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COORDINATING MEETING 4
7.30pm
Wednesday 14 JUNE 2000
At: CERES Offices
8 Lee Street, Brunswick
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Present:
Paul, Noel, Sharon, Adam, Cinnamon, Maya, Paula
Apologies:
Vyv, Robin, Zanni, Cathy, Hamish
Congratulations to Hamish and his
partner who have had a baby boy.
1. Open Forum with Urban Ecology
Sunday, 18 June, 2 - 5pm, Ceres Education Centre From this forum, Urban
Ecology will collect input and information to use in designing a potential
urban cohousing to enter in an international competition. Their proposal
may or may not apply to Merri Cohousing but certainly will give us a
start in envisioning ûthe design and structure of our community. This
will be achieved at the forum by: - brainstorming, collecting ideas
- developing a brief: what an inner-Melbourne cohousing could consist
of, i.e. common house, open spaces, sizes, locations, etc.
2. Meeting with David Oppenheim
Friday, 17 June, 10am Noel, Paul and Maya to attend Brief Oppenheim
about the vision and ideas of Merri Cohousing, including concept of
eco-village. There was discussion about whether the eco-village will
be proposed as part of Merri Cohousing or simply a suggestion as a way
to help fund the development. Will have eco-village as a mere suggestion
and wait for Oppenheims own ideas on the development. Maya and Cathy
created a snazzy press kit for this meeting and future ÷ use kit contains
vision statement, concept of eco-village, information about what cohousing
is, and the financial scenarios prepared by Noel and Jane
3. Eco Village Concept
If we pursue the eco-village concept, how will village and cohousing
interact? It is time for some management decisions and definition. Issues:
- Do we focus solely on cohousing or take on the eco-village, too? -
Is the eco-village a strategy to make cohousing possible, a buy off
the plan deal? - In working with the architect/developer, should the
people who represent the cohousing group also represent the groupÕs
views on eco-village or do we leave that to the developer? - Shall there
be an eco-village sub-committee? - Planning a cohousing community is
already so much work, w þouldnÕt it be too much of a distraction to
also work on the eco-village? - Eco-village concept gives us some control
over what kinds of homes/businesses border our community. - Approaches
agreed upon: a) We want cohousing. If an eco-village is the way to secure
the site, great. b) Our primary interest is in cohousing but we thing
including the eco-village might be a workable solution.
4. Management Structure
Maya suggested it is time to work on the Management Structure because
the structure will determine the way the community works. The structure
we design will strongly influence the style and spirit of the community.
- Do we want an elitist or invited community with focus on selecting/inviting
members where there is vetting or filtering of potential tenants, striving
for people committed and able, (and perhaps intellectually and politically
homogenous) in the complex business of semi-communal living, or - Do
we want a democratic community where all are accepted with an attitude
that it takes skilled and unskilled, high contributors and lesser contributers
to make an ethical, worthwhile community. Real world. We can work it
out. We need to think of this in terms of organizing the management
committee for planning and development and for running the community,
and in terms of the community overall. Also how to structure ourselves
to be open to new members yet to exclude, if necessary. What is necessary
for exclusion? Next coordinating committee meeting, 28th June, Peter
Cock, founder and resident of Moora Moora Community will come and talk
with the organizing committee. Noel will also invite someone from COMPOST
in Thornbury to participate. It was agreed that this is not an open
forum, but for the current organizing committee.
5. Ethical Investment
We have an expression of interest from Ethical Investment Trust in our
project. We are also applying for Public Interest Law Clearinghouse
to represent us. If accepted, they would assign us a lawyer, pro-bono.
6. Membership
After a discussion about the fee and what constitutes membership, it
was decided that membership is on an individual basis. One member =
one vote = one fee. Concession membership is $50 The membership application
is fine to use for now. Paula will research membership materials and
policies of other communities and report back. We will revise as agreed
upon.
7. Expression of Interest forms
Everyone at the meeting took one agreeing to look it over and let Noel
know by Friday of any proposed changes or additions.
8. Cohousing Information Gatherings
Adam proposed these as a way to introduce people to the concept of cohousing.
First one is scheduled for Saturday, 1 July, 2:30 - 5pm at the Australian
Conservation Foundation in Fitzroy. It is casual, children are welcome.
There will be several of these, perhaps monthly
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