Cohousing Minutes – March 17, 2019

ISLAND COHOUSING GENERAL MEETING MINUTES

1/20/19

Facilitators: Caroline & Philippe

Attendance: Caroline (#13), Philippe (#11), Patrick (#10), Bethany (#3), Stephen (#3), Newell (#7), Jennie (#7), Sylvie (#9), John (#1)

NO Quorum

Start of meeting 5:07pm

1. General sharing, joys and sorrows 

a. Kimana passed away this past week. She made it to her 17^th birthday.

2. Minutes of 12/16/18 (no action, b/c no quorum)

3. Update on wells & pumps

Work on pumps is done. Work on pressure tanks is not done. Island Water Source advises replacing all tanks. This is a common expense. Island Water Source is offering $250 discount on each tank, resulting in $4K savings. Roughly $14K total. Old ones are to be removed and new ones installed in each house. 3 tanks done already (due to necessity). Agenda item for next meeting will be voting on this capital expenditure that will come out of COHO savings. John will present a proposal for approval at the next meeting. Not able to vote tonight b/c no quorum.

Isl. Water Source was unable to access one house because of two dogs excited to the point of scary. Isl. Water Source also advised everyone who has/uses boilers to have the autofill valves and boiler relief valves looked at their regular next servicing appointment.

4. 2018 financials (actual vs budget)

Philippe reviewed 2018 actuals vs budget. $6924 was net income for 2018, which roughly $2K more than had been anticipated. Past due fees were collected, including from prior years, that contributed to income. Rental income was lower than anticipated. Expenses were $1K lower than expected/budgeted. $26K is in checking, $46K is in savings.

5. Committee reports 

  Admin – Update – Randi generated an updated orientation packet & Newell translated  it into Portuguese. Thank you Randi and Newell.

  Composters

 

  Garden – planning? Garden committee to schedule a meeting for the coming week.

  Common house – Sylvie will take care of boiler service call (as per above)

  Common facilities 

  Design review 

  Facilitation – Upcoming COHO general business meeting schedule: 3/17; 4/28; 5/19 (no February meeting) P&R will miss May b/c Elie is graduating from college!

  Kids and parents

  Landscape

 

  Roads and pathways – Jennie, Julie & John to design & propose signage

• Thank you to Paris for Portuguese language for recycling signage
• Proposed new/updated signs:
  • Recycling/trash (Portuguese & English)
  • Common House visitor parking (should this be “common house” parking or “visitor parking”)
  • Direction to households (i.e. 1-6, 7-16)
  • Two new “no entry/emergency vehicle only” @ end of each loop
  • Island cohousing welcome sign, a bit further down the road
  • Resident vs. Visitor parking signs?
  • “Don’t park here” sign by trash
• Do we want uniform parking space signage, for those households who want them? Some discussion ensued. Generally positive feedback for uniform signage.
• Comprehensive sign proposal to be made @ next meeting
• Thank you Jennie for your work on the signs so far

  Parties and events 

  Trash 

  Pond – discussion about seemingly a lot of debris and kayak/canoe/paddles left asunder around and in the pond last season; and that it would be helpful to send around a reminder in the springtime to pick up after yourself. Stephen and Philippe to work on fill-up prior to start of season. Suggestion was made to hold a kids and parents meeting prior to start of season to review rules. General agreement not to do pond testing and continue with a “swim at your own risk” status.

  Dogs and cats 

  Meals – new schedule

Jan 6.     Paul F, Jim

Jan13      Randi, Newell

Jan20      mtg and potluck

Jan27      Caroline, Sylvie

Feb3        Philippe, Keith

Feb10.     John, Helen

Feb17      Potluck 

Feb24.    Deb Paul

March3.  Hara, Sylvie

March10  Randi, Jim

March17 mtg and potluck 

March24 Helen, Jean

March31 Caroline, Newell

April7.     John, Marc

April14    Potluck

  Website  – John, Julie & Philippe developing content & updated documents.  ***Please share photos with Patrick***

• Patrick shared update. Some photos have been submitted. Content has been supplied. Website to be a portal for potential Common house renters. Policies, etc. to be available for reading, download, etc. Patrick to audit content and photos provided, and to email updated website when that process is complete and website is ready to go live.

Philippe

6:01 meeting adjourned.