Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Community listservs

[M. Kay Campbell (mkayc]

At Nyland, we have two listserves: the Nyland Calendar and the Nyland  
Natter. The Calendar is for current residents only and is limited to  
announcements relevant to the entire community, such as upcoming  
workdays, meals, homes for sale or rent, and other announcements and  
events.

The Natter is for everything else and it's open to current residents  
and past residents who haven't asked to be removed. It's typically  
used for "is anyone going to the store" kinds of postings, along with  
for-sales, political, local happenings, etc. And occasionally a  
conversation will start on the Natter that ends up getting taken into  
community discussion (either as part of a scheduled community meeting  
or in a special circle or meeting). A recent example started with a  
resident request on the Natter for more attention to being quiet on  
the pedways in the mornings and evenings. After a number of listserve  
responses, our Well Being group called a circle, where the issue was  
discussed in a more appropriate setting.

The system is a bit awkward, as not everyone is on both listserves.  
So there is some talk of consolidating the two and limiting it to  
current residents. But the Natter does allow for a more informal  
posting environment. And in a community of 130 with 42 units (plus 10  
rentals) built on 7 acres with an extra 30 acres to care for (read:  
big enough that it's impossible to see everyone daily or even  
weekly), it certainly does help many of us stay in touch.

Kay Campbell
Nyland Cohousing
www.nylandcohousing.org
Lafayette, CO
Having just celebrated 15 years of people living on the land
(First move-in Labor Day 1992)


Message: 1
Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 20:46:54 -0500
From: Muriel Kranowski <murielk [at] vt.edu>
Subject: [C-L]_ Community listservs
To: Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
Message-ID: <6.2.1.2.1.20071018201919.02877788 [at] pop.vt.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Speaking of email, we're also interested in finding out if other
communities have a policy about allowing former owners and former  
renters
to remain on your community listserv after those folks leave.  This is
addressed to communities that are built out and lived in.

We don't have a policy, and in the absence of a policy we let them  
stay on
if they don't ask to be removed.  There are also a couple of almost- 
members
on the listserv -- people who were very involved during the planning  
stage
but eventually dropped out.

I'd love to hear both from communities with a policy -- what is your
policy? -- and those without -- how are you handling this  
informally?  And
are you satisfied with the way it is working?

    Muriel Kranowski
    Shadowlake Village Cohousing
    Blacksburg, VA