An introduction to our constitution and purpose
A not-for-profit incorporated society, registered under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022.
We own and operate featherston.co.nz — the community information website
We hold the domain name in perpetuity on behalf of the community
We exist to serve 100% of Featherston’s residents — not any subset
Operate and improve the community website at featherston.co.nz
Publish local events, notices, business listings, health resources, history, and civic information
Hold the domain name featherston.co.nz in trust for the community
Support community participation in local governance and decision-making
Develop and publish open source software to power the website
Publish all content under open data licences
Openness — information, money, decisions, and code are public by default
Anti-capture — no individual or funder may gain disproportionate influence
Participatory democracy — power belongs to those who show up and contribute
Sortition as a safeguard — random selection prevents elections being won by wealth or name recognition
Sustainability — the Society survives the departure of any single person
Community first — we serve all of Featherston, not any subset
| Category | Who qualifies |
|---|---|
Ordinary Member | Anyone with a demonstrable connection to Featherston · $5/year |
Voting Member | Must live in the Featherston Ward · $5–$100/year · must consent to help if needed |
Participant Member | A Voting Member who opts in to be eligible for the Custodian Board |
The Custodian Board — five people chosen by random lot from Voting Members, like jury duty.
They serve for one year, maximum two consecutive terms
Their role is oversight, not management — they cannot direct the website or override volunteers
They step in only when something goes wrong: investigate complaints, resolve disputes, dismiss bad actors
All positive decisions (what to build, what to publish, how to organise) belong to volunteers
No one can buy influence over this Society.
Maximum annual contribution: $100 per person — a large charity has the same financial weight as a pensioner
No advertising, sponsorship, or funding that carries editorial influence
Posting to the website is always free — for everyone, forever
These protections require 75% of Voting Members to change — not a simple majority
Even if the Society collapsed, nothing could be locked away.
Software — open source (AGPL-3.0+), published on GitHub and freely forkable
Content — CC BY 4.0 open data licence — contributed content is a gift to the public
Finances — published online every quarter, not just annually
Domain — a protected Society asset; transfers to the Featherston Community Board on dissolution
Requires a 75% supermajority at a general meeting
At least 20 working days' notice to all members
The most important clauses — free posting, the $100 cap, open source, and open data — require 30 days' notice and 75% support
These are hard to change by design
Read the full constitution at:
featherston.co.nz
Featherston Inc — draft constitution v0.1, May 2026