[EU] Chapter creation as NGO

[Angelos Tzotsos]

There are 2 ways to move forward:
1. Request for an official mandate from the OSGeo Board about an 
official EU chapter. This would help establish a membership/decision 
procedure etc. Then we move on with the NGO formation.
2. Just make a bootstrap motion on this list which is voted from all 
listed here.

Just my 2c,
Angelos

On 01/11/2017 04:39 PM, Till Adams wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> we also get support from Canada! Great ;-)
> (@Jeff, can't find you on the initial member's list:
> http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Europe)
>
> I would suggest to pick up Steven's thoughts, especially the latter one.
> It seems, that Belgium or the Netherlands offer us the possibility to
> establish what we need:
> (Relatively) rapid and trouble-free creation of a non-profit organisation.
>
> If we all agree on this, my proposal is, that one of our next step is to
> decide, in which of the countries we will be in the best hands.
>   
> For both countries we have at least one person, that has experience in
> this (thanks to Marc and Dirk), so this is not an issue, I personally
> would not fear having some minor costs, if they help us to keep our
> organisation transparent. Also we have people, that are willing to
> support them and be initial founding members (Maria, me-myself-and-I)
> Perhaps you Dirk and Marc might list up the backgrounds about founding a
> non-profit organisation in either of the countries we need in order to
> be able to decide?
> (and while writing another suggestion, Estonia came in, thanks Ian!)
>
> And before we do that, I'd suggest, that we agree on a way for
> decision-making, because that's an important part of an active community
> for me. Exchanging tons of emails is one way, but this does not push us
> forward one meter, if we are not able to decide anything.
>
> My proposal is to adapt the regular OSGeo voting system as defined here:
> http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Board_Voting_Procedure
>
> As we do not have a "board" for now (and even do not know, whether we
> need one), I'd suggest, that everybody listed on the initial member site
> is allowed to vote (and everybody else is free to add her/himself to
> that list). Also calls for a vote might be done by everybody on that list.
>
> Last thing, the hen and egg problem: No established decision process
> prevents us from establishing a decision process .... so let's discuss
> this ;-)
>
> Till
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Am 11.01.2017 um 14:47 schrieb Jeff McKenna:
>> Hi María, all,
>>
>> I am in full support of an official non-profit organization, around
>> the EU chapter of OSGeo.
>>
>> Dirk and others know that I have been trying to help this along for
>> years now, even in person in meetings with Dirk, and I do understand
>> the importance of this official entity - it will open doors and give
>> opportunities.
>>
>> The QGIS project did create its own official entity, QGIS.ORG
>> registered in Switzerland, but as a for-profit organization - I also
>> supported that creation, initially discussing with Tim and others, and
>> it seems to be doing great for their needs (similar to OSGeo, they
>> just released their 2016 financial report and are discussing their
>> 2017 budget).
>>
>> So I feel attached to this discussion, and am interested to help the
>> EU/Europe chapter formation along.  I also volunteer to help, and to
>> be listed as an initial member (before you laugh, consider that I have
>> attended almost all FOSS4G-Europe events, and never attended a single
>> FOSS4G-NorthAmerica event: that fact should show you the importance of
>> Europe for the OSGeo community).
>>
>> I have read this whole thread and am interested in seeing this through.
>>
>> So keep up the great momentum! :)
>>
>> -jeff
>>
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-- 
Angelos Tzotsos, PhD
OSGeo Charter Member
http://users.ntua.gr/tzotsos