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ACM Minutes, Sun. Oct. 22, 2023, 3-5 pm

Topics: workshop use, playground

Proposal:  $1,500 from operating budget to repair c.h. playground

Decision:  Give the Parents Committee $750 to repair the c.h. playground.

Present: Lynda (co-fac), Grae, Renae, Cedar Gonzales, Larraine, Kerry, Gheybin, Michael, Emily, Mike W (fac), Kay (notes), Cheryl, Carol, Laura, Amalie, Tobie, Alex, Mary, Vinnie, Ben, Amy & Chelsea. Proxies for Robin, Jorge, and Eliza, Marina

Listening Practice: "My name is, my pronouns are _, and I value community because _"  Someone else echoes back, then answers for themself.

Workshop Use

Cedar Gonzales is asking if they can use our workshop  to do some carpentry work on their van and might stay in the common house for a weekend.  They lived here as a child.  They are willing to trade some work, for instance cleaning up and organizing the workshop.  Vicky is willing to host but would like someone more familiar with the workshop and tools to sponsor that part.  Emily would help but hasn't been here long and wouldn't want to be making decisions. Vinnie would be available on a weekend.  Any input, contact Cedar, Mike & Vicky, or Emily.  Working group for organizing shop/garage: Alex, Vinnie, Mike & Vicky, Kerry, Kay.

Playground

Proposed.  Use $1.5K from operating budget to refurbish existing playground by common house.

Changes from previous version.  Removed part to add playground to reserve analysis. Reduced amount of request from $2.5.  Expanded plan for work into phase 1 and phase 2.

Tobie estimates bare bones would be about $750, no sand for the sandbox and other cutbacks. 

Parents didn't ask for a budget this year in anticipation of asking for this. A budget is a planning tool and can be amended.

Concern about making sure the structure is insurable when repaired. 

Suggested amendment: "Use $750 from 2023 operating budget to refurbish existing playground by common house. Work to be based on safety first decisions by the resident constructors made with consideration of the costs outlined in phase 1 as listed later in this document."

Approved.  Stand asides : Eliza, Ben, Kerry, Laraine, Jorge, Cheryl, Robin, Marina, Lila.  (Mondays, Kay requested stand-aside reasons over email.  See Addendum, below.

Proposal: South Playground

Proposal: funding South Playground maintenance in fall 2023. 
Date: [2023-10-15]
Proposed
use $1.5K from operating budget to refurbish existing playground. 
Background Summary

Playgrounds are a pre-existing part of the infrastructure for nearly everyone of us here at WaCoHo.  The playground is part of our core values system including 

“Intergenerational Relationships

As a community, we recognize varied contributions from members of different ages; we value all stages of human development and encourage supportive, mutually beneficial relationships between generations.”

More connections to our values at bottom.

The playgrounds have not been included in the reserve analysis. As a result, there is no funding specifically for maintaining or replacing playgrounds at WaCoHo.  Playgrounds contribute to the livability of WaCoHo and we currently have a motivated and capable group who can do all the refurbishing work.

Starting in fall of 2022 the community discussed options for the South Playground (aka common house playground.) In spring of 2023 the community agreed that it would be best to refurbish and maintain the existing playground rather than other options including tearing the structure down.  It was also agreed that the money would likely come from the operating budget. 

“At budget time, Management didn’t put money in the budget for it but told the parents committee to figure out what they wanted and how much it would cost, then come to Management and we would try to find some money.”

-per ACM minutes [2023-04]

How this proposal intends to address the issue

Current structure has been neglected and needs some funds for materials in order to make it suitable for use.  We are very happy to be able to refurbish the current structure to keep using it for several years

Phase 1: Safety/refresh
-Taking off all vertical slats, removing all errant nails/screws. 
-Removing leaning post on W side 
-Removing the decking 
-Re-leveling the joists for a new platform (TBD; if joists are solid may be left in place)
-installing a new platform (~$200 for new pressure treated lumber or ~$360 for untreated redwood)
-Painting/staining the verticals and reinstalling them, leaving one section open completely for installation of a rope climber or climbing wall.~$200
-Re angling the ladder and adding some handles at the top.
-Removing the swing chains that are not in use
-adding swing that many ages can use; thinking of those saucer or glider types.~$100
-weeding the mulch area, adding more mulch..~$200
-fresh sand for sand box~$50/cubic yd+ delivery
-hardware~$100
-these are just estimates; more or less may be needed depending on what can be sourced.  we can make a plan for what to do with any remaining funds.


Phase 2: Expansion
- adding sheathing underneath on two sides to give it a playhouse feeling-~$100
-a little window cutout or counter for playing make believe ice cream shop
-slack line or rope spiderweb set up a ~$100
-rock garden

Pros:

  1. Save community money and labor.  (No need to tear down the current structures and no increase to your HOA fee)

  2. No interruption for kids to play with this current structure.

  3. Relatively easy repairs needed can be done by community members themselves.

  4. Sturdy structure already in place.

  5. Can be used for a long time after repairs.

  6. Unique and community made playground.

  7. Having an operating and safe play area around the CH is helping build community and create more connections between members.

Cons:

  1. Will not look like a new structure like in condominium communities.

  2. Perceived risk and liability issues.

  3. Possible neighborhood attractant.

  4. Best suited for 5-12 yo range, not well suited for younger ages.

  5. unknown time frame for “new structure”
Respect 

We respect each other’s freedom of lifestyle and personal privacy. We trust members to make choices that do not infringe on the safety or freedom of any other member or the community as a whole.

Acceptance

We value friendship and friendliness. We foster a sense of belonging and extended family through acceptance and appreciation of each community.

Safety

We work to make our community a safe place – emotionally, physically, and spiritually—and to ensure the safety of each individual within our community. We collectively take responsibility for community safety. In the event that any community member’s safety is breached, we act swiftly to resolve the situation and to restore security.

Extended Family (Children in the Community)

We value raising children in an open, nurturing, safe and celebratory environment. As vital members of the community, kids grow into the respect and responsibility modeled to them. We honor the work of parenting and support parents in the community. We also honor those members who have raised children or who choose not to raise children. Kids, like all members of the community, treat others with compassion and respect boundaries of privacy and noise levels.

Sustainability

As stewards or as strands in a web, we recognize our interdependence with the Earth and live in conscious gratitude. We work to soften our impact on the Earth through various methods of conservation. We remain mindful that our choices affect other beings and systems.

Beauty

We are committed to the synergy of aesthetic elegance and environmental harmony, both in the ways we live and in how we arrange and care for our physical environment.

Addendum: Reasons for stand-asides

I am all for a responsible process of fixing up the playground by the Common House.

 1. However it is highly nebulous whether the Parents’ committee will be able to procure the amount asked for in one version of the proposal ie between $500 and $750.

2. If the parents’ committee appear to be unable to collaborate effectively to come up with a clear proposal. How will they collaborate  & work together to fix the playground so it is safe & Insurable?

3. The “proposal” was rushed through to consensus in a haphazard, highly unclear way.  I’ve never seen so many Stand Asides.

4. I don’t see how the parents can get the work done on the structure until next year since those parents who are most likely to work on it are very new and still working on their own domicile along with learning cohousing, caring for 2 small children etc. Winter is soon upon us

Laraine, 10/23/23

Jorge and I remembered the comments from both Coleman and Toby at previous ACMs that a budget of $500 would be a sufficient amount to refurbish the community playground. Their access to recycled building materials, experience, and their plan was not evident in the proposal of $1,500 that was sent out to the community, especially considering the upcoming challenges we face in stucco and gutter maintanence. We are glad the proposal was amended to reflect a lower budgeted expense, and our stand aside was in response to this proposal was not budgeted for the 2023 budget.

Robin, 10/23/23

I stood aside for a few reasons:

1. The updated proposal wasn’t sent out to the community 7 days prior to this ACM, it was 5 days which is not what is indicated in our welcoming binder as protocol, so on principle I don’t think it should have gone to consensus at that meeting. 

2. We couldn’t get to consensus in the scheduled time and there were active changes being made to the proposal during the meeting, so I don’t think the proposal was ready for consensus especially with multiple proxy voters. The scheduled time to call for consensus was 4:20,  but the the call to consensus didn’t actually occur until 4:55. If we have people proxy voting for consensus on proposals regarding money or any other hot topic, we we need to come to consensus at the scheduled time or wait for the next meeting, in my opinion. 

 3. I feel the $750 budget for the playground is fair, and it coming from the 2023 budget is financially a good choice for the community. This repair needs to get done for liability reasons and we have already spent enough ACM time on this topic.

Eliza, 10/23/23

I stood aside and was proxy for Marina and also stood aside.  I thought the call for consensus was hurried and more needed to be discussed.  Vicky mentioned fund raising and that idea needed consideration.  Was the original playground funded by the parents group?  Perhaps that should be a consideration for the current situation as well as donations from the community instead of burdening the entire community.

Lila, 10/24/23

Also see process review meeting, 10/28/2023.

Emailed 10/29/2023.

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