I'm compiling the latest node now and will begin upgrade work shortly on
https://irdpool.tk/PS. props to the twitter account, it's what tipped me off I should check the thread today

For now, we use personal servers/vps of the community. for exchange, I don't handle this part.
If this is the case, i suggest that about 1% to 5% of the block reward is allocated to the development team to ensure the continuity of the project.
This should be hardcoded in the source code if possible
I don't think this should be hardcoded, if anything pool operators should opt into developer donations since all the cryptonote pool software supports this feature. It's how Monero handled it, along with a simple "donate" command built into the wallet.
Update: https://irdpool.tk/ is now on the new version, let me know if there's any issues.
Sudden large number of orphaned blocks on your pool that co-incides with the upgrade?