Committees
During the life of Sonora Cohousing, the Sonora Cohousing Community needs will develop that are best met by committees working outside of the primary meeting time. These committees are a vehicle to give the group greater agility in decision making. Decisions to form a committee or to send a discussion item to a committee require full group consensus.
There are two primary types of committees.
- The task force is one that is formed to respond to a specific need with a finite working period such as a task force assigned to plan a facilitate an retreat.
- A standing work group may be established to respond to ongoing needs of a related nature such as a finance committee.
At conception it is essential that the complete group reach consensus in defining the charter of each task force or working group. Honoring this process allows the sub-groups to function freely within the agreed upon parameters.
Guidelines for Committees:
Members are encouraged to participate in committee work and agree to observe the following guidelines. It is the responsibility of each member to seek participation in committees to which they can offer their maximum and unique abilities.
Consensus Model:
All committees will operate by consensus within their defined scope of responsibility. In the event that the committee is charged with preparing a proposal to present to the full group, the committee must try to reach consensus among themselves prior to presenting, or, if unable to reach consensus, present several options.
Charges of Committees:
Committees will be charged with either a) making decisions for the group, or b) researching an issue and returning to the group with a proposal. Care should be taken not to burden the full group with decisions that are within the scope of a committee. Committees charged with decision making (a) will report, in writing, any and all decisions they make. Such reports will be submitted for inclusion in the minutes at the next regular meeting of the group. Committees charged with making a proposal (b) will develop a written proposal and have presentation time added to a meeting agenda as soon as practical.
Elevating Decisions to Full Participation:
In any case, it is the responsibility of each individual to call for the elevation of a committee topic to the full group level if it is believed the be beyond the scope of the committee or for any other reason requires full participation.
Active Listening:
Committee progress is dependent on effective communication among members. Mutual respect will guide discussion. Because a committee gather may be driven more by brain-storm than by agenda, care is necessary to acknowledge each speaker in turn. Good communication requires mindful listening.
Attendance:
Attendance is critical to progress. Members unable to attend a scheduled meeting are responsible for making arrangements to provide those meeting with their agreed upon contribution.
Research:
Committee work will require information gathered from many sources. Members are expected to make phone inquiries or find written resources from professional, agencies, individuals, or other cohousing groups.
Trust:
The success of the project requires establishing and maintaining trust between members. Committee members must be mindful of the group's mission and goals and the group needs to trust the committees to act in their best interest. Without this the time savings of committee research and decision making will be lost.
