Zones and roles
Draft. This text is proposed and has not yet been adopted by the members.
Proposed policy. The board adopts it to take effect with the bylaws. Not yet adopted. The board decides what the shop is; a Zone Boss decides how their zone works.
Zones
There are six zones:
| Zone | What’s in it |
|---|---|
| Woodworking | Table saw, miter saw, band saw, planer, sanders, router table, hand tools, dust collection |
| Machining | Vertical knee mill and metal lathe |
| Metalworking | MIG, TIG, and stick welding, chop saw, grinders, and metal casting |
| Electronics | Soldering and rework stations, oscilloscope, power supplies, components |
| Digital Fabrication | 3D printers, laser cutter, CNC router |
| Crafts | Sewing, textiles, and other hand crafts |
The classroom, kitchen, entrance, donation shelf, and Open Hack Night are not part of any zone. The board, or a Lead the board names, runs them, and the general fund pays for them.
Roles
| Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Zone Boss | By the board, one per zone; reports to the Vice President | Ends 30 April. Every role is reappointed together each year |
| Lead | By the board, for a job that isn’t a place (classes, systems, events…) | Ends 30 April |
| Deputy | By a Zone Boss or Lead, no board approval | Until the person who appointed them says otherwise |
- Anyone in a role stays in it until reappointed or replaced, even past 30 April.
- Anyone in these roles may resign at any time. The board may remove anyone in these roles at any time by majority vote, and records the reason in the minutes.
- Two-roles rule. No one holds more than two of: board seat, Zone Boss, Lead.
- A director who is a Zone Boss does not vote on their own zone’s budget or appointment.
What a Zone Boss decides alone
- The layout and organization of the zone, and extra storage in it (including any fee)
- How long tagged projects may stay in the zone
- Who may teach checkouts; each class’s price tier; tool rental rates
- Materials policy, cleanup standard, and which donations the zone accepts
- Who pays for damage in the zone
- Spending within the zone balance and the limits in Money
What the board decides
- How much floor space each zone gets
- Which tools are checkout-gated (the Zone Boss proposes)
- Anything that affects the building, electrical, dust collection, or another zone
- Contracts, ongoing costs, and spending above the limits
- Membership, dues, and discipline
What a Zone Boss owes the shop
- Keep the zone’s wiki page current.
- Walk and tidy the zone every month.
- Answer member requests within a week, even if the answer is no.
- Before each quarterly board meeting, post five lines on the zone’s wiki page: what changed, what’s broken, spending and balance, classes, and what the zone needs from the board.
Official text: view on GitHub · change history · propose a change · all bylaws and policies