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 <[email protected]> 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.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> HOT mailing list
>> [email protected]
>> http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/hot
>> 


_______________________________________________
HOT mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/hot

Reply via email to