![Minutes: Steering 2020-06-27 [Minutes]](display/images/gocohologo.gif)
Steering minutes: 2020-06-27
Agenda:
GO Steering Meeting 062720 via ZoomFacilitators: Syndallas & Amy
Minutes: Andrew
Invited: Sharon (Chief Scientist), Susan (Membership), Marta (Common
House), Debbi (Steering Convenor), Mac (Grounds), Amy (Finance and Legal),
Mary (Buildings), Patti (Process), Eric (Meals), Suzette (Work)
Present: Syndallas, Amy, Suzette, Catherine, Annie, Becky Grover, Debbi,
Mary King, Pamela, Olas, Marta, Kelly, Willie, Eric McGlohon, Malcolm,
Sharon, Elph, Jillian, Gail Turner
AGENDA OVERVIEW
11:00 Welcome & Agenda Review (Syndallas)
11:05 Icebreaker (Syndallas)
11:20 COVID-19 Update and Q&A (Presenter: Sharon, Facilitator: Syndallas)
11:40 Ad Hod COVID Great Oak Opening Group, GO Administrative Controls
Proposal – for decision (Presenter: Mary, Facilitator: Amy)
12:10 Steering Announcements (Presenter: Debbi, Facilitator: Amy)
12:15 Evaluation & Thanks (Syndallas)
12:30 Adjourn (Syndallas)
Minutes:
WELCOME & AGENDA REVIEW (Syndallas)Welcome. To get our attention, please wave hand or speak up.
Agenda review.
* Icebreaker: What are you grateful for today?
Whenever I think about gratitudes, I start with feeling grateful for having
my partner in my life.
I’m feeling grateful for these times and being in co-housing.
I’m grateful for the internet that keeps me in touch with family, friends,
Zen teacher and Zen group, and learning things I otherwise wouldn’t learn.
I’m feeling grateful for the increase resilience I’m feeling as tensions
mount socio-politically and we start the “racism” conversation – just
finding a depth of resilience I didn’t realize I had.
Grateful for my family, and all the things they do to help me stay sane and
functional and alive.
Little things mean a lot; very grateful I can step outside and pick
vegetables. On the other hand, very worried about my daughter in Texas.
Grateful that strawberries are in season.
Grateful for Susan & Joe, family keeping me sane, for GO – couldn’t imagine
doing this without you.
There’s been huge progress in our campaign to try to get justice for
Cornelius — the 16 year old who was killed at the juvenile facility, and
the governor came out saying we need to get the for profit company out of
Michigan. There were formal charges brought against three of the staff,
there’s likely going to be legislation that comes out as a result of this
so professionally. This has been an incredibly gratifying week.
Grateful for the influences the community has had on me. Reading WF, it’s
blowing my mind.
Grateful for being part of this community.
Grateful to have window open and be outdoors. Currently my partner’s making
me an omelet!
Grateful for kitties after having a 24-hour headache. Also that I was able
to have a challenging conversation with my mother around politics; baby
steps being made there.
Thankful for all the connections with all the people I have and the ways
people are providing me with the reassurance I need and challenging me to
stretch and grow.
Grateful for the A2 Farmers Market this morning; just lovely.
Grateful for friends who got me out of the house this week.
Grateful for GO; coffee, cats, and good friends.
I’m just really grateful right now for my kids. And the rain, because I
don’t have to watch them today so I’m pretty excited.
COVID-19 UPDATE, Q & A (Presenter: Sharon, Faciltator: Syndallas)
Gratitude is an antidote to fear. Daily gratitudes – research has been done
on this – helps keep us resilient.
Juxtaposing science & caretaking: things are not going well. Michigan has
done an incredible job. Is a popping-up of cases, but nothing monumental.
If you look at the rest of the country, though, it’s not good. Screen share
(NYT overview): highest peak since April. Originally, hardest hit was NYC;
now, southeast. A huge # of states. Numbers going up exponentially — sign
of a pandemic out of control. Arizona: 3,000 new cases/day.
Why is this so bad? 2 reasons:
1. When a virus spreads in a local community, you contain it (flattening
the curve through containment — e.g., in Michigan, Washtenaw County). In
states like Arizona, there’s a problem with governors not willing to do
stay-at-home order.
2. It’s likely to affect our food supply, as much of our food comes from
western states, which are now being hit hard. Impact is about twice as hard
as April. Decisions made in one moment (e.g., reopening schools in fall)
require revising as situation changes.
Things to do now:
a. Do everything you can this summer – don’t be afraid now; watch cases,
don’t go to Texas! – because it’s going to be boiling by fall, perhaps end
of August.
b. Have at least a month / 1 ½ month of supplies — this can easily get very
out of hand.
c. Find some way to prepare yourself mentally to help you get through tough
times coming, feel alive. (Physical & emotional component to this
situation.)
Questions?
* At this point, is this scenario inevitable or can it be forestalled given
political will & inaction?
In the south, there’s pretty much no way to recoup. Community spread is
everywhere. Could be slowed down, but cf. Michigan: at its height, a couple
thousand cases/day, quickly came down; in the south, it’s now several
thousand/day, still exponentially rising. Don’t think there’s much of a way
out. Michigan can do something: test/quarantine before people cross into
state. How? Get state leadership on board. Luckily, Michigan is easy to
close the border! I’m sounding the bell at the University, too.
* Even though this news is sobering, we can read between the lines as far
as what’s happening across the country. We have the information (thanks,
Sharon!) to be prepared: we can help each other stock supplies, do
everything we can to raise our spirits now. Lots of gratitude.
* Some news says that up to 10x as many cases nationwide as reported?
Yes, it could be 25 million cases of COVID over the next 6 months.
Sobering: we have a president who’s just letting this happen (“stop
testing”… makes the numbers go up) — it’s a dereliction of duty that he was
elected to support the health of the people, and he’s just letting it burn.
Stay safe: don’t go to an event without social distancing, PPE. Best
practices in businesses, yet outbreaks still occur — find little slips in
protocol (like commuting in same vehicle, going for a smoke together; it’s
the social aspects where the cracks are coming in).
* People have to carpool to get to work. But there’s just no way to work.
Yes, as we’ve reopened up, we are exchanging the economic life for the
human health component.
* My son came back from south Florida a week and a half ago. We did
quarantine, test, stay distanced, etc. If this expansiveness is going to be
short-lived, are we going back to stricter protocols?
No, Gov. Whitmer has been trying all along to hit a balance. There are so
many rural areas; Gov can carve up the state, make rules region-specific.
Going outside is always going to be important — much safer indoors, and
people can’t handle being cooped up.
* Gyms, swimming pools: remain closed?
Gyms will probably remain closed, Gov may reopen just for a while. Overall
map of Michigan is still staying flat. Get your haircuts now!
* Appreciations: Sharon’s contributions during COVID-19 times.
AD HOC COVID GREAT OAK OPENING GROUP: GREAT OAK ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS
PANEL — for decision (Presenter: Mary, Facilitator: Amy)
We’re an interesting cast of characters: Sharon (epidemiologist), Syndallas
(governor board member), Mary (pulling all the pieces together).
We were originally tasked with how to reopen the CH. But first we realized
there’s a need for an overall framework that needed to be managed by
Steering. This is a somewhat lengthy proposal; will go through broad
contours then discuss particulars.
1. Steering is responsible party for establishing any COVID reopening.
2. Each committee responsible for figuring out this within their purview
3. Coordinating feature needed for all changes: everyone in the community
needs to be informed. (Many changes; important that everyone including
guests have a mechanism to stay informed on up-to-date guidelines
4. Steering will be ultimate decider of when any facility needs to be
closed down again.
Steering Committee: establish a process for committees to submit relevant
policies. Three things needed from committees:
1. What? (Policies that hold us all accountable; agreements to abide by
those policies)
2. How? (How can these risks be mitigated? How to identify where the
risks are and mitigate them? EX: risk = close proximity / RESPONSE: masks,
social distancing, etc. EX: surfaces / HOW: cleaning)
3. Who? (Who is going to do these things, and how are we going to
protect them? Training, etc. Zingermans has a strong plan.)
Steering is empowered group charged with reviewing & approving committee
plans. Designated person needed (Syndallas?) to assess whether changes need
to be made week-by-week; someone helping the Steering Committee stay on top
of this. Plan for contact tracing: info about guests, etc.
Committee purview as part of this plan: Make sure we know what they do is
safe and in compliance. Differences in plans based on different
risk/comfort levels between individuals. Making a commitment to making sure
everyone has the information. Steering would contact Washtenaw Health Dept
if there’s a known case.
Questions?
* Elaborate on other GO facilities we might need to plan for.
Workshop, common community garages. Shared spaces: garden, playground,
anywhere we’d typically congregate. Respective committees need to have a
plan in place for such areas, situations like TS coming over.
* If there’s a known case on campus, Steering will contact HD. But how do
we know if there’s a case? Known case requires testing (out of our hands) —
so do we notify if we suspect a case?
Reason why we put that piece in there is that we want to assist each other
— because the CH is a community facility, the HD might tell us we need to
close it down.
* What teeth do we have to enforce things?
Our relationships.
* Who makes sure committee plans are in accord with this proposal?
People have just been figuring out how to do the right thing, without clear
guidance around all common areas (like playing field).
* Has the team thought about contingencies in case someone gets sick?
Clarifications could be added to the Proposal document. But we already have
a policy that committee members who can’t make Steering meetings need to
send someone in their place.
* Line of succession: ex: where a handful of people get sick, system
collapses. Come up with a plan in case we get really hard-hit?
It is something we do need to think about.
* Why would we want to reopen CH at this point, if we’re expected to use
masks & socially distance? One example: sometimes with my quilting business
I want to meet with a client in the CH (we’d both follow rules), but only
if the community is okay with that. Example: teens getting together — can’t
in house, but maybe 2 friends in CH would be better? Melissa (therapy
room): 1-2 visitors a week. Danger of growing beyond our capacity if reopen
to everyone. Don’t understand why we’d do that while we’re trying to
protect the community.
This policy is around protocols and responsibilities for opening up /
dealing with any community space; currently, no protocols in place for many
of these. Also working on a separate CH proposal: suggest setting this
aside during this meeting section.
* Concern: we have a group wanting to make the CH more available, but we
aren’t considering the safety of community.
This proposal will establish a procedure around agreeing about such
concerns; it’s a preliminary step to addressing your concern. This proposal
is about establishing a consistent process. We are a consensus-based body,
so I don’t see a situation where Steering just tells other committees to
open a common area.
* What if committees ask Steering to open common facilities?
Don’t think this is going to happen over next few months. But as we
approach fall, there’s going to be a lot of hesitation around reopening. At
the same time, we need to move toward tending to the glue that holds this
community together.
* Reporting to a body around outside guests (policing) versus taking
personal responsibility to report.
Proposal will put a procedure in place: doesn’t say what the plan is, just
that it’s Steering’s responsibility for making a plan.
Show of thumbs: consensus whether this proposal works for us: process for
committees to reopen some common areas and have a protocol for responding
to concerns? (YES)
Questions/concerns?
* It’s asking a lot of the committees, which are often under water. Also
challenging for committees to do what they usually do and also follow
government guidelines. Work Committee will have to work extra after other
committees come to decisions.
Ad Hoc committee would be willing to help committees. This will be written
into the proposal. Also, Gov working on having a single-page daily protocol
update.
* Hire outside help when we need it? Tracking, policy making, helping GO
with its capacity to handle this? More members for CH Committee?
Will be taking this into consideration.
Consensus:
Concerns? (no)
Show of thumbs (AGREED)
Next Steps: CH is in some ways the most complicated facility we have. We
are putting together a draft proposal (not quite done – will come back to
Steering); can serve as a model for the other shared facilities.
STEERING ANNOUNCEMENTS (Presenter: Debbi, Facilitator: Amy)
Adding work hour credits for Sharon/Syndallas/Mary King for their work with
Ad Hoc group.
July meeting: addressing issue of a household seriously in arrears. COVID
impact led to delay of decision-making
Steering mandate: make decisions that need to be made before a community
meeting. One example: adding members to CRC. If they agree that they wish
to add members, Steering is prepared to make sure they have the resources
they need.
Please communicate with Work about hour changes needed!
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS (Amy)
* Can Work go back to using the online system?
Yes, planning on it. Many changes happening, will require a lot of work to
get that back up. Hopefully by next round.
* Marta is not representing CH anymore. Currently, CHC has no convener.
EVALUATION & THANKS (Syndallas)
Any things we liked about this meeting?
* We got a lot of work done talking through the proposal – thanks to people
for putting it together
* Thanks to Dr. Sharon for her updates, not just the science but the heart.
* Nice to see folks.
* Really proud to have neighbors keep my feet connected to the facts.
* Thanks to everyone for the heart, caring in this group: it’s a lot of
work to do this.
What can we improve?
* Get rid of COVID!
ADJOURN (Syndallas)
Next Meeting 7/11 — email your agenda items to Debbi
Thanks, take care.
END
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