govNERDs Season 7: Update Thread

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Hello Optimism Community! :waving_hand:

As the Season 7 govNERD Lead, I’m excited to share our progress since the beginning of the season and introduce a new cadence of regular govNERD updates.

For those unfamiliar with our team, the govNERDs serve as operational support for Optimism’s governance system. They help ensure the execution of critical governance processes while reducing the Foundation’s direct involvement in day-to-day operations. You can learn more about our group at the link below:

Season 7 govNERD Program Overview

The govNERD program operates as a contribution path with different tiers:

Lead: Sov

Core govNERDs:

govNERDs-in-training: These contributors work alongside Core govNERDs to learn specialized governance operations while taking on increasingly important responsibilities.

wannabe-govNERDs: This tier includes dozens of community members beginning their governance journey. They contribute through forum participation, documentation assistance, and other valuable tasks while developing governance knowledge and skills.

Key Responsibilities

The govNERDs program is focused on four primary areas:

  1. Governance Content: Producing voting cycle guides, roundups, announcements, summaries and communications for voting periods across Token House and Citizens’ House.
  2. Community Education & Support: Organizing Retro Funding applicant calls, mentoring new govNERDs, and ensuring delegates and citizens can access the necessary information.
  3. Documentation: Maintaining and improving governance documentation, implementing community feedback, and collaborating on best practices.
  4. Onboarding: Creating structured pathways for new govNERDs, delegates, and guest voters while providing ongoing guidance.

Progress to Date (Weeks 1-9)

Since the beginning of Season 7, we’ve successfully:

  • Improved Process Structure: Established specialized roles for core govNERDs based on skills and interests, pairing experienced team members with newer contributors.
  • Enhanced Notion: Revamped our Notion workspace with better task tracking and clearer contribution paths for wannabe-govNERDs and govNERDs-in-training. You can find it at the link below:
  • Supported Voting Cycles: Successfully facilitated multiple Token House voting cycles and Citizens’ House veto periods, ensuring timely communication and smooth execution.
  • Streamlined Support: Provided support for Retro Funding Season 7
  • Improved Contribution Path: Developed an action plan for optimizing the govNERDs contribution path with clearer progression steps and better task matching to contributor strengths. This is linked here:

Week 10 Update (March 2-8, 2025)

Here are the highlights from our recent work:

  • Voting Cycle #34 is in Review Period (ends March 19th)
  • Citizens’ House voting on the Sequencer ETH proposal is active
  • Retro Funding voting closes March 7th at 6 PM UTC
  • Launched our new Bounty System for contributors
  • Created three Working Groups to optimize our contribution path
  • Held our first govNERDs Community Check-in
  • Held our first Delegates Onboarding Monthly Call

For our complete weekly update with all governance details and initiatives, check out the link below:

Regular Updates Going Forward

Starting today, the govNERDs team will share regular updates on the forum to provide transparency into our work and progress. These updates will include:

  • Key governance deadlines and status
  • Recent accomplishments and initiatives
  • Upcoming priorities
  • Ways the community can engage with our work

Join Our Community Check-ins!

We host regular govNERDs Community Check-in calls every other Tuesday at 19:00 GMT (60 minutes). These calls are open to everyone in the community and provide an opportunity to:

  • Learn more about the governance system and how govNERDs support it
  • Ask questions about contribution paths and how to get involved
  • Meet the govNERD team and current contributors
  • Share feedback and suggestions for improvement

You can find these calls on the Optimism Governance Public Calendar - we’d love to see you there!

Feedback & Questions

We’re always looking to improve how we support the Optimism governance ecosystem. If you have questions, suggestions, or feedback about our work, please share them in the comments below!

You can also reach out to the govNERDs team at:

  • Discord: #gov-general channel
  • Forum: Tag me (@sov) in governance-related threads
  • Bi-weekly Community Check-ins (details above)

Stay Optimistic! :red_circle:

Sov
govNERDs Lead

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Thank’s for the update

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Thanks a lot for the update, and if anyone has any questions about governance, feel free to @marcus01 anytime, I’ll be better able to help!

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thanks for update chad :saluting_face:

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Sending here my update for Week 11! You can see the update on our team Notion as well:

:loudspeaker: Voting Cycle Status

Current Cycle: #34

  • Review Period continues until March 19th at 19:00 GMT
  • Protocol Upgrade #13: OPCM and Incident Response Improvements require delegate approvals
  • Citizens’ House ETH staking proposal requires additional votes (currently 13 votes away from quorum)

:bullseye: Last Week Recap

  • Posted first govNERDs Season 7 Update Thread in the forum
  • Pumbi set up an internal Snapshot vote for ACC to reach consensus on Protocol Upgrade #13
  • BunnicEth and FujiAR finalized ETH staking proposal documentation for Citizens House
  • Improved cross-posting of governance updates between Discord channels
  • Recognized team members (BunnicEth and Pumbi) for the quick turnaround on announcement coordination
  • Marcus coordinated voting cycle communications across multiple platforms
  • Ramadhan started a new initiative in Discord to collect user questions and feedback. Find more details on this bounty at Governance Value Discovery

:memo: In Progress

  • Developing skills-based intake survey for govNERDs-in-training to match contributors with tasks better
    • Creating specialized tracks: Operational, Data, and Communications
    • Will host final form in Notion for consistency
    • Refining skills assessment questions based on feedback
  • Establishing new Working Group structure (WG1: Onboarding & Talent Development now active)
  • Supporting Futarchy experiment launch (announced by Lavande)
  • ACC is preparing for an internal meeting on March 18th to review Protocol Upgrade #13
  • Ramadhan is building a user feedback collection system as part of the open bounty program

:soon_arrow: Coming Up This Week

:light_bulb: Notes & Reminders

  • ACC internal Snapshot vote closes Monday, 17th at 19:50 GMT
  • Focus on cross-team coordination during Julian’s absence
  • Remember to highlight forum handles in communications for easier direct contact

Questions? Contact me on Telegram (@sovsignal) or tag me on Discord on the #govnerd-general channel. Stay Optimistic :red_circle:

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Thanks for the insights. Best to Optimis :slight_smile:

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Here’s my update for Week 12! You can find this on our Notion Hub as well:

:loudspeaker: Voting Cycle Status

Current Cycle: #34 ending & #35 beginning

  • VC # 34 concluding March 19 at 19:00 GMT (Marcus sent a 48-hour reminder)
  • VC # 35 begins March 20 at 19:00 GMT and runs until April 9
  • ACC confirmed and executed the transaction to vote in favor of Protocol Upgrade #13
  • Alex created the Voting Cycle Guide for #35
  • Marcus posted Voting Cycle Roundup #35 to the forum

:bullseye: Last Week Recap

  • Addressed Agora platform issues with multiple govNERDs reporting UI bugs
  • Held the second govNERDs Community Check-in on March 18 at 19:00 GMT
  • Updated Notion workspace with Kanban board for Working Group tasks
  • Pumbi published an ACC communication thread update covering VC#33, the Pectra update, and VC#34
  • Defined strategic tasks for WG1 (Onboarding & Talent Development):
    • Centralized Task Tracking System (completed with bounty board)
    • Categorizing tasks into functional buckets (analytical, communications, etc.)
  • Supported Futarchy Grants Contest
    • Participants with OP attestations are eligible for additional PLAY tokens
    • Opportunity for forecasters to make governance predictions

:memo: In Progress

  • Initiatives for optimizing contribution paths:
    1. Gathering Stakeholder Input: Engaging with delegates and the Foundation to identify governance priorities and create a “wishlist.”
    2. Ensuring Alignment with Ecosystem Needs: Supporting Foundation’s priorities and delegate expectations
  • Governance Value Discovery launched with an April 30 deadline
    • Spans Token House, Citizens House, and Community categories
    • Medium impact potential (improves existing processes)
    • High time commitment (8+ hours)
  • Developing time-boxed onboarding milestones (FujiAR and Alex collaborating)
    • Created a simplified second draft focused on essential and verifiable tasks
    • Designed process to be completed within two weeks
    • Integrated verification methods in Skills Survey
    • Meeting scheduled with Bleu team about govQuests integration (April 15)
  • Skills-based govNERDs Skills-Based Intake Survey ready for launch
    • Survey now built and tested in Notion with proper permissions
    • Will trial run with existing wannabes before full implementation

:soon_arrow: Coming Up This Week

  • Begin new Voting Cycle #35 processes
  • Set up voting reminders for delegates
  • Prepare veto period communications for Citizens House (FujiAR and BunnicEth)
  • Today (TUES 3/25), Jesse and Alex will facilitate the 'Joint House Community Call.’ You can always find the most current schedule of events on the governance calendar.
  • Launch new bounties created by core govNERDs:

:light_bulb: Notes & Reminders

  • The skills Survey tracking method will use form responses and forum participation.
  • ACC internal meeting minutes are being documented and shared,
  • govNERDs: Optimizing OP GovNERDs Contribution Paths: Season 7 Action Plan focusing on complementary initiatives. WGs are actively working to move forward with their parts of the plan!
  • Next govNERDs Community Check-in scheduled for March 31 (tentative)

Questions? Contact me on Telegram (@sovsignal) or tag me on Discord on the #govnerd-general channel. Stay Optimistic :red_circle:

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Here’s the (somewhat delayed) update for Week 13! You can also find these on our notion site at the link below:

:loudspeaker: Voting Cycle Status

Current Cycle: #35

:bullseye: Last Week Recap

:memo: In Progress

  • Developing Mentorship-Led Task Matching system
    • Pairing core govNERDs with wannabes based on skills survey results
    • Creating one-on-one screening calls to validate social skills
  • Exploring unified notification system across Discord/Telegram
    • Addressing duplication issues with announcements
    • Evaluating options for centralized posting with channel tagging
  • Creating High-Impact Educational Content
    • Preparing interview summary of Lavande’s governance explanations
    • Planning visual explainers of complex governance concepts
  • Working with Megalod on future Voter Guest onboarding optimization
    • Exploring dedicated Telegram group for consolidated updates

:soon_arrow: Coming Up This Week

  • Pumbi interviewing Lavande on Wednesday - all govNERDs invited to attend
  • Voting for Cycle #35 Protocol Upgrades concludes April 9th
  • Bleu team meeting on govQuests integration confirmed for April 15th at 18:00 GMT

:light_bulb: Notes & Reminders

  • ACC and DAB are actively monitoring Protocol Upgrade proposals and providing feedback
  • Retro Funding rewards expected to be distributed this Thursday per Julian
  • New bounty idea being developed for governance research and proposal analysis
  • Core govNERDs discussing contribution path progression improvement with Foundation

Questions? Contact me on Telegram (@sovsignal) or tag me on Discord on the #govnerd-general channel. Stay Optimistic :red_circle:

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Here’s the update for Week 14 everyone! You can find a log of these on our notion as well:

:clipboard: govNERDs Weekly Update

:loudspeaker: Voting Cycle Status

Current Cycle: #35

:bullseye: Last Week Recap

  • WG1 (Onboarding & Talent Development) made significant progress:
    • Alex initiated educational content project to create high-impact governance explainers
    • Started development of Lavande interview transcript and visual explainers
    • Skills-Based Intake Survey received 5 responses from active wannabes
  • WG2 continued improving Task Organization & Management:
    • Created detailed templates for recurring tasks in Notion
    • Addressed time zone issues in governance calendar (now using GMT/UTC consistently)
  • Budget Board member ratification proposal posted for Season 8 and 9
  • Multiple communication channels engaged with quality governance information:
    • Julian coordinated protocol upgrade announcements across platforms
    • Pumbi announced voting period start in Token House channels
    • Marcus maintained regular voting reminders throughout the week
  • DAB announced regular Office Hours for Superchain developers
  • SEED team hosting “Catching up with Optimism: Updates from Season 7 with Lavande” YouTube livestream

:memo: In Progress

  • High-Impact Educational Content development:
    • Exploring project validation process with Foundation
  • Reviewing contribution path structure:
    • Addressing concerns about contribution quality vs. quantity
  • Mentorship-Led Task Matching implementation:
    • Developing clear progression expectations and mentorship guidelines
  • Preparing citizen’s veto period communications and setup
  • Finalizing announcement for Budget Board ratification (voting in cycle #36)

:soon_arrow: Coming Up This Week

  • Token House Community Call: Today (April 8th) at 18:00 UTC - forum post
    • Items: Budget Board Member Ratification & final voting on upgrade proposals #14 & #15
  • DAB Office Hours announced for April 22nd at 07:00 UTC (repeating bi-weekly)
  • ACC internal meeting: Today at 19:00 GMT (rescheduled to avoid overlap with Token House call)
  • Alex and FujiAR driving initial bounties as proposed with wannabes
  • Citizens’ House veto period begins April 10 at 21:00 GMT
  • govNERDs supporting grant applicants with OP distribution questions

:light_bulb: Notes & Reminders

  • Budget Board Member Ratification will be included in Voting Cycle #36 (April 24-30)
  • Ongoing discussion about contribution path incentives - governance participation vs. reward motivation
  • Reminder: All OP token distributions for grant recipients will be on OP Mainnet
  • Time zone changes for daylight savings caused calendar issues - all meetings now standardized to GMT
  • Please check the Voting Cycle Roundup #35 and the Voting Cycle Guide #35 for all current voting details
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Here’s the update for Week 15! Big thanks to @alexsotodigital for always helping with review on these before they are posted :slight_smile:

:loudspeaker: Voting Cycle Status

Current Cycle: Citizens’ House Veto Period for Cycle #35 (April 10-16) / Review Period for Cycle #36 (started April 10)

  • Voting Cycle #35 concluded April 9 at 19:00 GMT with both Protocol Upgrade proposals approved
  • Citizens’ House veto period active on Snapshot through April 16 at 19:00 GMT
  • @fujiar has prepared and shared veto copy for both upgrade proposals:
    • Upgrade Proposal #14: Isthmus L1 Contracts + MT-Cannon
    • Upgrade Proposal #15: Isthmus Hard Fork
  • @Bunnic sent 48-hour reminder for Citizens’ House voting on April 14
  • Cycle #36 voting period begins Thursday, April 24 and runs until May 1, followed by veto period May 1-7

:bullseye: Last Week Recap

  • Token House Community Call held on April 8 with discussion of the Budget Board Member Ratification and protocol upgrades
  • @Marcus01 provided voting announcements and results for Voting Cycle #35
  • @Bunnic previewed the upcoming Budget Board Member Ratification proposal for Cycle #36
    • No delegate approvals required as proposal comes directly from Foundation
    • All community members encouraged to review the proposal
  • Citizens’ House veto process was smoothly initiated with appropriate announcements from @FujiAR
  • govNERDs supported community questions about OP token distribution across the Superchain

:memo: In Progress

  • WG1: High-Impact Educational Content development:
    • @alexsotodigital and @FujiAR creating an analysis document to identify governance topics needing better explanation
    • Team focusing on commonly misunderstood governance concepts
    • Creating tiered approach, prioritizing complex topics
  • Governance team coordination for Voting Cycle #36:
    • Budget Board Member Ratification preparations
    • Working on clear messaging for both houses
  • @alexsotodigital creating governance terminology glossary for wannabe-govNERDs via Optimism Governance Glossary
  • @Sov coordinating with Foundation on Season 8 approach

:soon_arrow: Coming Up This Week

  • govNERDs Community Call (happened yesterday!)
  • Citizens’ House veto period concludes April 16
  • Continue preparation for Voting Cycle #36 (voting begins April 24)
  • Budget Board Member Ratification proposal review
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Here’s our most recent update for Week 16!

:loudspeaker: Voting Cycle Status

Current Cycles:

  • Citizens’ House veto period for Cycle #35 concluded April 16 at 19:00 GMT
    • Both protocol upgrade proposals passed with no vetoes:
      • Upgrade Proposal #14: Isthmus L1 Contracts + MT-Cannon (31 “No Veto” votes)
      • Upgrade Proposal #15: Isthmus Hard Fork (32 “No Veto” votes) - will be activated on the Mainnet Superchain on May 9, 2025 at 16:00:01 UTC
  • Cycle #36 timeline:
    • Review period: April 10 - April 23
    • Voting period: April 24 - April 30
    • Veto period: May 1 - May 7 (Citizens’ House: Veto #36)
  • Budget Board Member Ratification proposal added to this cycle (no delegate approvals required)

:bullseye: Last Week Recap

  • @Bunnic provided 48-hour reminder and final results announcements in Citizens’ House
  • @Marcus01 created and posted Voting Cycle #36 Roundup
  • @alexsotodigital published Voting Cycle #36 Guide
  • @fujiar provided detailed feedback to the OP Team about OP Atlas improvements based on user experience
  • Sov and @op_julian began work on first draft of Season 8 govNERDs Charter with proposed updates
  • govNERDs Community Office Hours held April 15th

:memo: In Progress

  • Budget Board Member Ratification Preparation:
    • Joint vote for both the Token House and the Citizens’ House
    • Transitions all Council and Board terms to 12 months, starting in Season 8 & 9
    • Voting Type: Basic with 30% Quorum and 51% Threshold
    • Drafts shared with key stakeholders for feedback
  • Joint House Community Call scheduled for April 22 at 18:00 UTC with Justine discussing the Budget Board
    • DAB Office Hours scheduled for April 22
    • Grants Council Office Hours scheduled for April 22
  • WG1: High-Impact Educational Content development continuing
  • Governance team finalizing messaging for both houses
  • Support documentation is being created for the upcoming Isthmus Hard Fork, which requires chain operators to update their nodes before the activation date

:soon_arrow: Coming Up

  • Voting period for Cycle #36 begins April 24
  • @Marcus01 is preparing an announcement for the Budget Board Member Ratification proposal in Agora
  • Final Grant submissions deadline: April 18
  • Preparing governance communications explaining the Budget Board’s role in transitioning executive functions from the Foundation to the community
  • Next govNERDs Community Office Hours: April 29
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