Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: budget process

[Laura Fitch, A.I.A. (lfitch]

In Pioneer Valley Cohousing we do the following:

Around december the finance committee issues a spread sheet to all the 
Committee Chairs showing previous budget and actual spending.  They are 
given two weeks or so to get together with committee members and propose 
new budgets.  A full spread sheet (previous, actual, and proposed 
budgets for all committees) is then given (by community mail box) to 
every member of the community.  Community members are given a week or so 
to contact committee chairs, or members of the finance committe with 
questions / concerns.  Any concerns that are not addressed to a 
residents satisfaction are then recorded on a posted budget in the 
Common House.  Then in a general meeting the entire budget is approved, 
after some discusiion if necessary around these few (if any) posted 
concerns.  

Note:  This process has become very streamlined after 7 years of 
budgeting experience.  We now know what it costs more or less to run the 
community, so then only items that really should be contriversial are 
one type captial expense proposals - not operating expenses.


A typical Budget includes:

Operating expenses for the following committees:
finance
landscape
buildings and grounds
community support (plans retreat, etc.)
garden
kids
communication
membership

Capital Expenses

Replacement Reserves for the following items (probably missing some)
These are typically NOT reviewed each year unless someone has reason to 
believe that previous projections were wrong.

roofing
siding
painting
kitchen equipment
laundry equipment
paving
community truck

Note:  The kitchen and laundry committes have their own bank accounts 
and accounting  systems.

--
Laura Fitch, A.I.A.
Principal Architect

KRAUS-FITCH ARCHITECTS, INC.
110 Pulpit Hill Rd.
Amherst, MA  01002
413-549-5799
413-549-7918 (fax)

lfitch [at] krausfitch.com



Tree Bressen wrote:

> Hi folks,
>
> I am doing some work with a community regarding their budget process.  I
> searched the archives of this list and was surprised not to find descriptions
> of how other communities do it, with the exception of the budget party idea
> from Rob S.  If anyone else out there can post info on who does which work,
> how much is done by a treasurer, a finance committee, regular members, and/or
> in whole group meetings, how long the whole process takes and what the steps
> are, that would be great.  Thanks,
>
> --Tree
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