Common House minutes: 2003-09-27

Minutes:

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9/27/2003
Common House [[Meeting]]


Present: [[Elph]], Ted, Mel, [[Rod]], Becky, Melisa, [[Jenny]], Annalise, Rostum, Amy N.
Facilitator: [[Elph]]
Minutes: Becky


General Check In


Agenda
Donations:
Chairs
Tables
Office Lease
Colors for rooms/halls/offices
Broom Closet
CH room use policy
CH Operating Budget


DONATIONS
Hot tub, piano. Both are big. Piano works, hot tub needs some work, fairly old. Size is appealing since it's free, but age and being off brand is some concern. We could: accept, accept for 1 year, or not take it. Eric has said he would take it back if we don't want it. Decision: We'll take it for 6 month trial period, and as long as it works - if Eric will take it back after that trial period.
MONKEY [[Elph]]: check with Eric to make sure the 6-month trial is ok with him.


Piano: we were not planning to have one, and it's big and space is at a premium. Lots of discussion about how we could help Hope actually get it in her unit. The only room with real space is the Game Room. Concern is it could get used roughly there. Decision: No on the piano because of space and potential abuse. [[Elph]] will tell her.


LOAN: full-sized copier and fax machine being offered on loan from Dale. Decision: we're putting this on hold until we know how offices will be configured. Becky will tell him.


CHAIRS & TABLES
Found perfect table at Ikia. Decision: [[Elph]] will order 1 table so we can evaluate. 1 Chair has already been ordered. This way we'll be able to check them together. Might need, in addition to tablecloth, some extra protective coating on the tables to ensure longevity.


COLORS
Kid's room (pending feedback from parents) Deep peach and light sky blue
Laundry room - Same blue as Dining Room
Bathrooms - Amy will pick
Hallways - possibly the same color as the Dining Room
Sitting Room - Laura? This should wait until Kirk meeting
Guest Room - Becky (will coordinate with Amy on adjacent bathroom)

Office - we could pick a palette (which means doing the work ahead of time), let them do whatever, but we'd be stuck repainting if they leave. Discussion about different options. Decision: All the lightest shades in the "fundamentally neutral section" are allowed. If a renters wants a darker shade, there will be a up front fee of $300 so the room can be repainted later. This should also go into the Office policy document. MONKEY: Melisa will add it to Office Policy.


OFFICE LEASE LENGTHS:
Decision: If a person needs to break their lease, the CH [[Committee]] will do everything they can to assist them in finding a replacement.

Discussion about letting current leasees have first renewal option:
Pros: simple, clean, not disruptive to leasee's business
Con: there could be a long waiting period for people who want to have office here.
Other options: members could always build out office space intheir basements, and offer them for rent to other members. Members could rent in the office complexes in the neighborhood. Decision: Leasee will have first option to renew
Policy: CH committe will maintain a waiting list, but we encourgage leasees to consider office shares and for members to communicate changing needs.



COMMON HOUSE USE POLICY: Melisa can make the change re alcohol use, but she will not be at the next meeting so needs someone to present. [[Elph]] will present.


CH OPERATING BUDGET
The adhoc budget committee is working to reduce the budget. We had put some things in the budget that were capital investments as opposed to operating (appliances). Concern: we had originally told the community what we were going to spend the contigency money on, so if we do end up having to use some of it for appliances, do we have an obligation to tell them? Decided that we would have it in the minutes, and announce at the next Business [[Meeting]].
Other issues, we had some line items such as "ongoing improvements", and we need to look at those dollar amounts.

Ongoing improvements: defined as future beauty or item enhancements like more knives, loft in kids room, baby gate, art on the walls, bulletin boads, mud scrapers

Operating budget: repairs, general maintenance that we do,

Misc Contigency vs Discretionary: Advise that we remove this and have a community level discretionary fund. [[Elph]] thinks we should change name to contigency budget...they are different things. Contigency is for unplanned things that come up, discretionary is for planned 1-time items scheduled annually.


People who know about tthe budget are encouraged to come to the budget meeting tomorrow morning.



BROOM CLOSET
Suggestion to create a broom closet in part of the pantry. The triangle is now going to be used for plumbing. Open to the idea, but concerned about asking Kirk to change anything. Possibly do this after construction is done. New info, we're loosing even more space due to sprinkler system plumbing going in there too. Generally, people interested in the idea of adding a door to access the back of the pantry. No decisions made though. Everyone go look at it.


New information: There will now be a column in the kids room for the furnace venting. They are just extending the closet, but there will be a column. Suggestion that we could paint it in a fun way.


SEALING CH FOUNDATION: When and with what? MONKEY for Ted.

keywords: paint color