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updatedAt: 2026-07-15T10:08:36.000Z
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# Governance

# Summary

Thousand Brains Project adopts a hierarchical technical governance structure for Monty.

* A community of **Contributors** who file issues, make pull requests, and contribute to the project.
* A small set of **Maintainers**, who drive the overall project direction.
* The **Maintainers** have a **Lead Maintainer**, the catch-all decision maker.

All **Maintainers** are expected to have a strong bias towards the Thousand Brains Project and Monty's design philosophy.

**Contributors** are encouraged to participate by filing issues, making pull requests, and contributing to the project.

## Lead Maintainer

The current **Lead Maintainer** is listed in the [MAINTAINERS file](https://github.com/thousandbrainsproject/tbp.monty/blob/main/MAINTAINERS.md).

### Responsibilities

* Make the final decision when **Maintainers** cannot reach a consensus or make a decision.
* Confirm or deny adding new or removing current **Maintainers**.

## Maintainers

The current **Maintainers** are listed in the [MAINTAINERS file](https://github.com/thousandbrainsproject/tbp.monty/blob/main/MAINTAINERS.md).

### Responsibilities

* Maintain Monty's design philosophy, technical direction, and conventions.
* Engage with the community and **Contributors**.
* Triage, review, and comment on issues.
* Triage and comment on pull requests.
* Review and merge assigned pull requests.
* Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned [Requests For Comments (RFCs)](https://docs.thousandbrains.org/docs/request-for-comments-rfc).
* Propose disposition of [RFCs](https://docs.thousandbrains.org/docs/request-for-comments-rfc) (e.g., merge or close).
* Approve or abstain from the disposition of [RFCs](https://docs.thousandbrains.org/docs/request-for-comments-rfc).

## Alumni Maintainers

* Former **Maintainers** who are no longer active.

## Adding Maintainers

* Any **Maintainer** can nominate a new **Maintainer** by starting a private email thread amongst all the current **Maintainers** with the nomination and proposing that the nominee be invited to join.
* The **Maintainers** are given sufficient time to respond to the nomination. If there is disagreement, a discussion ensues, possibly resulting in a vote.
* The **Lead Maintainer** confirms or denies the nomination.

## Removing Maintainers

* Any **Maintainer** can propose to remove a current **Maintainer** by starting a private email thread amongst all the current **Maintainers**, excluding the person proposed to be removed.
* The **Maintainers** are given sufficient time to respond to the removal proposal. If there is disagreement, a discussion ensues, possibly resulting in a vote.
* The **Lead Maintainer** confirms or denies the removal.

## Resigning as a Maintainer

* Any **Maintainer** can resign by contacting the **Lead Maintainer** privately.

## Selecting the Lead Maintainer

* The **Lead Maintainer** is selected by the Executive Director of the Thousand Brains Project.

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