Merri Cohousing and Ecovillage Inc.
Discussion Paper

Process for Merri Cohousing Special Events

Process Working Group

Revision History:
1.0: 04/03/2002 Tony Morton (adopted by Committee 27/03/2002)

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1. Purpose and Scope

1.1 This Discussion Paper provides guidelines for the planning and conduct of Special Events. These are events organised by Merri Cohousing for prospective residents and/or investors, which are organised for the specific purpose of providing input to group policies. Characteristic features of a Special Event include the desirability of full group participation, and the expectation that outcomes will be formally written up and circulated to members.

1.2 The paradigm example of a Special Event is a design workshop, where members discuss and prioritise design features for the cohousing development. A workshop where members formulate community rules for the cohousing would also count as a Special Event, as would a self-education exercise that aims to clarify members' positions on key design issues.

1.3 While the outcomes of a Special Event do not become official Merri Cohousing policy until ratified by a General Meeting, it is nonetheless the case that the primary opportunity for detailed input to the policy is at the event itself. Thus the event needs to be recognised as a decision-making forum to which special rules apply.

1.4 A 'one-off' member survey shares the characteristics of a Special Event and should therefore be treated under these guidelines where applicable. In this case, the date of the Special Event corresponds to the due date for the survey.

1.5 The definition of Special Event specifically excludes events of a purely social nature, as well as education sessions targeted at new members or the general public. It is neither necessary nor desirable that there be special rules governing events such as these.

2. Coordination

2.1 A Special Event is proposed by a Working Group of Merri Cohousing, who takes responsibility for the coordination of the event.

2.2 The working group will be assisted in planning, agenda formulation, facilitation and other such matters by the Process Working Group and by Merri Cohousing office bearers as necessary. Together, these will form the Coordinating Group for the event.

2.3 The date, time and venue for the event shall be decided by the Coordinating Group. As a general rule, Special Events will be scheduled on weekends (other than long weekends) in which no other Merri Cohousing event has already been scheduled.

2.4 Merri Cohousing will endeavour to provide childcare at Special Events for attendees that require it. The cost of childcare will be borne by individuals and/or by Merri Cohousing in such a way as the group decides.

3. Attendance

3.1 Attendance at Special Events is sought from—and limited to—Co-residents, Co-developers and Inductees.

A Co-resident is a person who has satisfied the induction criteria for Merri Cohousing, is actively participating in Merri Cohousing and is a financial member of Merri Cohousing and Ecovillage Inc.
A Co-developer is a person who has made a binding financial commitment of $10,000 or more toward a Merri Cohousing development and is a financial member of Merri Cohousing and Ecovillage Inc.
An Inductee is a person who has attended an Information Session and is actively participating in the Merri Cohousing induction process, but has not yet completed this process.

3.2 Attendance of Co-residents and Co-developers at Special Events is highly valued. As a general principle, attendance at Special Events is considered as of greater importance than attendance at General Meetings. The Coordinating Group for their part should take care to schedule Special Events so as to facilitate high attendance.

3.3 The Coordinating Group may invite others to the event as it sees fit, with appropriate limits on their participation.

4. Advance Notice

4.1 All Co-residents and Co-developers must receive 30 days' advance notice of any Special Event. Thus, if the event is scheduled for a Saturday, members must be advised by Thursday one month prior.

4.2 Notification of a forthcoming Special Event may be by any of the following means:

By email to a member's current email address. An email address is considered current if messages to it do not immediately bounce. A member may stipulate that email not be used for important notices by notifying the Secretary.
By telephone to the telephone number most recently notified by the member to the Secretary.
By post to the postal address most recently notified by the member to the Secretary. In this case the date of notification is considered to be the date of posting.

5. Decisions and Outcomes

5.1 Any decisions taken at Special Events will follow the normal decision making processes of Merri Cohousing. Survey results will be collated in the same manner as votes cast in a meeting.

5.2 The outcomes of the event will be recorded and formally presented by the Coordinating Group to the next General Meeting of Merri Cohousing, or to the following General Meeting if the next meeting is less than 7 days hence. Upon ratification by a General Meeting, the decisions of the event (if any) will become Merri Cohousing policy.