I, Gregory Seale, am submitting my Statement of Intent to run for the Board of Directors.

We may have met in glass, ceramics, creative arts, 3-D fab, metal, welding, woodworking, or in my roles as steward of storage or woodshop safety instructor.  I am a Trial Lawyer and teacher, mostly retired. I found the Makerspace community in 2022.   Whether it is the friendships or the creative opportunities, the community has become one of the most valuable parts of my retirement. 

It would be a privilege to help our community on a daily basis and as we move forward on the new design. Every project can slow down over time and may need a bit of a kickstart. Often, all it takes is a new perspective, fresh energy and the time to make it happen.  As a name partner in an expanding firm, I have  experience in growing a business.If the community wishes to accept, I am offering my services as a member of the board.

Several people have asked me expound on my Priorities as a potential board member.

Member storage:  I am very pleased to have been able to volunteer to act as Storage Marshall in order to return project storage to the members. I look forward to expanding it and getting the word out to ALL members that temporary project storage is available and expanding. 

Expansion:  The most pressing matter is ensuring the expansion moves forward.  We have borrowed the money and parked it in an investment account, so finances are not the issue.  It is simply a matter having the will to take action.  Individuals need to make it happen.  Specifically:

Within 60 days, automotive needs to  complete the transfer to the north side.  Even if some of the new elements are not ready to go in, we need to set up what we can so laser, metal shop, woodshop, workroom and member storage can advance.

Within 30 days, the lathe room needs to be finished.  We can push the contractor to install the correct windows, but in the meantime, we can move forward with the flooring, any necessary wiring, dust collection, and installation.

The board needs to ensure the temperature in ceramics will be comfortable as the summer months approach.  The new walls around automotive may have disrupted airflow in ceramics.  Let’s not wait to address the issue.

After the automotive transfer is complete, it will be time to install the laser facility.  As I understand it, air supply and wiring are in place.  We need to build the walls, move the machines and hook them up.

When laser has moved, we can turn that space over to the metal shop to consolidate a host of machines that are scattered around the south work space. 

Once all that is done, we can address the improvements to the wood shop, workroom and member storage.

Transparency - I have heard many members complain that operations and finance are not readily available to the members.  The response is often, “all you have to do is ask.”  I would prefer that members not have to ask for basic information, such as expenses, balance sheets and timelines.  One of our members has suggested that the board create a 5 years plan that can be both a blueprint for our future and a standard by which to measure the board’s effectiveness.  It’s a very good idea.  

Fairness - Every committee should have an equal opportunity to achieve its mission.  That does not mean that every committee has the same needs.  Fairness is equality of opportunity, not equality of money or space.  The graphic media folks are in desperate need of standardized computing platforms to offer classes; without them, this committee is dead in the water, unable to fulfill its educational mission.  Fairness requires the board to meet that need immediately.  Every member should have equal access to temporary project storage.  This ought to be a priority as the expansion moves forward.

Eliminate the delay in making improvements - Once a project has been approved, it should be implemented quickly.  The dark room has been approved for 3 new electrical outlets.  It should not take 2 months to choose an electrician.  3-D printing has been approved for heat reflective tinting windows, but it hasn’t happened.  Drawing has been trying to get a figure class approved that needs simple logistical issues worked it out; It should not take months to happen.


Finally, I have heard people question the validity of a few smaller committees, suggesting that if they cant pull in enough members and revenue to support themselves, they should be removed.  I disagree.  That approach is certainly understandable in a for-profit business, but we are a non-profit educational organization.  Our mission is to give makers an opportunity to learn and create.  Our committees are successful when they maximize that opportunity. Of course, finances are a practical reality, and there are limits on opportunities the organization can provide.  But as I taught my oldest son, It is the big kids job to take care of the little kids.  In our terms, the larger, more lucrative committees should be supporting the smaller ones, who in turn should realize it is in everyones’ best interest to make sure those larger committees remain strong and healthy.  We are symbiotic organization, and we will do well to remember that the better we support each other, the stronger we will be.





Signature  

Greg Seale

Member Support / Endorsements:  



Page History:

Version Date Author Comment
3 2025-04-19 Greg Seale
2 2025-04-04 Greg Seale
1 2025-03-30 Greg Seale

3 Comments

  1. James Henningson

    I endorse Greg for the board. I had the pleasure of working with him on the planning to reopen storage. He is smart, level headed, efficient and most of all he understands what makes the whole space work. He will be a great addition to our board! 

  2. Julie Harris

    Greg was a huge help with project storage and I think he would be a great addition to the board.  

  3. Kevin Thompson

    I endorse Greg for the board. Greg is one of the only lawyers you will ever actually like. Though his primary passion is woodworking, he is a fairly well-rounded man with an impressive C.V. Between his legal expertise, his strong professional acumen, his go-getter attitude, and his deep capacity for empathy and open-mindedness, he is probably the most obvious choice for a DMS board seat that I have ever seen in my 6 years at DMS.