Who governs the land.
The most important question anyone can ask about a community land project is: who actually controls it?
The answer for CommonGround Sanctuary Farms is: the community of that county. Always. Without exception.
Here is exactly how trustees are selected, how long they serve, and how they can be removed.
Trustee composition per County Land Trust
| Trustee type | How selected | Term | Max number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Pillars | Elected by CommonGround members in county | 2 years | 3 trustees |
| Partner organisations | One rep elected by partner orgs in county | 2 years | 3 trustees |
| Sanctuary Farm residents | Elected by farm residents | 1 year | 2 trustees |
| General community | Elected by all CommonGround members in county | 2 years | 2 trustees |
| Total | 10 trustees |
Rules
- No trustee serves more than two consecutive terms
- All trustee decisions published to CommonGround members in that county within 7 days
- Any trustee can be recalled by a two-thirds majority community vote
- Quorum for decisions: 7 of 10 trustees
- Major decisions (land use changes, significant spending): unanimous vote required
- Annual public meeting open to all CommonGround members in the county
What trustees decide
- ✓ How the farm land is used
- ✓ What programmes run on the farm
- ✓ How farm produce is distributed
- ✓ Who lives at the farm's recovery centre
- ✓ How Common Wealth Common Ground funds are spent on the farm
- ✓ Any changes to the farm's structure or purpose
What trustees cannot decide
- ✗ To sell the land to a private buyer
- ✗ To exclude any member of the community from the farm
- ✗ To discriminate on any grounds
- ✗ To act against Common Wealth Common Ground's founding mission