Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Closed Meetings

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On Sep 16, 2007, at 12:58 AM, O3C11N6G wrote:

> However, here at Oak Creek Commons on the Central Coast of  
> California, there are committees and teams that do not feel  
> comfortable having their meetings open to anyone wanting to  
> attend.  This is especially true when there is a fear that visitors  
> may interfere with the goals and agenda or that statements about  
> certain people are meant to be confidential.

This seems so against the spirit of cohousing that I can't fathom it.  
I think all meetings in the community should be open to all residents  
and if there are residents whose intent is to be disruptive, that  
should be dealt with as an issue. Closing meetings because "something  
might happen" is short sighted, avoidance behavior.

If you want to build community, you have to build it. Having secrets  
and holding secret meetings will not build community.

Sharon
----
Sharon Villines
Coauthor with John Buck of We the People
Consenting to a Deeper Democracy
A Guide to Sociocratic Principles and Methods
ISBN: 9780979282706
http://www.sociocracy.info