Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Steering Committees

[Eileen McCourt (emccourt]

Oak Creek Commons has a steering committee, comprised of a representative
from each standing committee, which are currently marketing, design,
process, and finance.  Right now we also have an ad hoc committee for the
CC&Rs, and there is a representative from that committee on the steering
committee.  If the group wants to establish a new committee (as some of us
do for membership development) a proposal goes out to the general group to
get approval and a budget, if necessary.  But the idea is presented to the
steering committee first for time on the agenda.

The steering committee basically has the same mission as Rosewind to
coordinate, establish priorities, and to set agendas.  It is also
responsible for the relationships with our professionals.    The committee
meets by conference call (we live all over the state of Calif, and haven't
started construction yet) on the Monday before each twice monthly meeting to
set the agenda for the upcoming meeting, and to prioritize other requests
for time or issues that are on our "parking lot".  The steering committee
may decide to ask a committee to handle a particular topic for research and
presentation to the group. It's up to each committee to designate their
representative. It's usually the chairperson of the committee, but not
always.

Typically, decisions are made in committee according to the authority of the
committee to spend their approved budget.  If there is something outside the
budget, or a new activity that has not been discussed, that committee will
come back to the group with a formal recommendation and proposal (again
after getting on the agenda through the steering committee).  Usually a new
proposal is floated for preliminary discussion on our email group list.
Proposals can then be tweaked and crafted to overcome most of the
objections.  A proposal that goes through this process is usually adopted
after a short discussion and clarification time at the business meeting.
This has turned out to be a very effective way to conduct business and make
timely decisions.

--eileen

Eileen McCourt
emccourt@mindspring,com <mailto:emccourt@mindspring,com>
Oak Creek Commons
Cohousing in Paso Robles, CA
http://www.oakcreekcommons.org






-----Original Message-----
From: cohousing-l-admin [at] cohousing.org
[mailto:cohousing-l-admin [at] cohousing.org]On Behalf Of Lynn Nadeau
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2001 8:45 AM
To: cohousing L
Subject: [C-L]_Steering Committees


The main job of the SC is coordination, agenda setting, and keeping
things from falling through the cracks. So a concern is raised, and they
refer it to an appropriate committee or task force, or note if there is
none and make a suggestion, for example, that a task force be created.
Proposals for consideration at the meeting are submitted to the SC. They
coordinate with the Facilitation Team also, in setting meeting agendas.
They publish minutes of their meetings, and include the announcements of
coming items on the meeting calendar -- discussion circles etc.

They also administer the contingency funds of the annual operating
budget.
Lynn Nadeau
RoseWind update: Our one resale has dropped the price to $299K for a big
custom home -- a good value, real-estate-wise.
http://wwwjohnlscott.com/41031
Our recently finished common house is getting used a lot and we love it.
Habitat for Humanity has the foundations poured on their 2 houses here,
with framing this week. Our resident flock of pink flamingos was summoned
and is doing sentinel duty roping off the newly-seeded lawn north of the
common house.



Lynn Nadeau, RoseWind Cohousing
Port Townsend Washington (Victorian seaport, music, art, nature)
http://www.olypen.com/sstowell/rosewind
http://www.ptguide.com

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