Also, I think we all need to recognize that there are some big challenges inherent in communicating about sensitive topics (like beloved projects, funding, and livelihoods) via an asynchronous written medium, as an ad hoc committee of 5 people.
It’s really easy in written online communication to perceive conflicts or assume the worst of each other.
I think if these things were communicated in a phone call with the group, we would have caught this misunderstanding in the flow of conversation before it became anything. But it’s important that communication with grantees is clear and auditable by the community. And the forum seems like the best way to do that for now.
So I think we all need to take a deep breath and really try to understand each other.