Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: work and expectations

[Julie Ellen Boleyn (ellen]

 Judy Baxter wrote:
 > We pay for snowplowing ( we have two long driveways + 
 > parking areas) and someone to clean the common living 
 > room and a few other things, once a month 2 hours.  
 > Other than that, we do what is done. 
 
I am very curious how you, and other communities, have decided what to
pay for, and what to do your selves. Obviously, if something is not
getting done, that needs to be done, you pay for it. But there are a few
questions that my community has gotten stuck on: 
 
        1. How do you decide it needs to be done (what are your
        criterion)?
        2. Who decides it needs to be done (who makes the
        recommendations to the larger group, in general) ?
 
The group I'm with has toyed with the idea of a 'Don't Fall Through The
Cracks' committee that would field these questions of what's not getting
done, why, and make a recommendation for dealing with it. Unfortunately,
IMHO, many members felt this group would have too much 'power'.  So I'm
very curious how you have dealt with this. 
 
Personally, I like the idea of the DFTTC Committee-- and I feel the lack
of support for the idea may stem from distrust, rather than real
objection. But I'm not sure. The idea seems logical to me... but perhaps
that is precisely the problem? 
 
 - Julie
 Trillium Hollow
 ---------------
 Where we've begun framing after completing our big concrete pours. The
 site is a mess, with mud, rocks and more mud covering much of the site. 
 We're looking at moving in April or May, with only 5 more of the 30 or 31
 units to sell!