MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

We are thrilled to welcome Tara Youngborg, Nova Labs’ own Makerspace Coordinator. Tara is an artist and a maker, and comes to us highly recommended from Bowdoin College where she was a Visual Arts Technician. Tara is here to help our community grow. If you see her, please introduce yourself and make her feel welcome in our community.  You can find Tara here on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights.

There are many people who brought us to this wonderful place. Jennyfer Peterson, last year, founded the Service and Hospitality team, to fill the gap in a volunteer capacity while we strengthened our revenue stream. The work done by this all volunteer team is critical in defining the  Makerspace Coordinator role and providing a support team. Since January of this year, Suzanne Chanesman, Bean Design and Andrew Albosta, faithfully publish the newsletter. The August newsletter on the Nova Labs website attracted our finalists to this opportunity. Sam Aparicio shared his considerable recruiting and interviewing talents, to craft the winning profile that attracted the attention of suitable candidates and guide the interview process. Jim Girardi, while transitioning the role of treasurer also played an instrumental role on the hiring team, along with Jennyfer Peterson. Patrick Waters led the team to document Nova Labs policy, laying the necessary groundwork for hiring paid staff. Nine months ago, in establishing priorities, the Board prioritized defining policy as essential before the first hire. It is incredibly satisfying to reflect on the amazing contributions of so many talented members to bring us to this place.

We are well positioned for the work on the horizon. Sam Aparicio is leading the Nominating Committee team for the Board Positions opening up. In the coming months, the Board will work on crafting policy around how the Board operates. We will also develop a succession plan for the role of President. Taken together, along with policy put in place over the past year, the organization will be in a stronger position to build Nova Labs 3.0.

Please join us in welcoming Tara Youngborg to our team!

Thank you, 

 BOARD UPDATE

The board is pleased to welcome our latest Key Members: Eric Link, Michele Tulley, John Youmans, and Ying Zhang.

The board also hired Tara Youngborg as Nova Labs’ first paid position, the Makerspace Coordinator. Please be sure to introduce yourself and welcome her to our community.

Accounting-wise, Nova Labs’ receivables are currently below $4K which means that fewer people owe dues, fees, etc. If you’re still having trouble with Stripe or another payment system, please contact Jim Girardi to help resolve the issue.

As there will be two open board positions (after Jim Sweeney’s term is over), the board commissioned a nominations committee to identify and vet possible board candidates. If you are interested in serving on the board, please contact the committee chair, Sam Aparicio.

Please feel free to reach out to the board members if you have any questions.

 HAPPENINGS: Call for Board Candidates

Help Us Fill Two Board of Director Positions

Do you know someone amazing who could help the Board in its leadership of the Nova Labs community? We are looking to fill two positions. Great candidates have a passion for making, bring business skills, show good judgment and are willing to put in the effort to drive key initiatives. Please send in contact info to jobs@nova-labs.org. Have questions? Contact:

Sam Aparicio (Chair)  |  Jim Sweeney  |  Bo Pollett Wernick

WHAT’S NEW

HAPPENINGS: Member Spotlight

Curt Welch

Hospitality and services would like to express rather obnoxious and loud praise for all the cool little important things Curt Welch has been doing round the labs.

If I listed everything, it’d take a while. There are a few people like Curt who help me with the small jobs. Hanging the white boards, relocating cabinets for rentals.

One of the key, but essential, projects Curt has tackled is creating hanging storage in the metal shop, and a locked outdoor tool cabinet- lots of people use it but not many people know that it is all thanks to Curt that we have these storage solutions!

>>> provided by Jennyfer Peterson and Mike Hogarty

 HAPPENINGS: 2017 Woodshop Roundup and Awards

Patrick and the Woodshop Stewards would like to recognize the contributions of the following volunteers:

Shop Volunteer: Larry R
Person who has made a great impact in shop over the course of the year

Over-Sharer: Frank S
Person will share not only knowledge, but also show and tell projects during meetings

Over-Engineer Engineer that Could:  Will P& Zach B
This is for the most ridiculous project!

Who Made That?: John S & Will P
This is based off the number of times a tour guide has to explain what the heck that is to visitors- this is certainly an award of ambition, not completion.

Slacker of the Year: Curt W
This member contributes online in our Slack chat the most

I Learned from You: Philip, Norm, Larry R. Frank S, Patrick W.
Acknowledgements of woodworkers that have taken on mentor roles for the Nova Labs woodworking community

Volunteer Appreciations: Curt W, Adam G, Siobahn W
Nova Labs members have reached out and acknowledged these three volunteers for their work throughout the year, though they are not the only wonderful volunteers we have had in the wood shop this year!

UPDATE: Safety

At Nova-Labs, one of our main goals is to make this a environment that prioritizes safety. There are several parts to this effort:

• Our safety policy

  • You can find it on the wiki

• Our safety committee

  • Which is meeting soon to review recent incidents and hot spots

• Each of you!

  • If you see something unsafe, it is your responsibly to say something.

  • As stated in our safety policy – every person in the shop is expected to use work-stop authority to intervene and stop activities until safety procedures are adhered to when they witness unsafe work practices.

Keeping the shop and space safe is one of the most important things we do as a community.

>>> Provided by Lieselot Whitbeck