Would that work for everyone?
No.
To clarify, my comparison to Aelanna's promotion isn't suggesting that I anticipate that level of drama arising from this. I bring it up because very similar reasons are being given, and none others besides, while in the background, concerns are being presented. I'd have thought the way that unfolded would be a cautionary tale against promotion for those reasons and none others, especially over valid concerns or questions about the necessity of the whole affair. And yes, I am saying that I, and I would wager others as well, have no idea why we need to, or why it's a good idea to, make people with their own international sites to run members of staff here, or why it's seen as so vital that they have authority here.
With Ael's promotion, there were red flags going into it. Here, with the suggestion of promoting members of the international community to staff positions, the majority of staff and the community at large has had zero interaction with these people. There's been no time for any of them to form opinions or make any kind of assessment of merit, or notice possible concerns. This is a red flag in its own right.
The only way I could support giving members of the international community operative staff level powers is if they engage with our community at large by participation on our wiki and earn it like anyone else does, going through the same promotion process we subject everyone else to. What's being suggested, of simply handwaving numerous persons unknown by the community or staff at large, into positions of authority, is something I can't and won't ever be able to support. Especially when, as stated, there isn't actually any pressing need for it.
The team would be given duties related to their sites and wouldn't have to do things like deletion votes unless they wanted to.
What duties would they have here related to their own sites?
Any risk there comes from the fact that International people were already promised staff positions, then had that withdrawn and effectively promised either #1 or #2 via the linked post on the international site.
If I were in their positions, I'd be a little bummed, or at least feel jerked around, if we then went back and said that we were just gonna limit it to O5 access and a voice in international matters, without a good reason.
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And yes, I say 'we'. Roget initially did this on his own, but from the POV of the international sites, there is no difference. So yes, we are at risk of jerking them around.
This is a big part of why I am, frankly, pissed about the whole situation. Regardless of what we decide to do, they are owed, at the very least, an apology from Roget for jumping the gun on this and making promises he was never in a position to fulfill. I don't know if that's happened or not yet, but it really needs to, and should include him manning up and taking responsibility for what I am comfortable describing as "this clusterfuck."
As well, I don't feel whatever promises Roget has made, or the risk of offending our international compatriots, obligates us to act against our better judgement. I would venture that over the course of running their own sites, they have likewise encountered situations where persons have acted unilaterally, and so will understand the position we find ourselves in if it's explained honestly.
Roget's conduct here, making these promises and completely bypassing staff, leaving us to clean up the mess, warrants reprimand at the very least. He unambiguously overstepped his authority. I don't know who has to initiate that, but I think it needs to happen.