Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Quorum

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On May 13, 2013, at 1:48 PM, Elizabeth Magill <pastorlizm [at] gmail.com> wrote:

> Ha!! I never thought of "yes only" proxies. What a brilliant idea. Before 
> this I'd have said no proxies as my preference. 

What many of our members are comfortable with is checking in at the beginning 
of the meeting and then leaving. I wonder why they are going to check in if 
they are going to leave but they say it makes the aware of what is on the 
agenda and make it clear that they approve of any decisions made.

The secretary just marks them present and they count to quorum.

This would bother me because I don't want to be recorded as present for 
discussions when i wasn't. I might agree with the passing of the proposal but 
not things said in the discussion that often become assumptions underlying the 
proposal. They then get quoted from the discussion as if they were part of it 
and "you were there."

I would much prefer rules about how long in advance a specific agenda is 
announced -- not a general "we will meet" agenda -- and proposals distributed 
before the meeting. With such rules in place and the ability to say, "I can't 
be there. Can we put this off?", I would be happy with no quorum.

If decisions come up in a meeting and seem by those present reasonable to make, 
they be made and posted for objections. if the objections cannot be resolved, 
the decision comes back for discussion. Otherwise it stands.

The important thing is to move forward. Revisit later if necessary. Moving 
forward tests decisions and gives good information.

Sharon
----
Sharon Villines
Elegance in Organization
http://www.sociocracy.info