I figure it's time for a sitrep on the moderation issue:
The Boss has given me the go ahead to create new staff, which I will do over the next few days. I intend to take an approach we've not tried on MFK before, however.
Honestly, our staff number is more than sufficient. Those of us with permissions to change the way the forum works (delete/move threads, etc) are present in sufficient numbers to handle the serious issues that arise.
The problem with moderation is twofold: first, the forum is simply too big for the handful of us to SEE everything; and second, whenever we promote moderators, they without fail end up becoming totally wrapped up in the day to day administration of the site, which takes some of the best and brightest members of the community out of the rotation of regular posters.
What I intend to do is bring on a few members to whom I will grant a few limited forum privileges to handle issues that may arise as they encounter them, but without burdening them with the responsibility of ensuring the good order and discipline of the site. A Small Council to assist and offer advice to the Hand of the King (and my fellow Lords Paramount staff members, to take this GoT pun to the extreme) if you will. I intend to allow these members to keep their anonymity so that they can operate impartiality.
Don't ask to be one, I will reach out when the time comes.
In addition to this, I have one member who has helped us for a long time who is grossly overdue for a promotion to the staff, to whom I plan to bestow full staff authority.
We're working on it. The Council idea is admittedly an experiment, I don't know if it will work.
We shall see.