Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: accounting costs

[Bitner/Stevenson (lilbert]

Thanks, Ruth. At a certain point, you may begin to feel that doing more work
than everyone else (sweat equity won't last forever) isn't fair. At that
point, they can't afford NOT to pay you, at least a token sum, because you
are so valuable to the community.

I'd be willing to put money on most communities moving toward paying members
who contribute services to the community far above and beyond other members'
contributions. As the newness of living in community wears off, the hard
work needs to be rewarded or valued members will leave, physically or
emotionally.

Liz
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>From: "Ruth Chaet" <rchaet [at] mindspring.com>
>To: Multiple recipients of list <cohousing-l [at] freedom2.mtn.org>
>Subject: Re: accounting costs
>Date: Sat, Dec 4, 1999, 10:33 PM
>

> During the first year of move in at Westwood, we had a lot of sweat equity
> work and now have expectations of every one doing some amount of community
> work.  I have been the comptroller (bookkeeper, paying bills, preparing
> statements, making monthly reports, doing the taxes, and preparing the end
> of year reports for the accounting firm).  I don't get paid but am not
> expected to do sweat equity or other community work.  As a member, I feel
> this is my way of contributing to the group.  Also, as the "guardian" of the
> budget, I don't think we could afford to pay me.  Because it involves a lot
> of time, there is another member who helps with the monthly statements and
> also fills in when I go away.
> This is my second year of keeping the records, etc., and I am still
> developing forms for reporting to the group, trying to simplify so that
> people will not just glaze over when they look at the report but will ask
> questions if they want more detail.
> Ruth Chaet at Westwood CoHousing in Asheville, N.C.
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