Nomination committee

An ad hoc committee set up to publicize the volunteer representative elections and solicit candidates/nominations for the seats.

From the transition committee notes:

At this time [90 days before THM] a Nominating Committee is appointed by board. The nominating committee may include board, non-board, volunteers, collective management and union or other non-collective staff as deemed appropriate by the board. Nominating Committee members are chosen for their broad trustworthiness in their judgment and knowledge of people across the greatest segment of Free Geek's voting membership [core volunteers, defined as people who have volunteered at least 30 days in year preceding the THM], rather than for any particular skill level. It is a wise politically minded committee. This is a 30 day period for committee to oversee self, peer, and staff nominations and create running list of candidates, and keep a public profile of those activities, such as a publicly posted (physical wall hung) bulletin board. An effort is made to make upcoming elections broadly inclusive of volunteers.

Current members:

• Laurel1.0

To do

June 2011

• Find members for this committee. The board delegated finding non-board members to inreach, since people who are in contact with volunteers more regularly are going to be the most important part.
• Doles this committee need a mailing list? Probably -- will need to communicate in this and future THM planning phases.
• Publicize structure change. (LAH/inreach. newsletter, email to regulars & paidstaff, update website)
• Update bulletin board outside meeting room.
• Create materials for staff/etc to give to potential candidates, explaining the role and process.

July 2011

• Seek candidates
• Ensure candidates are eligible, understand commitment and process, help them put together statements

August 2011

• Release "voters pamphlet" (print and digital)

September 2011

• Disband and get beer.

Materials

To give potential candidates

Somebody thinks you're Rad.
And other R words, like Responsive and Responsible. And Really good at communication.

The person giving you this thinks you would be a good candidate for a volunteer representative on Free Geek's Board of Directors. Many of the members of the board are brought on because of their professional skills or outside contacts and experience; they help make the board strong and outward-facing. The downside to this is that they may be remote from the everyday experience of Free Geek's core volunteers, the people who make the organization a community in its own right.

We've made a commitment to have no less than one quarter of the board consist of volunteer representatives, chosen by election by core volunteers to make sure that the interests and values of the volunteers at large are considered in the board's strategic planning -- and that those volunteers can know what is happening at the board level. The first election for volunteer representatives will be this September, at our first ever Town Hall Meeting. We hope you will consider running to represent your fellow volunteers.

To find out what it takes to be a board member and who is eligible to run, please contact the nomination committee: xxxx (maybe we also need an in-person contact).

Important dates:

• September x - Town Hall Meeting
• August x - Voters pamphlets released

Important links:

• New Director Agreement applies to all board members
• Volunteer representative outlines the responsibilities of this seat.

Message to paidstaff

(perhaps also send to buildteachers?) Hi folks,

The time has come for us to find candidates for the volunteer representative seats on the board. As you may know, we are transitioning toward the new governance structure approved in April of this year, and one of the requirements we set up for ourselves was to have at least 25% of the board consist of volunteer representatives; volunteers who are in touch with the volunteer community, able to separate their opinions from the interests of others, capable of reaching out to solicit opinions and impart information, and interested in making Free Geek stronger. The main criterion is that the candidate have volunteered at least 30 hours in the past year (as of the Town Hall Meeting in September, so this shouldn't be much of a stopping point). They also must be able to fulfill the responsibilities of a board member, which include attending meetings and reading/responding to email promptly. Here are a few more important details:

• We can't accept new candidates after July, since we're putting out the voters pamphlet in early August. There will be no write-in option.
• Board meetings are open, so candidates who are curious should attend. Meetings fall on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 6:15.
• The board is unpaid.
• It's a great learning experience, and there are important issues facing Free Geek now (like changing technology) that will require creative strategy and careful governance.

Other things about the responsibilities of the position can be found at the links in the short text inviting candidates to contact the nomination committee. Please feel free to refer any good candidates with that text, either printed or emailed.