Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Closed Meetings

[O3C11N6G (normangauss]

Dear Muriel:

> I'm curious to know what kinds of groups Norm Gauss is alluding to. Are
> they regular standing committees and teams or ad-hoc groups?  Do those
> committee members believe that their mandate includes confidentiality or
> are they just secrecy-prone for no apparent reason?

One standing committee is the "Community Life" team.  It has a budget.  I 
have been told to leave its meetings.  On one occasion, I asked to remain as 
an observer, but was told to leave.

Another is the Facilitator Team. It is also standing, but does not appear to 
be formally authorized by the Board or the community.
This team is primarily a forum for facilitators of business meetings.  No 
general community member may attend its meetings.  On one occasion, a 
general invitation was extended to the community to anyone interested in 
becoming a facilitator.  I attended the meeting but was told that I could 
not stay because, in the opinion of one authoritarian type, "I was not 
suitable for the job of facilitator."

There is a reluctance for formality in our community with the result that 
confusion often exists as to a committee's mandate and its authorization.

One ad-hoc team was formed to design and construct an attractive plaza.  Now 
it has been turned into a "Friends of the Plaza" team without any formal 
approval from the community.  I believe its meetings are open.

Another ad-hoc team had a mandate to build an organic community garden.  I 
attended some of the preliminary planning meetings but was told in a hostile 
manner that I did not belong there because I personally did not expect to be 
a working member of the team.  That team has since developed into a standing 
committee without formal authorization and is now asking for community 
funds.  I attended a meeting last week, but nobody told me to leave. 
However, I detected some irritation from the same person who had previously 
told me to leave.

As long as confusion exists as to mandates and authorization, conflict will 
continue be a problem.

Norm Gauss