Post by Linda Ray Miller on Sept 30, 2011 6:41:56 GMT -6
This is the first of our weekly newsletters. We are still learning how to use the software that creates it, so please feel free to send in your comments, concerns, and constructive criticism. (I KNOW you will!)
First Business Meeting!
We had a great first meeting! Thanks to Jack Blair for facilitating, Kate Kiefling for taking notes, Katherine Correa for keeping up with who will speak next, and Sallie Gross for being the fabulous timekeeper! Also attending were Kim Briley, Diana Sullivan, Jenny Murphy, Linda Ray Miller, MAT, Brad Norris, Rebecca Rollins, Janet Pierce, Stuart Spencer, John Bollinger, and Sue Marshall.
Clarification on Committees
(May not be complete)
Site Selection: Diana, Katherine, MAT, Jack, Gwen, Brad
Mission: Janet, John, Cass
Communication: Linda Ray, Kim, Janet
Marketing/Outreach: Sue, Kate, Jenny, Katherine, Linda Ray, Sallie, Rebecca, and Lisa
Finance: Janet, Stuart, MAT
Please note: If your name was not in your committee, please email lindaray_miller@yahoo.com so we can update our information.
Site Committee Report
The Site Committee is busy looking at properties and is staying in touch by email. Any member of the committee may call a meeting if necessary. They have already viewed several sites and are researching how to make offers on some of them. If you have any suggestions for the committee, please email any member.
We have been advised by Chuck and Katie to keep making multiple offers with a contingency clause that will let us "off the hook".
Diana's experience as a realtor is invaluable to this committee.
The committee was asked by the larger group to devise a way to disseminate information to all of us.
Mission Committee
The Mission Committee met by telephone. They are using the New American Villages mission statement as a starting place and will continue to refine it. The first order of business will be to come up with a mission statement for the umbrella organization, and then each project/location will need its own mission statement. All are welcome to submit ideas to any member of the committee.
Communications Committee
The Communications Committee is working in three areas: (1) Printed materials, chaired by Janet; (2) Website development, chaired by Kim; and (3) email communications, chaired by Linda Ray.
Janet is researching costs associated with printing small posters and flyers to generate interest. She will work with the Outreach Committee to determine what the materials need to say, and the Communications Committee will get them printed.
Kim will work with Diana to determine what we can use of the existing website, and what needs to happen with a new one. She is also investigating finding an intern from a technical school who will design a website for free. She would then be able to keep the information updated.
Linda Ray is working with Constant Contact to make our email newsletters easy to produce. We will eventually produce two emails per month - one for the general public, and another for Members Only. Right now, however, because there is so much going on, we will produce a weekly newsletter for Members Only. It is hoped that this will cut down on the flurry of emails we all experienced this past week. Using Constant Contact will cost $15 per month.
Marketing and Outreach
A lot of areas were rolled into the Marketing and Outreach Committee, including (1) Brochure Development, (2) New Member Orientation, (3) Informational meetings for those interested in learning about CoHousing, and (4) Social Events to get to know one another.
The committee is developing a process for how to become a member, for example, attend an informational or social event, observe a business meeting, and go through New Member Orientation in order to "catch up" to the rest of us.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee sees its role as keeping track of accounts, record member contributions, and review of committee budgets. They do not need to come up with the budget itself; that is a task for the larger group. They will report to each business meeting the balance of the checking account and what expenses were paid, along with what contributions have come in. They will not identify contributions by name of donor.
MAT is looking into software for keeping track of our finances, and is trying to identify how the "Google Cloud" can be utilized for sharing information.
Diana reported that the expenses for Chuck and Katie were lower than expected, but she still needs to be reimbursed for some costs that she accrued. Nevertheless, Janet reported that we have about $1600 in the bank account right now.
MAT suggested that if anyone wants to make a contribution you write a check rather than using PayPal. PayPal takes a fee from each donation, so that we do not receive the full amount.
Various fundraising ideas were brainstormed, and the Finance Committee will come back to us with more ideas.
Logical Next Steps
We decided to form a Process Committee and Sallie, Rebecca, Jack, and Linda Ray all volunteered to be on this committee. They will meet before the next meeting and present a report on facilitation, consensus building and other matters relating to how the business meetings will be run.
The Marketing/Outreach Committee will have much to do before the next meeting. They will bring a proposal for membership categories, along with financial obligations for each category.
The Finance Committee will study whether it would be better for us to form an LLC or a Not-for-Profit organization.
Kate will also bring information to the next meeting about free Non Violent Communication training.
It was agreed that this meeting went well for our first attempt at consensus building. It is hard to keep within the time allotments that we set, but is helpful when we are mindful of time. We will get better as we learn more.
Next Meeting
Our next meeting will be held on Sunday, October 2, at 1:00 pm. MAT issued an invitation to bring your lunch at 12:00 and socialize before the meeting.
Assignments:
Jenny will improve the color cards by adding explanations of the procedures for using them on each card and having a ring to bind them together.
Linda Ray will construct a draft agenda and email it the week before the meeting.
Sallie will facilitate.
First Business Meeting!
We had a great first meeting! Thanks to Jack Blair for facilitating, Kate Kiefling for taking notes, Katherine Correa for keeping up with who will speak next, and Sallie Gross for being the fabulous timekeeper! Also attending were Kim Briley, Diana Sullivan, Jenny Murphy, Linda Ray Miller, MAT, Brad Norris, Rebecca Rollins, Janet Pierce, Stuart Spencer, John Bollinger, and Sue Marshall.
Clarification on Committees
(May not be complete)
Site Selection: Diana, Katherine, MAT, Jack, Gwen, Brad
Mission: Janet, John, Cass
Communication: Linda Ray, Kim, Janet
Marketing/Outreach: Sue, Kate, Jenny, Katherine, Linda Ray, Sallie, Rebecca, and Lisa
Finance: Janet, Stuart, MAT
Please note: If your name was not in your committee, please email lindaray_miller@yahoo.com so we can update our information.
Site Committee Report
The Site Committee is busy looking at properties and is staying in touch by email. Any member of the committee may call a meeting if necessary. They have already viewed several sites and are researching how to make offers on some of them. If you have any suggestions for the committee, please email any member.
We have been advised by Chuck and Katie to keep making multiple offers with a contingency clause that will let us "off the hook".
Diana's experience as a realtor is invaluable to this committee.
The committee was asked by the larger group to devise a way to disseminate information to all of us.
Mission Committee
The Mission Committee met by telephone. They are using the New American Villages mission statement as a starting place and will continue to refine it. The first order of business will be to come up with a mission statement for the umbrella organization, and then each project/location will need its own mission statement. All are welcome to submit ideas to any member of the committee.
Communications Committee
The Communications Committee is working in three areas: (1) Printed materials, chaired by Janet; (2) Website development, chaired by Kim; and (3) email communications, chaired by Linda Ray.
Janet is researching costs associated with printing small posters and flyers to generate interest. She will work with the Outreach Committee to determine what the materials need to say, and the Communications Committee will get them printed.
Kim will work with Diana to determine what we can use of the existing website, and what needs to happen with a new one. She is also investigating finding an intern from a technical school who will design a website for free. She would then be able to keep the information updated.
Linda Ray is working with Constant Contact to make our email newsletters easy to produce. We will eventually produce two emails per month - one for the general public, and another for Members Only. Right now, however, because there is so much going on, we will produce a weekly newsletter for Members Only. It is hoped that this will cut down on the flurry of emails we all experienced this past week. Using Constant Contact will cost $15 per month.
Marketing and Outreach
A lot of areas were rolled into the Marketing and Outreach Committee, including (1) Brochure Development, (2) New Member Orientation, (3) Informational meetings for those interested in learning about CoHousing, and (4) Social Events to get to know one another.
The committee is developing a process for how to become a member, for example, attend an informational or social event, observe a business meeting, and go through New Member Orientation in order to "catch up" to the rest of us.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee sees its role as keeping track of accounts, record member contributions, and review of committee budgets. They do not need to come up with the budget itself; that is a task for the larger group. They will report to each business meeting the balance of the checking account and what expenses were paid, along with what contributions have come in. They will not identify contributions by name of donor.
MAT is looking into software for keeping track of our finances, and is trying to identify how the "Google Cloud" can be utilized for sharing information.
Diana reported that the expenses for Chuck and Katie were lower than expected, but she still needs to be reimbursed for some costs that she accrued. Nevertheless, Janet reported that we have about $1600 in the bank account right now.
MAT suggested that if anyone wants to make a contribution you write a check rather than using PayPal. PayPal takes a fee from each donation, so that we do not receive the full amount.
Various fundraising ideas were brainstormed, and the Finance Committee will come back to us with more ideas.
Logical Next Steps
We decided to form a Process Committee and Sallie, Rebecca, Jack, and Linda Ray all volunteered to be on this committee. They will meet before the next meeting and present a report on facilitation, consensus building and other matters relating to how the business meetings will be run.
The Marketing/Outreach Committee will have much to do before the next meeting. They will bring a proposal for membership categories, along with financial obligations for each category.
The Finance Committee will study whether it would be better for us to form an LLC or a Not-for-Profit organization.
Kate will also bring information to the next meeting about free Non Violent Communication training.
It was agreed that this meeting went well for our first attempt at consensus building. It is hard to keep within the time allotments that we set, but is helpful when we are mindful of time. We will get better as we learn more.
Next Meeting
Our next meeting will be held on Sunday, October 2, at 1:00 pm. MAT issued an invitation to bring your lunch at 12:00 and socialize before the meeting.
Assignments:
Jenny will improve the color cards by adding explanations of the procedures for using them on each card and having a ring to bind them together.
Linda Ray will construct a draft agenda and email it the week before the meeting.
Sallie will facilitate.