The Germanna Foundation is controlled by its Trustees. It is specified that there be a minimum of five trustees, and a maximum of fifteen trustees. All power is vested in these Trustees. People may become members of the organization, but they have no power. The Trustees elect a President, Vice-president, Secretary, and Treasurer as officers. If not more than fifteen Trustees exist at a given time, the Trustees may elect a person to serve as a Trustee. When I was a Trustee, they usually met in a full meeting twice a year, once in the fall, and once in the spring. Some times the Trustees would meet on the occasion the Reunion.
A Trustee could serve an indefinite period of time within this self perpetuating group.
I had felt that the members should be empowered with at least the right to elect the Trustees, if not the officers. As an organization grows, the amount of the work to be done becomes significant, and requires volunteer labor. I had not liked the idea that people could be requested to donate time and labor, yet they had no possible way to cast their vote for the policy and aims of the group. I use the past tense in this paragraph because I was working for this change at the time that I resigned as a Trustee.
The Foundation is approaching its fiftieth anniversary. Change is occurring. New solutions may be more appropriate. One of the biggest changes is the advent of electronics. New forms of communication are possible. Should the Foundation maintain an electronic database? Should the Foundation publish an electronic newsletter? What about the people who do not have electronic access? Is an active print publishing policy needed?
What are the important physical assets? Should the Foundation sponsor research in Germany?
This is a short note, but the questions are weighty enough to make up for the brevity. This is the time to be thinking about the items.
Why not speak out on what you would like to see in the future. I think there are people who want to hear your suggestions.
(27 Jun 01)
We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.