Steering minutes: 2012-11-04

Agenda:

Steering Committee Minutes
November 4, 2012, 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Common House Sitting Room

Attended: Helen, Becky H, Eric, Jim, Hermann, Debbi, Gayle
Facilitator/Convener: Helen
Minutes: Gayle

Agenda:
Grounds Committee requests permission from Steering to use the remaining money in its budget at the end of this year to supplement its budget for next year.
Committee reports.
Matters arising

Minutes:

Grounds Committee Request
The Grounds Committee's request for approval to rollover of some of its funds was not discussed. After this item had been placed on the agenda, Adi provided references to the pertinent Community Agreement. According to this document, committees may transfer funds between line items in the course of a budget year. Any amount over $500 cumulative must be reported to the Steering Committee. While the annual budget is being adopted, particular line items may be flagged so that they can be carried from one year to the next.
Grounds Committee can bring a proposal to the community that funds not spent from its budget this year be rolled over into 2013.
Refreshers on policy are very helpful for those who have forgotten and for newer people but refreshers get pushed off the agendas due to other matters. We appreciate that Adi remembered and could find it.
Committee Reports
Grounds/Hermann
During and outside workdays, 19-20 cubic yards of garden waste (2 years of accumulation) were removed at considerable expense. Syndallas has planned a system to collect it and has posted signs on the periphery for sorted dumping.
Work on semi circle, CH yard, and Helen’s prairie has been started and will continue in the spring.
Established a little recycling center in the 2nd bike shed for styrofoam and batteries.
Grounds spent a lot of time on 2012 and 2013 budgets. Lighting Phase II is the major project for this year. Grounds has been negotiating with Light Your Night, a firm GO and TS have worked with in the past. Ten lights were recommended but because of budget restraints, decided to limit current phase to 5 lights. They will be placed along the paved pedways and heavily traveled pathways. Intend to finish this before onset of winter. TS will pay for lighting at TS step but we are discussing what kind of design for fixture so that both communities are on the same page and without over or under lighting.
Researched wood chips on play ground--31 cubic yard estimate, is a big expense at $1,200. Calculation includes adding to what exists. Emphasis is on “falling zone”--will move old chips to periphery and the new chips will be loaded in the falling zone. It should be 12 inches deep and needs to be done every few years. It was recommended that they look into what school yards use which may be less expensive than the long term use of wood chips. Regarding aesthetics, it can be textured. It is probably safer.
F&L/Eric
Are working with accountant on getting taxes taken care of; they met him and are working on getting everything he needs to him.
Talked to him about the CH loan; the way we are doing now is not optimal; it should be considered as a lien which needs to be brought to the community. It is the only correct legal way of doing it so we need to figure out what to do. F&L is preparing a presentation for the community with options.
Regarding the unit in major arrears, F&L is looking the next steps.
Meals/Debbi - Meals met and is polishing the mandate. They talked through meal dates of coming season to prepare for Willie to schedule for next work system, They continue talking about storage.
Buildings/Eric - Nothing to report.
Process/Becky H - Spent time last month with the FIC meeting, the budget with emails to Jillian in Italy, and with Skills & Thrills coming up this weekend. Plans are going well; will definitely will need help cleaning up after Diwali and will send email to community.
Work/Gayle
Workdays went very well--lots of work was done, good participation, and tasks not completed were reported. It was asked who is responsible for uncompleted tasks --> committees are and they could send out a general request for help. Also, committees should be sure to mark tasks submitted for workdays as high priority.
Rockelle and Michael are officially in the work system with 1/2 quota. Jessica and Caleb will be eligible mid-November. They do not have work assignments so a suggestion to committees is to keep them in mind as needs come up.
The winter work season is now in planning; survey will go live on November 14 and allocation will be December 1.
Vincent will return to the Work Committee in December after his parental leave.
Membership/Helen
Elmo order has not been sent out due to Catherine’s mother’s death.
Lucy and Ayers have left Hope’s unit and Audrey Jenkins will be be there until Hope returns at the end of year.
Catherine is giving a welcome for Rockelle, Michael, and Audrey tonight after meal.
There will be a farewell ceremony for Craig and Fatima and their families just prior to Nov. 19 bus mtg. They will be presented GO tee shirts at the event.
Correction to October 7, 2012 Steering minutes:
Stated: “...Catherine sent out email to all renters explaining we no longer have ‘buddies’ to orient new members. Starting last Jan., we have a work position, Orientation Coordinator. Catherine has been doing this.”
Replace with: "No longer do volunteer 'buddies' orient new members. There is now a work position for this called 'Orientation Coordinator' which started this past January, 2012, and Catherine has been taking this position. Catherine, as convener of Membership, recently emailed all of the current landlords at GO who have renters about the GO Landlord Check List which tells what to do before getting an actual renter and what to do after you have one."
Common House/Jim
Looked at budget for next year, workday projects. 2 things intend to do:
(1) Before end of year but still working out--replace couch in media room. It comes out of this year’s operating budget line item, just someone doing it.
(2) Replacing dining room tables still needs to be worked out--is out of reserve fund. Will buy from Herman Miller, an MI company, but things some need to be figured out first. Will meet Friday so let them know if anything needs attention.
Touchstone Ambassador/Gayle - We are not attending meeting since TS has so much business to deal with and there have not been any common issues. Touched base with Rusty--lighting is being taken care of and there are no other issues on the table at this time.
Next meeting - Sunday, Dec. 2; minutes by Debbi.
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