Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Meeting attendence & quorum

[Lynn Nadeau (welcome]

Lynn Nadeau responding to Rob Sandelin:

I absolutely agree that if meetings are unpleasant to attend, a number of 
people will "find something else to do." But there are additional reasons 
a membership isn't represented--- the sort of thing I referenced in my 
original post-- and delightful meetings don't address them all. 

Habitat now owns two lots, and the families aren't yet chosen. There 
seems no reason to think that the busy Habitat executives would want to 
come to RoseWind Cohousing business meetings. 

Family L aren't going to pass up a 6 month Fulbright in Denmark because 
our meetings are so fine. When a hurricane flattens Puerto Rico, Ws have 
a lot more interest in getting their distant house's roof reinstalled, 
than even the nicest meetings. R's estate didn't want to attend (or even 
speak to us). E, who bought that house from a realtor and decided she 
didn't want to live here, is renting it out and living elsewhere. L&S 
have decided not to retire or leave Seattle, and hope to sell their lot. 
Several families have elderly parents they have to travel to assist for 
periods of time. J has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and never knows if he'll 
be up to it. B is holding his lot as an investment, and is settled on 
Bainbridge for 3 years now. Sounds like nobody's home? 

Not really. We can have a meeting with Leonard, Gitte, Lynn, Howard, 
Jenny, Doug, Nancy, Helen, Kees, Norma, Michael , Sandra, Irv, Alexa, 
Geralynn, Richard, Pat, Don, Merilee and Margaret----- and that's still 
not a 51%-of-owned-lots quorum. Common sense says a group that size IS 
the core group of active members, including most of those who are living 
here, and should be able to make decisions. 

So, I don't discount the value of good meetings (and many of those just 
listed would "find something else to do" if the meetings were crummy) AND 
I still wonder if there is a way to redefine quorum in a way which tips 
the balance when there are a number of ownerships which are not 
functioning as community members.