2021 Board Elections Pt. 3: Timeline & Expectations

Cover by

As the Telos ecosystem continues to evolve, it’s important for us to ensure that the direction of the Telos Foundation properly reflects the community’s expectations.

‍

This is the third part in our series on the upcoming Telos Foundation Board Elections. Check out Part 1 to get a better understanding of the history of the Telos Foundation and how its structure has evolved over time. Part 2 looks at early expectations on how the community can get involved in this important event, either through running or voting.

Here in Part 3, we’ll lay out the expected timeline for this event and explain some of the steps that need to be completed before the elections launch. We’ll also release some suggested expectations for future board members.

Expected Timeline

Below is the suggested timeline on how the 2021 Telos Foundation Board Elections will run.

‍

August 3rd: Telos Tuesday Elections Roundtable

Our Elections Roundtable will catch the Telos community up on all the work going on behind the scenes in preparation for the upcoming Telos Foundation board elections. At this event, we’ll outline the Telos Foundation’s current work and dive into the process for the upcoming elections.

After going over our timeline, expectations and walking through how interested candidates can apply, we’ll open things up to the community. This will give you a chance to ask your questions, offer feedback and share concerns as we go into this important community initiative. The event will be taking place on the Telos Community Telegram, with an audio recording of the event shared after the fact for those who can’t attend.

‍

Check out the recording of this event below!

‍

August 13th & 20th: Meet the Current Team at The Weekly Telos Call

These dates will be an opportunity for interested candidates to observe how the current Telos Foundation operates and understand all the work going on behind the scenes before they run for a seat. This is important to ensure a seamless transition for newly elected board members. Those interested in attending should reach out to a current Telos Foundation member for more information.

‍

August 26th: Telos Tuesday Telos Foundation Election Candidate AMA

Just like the Elections Roundtable, this event will also happen in the Telos Community Telegram. Interested candidates will have the opportunity to give a short address and field questions from community members. Although this is an optional event, it’s encouraged that potential candidates attend as it will offer them a platform to directly connect with active voters.

September 1st: Tentative Election Start Date

After chatting with several parties involved in the operations of the elections, we’ve set September 1st as the tentative date to start the voting process for the elections. However, it’s important to note that there are several technical details which need to be ironed out for this event to be run properly.

The Telos Core Team, along with other community contributors, are currently working on these details. Although they aim to be ready for September 1st, unexpected developments may crop up. So, if necessary, the elections could be delayed longer to give the technical team adequate time to prepare. We will keep our community in the loop on all of this as we get closer to the start of elections.

The elections themselves are currently expected to run for 7 days once launched. This will allow community members enough time to decide and vote for their favorite candidates. We will follow up with further details on how to vote soon.

Guideline Expectations & Responsibilities

Jim Hewitt of TelosUK has been working alongside current Telos Foundation members to develop these guidelines over several weeks. Jim was the first president of the Telos Foundation and brings with him a wealth of experience and working knowledge of the Telos Blockchain Network Operating Agreement (TBNOA). Jim’s insight is extremely valuable for important governance initiatives like this.

With that said, much of what is laid out in this announcement should be taken as guidelines, which the future board can modify as needed. The future board members are accountable to the community for their actions taken in this capacity.

Purpose of Role

Within the Telos Foundation, there will be the Telos Core Team & The Telos Foundation Board. The Telos Core Team are non-elected personnel who are contracted to carry out specific tasks that are necessary to the Foundation’s operations. The Telos Foundation Board Members are not required to work in this capacity, but rather oversee the work being done in order ensure the needs of the community are met. This distinction is important as it allows for community members with a vested interest in the Telos ecosystem to be elected and carry out responsibilities, regardless of their technical skillset.

The elected board members will meet on a regular basis to review the work of the Telos Core Team and approve spending on behalf of the community. Board members will be required to work collaboratively with the Telos Core Team, so they will be added to the tf multi-sig and will be given the power to approve but not veto spending. This would allow the current working team to continue the work being done while an elected party holds them accountable to the community.

Role and Responsibilities

Support and promote the Telos Network to the wider community with an aim to increase adoption of the Telos Network and promote the price of the native Telos token.
Publicly monitor and manage the work of the Telos Core Team.
Approve ‘TF’ account payments to the Telos Core Team. Promptly sign the agreed multi-sig.
Work with the Telos Core Team to review the ‘Technical Roadmap’.
Liaise with the Tore Core Team where appropriate.
Monitor amendments to the TBNOA.
Ensure the TBNOA document is a true and accurate record.
Support the work of the governance system and Elected Arbitrators.
Award discretionary grants to promote the Telos Blockchain where appropriate.

Minimum Expectations

Note: A suggested 4 hours per week should be dedicated to the role.

Attend quarterly meetings.
Be active within the Telos Community.
Maintain a high level of professionalism.
Privately lobby within the Telos structure and the Telos Core Team and accept ‘collective responsibility’ for any decisions made.
Adhere to any non-disclosure partner agreements.

What makes a good Board member?

High alignment and interest in the success of the Telos Network (in terms of growth, adoption, value).
Experience running successful business /projects – crypto experience highly advantageous.
Diversity of experiences and background.
Common goals - aligned with the Telos Network’s mission.

The ability to work as part of a decentralized team.
Flexibility.

Essential Required Skills

The ability to sign multi-sigs 'on chain’.
The ability to use and navigate blockchain explorers such as https://telos.bloks.io/
A working knowledge of the ‘TBNOA’.
A working understanding of the BP or validator process.

‍

Eligibility

The election is open to any member of the Telos community so long as they hold a Telos account.
Candidates must action the smart contract to run for a board seat. We’ll have more details on this process as we near the date of elections. The current Telos Foundation will help facilitate this process for anyone who applies to run through the Foundation’s application form.

Number of Seats

There will likely be around 9 Telos Foundation Board seats. Any current Board Members will be required to run again if they would like to serve in this capacity.
Many of the previous Board Members have transitioned into a working role on the Telos Core Team and will likely continue working in this capacity.

Register Your Interest to Run

If you think you’d be a good fit for the board and want to have a hand in shaping the future of the Telos Foundation, fill out the form below to register your interest here. A current member of the Telos Foundation will get in touch with you as soon as possible with further details on how to run.

It’s important to remember that in running for a position, you are representing the interests of the Telos community. In addition, candidates should recognize the commitment that comes with taking on such a responsibility. This is especially important as the Telos Foundation moves toward a more structured election process. Upon being elected, future board members should be prepared to remain in their position until future elections or until the community approves of their departure.

‍