Cohousing-L Mailing List: minutes/computers

[Judy (BAXTER%EPIHUB]

Rob Sandelin <robsan [at] microsoft.com>  wrote:

In my community half the membership is  computer literate.  If online was how
information was passed on,  computer literacy would be a requirement to be "in
the loop." . . . . There are several people within my community who do not wish
to be  involved in any way with computer technology.  
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I've been thinking about this more, and since we'll be down for 2 weeks, I'll
try to squeeze this in. 
        I, too, thought of laptops for minutes.  And I could imagine some
structured software, if someone (NOT me) could write, to help.  But from where
I sit, there is just no energy to deal with learning such.  Actually, in our
group, most folks are somewhat computer literate, but many are not on
line/networked/computer owners.  I can't see a bulletin board or anything
similiar working in the forseeable future.  Mostly because getting a copy of
minutes in my box is very different for me from signing on to a computer.  I
sign on to this one at work - but my home one can stay off for days at a time.
And it is awkward. 

Speaking of minutes, we use a wonderful ACTION MINUTES format that we got via
the school system (and modified).  The essentials are a column at the left for
agenda items, then a wide space (column) for discussion of the item, a teeny
column for a check mark for items consenssed on,  and a final column for names
of persons to carry out decisions/actions, and dates for expected completion. 
It helps to find what you've said you would do.   What we are just starting to
do, and wish we'd done sooner, is to extract significant policy decisions and
actions for ease of finding.  
        The modifications have to do with a "first page" w/ notes on attendees 
and
absent, facilitator, note taker, process observer, handouts, items for next
time,etc. 

Judy Baxter, Monterey Cohousing Community, (MoCoCo)
Twin Cities Area, Minneapolis/St.Paul Minnesota
e-mail: baxter [at] epivax.epi.umn.edu