Cohousing-L Mailing List: experience of paying members in the community

[Alison Etter (alison.s.etter]

Hi - I live in the Roberts Creek Cohousing Community in British Columbia.
We have been together 5-6 years now and have been somewhat struggling with
participation in the community.  Up until now, we have been functioning with
volunteer labour for our common meals, maintenance, garden, etc but paying
outside the community for Common House cleaning and occasional outside
facilitation.  We have no formal expectation of paricipation, although most
households do participate in some way at least.

We have coming before our next community meeting (April 11), a proposal from
the garden committee to pay a member an stipend of $2000 for the year to
look after the garden.  Without getting into the whole proposal here, let me
just say that the pros and cons are being hotly debated in the community,
and most expect it will be a contentious topic.

One of the cons mentioned is that we were advised strongly, during the
development phase, by other cohousing communities *not* to pay members in
the community for work performed.  I would appreciate if those of you with
experience of paying members in your community would comment on your
experience - positive or negative.  It might help to steer our course
thought this situation.

Thanks so much.

-- Alison Etter 604-740-0321
Roberts Creek Cohousing, British Columbia   Canada

*If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
Wayne Dyer
*