[OSGeo-Board] Re: German OSGeo Chapter formation, bank account

[Frank Warmerdam]

Jennifer Daehler wrote:
> Local chapter money raised by local chapters would be “their” money to 
> spend (subject to any dues (if any) they’d be required to pay the main 
> organization – though I assume we don’t contemplate that).  What local 
> chapters do under the OSGeo name should be governed by guidelines in 
> order to protect the reputation/good will of the main organization. 

Jennifer,

We have previously drafted the following guidelines for local chapters.

   https://www.osgeo.org/content/chapters/guidelines.html

May I construe your above statements on local chapters having their own
money to imply that they are for legal purposes distinct from OSGeo itself?
I ask to confirm that the OSGeo board would not generally be liable for the
actions of the chapters (though obviously there is a reputational aspect to
any misconduct).

Also, if they are somewhat "arms length" sub-organizations, should we consider
their representatives to the board to still be officers of OSGeo?  Our bylaws
indicate that the reprsentatives to the board for each of our projects and
committees are officers of the corporation with some ability to act on behalf
of OSGeo.  This includes the heads of the software projects (ie. Steve Lime
for MapServer), and of committees (ie. Michael Gerlek for VisCom).

Till now, I have been assuming that the representatives to the board of the
local chapters would also be officers of OSGeo in the same sense that the
chairs of committees are.  But perhaps this is not necessary or not
appropriate?

Best regards,
-- 
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
and watch the world go round - Rush    | President OSGeo, http://osgeo.org