[OSM-talk-be] Openstreetmap Foundation: the Belgian Chapter

[ivom]

Thank you first of all for the posted comments and references.

I have picked up a fairly tiny existing bylaw as an example and adapted it 
slightly for our purpose. So it is drafting response time for those who 
are interested.

I have not cross-checked the draft fully with the fgov documents, but I 
think http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/WikiProject_Belgium/Chapter is 
the starting point for the next round of email :)

Check the goals, they are most important.

Don't hesitate to work out the discussion off-list on the wiki of cours!

Bye,
Ivom


On Mon, 31 Aug 2009, ivom wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I have prepared a rudimentary vzw/asbl-stub on the wiki with the statutes of a
> so-called future Openstreetmap Belgian Chapter. Something that should happen
> some time, I thought.
>
> Check: http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/WikiProject_Belgium/Chapter
>
> The basic idea here is to create a legal entity that is available locally to
> work with Belgian instances like government, press, commercial businesses, etc.
> Instead of going to the public, wast money, on a personal basis. So, this
> entity should represent the people involved in the OpenStreetMap movement in
> our region in a legal and practical way. I hope you can support this.
>
> The page refered to is in dutch right right now, just as a starting point to
> start to discuss (translation help to french is really appreciated). I am not
> 100% up to speed with MediaWiki mark-up, so this page also looks pretty
> horrible at the moment. I hope that it at least communicates some of the bare
> essentials however. I have ripped the basic structure from
> http://www.lokalenmap.be/VZW/statuten. Please rip the current page apart at
> will to increase readability and multi-language support :)
>
> To be clear, the page might probably need to be translated in French, to be
> comform with the Belgian low for vzw/asbl organisations, but I don't know
> precisely. Maybe, we even could write the whole thing in English and get that
> submitted, but I don't know if that is allowed.
>
> Besides the local representation it is of importance to note that the vzw+asbl
> should preferably be accepted as local representation of OpenStreetMap by the
> OpenstreetMap Foundation (OSMF). For this to happen we have to adhere to some
> rules of the OSMF. Those requirements are in the works howerver. I guess that
> setting up our own structure to match those requirement is a worthwhile
> excercise. Regarding these requirements, please read:
> http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Foundation/Local_Chapters#Why_Local_Chapters.3F
>
> Please voice your opinion. And help work out the statuten/(french translation
> please).
>
> The biggest hurdle at this time I think besides from the paperwork is, that
> according to the current Local_Chapters wiki page OSMF asks for 20 signed
> members. That means you and some 18 others, please regard me as a de facto
> volenteer, by posting this email :)
>
> Please note that I am not a Lawyer, and the text is in draft. The official
> document or documents (nl-fr) describing and launching the vzw/asbl, should
> preferably be proof-read by someone knowledgable in the field of the applicable
> law which applies in Belgium.
>
> And, even if you don't fancy becoming a member of the vzw/asbl, you could help
> here too, by involving yourself or somebody that knows about the vzw/asbl law
> in fine detail and help out that way.
>
> Bye,
>
> Ivom
>
>
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