CIP 1001a - The Consensus Solution for the Future of CityDAO

Proposals (CIPs)
1

Introduction

This CIP, CIP-1001a is written with the direct feedback, collaboration and feedback from the wider community on CIP-1001, as well as incorporation of other principles from discussions with the community.

The Problem

CityDAO is in a state where it cannot execute on projects and operations and the governance process contains flaws and elements that create large barriers for projects, teams and the future of CityDAOs development.

The Solution

The Mission Guild was put in place in 2022 to help to solve some of the aforementioned issues, however this guild has become less active in 2023.

This proposal aims to create a pathway for CityDAO to improve governance and make steps forward to develop its future presence in Web3.

Goals and Tasks

The Mission Guild has three main priorities as per this CIP.

  1. Create Operational Clarity and Ensure Continued Operations for the DAO.
  2. Care for Legacy Projects - Reinvigorate Growth and Development.
  3. Establish a Revenue Source and adjust for a zero-Royalty environment.

What this CIP is asking Mission Guild to do for CityDAO:

  1. Make all governance documents available on IPFS and clearly labelled on the website / discord.
  2. Create distributed systems for access to CityDAO tools (Twitter, discord, forum etc…)
  3. Build fully automated on chain governance, github for proposals and voting.
  4. Build an incubation pipeline for CityDAO projects, specifically:
  • Run hackathons with prizes to get projects started.
  • $5k to validate customer needs. (provide methodology).
  • $25k to build an MVP that acquired an initial set of customers.
  • $60k upon signing of critical mass of customers to launch to VCs & angel investors at a demo day.
  • In return, CityDAO takes 8% equity stake in all projects.
  1. Fund two types of projects:

  • Experiments of City components governed on chain that allow us to build software infrastructure that can be reused. . (e.g. neighborhoods, schools, offices, markets, homes for purchase, homes for rent, restaurants, parks, etc…) The goal would be to utilize matched funding to build these locations in existing cities all over the world. e.g. CityDAO provides 25% of funding & software to run it decentralized if the community can raise the rest.

  • Direct software primitives that can be sold to existing cities (voting systems, automatic tax paying, budget transparency, community reporting tools, traffic algorithms, water management systems, etc…)

  1. Operate as a for-profit entity with benefits for members and equity stakes in incubated projects. Either through Co-op or other legal structure. Don’t shy away from the hard problem that will be better for the DAO long term.
  2. Govern in public to not be a security.

Asks

  1. Firstly, CIP-1001a relieves any person(s) from any duties and responsibilities that were assumed because of the Guilds or CIP-69 or any other related proposal.

  2. Change the mission guild members to be made up of the Multi-sig signers.

  • Multisig Signers are some of the most active and mission aligned people in CityDAO and will assume the duties of the mission guild.
  • The Mission Guild in 2022 has low engagement with feedback presenting evidence that the incentive to participate was very low. We are increasing the reward for this role to encourage Mission Guild Members to become more engaged and make decisions to develop CityDAOs future. Mission guild members will receive $1,000 a week in compensation for their duties.
  1. Introduce a Mission fund with $150,000 to spend on Mission Aligned ventures in CityDAO.
  • This includes events, hackathons, project grants, supplemental funding for approved CIPs, etc. with the aim of bringing exposure to CityDAO and “unsticking” projects.
  1. The mission guild is granted the authority to spend up to $60,000 per hire on the following positions. Positions are on a contracted basis and shall be up to a term of one year, but may be renewed. and/or replaced by the mission guild at will if duties are not being performed, as determined by majority of signers (Sample position duties can be found here for context but are not binding for the purpose of this proposal).
  • Community/Social Media Manager (Social Media and Community Direction and management).
  • Company Secretary (management of documents, financial compliance, legal compliance etc.)
  • DAO Community Team (Moderation and engagement with community).

  1. The Mission Guild shall convene a series of meetings open to any citizen, with the express purpose of bringing back a new proposed operating agreement and any changes to the charter by May 1, 2023.

  2. The Charter is reinstated and it is the express intent of the DAO for the abbreviated modification provisions in Section 4.7.1 be reenacted and reset starting with the passage of this proposal.

  • “The Mission Guild will have the power to modify the Charter WITHOUT any further approval from Citizens for a period of 90 days following the passing of this CIP”
  1. The criteria for projects CityDAO would help facilitate includes but are not limited to:
    1. Whether the project was previously approved by Citizens via CIP.
    1. Whether the project was, is, or remains financially viable for CityDAO.
    1. Whether the project is valuable for CityDAO citizens in terms of utility.
    1. Whether the project is or is not ethical.
    1. Whether the project fits into CityDAO’s mission or will enhance the ecosystem.
    1. Whether CityDAO has the resources -human, financial and otherwise- to complete the project.
    1. Whether the project has legal risks and, if so, to what extent they place CityDAO in a position of legal liability or responsibility.
  1. The passing of CIP-1001a ratifies the existing multisig selection and is considered to be voted in by the DAO. Mission guild members can be swapped out in accordance with the multisig members. If a multisig member is removed from the multi-sig, they are removed from the mission guild and replaced by the new multisig member. The multi-sig position is a position of trust and in order for a new member to join the CityDAO multisig and mission guild position:
  • A CIP (Following standard governance procedure) must be passed to change the multi-sig member.
  • The current members will vote for a replacement member to take the position on the multisig and Mission Guild.

The Mission Guild will remain in existence for a period of 6 months and will be renewable via CIP once this period has passed.

FAQ

This is too centralised.

CityDAO has gone from a core team in 2021, to a very decentralised structure in 2022. This decentralisation has created a lot of insight into the execution and efficiency of the organisation. The mission guild is a small step back from decentralisation but will allow CityDAO to execute core functions without the need for constant repetitive approval and the avoidance of another standstill.

What was the intent of the Founders and the Founding Council when drafting the Charter and OA.

The goal of the Charter and OA was to provide a framework for moving our community forward, not to work as a “blocker” for ideas or a way to get to unanamous agreement. Unfortunately, the DAO culture has evolved so that instead of saying “I don’t like your idea” the system is used to say “You can’t do that” or “That’s not the right process.” This brings the conversation away from a discussion of ideas to fundamentally an attack on the character of the proposer. We must get back to a place we can foster a marketplace of ideas instead of using the process to create fear, uncertainty and doubt about the path forward.

I don’t think that the mission guild and the multisig should be the main party.

The mission guild is a group of trusted individuals with clear aligned visions for what CityDAO could become in the future. This group is granted the authority to execute on certain tasks with a single approval from the community. In order for these tasks to be executed, in most cases, multi-signature approvals and signatures are required. This is essentially doubling the effort necessary to execute on processes. Without this in place, the multisig is just another step to overcome in an already convoluted process.

The compensation is too high for the multi-sig

Mission Guild will have significant duties over the next few months. They are responsible for management and hiring of staff, supporting projects, engaging the community, and completing the goals and tasks outlined in this proposal.

What is the point in the mission fund? This is a lot of money.

Mission Fund will have several specific purposes that will directly benefit CityDAO in the long run:

  • Build an incubation pipeline for CityDAO projects that ensure long term viability.
  • Jump-start approved projects that have got stuck and ensure our current properties are being properly maintained.
  • Maintain outside relationships and ensure bills and taxes are paid.
  • Have a “quick action” fund that can move small amounts of funding more rapidly when necessary.
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2

Absolute NO for me - especially without fair and transparent elections for ALL of the Multisig as well as a governance overhaul.

For me - this proposal is a nonstarter and this is definitely an attack on the concept of decentralization at CityDAO.