2006 Retreat Notes

2006 Retreat Notes
The Following is a compilation of Notes Taken during the Retreat Facilitated by Tree Bressen during the weekend of October 7-8 of 2006

Hopes, Feelings, And Concerns about the Ownership Transition: An opening Dialog to the Oct. 2006 retreat. Notes by Dave

Fabulous People
Hopeful, Utopian Excitement
Interpersonal Relations, Community Staying Kind and connected/objective in tough situations
Responsibility shared and fulfilled
Leadership Burnout
Lois Letting Go
Owner/Tenant Structure and Power Dynamics
Flexibility w/ Life circumstances
Peak Oil
Working w/ Wider community
How committed are we to each other and the city?
Legal and fiduciary issues
Unity of purpose, mission
Each of our personal reasons why
Building connection and knowledge of each other
Reasons for Being Here
Dynamic Hive
Movement-building, got my back, build a power alternative to downtown
Ecological & other values, future, evolution
Own a place, stability
Doing it in Babylon
Long term, Shared project, broad stewardship
Egalitarian Systems
Demonstrate Successful Model
Jewel Opportunity, special gift
Specific Thoughts and fears, from writing exercise
· I hope that in becoming co-owners, this will change the culture @ LAEV to a more participatory, collaborative one
· I worry about committing myself to a venture that will take a lot of time and energy to do well, without knowing how much time and energy I will actually have to give in the future. I don’t want to let myself or anyone else down by taking on too much, and not being able to follow through
· I think this community is a beautiful entity, one that I feel proud to be a part of. I think the opportunity being presented to me to be an owner and invested member is something that would be a shame to pass up.
Hope for a more united community
That LAEV is more a community and a way

Saturday, October 7th. LAEV
Attendees: Ann, Michelle, Julio, Andrea, Randy, Tina, Lara, Aurisha, Dale,
Federico, Dave, Thiago, Jill, Lois.
Notes taken by Federico

Retreat with Tree Bresson

Discussion on Esfandiar’s note:
-Note not all clear.
-Is he leaving from the POG?
Esfandiar couldn’t attend.
Format: read the note out loud; go around; one minute of silence; 1.5 min for each person.

Go around: Concerns recognized as valid, but the decisions haven’t been made. Mixed feelings about his absence. - This has not been decided. Not clear. Confusing note. - How do we interpret if it’s a withdrawal from the P.O.G - Esfandiar is a very strong member of the POG and we are trying to work together. Is it withdrawal? - Frustration about relinquishing responsibility. There are boundaries about time and commitment to be respected. It brings a core issue: how do we take on a huge financial responsibility and be balanced at the same time? - Wonderful neighbor, great ideas. Something comes up, he retreats. Would like to know where he is at. - This kind of communication seems childish and forceful to get someone’s agenda on the table. This is not an issue, because it hasn’t been mentioned that non-owners would make financial decision. He has a point though. - All of this is very time consuming. Probably there are a lot of commitments. Agreement is not reached quickly. He wants to be part. He should have brought that up in the Friday meeting. Financial issues are there. - He has a point. Don’t agree with the way of making the point. He has a greater capacity. It’s hard to talk about money. He has a point in wanting to create a sense of responsibility. - We are at a fragile point. We hope we can be gentle with each other. What kind of disagreements is he anticipating between owners and co-owners? - Is this a strategic note? He is focused on his book. - How much abuse can we take? Each one of us has a certain capacity. It’s ok if you want to be a renter.

Other comments:
-We need further conversation with Esfandiar? The door should remain open.
-Financial responsibilities have to be clarified.
-No consensus without participation - people need to take responsibility on coming to the meetings.
-We need to talk with Joe who had the opinion of including more people or “breadth”.
-We must Honor the work that the group has been doing. There are a lot of things in place. Notice that.

Next steps:
· Allocate another time slot for discussion on: who makes which decisions? (Lara will present)
· Exercise on Crafting excellent questions will be about this issue.
· Possibility to add this to the agenda for Monday’s meeting.

Basic Principles of Consensus.
(most of it in the handouts).

CONSENSUS: A group decision-making process in which all present must agree before action is taken.

For other group processes where decision-making is not necessary visit the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation @thataway.org

Suggestion: To make a facilitator’s toolbox.

Crafting Excellent Questions Exercise

Topics:
-Who makes which decisions?
-How to be broadly inclusive and also responsible (financially and otherwise)?
-Esfandiar’s note

Recommended for framing discussions: publicconversations.org

Questions formulated by the group:
In parenthesis is the number of votes each.

(5) A. What can we do to accommodate someone with limited time?
(7) B. What is the substantial difference between Owners and Renters?
(1) C. Esfandiar, what do you need to know from us to continue to be part of the POG?

(9) D. How do we build and maintain trust and know that we will each be accountable for all our commitments (verbal, financial and written)?
(0) E. Are you aware that you might not be alone in these concerns, and would this knowledge have affected your decision?
(0) F. Esfandiar, why did you choose this method of communication?
(0) G. What methods of communication are most appropriate for these issues?
(5) H. Who do you envision making decisions about?
-legal council –accountants –insurance -tax status
(0) I. Where do you see the group going with inclusivity?
(2) J. How do you feel about making decisions that affect other peoples lives?
Or people making decisions that affect you?
(3) K. How do we hold solidarity and cohesion within decision making group?
(0) L. How do we know which renters are interested in decision making power in the community?
(3) M. Why would renters have interest in making financial decisions? How could owners account for that?

Plenary Session 10/7/06 Notes By Dave
How does our goal of being a diverse community intersect with our membership process?
Federico Presents an overview of topic.

1) What is a diverse community?
-Gender
-Age
-Ethnicity
-Income
-Household composition
-Others: Religious background, Political opinion, Process practice, transportation, diet, family composition, substance use

2) Why do we want a diverse community?
-Dynamism
-Contrast
-Adaptation, genetic and memetic diversity, polyculture resiliency
-Education
-Higher Quality of Life

3) How do we build/keep a diverse community?
-Membership?
-Integration and participation?
-How to develop a bigger pool of potential members?
-Diversity of perspective, unity of intention.
-Reflect Community Environment

Sexual orientation was left off above list!
We definitely value diversity, differing opinions about how.
Social engineering vs. Natural dynamics
Fostering diversity involves creating and maintaining safe space for challenges
Diversity helps challenge wider-world attitudes
ICs are R&D center for wider world

Value Commitment to making Diversity Happen
Coalition Building, Avoid Tokenization
Tour Advertising, Some advantage from pre-existing Diversity
· Don’t want to invite people with “Aspiring American Dream”, need unity of purpose, even within diversity
· Can we make concrete changes to make community/space more welcoming to under-represented groups? Particularly families?

Can we end up making neighborhood more accepting to families? Through community ownership? More important to make changes here internally.
For Tomorrow-Federico will Facilitate process for Joining discussion

Sunday October 8th, 2006

Process for Joining
Present: Federico (facilitator), Ann (notes), Julio Jr., Lara, Aurisha, Dore, Lois, Thiago, Andrea, Jimmy, Somerset, David, Joe, Tina, Yuki, Michelle, Dale, Carlo (in process)

Intro by David and Somerset:
- History of membership process: liaison process in place for 2 years,
before that “bienvenidos committee”, before that interviews by Lois
- Why process is important: framing of membership, holds our criteria,
need to create something functional, that improves our process
- Example of Earthaven’s screening process: supporting member (very
open) to provisional member (significant commitment, at least 6 months
as supporting member, process includes polling community members) to
full member
- Summary of points from Diana L. Christian’s Building a Life
Together: select for emotional maturity, harder to remove people than to not let them in the first place, accurate description of community in promotional materials, balance inclusiveness with the
needs of the community, community needs to learn how to say no if it needs to, need to be okay with being judgmental, avoid by “time bombs” through interviews, questionnaires and references, good history of “love and work”, long engagements helpful, need process to integrate new members

Start with “Membership Process” putting up current steps:
- first step: prospective member talks to LAEV member and/or talks to
Lois, and/or comes on a tour
- then asked to: come on a “formal” tour (usually Lois-led) or
“informal” tour, get familiar with website and documents, fill out the
questionnaire, come to a potluck
- then: come to a meeting
- currently the above steps have tended to happen in different orders
for different people, no current requirement about order
- next: prospective member announces that they are entering the
process at a meeting, then they are assigned a liaison
- at a meeting: member introduces themselves, are asked questions
- prospective member is then asked to meet as many ecovillagers as
possible, come to work parties, potlucks, meetings, stay here if you
want, volunteer time, familiarize person with policies, core values
- schedule a date for decision, decision is made at a BC meeting
- after decision is made, discuss housing availability and assignment
- at some point, credit check
- sign rental agreement and addendum
- new with Dave: provisional membership, dialogue after 3 months,
decide on full membership after 6

Suggestions for additions and improvements:
- ask prospective member to do background research on LAEV and
intentional communities
- one-on-one conversations with at least 3 LAEV members (email, phone,
lunch, interview)
- contact at least 3 references who have known the person longer than a year
- put steps in specific order or develop a checklist to make sure
every step gets covered
- familiarize prospective member with binder containing major
policies, decision log
- put binder contents online
- make a quiz about current policies focusing on most frequently
misunderstood policies
- consider a token application fee when prospective members announce
that they are in the process
- training in consensus and NVC
- community work requirement for prospective members
- have a membership committee
- keep human touch
- more stringent criteria for LEHC membership
- clear document addressed to prospective member that the community
has agreed upon, given to new members at the beginning of the process
- rethink liaison process
- meeting at some point in the process (prior to decision making
meeting) to address any concerns people have, talk about how
comfortable people are with them
- transition step from “interested” to “candidate” to assess our investment
- date to read questionnaire to whole community at a meeting
- revise the questionnaire
- need a fair process where all people are treated the same
- make sure that questionnaire, criteria and values all match
- survey with scales for importance of values for person
- do credit and background check early on in process
- don’t put liaison mechanics in the document for applicants

• Each person puts three dots on most important items.
• Consensus: we want to come up with a clear document from the
  

      community to the applicant clarifying our process!

Next steps:
- work with existing documents to develop new documents
- Create Committee to facilitate moving forward
Joe (convener), Randy, Dave, Federico (Maybe: Yuki, Jimmy, Aurisha)
Use the Wiki?
Open Meetings
Meeting will report back to CM by mid Nov. w/ progress
Questions about scope of committee-will modify this

Consent Agenda-Suggestions From Tree -we can easily consense on some points/suggestions, work on others later

Breaking down task into several separate issues, three committees
1) Document to Applicants Joe convenes, Jimmy
-existing practice
-will be consensed on by community
-new-member friendly
2) Order of existing procedures
Federico convenes, Randy, Lara, Joe
3) Suggestions list of new/ changed requirements
Yuki convenes, Federico, Dave,

Eval.
Good: Enthusiastic Engagement, Digest info and process fast-good at picking out key phrases from lots of incoming info, Unattached to ideas, Time Managements w/ presenters
Calm Under stress, Check in w/ group

Change: How support facilitator, Process thinking, use efficiently
Summarizing topic, Small Groups, Include all Ideas, Less Backseat facilitation
Raise hands, Stay clear from content-Simple questions to check in and steer
More work done outside meeting, Can give permission to make conversation spontaneous
Wiki-based facilitation guide, from group feedback and wisdom
A little more reflecting back to individuals

Feedback suggestion: Allow facilitator to give feedback first, to allow them to tell their feelings and own any problems

Wrap up and next steps
Who makes which decisions?
How can we be both inclusive and responsible?
How do we build and maintain trust and know that each of us will be accountable for fulfilling our commitments (verbal, financial, written)?
What is the substantial difference between Owners & Renters

CRSP
Collecting rents
OKing payment plans if late rent
Legal acting proceeding, incl. eviction for non-payment of rent & violations of rental agreement
Paying BIlls
Meeting organizational legal & financial requirements
contractor for labor
(and ending labor contracts)
retain accountant & lawyer

• approves annual budget
  major changes to buildings and grounds
  approving expenditures additional to the reg. budget ieblock party
  general vision legal and $ decisions

IC
new residents that meet minimum financial and legal requirements to rent
Projects that modify buildings and grounds
request funds from CRSP board for special projects
bldg committee decides
maintenance/repair/rehab priorities
who gets what room

Sunday Afternoon, Notes by Somerset:

Comments: when we have meetings and there are agenda items that are owner decisions only, general community members can brainstorm for but not vote on those items.

Consensus on the swap of CRSP with Owners for list responsibilities
Community policies and agreements and general activities ie building usage

Possible reasons to have a closed meeting: Confidentiality, Time limits

Reasons not to: transparency, trust, openness, more ideas
legalities: conflicts of interest ie is there a point of view we are missing

• general consensus on us having open meetings but owners reserve the right to having closed meetings and other community members are welcome to attend and discuss but are not empowered to block decisions on owner responsibility items
  • consensus on Monday meetings should be split in time. The 1st half for Building committee 2nd half POG biz. POG part is open unless the facilitator decides it should be closed due to sensitive items
    Minutes are open unless parts are sensitive POG can also choose to limit discussion to those who have been participating enough to be up to speed on background

BIKE RACK:
what is it called Community Meeting/Building Community Meeting
What ratio of owners to renters is expected in the future?

Retreat October 8, 2006
Tree-facilitating Attending Yuki, Aurisha, Somer, Andrea-notes, Joe, Federico, Lara, Tina, Julio
Jr., Dave, Randy, Ann, Thiago, Michelle, Jimmy, Dale

Yuki and Aurisha present current membership criteria.

Lara has drafted a membership criteria list: page 6 of retreat
documents. The list is copied onto the board:

DRAFT Membership Criteria

• Someone for whom the community is a good fit and who fits well into the community.
• Primarily motivated by wanting to be part of creating an Ecovillage
• Secondarily motivated by: Affordable housing, Housing location, Friends with community members, Opportunity to live in community, Supportive/accepting environment
• Interested in and available to participate in community activities
• Positive attitude/friendly/respectful
• Interested in cooperating with Intentional community members, Neighbors and Youth
• Committed to respecting, understanding and abiding by existing agreements
• Will contribute to the diversity of backgrounds in the community
• Will value living in a community of diverse backgrounds more than a community made up of people just like him or herself.
• Likely to develop friendships with other ecovillagers
• Aware of the need to adopt a lower impact lifestyle and actively engaged in doing so in some of the following ways:
1. Car free/car lite
2. Eating organically grown and locally produced food
3. Growing food
4. Locally based livelihood
5. Self reliant skills – bicycle repair, cooking, carpentry, weaving
6. Conservationist not consumer

Aurisha points out that she would like to focus on consistency in criteria.

Points that Yuki and Aurisha add to the list that Lara made:
• commit to NVC and consensus (item x)
• share core values and mission and exemplify those values (item y)
• length of stay consideration (item z)

Lara points out that there are different categories of membership right now, such as*:
• owners
• intentional renters at Los Angeles Eco-Village
• intentional neighbors in broader neighborhood
• pre-existing neighbors

• Tree will use the word “members” to refer to owners and intentional renters in the LAEV.
  Definite: item #4 Reworded as “Participates in community activities.”

Definite: item #7 Reworded as “Respects, understands, and abides by existing agreements.”

Preferred: item #8 “Will contribute to the diversity of backgrounds in the community.”

Definite: item #9 “Will value living in a community of diverse backgrounds more than a
community made up of people just like him or herself.”

Definite: item #11 Reworded as: “Actively engaged in and committed to a lower impact
lifestyle such as: 1: eating organically grown and locally produced
food and growing food 2. locally based livelihood 3. self-reliant
skills 4. conserve and reuse materials 5. sharing food 6. recycling”

Preferred: new item “Has a car free or car-light lifestyle.”

Definite: item x by Aurisha and Yuki Reworded as “Committed to learning and using consensus decision making skills.”

Definite: item y by Aurisha and Yuki Reworded as “Shares core values and mission of LAEV and exemplifies those values.”

Definite: new item “Committed to respectful communication and conflict resolution.”

Definite: new item “Will be able to meet our financial requirements.”

Preferred: new item “Committed to and actively composts.”

Preferred: new item “Training and/or experience in conscious communication strategies such
as non-violent communication.”
*The points that will be revisited in later forums (Lara and Dave as shepherds)*
item #2: “Primarily motivated by wanting to be part of creating an Eco-Village”

item #3: “Secondarily motivated by:
affordable housing
housing location
friends with community members
opportunity to live in community
supportive/accepting environment”

item #5: “Positive attitude/ friendly / respectful”

item #6: “Interested in cooperating with intentional community members, neighbors and youth”

new item: “length of stay consideration”