Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: committee structure in mid/small communities

[David Entin (davidentin]

Sounds like too many committees to me.  Rocky Hill Cohousing (28 units), 
Northampton, MA, has a seven-member Board of Trustees and six standing 
committees: Finance, Community Life (also includes children's issues), 
Design, Sustainability (includes garden sub-committee), Common House, and 
Buildings and Grounds.  These committees generally meet monthly.  There is 
also a long-standing Membership Committee which meets as needed.  There are 
a few ad hoc committees: Meals, Play Structures, Retreat planning, which 
meet from time to time.  We generally have community meetings twice a month 
for two hours, rotating Saturday mornings and afternoons.  David Entin
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ruth Hirsch" <heidinys [at] earthlink.net>
To: <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 8:12 AM
Subject: [C-L]_ committee structure in mid/small communities


> Dear Co-CoHousers,
>
> We have grown from 12 to 18 households in the past few years.  Our
> initial move in was more or less 11 years ago.
>
> We recently had a Community Living Day focused on meetings, and in
> forming the Agenda for that day, realized that our process could go
> better in terms of committee work.
> Since then, one neighbor pointed out that we have a lot of meetings
> for committees, and raised the question of whether we could we
> combine some of them.  I will list our Committees, below.  Mostly we
> are wondering:
> How does your community-- and we'd love input from established
> communities close to our size, as a first choice-- How does your
> community do with committee life?  what is your structure?  do
> committees have regular schedules?  Here, prime meeting time is after
> Sunday Dinners.   Do you have as many as we?  Do you have suggestions
> for streamlining?  thank you.
>
> COMMITTEES
>
> Activities- Chair Barb. Thaddy, Mary Ellen, Dennis, Susan, Cathy, Ruth
>
> Aging in Community- Coord Janet. Lee, Barb, Sara, Cathy, Thaddy
>
> Common House- Co-chairs Ruth & Sara. Helen, Susan, Lee, Cathy, Leah
>
> CH Basement/kids: Barb, Victor, Gail, Wendy, Johanna, Thaddy/Kids-
> Ruth, Michael S, Dennis, Johanna
>
> Development- Co-chairs Doug, Kathy & Dave. Victor, Ruth.
>
> Grounds- Co-Chairs Kathy & Susan. Dennis, Ruth, Karen, Johanna, Mary
> Ellen, Cathy, Soon, Leah, Jason, Mark
>
> Legal/Finance- Chair George. Matt, Karen
>
> Long-term Planning- Karen (convener), Doug, George, Peter
>
> Membership- Chair Mike C.  Ruth, Mike S, Susan, Lee, Janet
>
> Safety- Chair Doug. Peter, Susan
>
> Site & Building Maintenance- Chair Peter. Wendy, Dennis, John, Matt,
> Dave, Ruth, Victor
>
> Wretched Refuse [garbage] - Susan, Dave
>
> TASK GROUPS
> Architectural Preview-[only meets as needed Chair Susan. Helen, Ruth,
> Janet, Gail, Sara, Peter
> Arm-of-the-Sea - Sara
> Barge - Victor, Lee, Stephanie, Doug, Michael S, Susan
> Bulkhead (1/25/04) - Karen, Matt, Susan, Doug, Peter, Dennis, Victor
> Common House Expansion (1/25/04) - Co-chairs Gail & Thaddy. George,
> Karen, Janet, Susan, Kathy, Mary Ellen, Peter, Cathy
> CH Library- Karen, Ruth, Susan, Johanna
> Mill Property - John, Johanna, Lee, Karen, Stephanie, Victor, Cathy,
> George, Helen, Susan, Peter
> Parking - Michael C, Steve, Janet
>
> Appreciate input,
> thank you
> Ruth J. Hirsch
> Cantines Island, Saugerties, NY
>
>
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