Yet another hugely surprising decision from the Board, I’m sorry to say. Considering the results of the 2015 May Board elections, I think it fair to say that María’s appointment to the Board lacks any community legitimacy whatsoever. As a then-active member of the Board of Trustees, Maria stood in the elections, and lost in a vote that was equal and fair for every candidate. For the Board to now appoint María to fill in the vacancy created upon James’s removal from the Board stands in the face of that clear and unequivocal community decision. This is particularly worrying given the high number of “oppose” votes that María received during the election — over 200 more than Dariusz, James, Denny and Mike (Taketa) each; indeed, more than any other candidate in the top 10. What is more, the fact that María was specifically voted down from the Board by the community is a clear signal that the electorate did not want her to continue in that role. To see her return to the Board in a “community-selected” seat is just absurd. What the Board should have done is organise a by-election. If María wants to be a community-selected Trustee, she should earn the seat. Let her run, and convince the community that the reasons she was not re-elected in May are no longer valid. Let her answer questions openly and transparently, and discuss issues with her rivals – the way that by-elections everywhere are run. Of course, not organising a by-election avoids these highly unpleasant obligations. But then, maybe that’s the point. Tomasz