Finance & Legal minutes: 2010-04-12

Minutes:

Minutes F&L Committee Meeting

4-12-10

Present: Aaron, Mary, Amy, Rod

1. Covering the Overspent Buildings Line Item in the 2009 Budget

Background: Buildings overspent its operating budget by $5,000 in 2009
because of fire suppression repairs. F&L discussed the options for
repayment at its 4-3-10 “Summit” and asked Steering to make a decision about
this at its 4-4-10 meeting, because F&L is not empowered to make such
decisions. Steering followed F&L’s recommendation and decided that the
amount should be covered using the balance of funds in the operating budget
and the remainder from the Buildings Maintenance rollover fund. Reasoning
was influenced by concerns about potential expenses in 2010 to repair the
fire suppression system.

After discussion with Rod, we discovered that F&L ‘s recommendation to
Steering was based on faulty assumptions and we also recognized some Process
concerns:

- The agenda item should have been sent out in advance of the Steering
Meeting so others could attend to discuss it.

- Steering is only empowered to make decisions on an emergency basis
between community meetings; this item does not fit that criterion. Steering
did not have the authority to make this decision.

- The nature of the Buildings rollover fund needs clarification and
definition. In general, the community’s several rollover funds each have
different characteristics and these are not well defined. We need a policy
for the community to agree on for how we handle rollover funds.

- [New information received subsequent to the F&L meeting:] The books
for the 2009 operating budget are not yet closed so it is not yet certain
whether there will be an unspent balance.

MONKEY: Amy will talk with Gail (Steering Convener) to bring her up to
speed on the process issues around Steering’s decision.

Amy and Mary (who later traded with Jillian) will be facilitating at the
Monday 4/19 comty meeting. This item potentially could be added to Monday's
agenda so the community can make the decision.

MONKEY: Amy will talk with Jillian. Mary is willing to present the item.


2. Status of External Review

MONKEY: Aaron emailed Elph to find out the status of this.


3. Status of proposal to delay placement of lien(s)

A second household has paid off their balance in full. We need to check in
with the two remaining households significantly in arrears to find out
whether it would make a difference to them to have an extension to
June 1stbefore a lien is placed.
If they can pay off in full by June 1, it seems worthwhile to hold off
placing a lien, but we need the community’s agreement on this.

MONKEY: Aaron will make contact with the households in question to find out
if there is a chance they can pay their balance in full by June 1.

MONKEY: Amy will prepare the proposal so it is ready to distribute if we
are going forward with presenting it on Monday.


4. Housekeeping items

Next meeting is 4/22 at Amy’s house

The 5/10 meeting will be at Mary’s house.
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