Cohousing-L Mailing List: classes of decisions/ peace vigil in PT

[Lynn Nadeau (welcome]

>Hence the following thoughts. We have been considering 
>having 2 levels of decisions - Class 1 would be money, bylaws and 
>contracts. This would be done with just the owner/members. Class 2 
>would be other decisions, mostly around functioning of the community - 
>what celebrations, dealing with conflict etc. This would be discussed 
>with the whole community - Associate members and owner/members. 

RoseWind Cohousing has two sorts of decisions. 
 Class One decisions require a quorum (51% of households represented in 
person), and ten day advance notice. 
We have defined as automatically Class One: 
annual budget, assessments, entering into a dispute procedure between the 
Association and a Member [never have, but it would be a serious decision],
decisions to buy, sell or encumber real estate or to incur debt
election and removal of officers and other elected positions [ie Steering 
Committee]
financial decisions involving more than an agreed-upon amount [currently 
set at $1000]
delegation of Class One issues

(Amending the Bylaws and CC&Rs, and Dissolution of the Corporation, used 
to be on the list, but we broke them out and separately defined the 
process for them.)

In addition, ANY item can be designated Class One as the list also 
includes
Any other matter determined to be appropriate by half the Members present 
at a regular or special meeting. 
*************
Any Resident (which would include renters, housemates, etc.) may 
participate in discussion, but only Members (=owners) have 
decision-making power when it comes to determining consensus (or back-up 
voting if we ever did that process). This includes Class Two decisions. 

Class Two decisions are, simply, all decisions which aren't Class One. 

Our Steering Committee checks proposals headed for business meeting 
agendas, to determine if they seem adequately seasoned to be ready for 
final discussion and approval. Steering may also decide that meeting time 
is appropriate, but as only discussion. At the time Steering is 
evaluating a proposal, it is also noted whether the decision is Class One 
or not. Sometimes it's somewhat a grey area, and we have to wing it, but 
the whole group still has the power, noted above, to determine that 
something is too important to proceed on without a quorum present or 
advance notice. 

Lynn at RoseWind
Port Townsend WA where we had hundreds with candles last night along the 
beach, with the candles reflecting in the water. Tearful tribute to 
Rachel Corrie, run down by a bulldozer in Gaza, singing of Peace like a 
River, We are Gentle Loving People, Singing for Their Lives, Dona Nobis 
Pacem, speeches and silence, determination to grow ever stronger as a 
movement, even if, and especially if, our arrogant ignorant war machine 
rains terror on Iraq. 


Lynn Nadeau, RoseWind Cohousing
Port Townsend Washington (Victorian seaport, music, art, nature)
http://www.rosewind.org
http://www.ptguide.com
http://www.ptforpeace.info (very active peace movement here- see our 
photo)

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