[Foundation-l] Board resolutions (chapters)

[Michael Snow]

Andrew Whitworth wrote:
> I suspect it's not "will never happen", but instead is "should only
> happen after very careful consideration and agreement". If there is a
> country with an existing sub-national chapter and an organization
> effort to create a national one, I think we would all suggest that the
> subnational chapter redefine it's region to become a national chapter,
> instead of allowing two separate groups to overlap. Even if it's not a
> "problem", it still seems like a needless waste of effort for two
> groups to be doing the same things in the same region.
>   
What I consider the most plausible case is existing sub-national 
chapters joining to form a national one. Perhaps at some point a 
Wikimedia Texas, Wikimedia Chicago, and Wikimedia New York might decide 
there is a benefit to organizing Wikimedia US, in which case I expect 
the "careful consideration and agreement" would apply. On the other 
hand, if there's an effort to create Wikimedia US because of a schism 
within Wikimedia Texas, that's not what we're looking for.

As for potential overlap, mostly I'd be concerned that chapters not 
insist on maintaining "claims" to territory they can't effectively 
serve. If a chapter based in New York City manages to cover the entire 
state and region, we might eventually call it something like Wikimedia 
Northeast US instead. If it can't do that, then it should not make 
itself an obstacle to creating a Wikimedia Boston or Philadelphia when 
the time comes.

--Michael Snow