DECISION MAKING
All decisions are made by a consensus of members whether in Community Meetings, Team Meetings, or by Posted Decision. The only exception is when we elect to use an alternative decision making method. (See Alternative Method Vote below.)
The result of a community decision is an Agreement. Members are required to follow Agreements. The result of a team decision is a Guideline. Members are strongly encouraged to follow Guidelines.
All decisions remain in force until they are replaced by another decision. A team may reconsider any of their previous decisions at any time. A community decision previously made is reconsidered only if:
A) A majority of voting member households wants to reconsider the decision. Requests for reconsideration of a decision must be in writing (petition, email, etc.).
--- OR ---
B) The Steering Team decides that there is significant cause to reconsider the decision.
For decisions that directly impact the children, children's input is sought.
QUORUM
A quorum is not necessary for consensus decisions because of the ability of absentee members to vote. (See Absentee Member Voting below.) A quorum is, however, necessary to take an Alternative Method Vote. A quorum is established by the presence of at least one voting member from 51% of all voting member households.
POSTED DECISIONS
Community decisions may be made using the Posted Decision method. A Posted Decision is made using the following steps:
- Topic Guide posts a proposal to a posting place designated by the Steering Team.
(The designated posting place may be electronic or physical and must be easily accessible and well known. It is used for Posted Decisions and Community and Team meeting agendas and minutes.)
- The proposal specifically includes:
- Name of Topic.
- Name of Topic Guide.
- Posting Date.
- Input Deadline Date (10 days after Posting Date).
- Background information.
- Proposal.
- All voting members have until the Input Deadline Date to provide input in writing to the designated posting place.
- Note: Voting members must be specific when giving input as to whether the input is a comment (blue card), a concern not needing to be addressed (orange card), or a concern that does need to be addressed (red card).
- If a voting member raises a red card concern, they work with the TopicGuide to resolve their concern, which could lead to modifying the proposal. A modified proposal is reposted using the same guidelines as though it were a new proposal.
- Note: The Topic Guide may choose for any reason to withdraw the proposal and have it considered at a Community Meeting rather than as a Posted Decision.
- If no red card concerns are raised (or if they are raised and later withdrawn) before the Input Deadline Date AND the Topic Guide has posted a follow up stating whether or not the proposal passed, the proposal becomes a decision. The Topic Guide is also expected to post a follow up if the proposal has not passed.
ALTERNATIVE METHOD VOTE
When the community feels that some alternative decision making method is more appropriate than consensus, we may choose an alternative decision making method by taking an Alternative Method Vote (applies only to community, not team, decisions). To pass, the Alternative Method Vote requires a 75% vote of the voting member households present (one vote per voting member household). The alternative method of decision making may employ voting on a per person basis, a per household basis, or in whatever manner the community decides during the Alternative Method Vote.
ABSENTEE MEMBER VOTING
Only members who are present at a meeting may vote (i.e., no voting by proxy), except as allowed by the following Absentee Member Voting procedure (applies only to community, not team, decisions). The Absentee Member Voting option cannot be exercised in any decisions involving an Alternative Method Vote.
- At least 2 days before the Community Meeting, an Absentee Member choosing to block a proposal to be decided upon must inform the facilitator by some means of confirmed communication. (That is, the facilitator must confirm with the Absentee Member that they have been informed of the Absentee Member's choice to block the proposal.)
- If an Absentee Member chooses to affirm a proposal, they may do so by sending word to the meeting via any representative to the meeting they choose.
TYPES OF MEETINGS
COMMUNITY
Purpose: To conduct the normal business of the community where full community participation is appropriate.
Authority to Call Meeting: Steering team -- on an as needed basis.
Decisions Made: Community decisions.
Essential Roles:
Participation:
MEETING OF THE HEARTS
Purpose: To provide an opportunity for open sharing of values and feelings and for the community to work on interpersonal relations and group process thereby creating a greater level of tolerance, respect, empathy, and understanding amongst members, all of which will help reduce potential conflicts.
Authority to Call Meeting: Process & Communication team. Meetings of the Heart are held at least once every two months.
Decisions Made: None.
Essential Roles: None.
Participation: Anyone.
TEAM
Purpose: To conduct the normal business of the community which has been delegated to a team.
Authority to Call Meeting: Team members -- on an as needed basis.
Decisions Made: Team decisions (see Teams agreement for details)
Essential Roles: Facilitator to guide the discussion and/or decision making to accomplish the stated agenda purpose(s). Recorder to keep and post minutes.
Participation: Observers and Voting Members only (see Community Meetings section above).
SHARING CIRCLE
Purpose: To provide an opportunity for open sharing of values and feelings around a particular topic -- not for discussing ideas or problem solving.
Authority to Call Meeting: Anyone (person calling meeting must define the topic and purpose of the meeting when they call it and at the beginning of the meeting).
Decisions Made: None.
Essential Roles: Person who called the meeting to facilitate as needed.
Participation: Anyone.
DISCUSSION CIRCLE
Purpose: To provide an opportunity for open discussion of ideas or problem solving around a particular topic.
Authority to Call Meeting: Anyone (person calling meeting must define the topic and purpose of the meeting when they call it and at the beginning of the meeting).
Decisions Made: None.
Essential Roles: Person who called the meeting to facilitate as needed. Recorder to keep and post minutes.
Participation: Anyone.
RETREAT
Purpose: To reconsider the "Big Picture" topics (where we're at as a community, the nature of the community, and our Core agreements) and to work on core community skills (communication, conflict resolution, etc.).
Authority to Call Meeting: Steering or Process & Communication team. Retreats are held annually.
Decisions Made: None, unless previously authorized by community.
Essential Roles: Facilitator to guide the process to accomplish the stated agenda purpose(s).
Participation: Members only. The team calling the retreat may grant exceptions for outside facilitators and other guests under special circumstances.
SPECIAL
Purpose: To handle any special business that the Steering Team feels warrants a special meeting.
Authority to Call Meeting: Steering team -- on an as needed basis.
Decisions Made: None, unless previously authorized by community.
Essential Roles: Determined by the Steering team.
Participation: Determined by the Steering team.
COMMUNITY & TEAM MEETINGS GROUND RULES
COMMUNITY & TEAM MEETINGS CONTENT
POSTING THE AGENDA
Agenda must be posted on the designated posting place at least 4 days before the meeting (provides members with the information needed to decide whether or not to attend meeting and allows for Absentee Voting at Community Meetings).
Each Agenda item will include:
OPENING THE MEETING
Begin on time.
Review and get agreement on meeting Agenda and Purpose(s).
Review Ground Rules.
WORKING WITH TOPICS AND MAKING DECISIONS
All voting members are given an opportunity to comment and/or express concerns on a topic. Intellectual and emotional input are both welcome. Decisions are to be made from the community's perspective.
Major concerns with a proposal are concerns that a voting member considers significant enough to warrant having the community or team work to resolve. Major concerns are listed indicating who has concerns and what the concerns are. Each major concern is discussed until the person(s) holding the concern feels that the concern has been satisfactorily addressed. Proposals at Community Meetings may not be modified and consensed at the same meeting, however, because of the need to allow for Absentee Voting (doesn't apply to Team Meetings). A consensus decision is made once there are no major unresolved concerns remaining.
A voting member may choose to Stand Aside in making a decision, which means that they personally don't agree with the decision, but don't see it as contrary to the stated values of the community.
A voting member may choose to Stand in the Way of a Decision when they believe that the decision would be seriously wrong for the group, not because they personally disagree with it. The decision to Stand in the Way must be consistent with our stated values and previous decisions found in our Book of Agreements. It is the dissenting member's responsibility to demonstrate this. They must try to clearly explain their understandings and opinions. It is the community or team's responsibility to work to help them find clarity and to seek understanding of their concerns and opinions.
CLOSING THE MEETING
End on time, or agree to extend.
Critique the meeting. (What went well? What could we do differently?)
COMMUNICATIONS ON EMAIL CHAT
Members are responsible for information and decisions posted on the Heartwood email chat (hwcnews@yahoogroups.com). Members posting information on the chat may assume that all Members will become aware of it.
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