Ian Bell focused on improving build reliability and repository hygiene for the cockroachdb/geos module during December 2024. He addressed a persistent build system issue by ensuring CMake could consistently locate geos-config.cmake using absolute paths, regardless of the working directory, which reduced cross-environment build failures. Additionally, Ian enhanced repository cleanliness by updating .gitignore to exclude generated CMake files, minimizing unnecessary version control noise. His work demonstrated strong skills in build system configuration, configuration management, and Git, using CMake and Git Attributes to streamline development workflows. These targeted improvements contributed to more maintainable builds and a cleaner project history.