Finance & Legal: Budget minutes: 2006-07-31

Minutes:

In attendance: Rod, Melisa

Minutes: Melisa

Decisions:

Decided to call visioning piece, A-a...-A...planningA-a...-A-

Decided to define required as legally or fiscally mandated (i.e. CH
loan); everything else is discretionary.

Decided that all discretionary items will have a A-a...-A...$0A-a...-A- option:

Decided to use same process as last year for the planning session.

Decided what materials folks need in advance of planning session:
budget-to-actual to August 1, 2006; 3-4 sentence summary of committee
mandates.

Tasks:

Melisa will ask Laird and Betty about suggestions for improving said
process without completely redesigning.

Melisa will email conveners of each standing committee asking for such a
summary, and compile them into one document.

Melisa will request agenda time on Oct 4 for committees to present line
items for feedback before survey goes live.

Melisa will write proposal for WedA-a...-a...-s meeting.

Rod will update flowchart for same.

Rod will present at Wed. meeting.

Agenda:

Review Budget Process

Review Budget feedback and incorporate into process

Process for visioning

Adjust timeline

Review Budget Process

Criteria:

A...A- Provide many ways to give input and feedback

* Everything is up for grabs (all non-required items are negotiable
each year)
* Community decides how to spend money, committees tell us what we
can get for our money
* Keep the whole picture in view
* Community gives guidance to committees and helps committees set
priorities
* Process balances community functioning with affordability (without
pitting them against each other)
* Increased information flow between committees and community

Renamed the visioning piece, since itA-a...-a...-s not a true visioning process.
Called it the planning process, emphasizing that the community is
helping committees set priorities.

Discussion about the importance of stewardshipA-a...-a...-the idea that we need to
make sure our community functions at a high level. Made the point that
our criteria state that we will balance this important function with
affordability, in a way that doesnA-a...-a...-t see them as either/or.

Process Feedback from last year:

DonA-a...-a...-t reinvent the process every year.

Start early, before July; done by Thanksgiving

Visioning piece didnA-a...-a...-t have much impact on process; it did help
committees feel better about their work; it didnA-a...-a...-t address medium to
long-term planning.

All discretionary items should have a zero or minimum option.

Clarify required/mandated/discretionary distinction

Make sure comments work on the survey.

Designated committee liaisons worked well.

Survey wasnA-a...-a...-t in the right spot.

Need a good ending piece to the process.

Use meeting time well; more time for discussions when necessary; not
always during the second half of the meeting; spend less time on the
process.

Required/Mandated/Discretionary:

Decided to define required as legally or fiscally mandated (i.e. CH loan)

Everything else is discretionary.

Eliminated mandated, which was supporting what committees say they will
do in their mandates (i.e. ProcessA-a...-a...- mandate states they will provide
community-wide training).

Decided that all discretionary items will have a A-a...-A...$0A-a...-A- option:

Pros:

A...A- Allows community members to make a statement (about what they
personally support/donA-a...-a...-t support).

* Identifies what we need to talk about as a community (i.e. if
community wants to zero out CH maintenance budget, weA-a...-a...-ll have to
figure out another way to provide toilet paper).
* Expresses in a real way (as opposed to lip service) the principle
that everything is negotiable each year.

Cons:

A...A- Could be threatening to committees; they may need to make a case for a
specific line item.

* Could be gamed by members.

Talked about where the survey piece fits in best in the process;
received feedback that it was in the wrong place last year. CouldnA-a...-a...-t
really see where else it would fit better. Will present process as is,
and change based on feedback from the community if necessary.

Talked about how to translate survey data into strawman budget;
averaging didnA-a...-a...-t get universal support last year. Will keep discussing this.

Planning Process:

Did not get response from facilitators when asked for suggestions for a
process for the planning piece. Decided to use same process as last year.

Melisa will ask Laird and Betty about suggestions for improving said
process without completely redesigning.

What materials do folks need in advance of planning session:
budget-to-actual to August 1, 2006; 3-4 sentence summary of committee
mandates.

Melisa will email conveners of each standing committee asking for such a
summary, and compile them into one document.

Planning session will allow the community to affirm or change the
direction of committee work; offer guidance, suggestions to committees
on their work for the next year.

Timeline Adjustments:

Need agenda time on Oct 4 for committees to present line items for
feedback before survey goes live.

Check that survey goes live date is accurate.

Melisa will write proposal for WedA-a...-a...-s meeting.

Rod will update flowchart for same.