Mosaic Commons General Meeting
Sunday, February 3, 2002 3:30-6:30

Decisions:

San will be the initial scheduling advisor with Michael shadowing until Michael feels ready to take it on. Approved by consensus

Action Items:

Discussion:

1. Opening Activity

What creative thing would you do with a paperclip (other than its intended purpose)?

2. Review of Colored Cards

John did so

3. Announcements and approval of Agenda

• Sarah announced her intention to become an Associate in a month or when she meets the requirements. Steph points out that Sarah has been doing quite a bit of work behind the scenes on the accounting system.
• We decided to end the meeting at 6:00 due to the Super Bowl.

4. Review and Approve Minutes from previous meetings

• Correction for the week of 6/20 under Land/Site: Dwight and Roxanne should talk to Kai about researching other options for a contractor.
  
• 6/20 Minutes Approved
• 6/5 Minutes Approved as well

5. Clarifying Responsibilities/Teams

• San asked how things ended up being divided between John and Catya around working with Cohousing Resources.
  
• John answered that his role is the primary interface between MC and Cohousing Resources. He would make sure that any info from him and from us goes back and forth in a way that people are clear about what needs to be done. He will also share that with Cat. John will pick up the scheduling for when Chris is in town. Catya will handle the other things would like her to be present for that to be explained in detail.
  
• We clarified that John should be on the land/site committee since he is going to be the primary contact with Cohousing Resources around this.
• Who is doing contract stuff? John wants to hold off on answering that until Cat is present. Currently she is still working out the contract details with Cohousing Resources. Regarding the specific changes to the contract that we requested, those will be done.
• Dwight raises the question should we pay Cohousing Resources on Tuesday when we don’t have the contract yet? We’ll get the contract that night. Never answered.
• Cat sent out an email explaining, in detail, what her roles and duties have been. She suggested that we all do that, send an email to the list. We’ve assigned each person an action item to do this.

6. Meeting Planning

• San raises a concern about how our scheduling has been going lately.
• Cat made some good suggestions on email. One point made by her was, when you’re deciding between times that are really close, think about how many households are represented not just individuals. Cat also suggested that we narrow times down to 2 or 3 options.
• San points out that it would help to have one person “own” the scheduling event. We also all need to be more prompt about responding to scheduling polls.
  
• Rick says that the person that is responsible for the scheduling should be empowered to schedule the event in the absence of a clear preference.
  
• Kai also says, if we start out with a large poll, should narrow it down to 2 or 3 for a final decision.
  
• Sometimes, even the best laid plans change. Today’s planned meeting with Chris got changed because other factors were brought forth after the date was already chosen so we changed it, but it was a bit chaotic in the process. Sometimes that’s just going to happen.
• Kim asks if it just makes sense to have one person who is in charge of scheduling. Judy responds that in theory that makes a lot of sense, but when you’ve got a contact person who is the primary contact, it doesn’t make sense to have a 3rd person involved.
• San would like to see one person own the scheduling event, and then to have a second person to consult with before making a decision if there is ambiguity about which decision to make. Dwight asks if that person
  would be the same each time? John thinks it should be at the discretion of the person who is in charge of scheduling event.
• San thinks it does make sense (as does Kim and Sarah) to have that second person always be the same.
  
• John supports that second person advisor.
• Michael says she would be willing to become this secondary advisor, but she’s concerned that it might not work as well since she doesn’t know the group as well.
  
• Proposal: Michael will become the scheduling advisor to anyone who is in charge of scheduling.
  
• Revised Proposal: San will be the initial scheduling advisor with Michael shadowing until Michael feels ready to take it on. Approved by consensus

Process Workshop Scheduling:

• Two dates Jerry has said he can do it: February 24th, and March 10th.
• A meta issue who is interested in attending? Clarified that only equity and associates can attend, however we’d be willing to be flexible for potential Associate members if they do, indeed, plan to become Associates (we had four people present who are not yet Associates but plan to become Associates Lisa, Sarah, Greg, and Michael).
• Dwight would like it to be a half day session (already agreed). Dwight would also like, for future dates, try to have special events on meeting dates. Kim responds that this really limits us to one meeting a month and that makes a long day.
• Kai points out that we all have personal concerns that factor into deciding about when to have these special meetings.
  
• Greg asks if he could attend. Steph answered that he could potentially become an associate member by then, so it is somewhat possible that he could attend. Other people chime in and say that they’d be willing for him (and other potential associates present) to attend the workshop if, in good faith, he intends to become an associate soon after.
• San asks if we should consider the dates that are already on the table, or should we reopen it for consideration? Dwight thinks we should just consider the two dates that are already on the table. Others agree.
  
• Michael wants to know what some of these personal consideration issues are, because it might influence other people’s decisions about dates.
  
• Kai points out that we’ve already assigned high priority to at least one person from each household being able to attend. It would be a serious issue if nobody from a household can attend.
  
• John asked who wants to attend the workshop?
  
• Who can attend the 24th: 15 can attend, in the poll David H and Roxanne can come on this date
  
• Who can attend the March 10th: 13 raised hands, plus Roxanne and Rosa can attend.
  
• 8 prefer the 24th
  
• 1 prefers the 10th
  
• We have decided to schedule the process workshop for February 24th, 12:00-4:00 at Parmenter (if they can schedule it).

7. Team/Committee Reports and Action Items

Land/Site

• John proposed that we hold off on this report until the next meeting when we’ll have more information from Chris.
  
• We decided to go ahead and discuss.
  
• John sent an email to the list asking for feedback from people to comment on what they would like to have discussed at this meeting, so Chris can be prepared ahead of time.
  
• We are meeting with Chris this Tuesday

Issues for Chris (John will bring these to him tomorrow so Chris can prepare for Tuesday):

1. What’s up with the land, the triangular plot that was very close to the West Acton train station (the wet/low one)?
   
2. What are the chances of finding land in the next few months and what can the group do to help increase those chances?
   
3. What’s up with the property in Stow?
4. How about the two properties in Acton he mentioned?
   
5. Kim wants to know what we can do, should do, shouldn’t do, if we see land listed. She’s sent him three emails with MLS listings and he hasn’t responded to them other than acknowledging the email. Should she keep sending these to him? (Roxanne does this as well). John recommends that he would like to be aware of these should be cc’d.
6. What sites does he know of that are in play, where do they stand, what can the group do for these?
   
7. What about Saxonville?
8. Can he give a specific response to the MLS listing that is sent to him by people? more than just a confirmation.
   
9. What were the expenses for Cohousing Resources for the last 3 months? We haven’t received invoices and our treasurer is concerned that we will get hit with a huge bill

• John reminds us to be careful about the boundary between what we do and what we are paying him to do. We don’t want to replace his efforts, we want to augment them.
• Dwight also points out that perhaps it isn’t appropriate for too many people to send him pointers that we should go through the land/site committee?
• Michael asks if it is appropriate to funnel information through John. This is John’s suggestion.
  
• John reminds people that he is the primary contact for group we should funnel information through him before sending it directly to Chris. You should also CC the land/site list.

Steph sent out an email clarifying the list of priority towns. They are:
1. Framingham
2. W. Concord
3. Acton
4. Maynard
5. Marlboro
6. Southboro
7. Ashland

We did not address the question of Stow.

Marketing

• A group in Concord, Women’s Well, is having a workshop on cohousing. Judy is going to get in touch with them to see if she can help out.
• Steph gave feedback that she’s talked to one woman who said she found us through our ad in the Sr. Times.

Professionals

• John has discussed the revised contract with Chris.
• We need the following in the monthly reports from Chris (or any consultant): This is what I’ve done, This is the result of what I’ve done, These are the next steps.
• Conference calls: (never finished this)

-----------BREAK----------

Secretary

• No report

Affordability

• Kim talked to Joani Blank about affordability. She told Kim about 3 cohousing groups that have worked extensively with affordability. Kim has calls into them. Kim wants to know from our current members and associates who feel like they would need help, just how much help they would need so she can have an idea of which direction to go.
• Kim got a good reference for a lawyer Matt Keiffer. He has a lot of cohousing experience, but he’s very/too expensive now. He was New View’s lawyer. He referred us to Kate McCabe she’s in Boston and has worked with a couple of cohousing groups. Matt said that he might be interested in being a consultant.
• Kim sent emails to Boston Habitat for Humanity there is a group in Metro Northwest but hasn’t heard back yet.
• Kim contacted Donna Ferrina, works with single families.
• Great Job Kim!!

Coordinating

• We need to have a more formal write-up of the mentoring system. San will write this up.

Finance

• Current income: 3100/month. Current outgo: 5200/month. Projected cash call will be $2100 next month. No cash call this month due to a positive balance.
  
• Kai requests that the contribution amount to date be included in the new monthly statements.
  
• Future reports will (as planned) give the amount credited at 150% and 200%, as well as proportion toward 5%.

8. Hot Topics

• Number one Hot Topic: Social Issues (homophobia, parenting, abuse)
• Number two: Green Statement (recycling, cleaning, paper products in CH, etc..)
  

Should we discuss these today?

• Steph feels we should wait until Dave, Cat, and Rosa are here. She also feels that we need more time in order to allow for real airing of brainstorming fears and desires.
• Dwight reiterates his desire for a meta-discussion about public vs private.
  
• David H asks what the goal of discussing these hot topics. Kai responds by saying that the goal is to bring out what is important to us. It is also felt by the group that it will be easier to develop a group response to certain issues while we are small, so that when new people come in later they know where we stand on these issues. Kim also responds that the clearer we become about these issues, the clearer people will become about us. Michael says that this is part of verbalizing our identity. And in doing this, we might be able to be less personally embroiled in the issues.
• San says that some of these are meant to evolve into policies, and some into more vision statement types of things. She wondered, specifically regarding Social Issues, whether we can tackle all three at the same time. She wonders if these are the best to start with.
• Kim proposes that we start at the “bottom” and work up. Perhaps it would be easier to start with less emotional issues. Rick says it would help to have the experience before we get to the really difficult ones.
• John points out that the depth in which we discuss each issue will point out how important it is to the group.
  
• San points out that it might be helpful to have one or two people to do research on specific hot topics to locate more information to help direct the conversation.

Topic for next meeting:

• Spiritual and Political Issues (minus guns) Lisa will take on researching this item with Dwight’s mentoring. Ken will be backup.
• Rick would like pointers to the research to be posted to the list so we can read up on it prior to the meeting.

9. Future Agenda Items and Dates

February 10th 11:00 Brunch at Homeport!
February 17th 1:00-3:00 Intro Meeting (Roxanne will help)
February 17th 3:30-6:30 General Meeting
February 24th 12:00-4:00 Facilitation Workshop with Jerry
March 3rd 3:30-6:30 General Meeting
March 17th 1:00-3:00 Intro Meeting (Dwight will lead if Catya isn’t there,
and Judy backup)
March 17th 3:30-6:30 General Meeting

10. Review of Meeting and Closing

• Talked a bit about what it’s been like to have Dave, Catya, and Rosa away.
  
• The process without them has been challenging.
• John clarifies the concern we’ve realized that some people have greater responsibilities/workload than others in the group and this has been challenging. We’ve realized that we can carry the load without them, but we also realize how valuable they’ve been. It has been a growth experience.
• This may be pointing out to us that we need to be better at communicating as a group will help to share more information about what we are each doing so that there isn’t such a void when someone leaves or is temporarily absent.
  
• It was also pointed out that we really do have an amazing amount of information/documentation. A new attendee pointed out that he was impressed by the amount of information and organization we have.

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Last modified: February 13, 2002