Accommodation, Labour and Childcare requests

From EcoReality

From August 3rd email send to Members and Potential Members by Shannon Cowan

The resident members of EcoReality had a Residents meeting yesterday where we discussed some possible renovations to three areas of cooperative living and working.

EcoReality resident members (indicated by "we" below) brainstormed how to best cooperate to share space, food costs, utility costs and meal duties and childcare for gathering weekends and also how to account for the labour in all those areas.

Please read and consider the three requests. Jan will facilitate a question period about them, clarification, discussion and if we feel ready, we can consent to them (ratify or "thumbs up") these three during the Aug 8th teleconf. We'd like to do this before our next in person meeting so that we can all benefit from these potential changes as a group for smoother meetings and healthier interactions when we come together Aug 30th and thereafter! Thank you in advance for your attention to this before the teleconf on Aug 8th.

Preamble: Non-resident members and potential members were not part of the 2 formative years during which James and Shannon were non-resident and came monthly to meetings at Sharp road. During that time, members of EcoReality tried many options to "share" and cooperate around the cost of sleeping, eating, bathing and being together for the times we were all in one place. Sometimes James and Shannon paid a percentage of house utility costs based on their "area of personal use", and we tried splitting grocery bills. It became complicated and we worked through feelings of resentment and misunderstandings and miscommunications and also a lot of different perspectives. The best solution we found to recognize the difference between resident and non-resident members was to communicate about labour and tasks often, and financially, we agreed to "suggest a donation" from non-resident members - a meal fee and an accommodation fee. The meal fees include food costs, but not necessarily labour for prep or cleanup, nor energy costs. The accommodation fees include energy costs for bathing, electricity use, wear and tear to furniture, floors, septic, and much more that is "hidden". With the number of guests to the EcoReality spaces, we have observed that it is very wise to continue to value what residents do to facilitate gatherings and until we have a common house and common kitchen and other facilities, we humbly suggest that it would behoove us to talk about this openly and make it workable for everyone to have a healthy community!! So....

1. Hospitality Proposal by Resident members: For EcoReality Member Meeting Weekends

Part a: Accommodation: We request that non-resident members and guests staying overnight (or several nights) continue to "book" their accommodation by indicating to Jan, Communication steward, at least 7 days in advance where they wish to sleep. EcoReality non-resident members and guests agree to pay per night (ie. Arrive Friday 5pm, Depart Monday Noon and sleeping indoors = 3 nights = $30/pers). Tenting costs $5/person/night

1. • We request that EcoReality members agree that non-resident members will record their meals and accommodation information on the "Hospitality Logsheet". There will be one Hospitality Logsheet located in each resident household. (this will be same for potential members and other guests)
   • We request that accommodation fee together with the total meal fee is payable to the house where tenters use facilities majority of their stay, not to the cooperative. Each household will host a share (aim for 50% each) of the community meals, and will be responsible for food purchase for those meals.
   • We request that resident members communicate to Jan Steinman in advance (min 7 days excepting last minute changes) to effectively balance number of people per house and number of meals at that house (ie. if there are 6 guests in yellow house and 2 guests in white house, then perhaps yellow house cooks two more meals than the white house to balance income from guests with food and utility costs).
   • White house (James and Shannon's) is a "children-friendly" space and residents prefer if non-res members with children aim to stay here when they come. Queen bed and floor double mattress avail for Aug 30th meeting. NOTES FOR SEPT AND BEYOND: James and Shannon may be renting the double bedroom to a lovely woman mid Sept - April, and they are seeking a futon mattress for second "double bed" space downstairs, they will also be assembling slats on upper bunk bed above Sienna for another larger child if need be (if you have a line on a futon mattress, double, please let us know). Note that tenting parents /indoor children combo options are poss. Please chat with us to work out what you need.
     • new during Aug 8 Teleconference: James and Shannon will discuss who is White House Accommodation Booking steward, likely James, TBD and announced by email to membership and potentials
   • Yellow house (Jan and Carol's) can accommodate approx 4 singles or couples, with floor and couch and futon space also.
     • Laundry needs - as much as poss try to work it in with the household you're with if they are planning a load already - clotheslines and dry racks are avail, just ask!

Part B: Menu Planning

1. • Shannon agrees to continue to steward menu planning with help from Osha. Menus will include proposed house location for each meal and will include non-resident members as "supervisors" for prep and cleanup. (Reminder to please continue to communicate with householders about their kitchen customs and to regularly read and follow kitchen rules posted in kitchen if householders are not around). Osha and Shannon agree to send menu to entire membership (and potential members/guests) 7 days prior to community gatherings for any suggested changes or comments - we request changes be sent before the Monday evening prior to gathering weekends to facilitate grocery shopping at Tues farmer's markets etc. If non-resident members bring ingredients or cooked items for community meals other than potluck, would they please tell the Meal Supervisor AND work out an exchange or reduced meal rate for any such item(s) when you report your meals on the logsheet and pay your host house.

Suggested meal fees are 2$ Breakfast, 4$ Lunch& Dinner ($10/day) this is to cover the cost of food (child daily suggested donation is at the discretion of parent). We propose that non-resident members and guests will agree to pay their host household for meals during these special weekends. There will no longer be potential for an EcoReality member to "WWOOF" off their meal costs, and any special needs are to be communicated to menu planner at least 7 days before gathering weekends. NOTE: This does not include Sat eve potluck, for which members agree to bring food to share with 12-20 people.

1. Labour Request:
   • We request that any "jobs" towards community meals, meetings, garden labour, site labour that are undertaken by EcoReality members (all) during gathering weekends are to be recorded on member timesheets as Co-op Labour towards monthly Labour quota for EcoReality. Please specify as much as possible what the nature of the task was and what was accomplished to aid in record keeping. Please continue to send Carol the member timesheets by the 15th of the month following the month that times were recorded. (ie. send Carol your timesheet for August Labour by Sept 15th please)
2. Childcare Request:
   • We request that childcare for member business meetings, heart circles, other agreed meetings and workshops be organized by parents and where possible for business meetings childcare be a non-member to allow both parents to attend meetings. Childcare labour done by members for coop business is something that can go towards member timesheets, but is not preferred - instead James and Shannon will steward seeking local trusted childcare from relatives/friends during business meetings (payment to be split evenly among parents, not a coop expense). Childcare givers are to be introduced to all parents with enough transition and getting -to-know you time for all families, and where desirable/possible to be worked with more than once. Parents to have conversation about rates we will propose to outside childcaregivers per number of children, and agree to work together for first childcare session Aug 30th for members meeting to work out the kinks.

--Respectfully submitted, yet frustrated with numbering for now Shan 21:49, 8 August 2008 (PDT)