Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re:decision making

[HeidiNYS (HeidiNYS]

Dear Lynn,

There may be more to the complexity of the question, but as to your 
immeadiate: "The main 
questions are -- what are the criteria which define decisions which can only 
be made by the whole community vs. decisions which committees/teams are 
empowered to make? "  It's been cleanest to have anything that seems 
appropriate go to a sub-group [ie, committee/task force.]  The committee 
throws the issue around enough to make a proposal to The Entire Community!  
This saves enormous amts of time.  Sometimes the committee gets the sense of 
the group, and we consens on proposal.  sometimes the proposal define the 
question, and gives the whole something definite to discuss.  Wehn we were at 
more formative stage, we often found it worked well to discuss something for 
a specified amt of time [extendable if group wanted more discussion], and 
then go off and sit with it 'till the next meeting.  
Having some time out to sit with any concern often allows us to resolve it 
next time we meet. 
Close to five years after move-in we seem to do this less.  By the way, even 
tho we keep an Index of Decisions, we also periodically forget what we 
decided!!!  and hang around trying to re-create what may even have been a 
recently made decision!!   eventually we either remember or look it up!
Am adding this, just in case it happens to anyone else.  Don't worry.... we 
all do it, least occasionally!!  
PS, Most committees have budget lines, and can spend up to a certain amt on a 
single item autonomously, but are asked to get an OK from the group if it is 
a larger dollar amt.  
A Poster Child for absent-mindedness[sometimes,]... Ruth Hirsch Cantines 
Island CoHousing
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