Spring 2008

These minutes were sent out to those present at the meeting before they were posted here in order to give them the opportunity to offer their approval.

The sixth meeting of our community was held April 11th – 14th, 2008, at the home of Vicky, Sibyl and DianaMelisaBee in Sunnyvale, California. Hostessing (providing a place to sleep and meet, purchasing supplies and coordinating our delicious and inclusive meals) was provided by DianaMelisaBee, Vicky and Sibyl. Meeting notes were taken by various individuals throughout the weekend and compiled by Cricket. Approved by those present at the meeting by 05/19/08.

Attendees: DianaMelisaBee, Diana T., Diane/Cricket, Emily, Jason/Scarecrow, Pablito, Sibyl and Vicky

Table of contents

Friday evening
Saturday morning
Saturday afternoon and evening
Sunday morning
Sunday afternoon and evening
Monday morning
Monday afternoon and evening
Background information

Friday evening

All of us arrived by Friday evening, had dinner and were able to create sacred space for the weekend and have a round of check-ins (including sharing what agenda items for the weekend might be charged for us).

Saturday morning

Began at 9:30 AM, approved the agenda and chose roles for Saturday (Diana T. and Vicky note-takers).
Check-ins (including what we have accomplished as a group).
Discussion on site-criteria ( LINK #1 to further details)

Report backs from land searches ( LINK #2 to further details)
Enjoyed lunch together

Saturday afternoon and evening

Brochure and coming out at Dandelion Gathering ( LINK #3 to further details)

Decision consensed to:

We decide to create an email address, info@reclaimingcommunity.org, that goes to Cricket and can be passed on to another person.

Site criteria discussion ( LINK #4 to further details)
Enjoyed dinner together
Free time and smaller groups worked on agenda and brochure

Sunday morning

Began at 9 AM, with check-ins including our intentions for this meeting (the majority intended to narrow down site criteria, location, and timeline, two came focused on love and relationship) and a brief meditation.
Approved agenda for the rest of the weekend: We decide to continue “formal” meeting Monday morning, have lunch and then go to the beach for fun and a beach ritual plus dinner out, then open the circle and have check out. By 10:30 we have seven hours left for our “formal” meeting. We then prioritize which agenda items to deal with today and Monday, where and for how long (approximately for some) and chose volunteers for roles (Diana T. and Cricket note-takers).
Finances for the weekend

Expenses for this weekend:

$408 – food costs ($333.02 & $ 75.60)

$150 – catering prep fee

$ 25 – office miscellany

Total: $583

$400 already agreed to come from the community account (and treasurer had brought with her) that left $183 uncovered.

There followed a discussion about how to honor, monetarily or not, people who do things for the community.

Decision consensed to:

For this meeting, we divide the $183 between the eight of us. In the future we will ask our host(s) what kind of appreciation they would like.

As not part of this proposal, we agree to continue the discussion of how we value each other’s services.

One member expressed an individual need to not have to pay their share this time.

Decision consensed to:

We agree that seven of us divide the $183 between us to cover the expenses for this weekend.

That made $26.14 from each of us, to be given to the treasurer for disbursement, which then occurred.

Brochure

Jason presents changes made to the draft at members’ requests. There were some mixed feelings about where each item occurred in the layout. An outstanding possible concern: were absent members OK with being in the published photograph? — was allayed by telephone calls to some of those absent members.

Decision consensed to:

We accept the brochure as presented to us, with the possibility that if Changing Tide has a concern about her picture being in there, we will silhouette it out.

There was a question about whether it should be color or B/W, and whether we had enough money to have the printer fold the brochures.

Decision consensed to:

We propose that we empower DMB and Jason to take the $275 that has already been approved for the brochure and buy as many color copies as they can.

Upcoming meetings

River Rock Meeting, June 20th-22nd

Meeting to start at 2PM on Friday and go as long as possible on Sunday. It will be possible to arrive Thursday night. Changing Tide, Aimee and Carol should be asked if they are going to attend. Those arriving by air should plan to leave on Monday morning. It’s possible new exploring members will be present. There should be a conference call to work on the agenda. There are plenty of accommodations at River Rock, either at Emily & Pablito’s or in the common house. Emily and Pablito have two cats and a turtle that potential roomers should know about. Ritual space could be in the common house, the green, a nearby park or the riverside. It will be possible to cook together. An important facet would be to show appreciation to the River Rock community, such as a thank-you note. Some members could be invited to the ritual. Should we do a presentation? To be discussed later. The treasurers should be informed as soon as possible of the food costs.

Diana’s Grove Meeting, Sept. 25th-28th

The meeting will begin on Thursday. We should travel on Thursday morning, arriving before noon and coordinating flights, so that pick-up by DG is facilitated. We could contribute gas money. The Diana’s Grovers are excited to have us there. Cost for space and catering will be $45 per night per person. The meeting will begin before dinner on Thursday and end at lunchtime on Sunday. The staff can help with the ritual and give us talks about intentional community and/or the DG Cornerstones (sacred wounds) at no extra cost. There is no advance deposit required, but Cricket would like to offer one anyway. We will need an exact count of attendees one month in advance of the meeting.

Decisions consensed to:

We agree to send a $100 deposit, taken from our joint account, to Diana’s Grove for our Fall meeting.

Winter Meeting

The first or second weekend in January (Jan 2-4, 2009 or Jan. 9-11, 2009) would fit most people’s schedules. Possibility of Austin, TX was discussed at last meeting. We would like to hold it in a location that we are considering as the location of our community, probably either Oregon or North Carolina (Earthaven or Deborah & Elizabeth’s place).

Making decisions without full consensus process ( LINK #5 to further details)

We agree to inform the rest of the community by email when we have made a decision not by consensus that might impact the community and further to provide review and feedback in conference calls. And we will set aside time at face-to-face meetings as well.

As a proposal, the above was tabled. We want to put it in effect as a suggestion and see how it works out.

Over lunch we discussed our intentions and desires for the evening ritual and did a little planning for it.

Sunday afternoon and evening

More site criteria discussion ( LINK #6 to further details)
At 4 PM we had a conference call that Carol and ChangingTide called in to.
Mer arrived. She is looking for 3 or 4 other individuals to join her in a community in Sonoma County, California.
Enjoyed dinner together
A ritual in which we went out into the neighborhood, blessing this piece of land that is hosting us and bringing back things that we found and creating a representation of our community in the center of our circle.

Monday morning

Began at 9 AM, with check-ins and a brief meditation.

(Vicky note-taker)

Empowering a group to do the presentation at the Dandelion Gathering

Decision consensed to:

We empower the group (Cricket, DianaMelisaBee, Emily, Jason and Pablito) who will attending, to give a presentation about our group at the Dandelion Gathering.

Choosing a representative from our group to BIRCH

A group can have a rep if it has 5 or more Reclaiming folks. Won’t know job description until after Dandelion. Anyone at a Dandelion meeting can participate but only reps can block consensus.) DMB volunteered to be our empowered rep at this Dandelion with Cricket’s input.

Decision consensed to:

We empower DianaMelisaBee to be our representation at BIRCH with support from Cricket.

DianaMelisaBee agreed to gather information and report back via email and by a conference call if one is necessary. If so, DMB will instigate it.

Conference Calls in between meetings

Decision consensed to:

Small group conference calls will be discontinued in favor of pre-scheduled conference calls that are open to the whole group as follows:

The first Sunday of every month at 2 PM PT, 3 PM MT, 4 PM CT, 5 PM ET

The second Wednesday of every month at 5:30 PM PT, 6:30 PM MT, 7:30 PM CT, 8:30 PM ET

The third Friday of every month at 6 PM PT, 7 PM MT, 8 PM CT, 9 PM ET

Cricket agrees to set them up and send out reminders.

Wiki and web-site discussion

Decision consensed to:

Pablito is empowered to put up a homepage based on the brochure by tonight.

Decision consensed to:

At some later date a committee of Pablito, Cricket, Vicky, and anyone else interested will create a fuller website that is well designed to meet the needs of newcomers.

Final decisions on brochure

Jason was able to find a printer who will be able to print our brochure before the Dandelion Gathering. The cost will be $289 plus tax for 500 copies. We already have $275 from the community account.

Decision consensed to:

Jason is empowered to get 500 copies printed for $289.03 + tax with excess cost to be met by volunteer contributions of those present at this meeting.

Consequence of not paying dues

Decision consensed to:

( LINK #7 for complete wording of the consequences of not paying dues)

Next steps / who’s doing what / time-line (Notes were not taken during this discussion, however the discussion has continued on the supporter’s e-mail list since the meeting.)
Enjoyed lunch together

Monday afternoon and evening

Vicky and Sibyl needed to stay home to get ready for their work days on Tuesday. The rest of us went to the beach and accomplished the important agenda item of a circle back rub and having fun together.
We enjoyed dinner together and Jason left the meeting from there.
When we returned to the house we had the final check-outs, which included some charged sharing of issues that had not yet been voiced.
Opened our circle for the weekend.