[Osmf-talk] Geolibres Local Chapter application for Argentina

[Rory McCann]

On 05/05/2020 16:59, Christoph Hormann wrote:
> there is AFAIK none that practically restricts new memberships in a
> similar fashion.

Are you sure? I looked into this as part of this application. IIRC 7 of 
the 8 existing LCs have “the board must approve, or may reject, new 
member applications”. OSMF too.

In theory ”An existing member must nominate you” in addition to ”the 
board must approve you” are different rules. But if all the existing 
members of an org refuse to support you, then the board will definitely 
reject you! If a board doesn't like someone, then they can keep them out.

In *pratice* does the additionally “one member must approve you” rule 
really change much, when like most LCs, the board can reject people? If 
someone would be approved by a board, then surely a board member can 
approve them? HOT is different because each existing member can only 
approve 2 applications per year, and 2/3 of existing members must 
approve you¹

I too like mass democratic organisations, but this limitation hasn't 
been a problem for LCs in the past.

 > It seems quite inefficient to have a public local chapters application
 > review process without documentation of the review and discussion that
 > already happened non-publicly within the OSMF being available to the
 > members.

I threw away the piece of paper with the scribbles, listing section 
numbers of existing LCs. To require everyone to produce detailed written 
notes of everything will drown me in paperwork, and make everything 
*much* more inefficient.

-- 
Rory


[¹] I don't know HOT well, but their bylaws ( 
https://github.com/hotosm/hotosm-website/blob/gh-pages/downloads/HOT-Bylaws-2015-12-14.pdf 
), saw 2/3 of the entire membership (not votes) must approve new 
members. I'm surprised it's that high.