion about rule changes. Our mechanisms are no longer sustainable > which needs rectified immediately. > > > > > > > Regards, > > > > Andrew L > > > > On Fri, Feb 21, 2014 at 7:53 PM, alex kot <[email protected]> wrote: > > > As a somewhat newer member, I find Syn/Hak to be a community not a > > > corporation. I find the concept of it being an open source > hackerspace is > > > a great thing. The foundation of open source is to share and > collaborate. > > > > > > I find education is an important part of a community. Not everyone > is an > > > > > > expert in every field, why having a diverse group to share knowledge is > > > part of the concept. Of course there is going to be disagreements on > what > > > people think, it is human nature. As the person who sparked the idea > of > > > this place, I believe you an extreme value to this place. > > > > > > > > > Sincerely, > > > Alex Kot > > > > > > On Friday, February 21, 2014 7:07 PM, a l <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I'm on my phone so I'll be briefer than is warranted for the topic. > > > > > > Regarding the sublease of space to a member. I was under the impression > > > that this activity had been discussed and mentioned in the list a few > > > times. I don't recall any intentional hiding of this arrangement. I > > > thought, perhaps erroniously, that this had been brought up as a > proposal. > > > I agree with parts and disagree with others but I'm glad you brought it > > > up; I'm sure if one person gets an impression others have it as well. > > > Regards, > > > Andrew L > > > On Feb 21, 2014 6:03 PM, "Torrie Fischer" <[email protected]> > > > wrote: > > > > > > Hi, hakkers. > > > > > > This is something thats been bothering me for some time, so I want to > > > discuss > > > it with everyone. This is a mail that I've edited and re-edited over > the > > > last > > > few months, so it isn't in response to recent bizops@ discussion. > > > > > > I'm not happy with SYNHAK's image and our interpersonal communication. > > > > > > I feel that some members of the community are trying to treat SYNHAK > as a > > > faceless corporation that caters to people who pay dues. I often hear > of > > > strong delineations between Members and non-members, where Members have > > > first > > > pickings for certain things or other rights that are not given to > > > non-Members. > > > Over the weekend, I saw someone say "SYNHAK is starting an ISP!". > SYNHAK, > > > Inc > > > has a handful of tax exempt accounts at various local establishments > with > > > no > > > clear rules on how to use them. We're sacrificing hacking space to one > > > person > > > through a real lease, with legalese and everything. I can't count how > many > > > times I've heard the phrase "SYNHAK is going to do X" as if it were > some > > > official statement that everyone is obliged to follow. > > > > > > My last full day of Champion is 6 days away, on February 27th. I'm not > > > running > > > for the Board or re-running for Champion. I'm not doing those because I > > > want > > > to finally step back and enjoy the fruits of my labor as a member. I'm > > > lately > > > finding it hard to enjoy, as I feel that the collaborative culture of > > > SYNHAK > > > is being slowly eroded away in favor of behind-the-back communication > > > channels, assumptions that others who disagree with you are acting in > bad > > > faith, and "Professionalism". > > > > > > To me, SYNHAK is a community that wants to build a space for hackers. > As > > > part > > > of that mission, there is a limited infrastructure that is used by the > > > community to collect rent, pay bills, and protect that limited > > > infrastructure > > > against legal hassles. It isn't a machine shop, a computer lab, an > event > > > space, a datacenter, a warehouse, a garage, a classroom, or even a > > > kitchen. 48 > > > S. Summit has those features. 48 S. Summit is a side effect of SYNHAK > that > > > is > > > a result of that limited infrastructure's mission to provide a space > for > > > hackers to accomplish what they want to accomplish. > > > > > > 48 S. Summit isn't SYNHAK. It is our community's largest group project > > > that > > > many of us are working on in whatever ways we think are the most > helpful > > > way > > > to carve out a space for hackers like ourselves. The electronics lab > isn't > > > SYNHAK, Inc.'s electronics lab. It is a tool that the community we have > > > come > > > to call "SYNHAK" can use and in exchange maintains. Much of it is on > loan > > > from > > > members, some of it is even owned by the limited infrastructure set > forth > > > in > > > our bylaws and incorporation document filed with the State of Ohio. The > > > same > > > can be said about our kitchen, data center, etc, etc. If someone wants > to > > > run > > > an educational program out of 48 S. Summit, they are more than welcome > to. > > > SYNHAK, Inc does not and *should not* run educational programs. I do > not > > > want > > > anyone to feel obligated to contribute to running an educational > program. > > > The > > > global community of hackers or a subset thereof are welcome to use > SYNHAK > > > to > > > run an educational program in the City of Akron, but that is their own > > > endeavor. > > > > > > I live outside mainstream culture. The world is full of interesting > > > problems > > > to be solved. Attitude is no substitute for competence. Freedom is > good; I > > > have an instinctive hostility towards censorship, secrecy, and the use > of > > > deception to compel others. I'm always willing to act on those beliefs. > > > > > > When I'm done as Champion, I will continue to use our limited > governance > > > infrastructure to carve out a space for hackers in the City of > Invention. > > > > > > SYNHAK is a hacker space. A space for hackers. Not a space for > corporate > > > bullshit. > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Discuss mailing list > > > [email protected] > > > https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Discuss mailing list > > > [email protected] > > > https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Discuss mailing list > > > [email protected] > > > https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > [email protected] > https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss >
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