Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Secrecy in Cohousing Records

[Deborah Mensch (deborahmensch]

I agree that it's reasonable for anyone to be able to view the records -- I
used to be in charge of checking the pool and spa at my former community
(Pleasant Hill Cohousing, Pleasant Hill, CA). The records weren't posted on
the wall, but the clipboard where they were kept was in an unlocked area
where anyone could check it if they chose. The purpose of the health
department monitoring pools is to ensure the safety of those using them. In
Pleasant Hill, a health dept. inspector would only come by a few times per
year, to check that we were doing things correctly and that the physical
condition of the premises was safe. Not exactly close monitoring -- that's
the job of those doing the daily checking.

I would add that the process of checking chemical levels is not complicated.
If a community member has a special interest in the levels in the pool/spa,
he or she could learn to check them -- and perhaps become part of the team
that does so regularly. The adjustment of chemicals is probably better left
to a small number of people (my opinion -- because some of them have effects
that kick in over several hours or days, so if the people making adjustments
aren't pretty well coordinated, they can end up messing up each other's work
inadvertently), but checking is no big deal. If someone in the community is
really unwilling to make the records open and you decide not to fight that
battle, you can even buy your own jar of instant test strips at a pool
supply store and bring it with you when you want to use the pool or spa. But
read the next paragraph first!!

I have some sympathy for those who adjust the chemical levels and may not
relish the thought of having lots of people checking their work. It's not an
exact science, and there may be community members who think they could do it
better and are not hesitant to say so, thus making those doing the
adjustments feel criticized and undervalued for their effort. It might help
to explore why those in charge of the records are reluctant to make them
accessible, and to be sure that the desire of others to check the records is
not about "I don't trust you to keep us safe" but about "I understand this
is a tricky business and things don't always work out as intended, and I'd
just like to be able to reassure my visitors if they have questions about
the chemical levels. By the way, is there anything I can do to help with
pool/spa maintenance, that might make it easier for you?" An atmosphere of
mistrust can make anyone want to do things that look crazy from the outside.
Offering help and understanding rather than criticism will ease many
conflicts of this type.

My two cents,
Deborah Mensch
Wild Sage Cohousing, Boulder, CO

On 9/16/07, Jenny Williams <jlgw [at] cableone.net> wrote:
>
> It seems a very reasonable request to have all those levels posted for
> everyone to see.
>
> jenny
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: O3C11N6G [mailto:normangauss [at] charter.net]
> > Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2007 10:41 PM
> > To: Cohousing-L
> > Subject: [C-L]_ Secrecy in Cohousing Records
> >
> >
> > I have encountered in our cohousing community a reluctance to display
> > results of inspections and records of our spa and pool.
> >
> > Our pool and spa are supposed to be checked by a rotating group
> > of 7 people
> > once a day every day for safe levels of chemicals and we have occasional
> > inspections by the local public health service.  Anytime a large
> > team sets
> > up a rotating schedule for doing anything, it is likely to have a
> > degree of
> > non-compliance.  We have a similar rotating duty roster for
> > locking up the
> > common house at night and it often fails.
> >
> > In determining whether the spa is being maintained for my guests, I have
> > asked to have the chemical readings of the spa and pool posted.  The
> > committee chair has refused, explaining that those records are for the
> > public health service only, and I am not privy to them.  I am not
> > confident
> > that the chemicals in the spa and pool are being maintained at their
> > recommended levels because I have seen first hand how difficult
> > it is to get
> > non-technical trained in testing and recording their test results.
> >
> > Does anybody out there in cohousing land have any views on this?
> > Is it too
> > much to ask that testing results be displayed so that if I want
> > to invite my
> > guests, we do not have to be concerned that the spa or pool might not be
> > safe today?
> >
> > Norm Gauss
> >
> >
>
>
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