[dcw] Re: Bylaws (Group for the key access discussion)

Braden Pellett goo... at dabrado.net
Tue Sep 10 15:13:42 PDT 2013


On Tue, Sep 10, 2013 at 02:34:06PM -0700, James Holliday wrote:
> I'll start a handbook template and put it on our github account.

Thanks, that sounds cool!

> I'd like to see a system where people who contribute to the space get a
> digital (and revocable!) key.  People who offer to open the space and
> monitor/oversee "open hours" are contributing their time.  People who
> come and in work on the door or fix our wiring are contributing their
> expertise.  People who make a financial donation are in my mind making
> another type of needed contribution.
> 
> Directors and door maintainers should have a physical key in case of
> power outage or misbehaving software, but (anonymous) physical keys
> should only be used if (traceable) digital keys are unavailable.
> 
> And finally, key access is given and revoked at the will of the board or
> a board appointed key manager.


Throwing in my own still-forming thoughts:

I'd like to see the general philosophy be:
  * Key access does represent one taking on part of the shared responsibility for stewardship of the space.
  * Key access does _not_ represent a reward.

I think such a philosophy leads to the specific examples you bring up above, e.g. coming in to hold open hours, or coming in to maintain the space or work on space projects, etc.  It even would probably include financial donations, since that is part of the act of keeping the space available for the general public.

Simultaneously, I believe this would also discourage key-holding members from using the space only for personal projects, or a "co-working" space (e.g. rent-a-desk), or storage, etc., even if they contributed something else of value to the space (time, money, materials), insofar as such activities limit the ability of the general public to use the space to make stuff.

Or some such.

  - Braden



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