Thanks for bringing this up again @b_mckenna. I am not sure if you are aware but there is actually a thread already devoted to this topic (started in Dec 2021) What about Honest Validators that haven't met minimum Reward Requirements? - #4 by Aki
Having discussed this with several community members I think there is a consensus (among them) that as we look forward to increased decentralisation of Mina Protocol there are still many decisions that (for now) will have to be made by Mina Foundation.
I understand the need for transparency and discussing this with the community is a good way to gauge opinion, but until there is some kind of community DAO I think the Community will (on the whole) respect any decision made if it reflects the core values we have come to expect from MF.