Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Quorum definition?

[Nancy Wight (wight]

> If you use a consensus process, then a quorum should be a sufficient 
> percentage to allow everyone's perspective to be represented.  For 
> instance, if I have a principled disagrement with a proposal on the 
> agenda and would block approval if I were present, someone who is aware 
> of that could block that proposal on my behalf while other business could 
> take place.  
> 
> -r 

As Jim Salem stated, we use a simple majority of households for a quorum.
However, we are fairly adamant that people who aren't at a meeting do not
have the right to block consensus (this could hold us up even LONGER than
it already takes).  This is mainly because the consensus process only works 
through discussing the different sides of the issue, and someone who thinks 
they want to block may well change their minds after listening to the 
discussion, or at least may be able to influence the wording of a proposal 
that would be a compromise.  It also encourages people to attend meetings.  
Because of this, we try to make sure that we don't try to consense on a 
proposal if we know there is someone opposing it who is not there (which,
admittedly, is not always easy). 

- Nancy
New View, Acton