Los Angeles Eco-Village Agenda Planning Process
Draft Proposal introduced February 2005
Final Policy Approved by Building/Community Meeting March 21st 2005
Revised August 1, 2005
Goals of Los Angeles Eco-Village Agenda Planning Process:
This process intends to establish a consistent and transparent manner for planning agendas, and other aspects of meetings at LAEV. The goals of this process are:
- To create opportunities for individual participation and collective stewardship
- To build trusting and respectful relationships among LAEV residents
- To foster improved communication and decision-making through improved meetings, including
- advance notice of meeting content
- informed participation at meetings
- preparation prior to meetings
- effective facilitation of and participation in meetings
- shorter meetings
- To make it easier for residents to participate in meeting roles, including agenda planning, facilitation, note-taking, etc.
Agenda Planning Process:
1. Formation of Agenda Planning Group
Any eco-village resident can volunteer to join the Agenda Planning Group. The Group does not meet regularly, but serves as a rotating list of persons who are assigned to two-person teams who commit to ensuring that meeting planning, facilitating, and note-taking is accomplished. On a rotating basis, two-person teams will be assigned meeting dates for which they are responsible. Individuals assigned to a meeting do not necessarily need to facilitate, take notes, etc. at the meeting, but to find a person to fill that role. A schedule of this list will be posted via the listserve and on paper posted in the lobby.
2. Team Scheduling
Agenda Planning Schedules will be developed every two months, between which times people new to the Group may be added to the next schedule.
3. Initial Agenda Formation and Requesting Agenda Items
Initially, agenda items for upcoming meetings will be identified at the end of each community meeting. That agenda will be noted in the minutes. Additional items may be proposed by writing the requested item on the agenda clipboard, available in the 117 lobby. In addition to the clipboard, items may also be announced via the LAEV listserve. The Agenda Planning Group will maintain an ongoing agenda collection list. Suggested new agenda items may be written on the white board in the 117 lobby. The goal for requesting agenda items for Monday meetings is the preceding Friday.
4. Agenda Planning
The Agenda Planning Team’s facilitator will gather those items and schedule them. The facilitator will schedule items for a meeting based upon the urgency of the item, the amount of time it will take, whether stakeholders particular to the item will be present, the length of time the item has been waiting to be discussed, and its deadline date. The facilitator will then draft an agenda, balancing the items between weighty items and lighter items. The facilitator will make sure there are presenters for each item. She/he will contact an item presenter if need be to determine if the item is an introduction with no decision, needs a decision, an announcement, etc. The facilitator will make an effort to ensure that presenters are prepared with a clear presentation and/or proposal. The facilitator will allot time to each item.
5. Advance Notice of Agenda
As soon as possible, the Team from the previous meeting will post the agenda determined at the previous meeting to the listserve, write the agenda on the whiteboard, and post a copy in the 117 lobby, thereby making the agenda available to the community ahead of time so people will have time to think and talk about items and prepare to be present for important items.
6. Agenda Review for Flexibility
At the start of each meeting, meeting participants will review the agenda, determine if each agenda item is appropriate, i.e, make sure presenters are present, etc. Items may be added or postponed based on a consensus of those present. Same-day agenda changes will be based on time-urgency.
September 2008 update:
Note-taker will be sure to not include whole names in notes. First name and last initial will suffice for all guests, interested parties, and current residents mentioned in the meeting.