Process Committee Revised Mandate

Process 2010-06-21

Summary:

The Process committee supports the community's commitment to consensus decision-making, conflict resolution, and communication. They are responsible for ensuring the safe storage and accessibility of community historical information and actively supporting learning but not enforcing specific community decisions or endorsing proposals.

Background:

Previous version of the mandate was passed 2005-01-17

Proposal:

1. Are we empowered?
No

2. What community work positions does Process committee oversee?
Process committee convener, members, and steering rep
Infoco committee convener and facilitator members
Agenda planner
Alternative meeting leaders
Minute takers for community meetings
Conflict Resolution Committee members
Book of Agreements enterer
Book of Agreements tech
Archivist

3. What is our global task in service to the community?

3.1 Process committee actively supports the community's commitment to consensus decision-making and commitment to respectful and transparent communication and conflict resolution at the individual, committee and community level;

3.2 Process committee makes sure that minutes, agreements, and community historical information are safely stored and fully accessible; and

3.3 Process committee actively supports learning and community-building at Great Oak.

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NOTE, this next section below elaborates on 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 above.

3.1 Process committee actively supports the community's commitment to consensus decision-making and commitment to respectful and transparent communication and conflict resolution at the individual, committee and community level, by:

3.1.1 Scheduling and publicizing community meetings, and rescheduling or canceling community meetings as needed.

3.1.2 Organizing and supporting effective agenda planning, facilitation and minute taking for community meetings. To that end, we schedule the facilitators and minutes takers each work season, check in periodically to make sure Infoco is meeting and if they need any additional support or resources, and check in periodically with the agenda planner and minute takers to make sure they have the resources or information they need and are fulfilling their roles.

3.1.3 Keeping agreed-upon meeting processes and guidelines (for example the Four-Step Method for Working through Emotional Charge, the Communication Pathway, and our Community Meeting Participant Guidelines), alive and visible in the community, and bringing new ones forward for consideration as the need arises.

3.1.4 Keeping community agreements fresh in community member's minds, by periodically asking committees to bring a previous agreement to a community meeting for a short review - called "Refreshing Policy Moments".
3.1.5 Encouraging committees to write mandates, and bring them to the community periodically to refresh and update them.

3.1.6 Encouraging committees to publicize their meetings and meeting agenda ahead of time so that everyone interested can attend, to take minutes at all their meetings, and to post minutes and agreements to "talk" as well as to the archiving email address so they are all in the Book of Agreements.

3.1.7 Providing resources and opportunities for individual members, committees, and the group to develop and strengthen our understanding of, and participation in, consensus decision-making.

3.1.8 Providing tools and resources that help and encourage individuals and committees to identify and resolve conflicts and sustain clear and respectful communication with their neighbors. This includes the Conflict Resolution Committee, resources in the community library, and access to funding that can be used toward training.


3.2 Process committee makes sure that minutes, agreements, and community historical information are safety stored and fully accessible, by:

3.2.1 Ensuring that the online Book of Agreements database is accessible to members.

3.2.2 Providing training one on one or via community meeting presentations to make sure people know how to find and use the Book of Agreements.

3.2.3 Checking in each work season with the Book of Agreements tech to set priorities for ongoing database development.

3.2.4 Keeping an eye on the flow of minutes on "talk" to make sure the Book of Agreements address is being used so the minutes are being archived.

3.2.5 Checking in each work season with the Archivist to make sure they have the support they need, and periodically reminding individuals and committees to provide materials to the Archivist.


3.3 Process committee actively supports learning and community-building at Great Oak, by:

3.3.1 Organizing an annual Skills and Thrills event for Great Oak, or passing along the responsibility of organizing to another person or group at Great Oak that would like to do so in a particular year.

3.3.2 Supporting the Alternative meetings and periodically bringing a discussion about the purpose of the Alternative meetings to the community to keep it fresh.

3.3.3 Managing the Community Resource Library in the Common House sitting room, and acquiring resources for it that can be on any subject related to living at Great Oak, not just process-related.

3.3.4 Managing the Member Resources training line item in the Process budget, which contributes money toward classes or conferences or other kinds of learning that members want to do, that relates to any aspect of life at Great Oak.

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4. What isn't Process committee responsible for?
4.1 The outcome of specific community decisions;
4.2 Approving or endorsing the content of specific proposals.

5. What is expected of committee members?
5.1 Intention to work on behalf of the community's well-being;
5.2 Participation in committee discussions - in-person at committee meetings whenever possible, via e-mail when appropriate or necessary.
5.3 Willingness to take on and follow-through with occasional tasks outside of committee meeting time; ability to realistically estimate completion time for tasks; ability and willingness to say "No" to such requests; willingness to ask for help/support when you need it;
5.4 Respect for confidentiality regarding personal conflicts or other sensitive issues that may be discussed by the committee.

6. What projects/proposals are we currently working on?
6.1 Managing our annual budget and the work positions and subcommittees that answer to Process
6.2 Planning an annual Skills and Thrills event
6.3 Managing the tech improvements to the Book of Agreements
6.4 Wanting to offer support to Membership cmtee and to help our new members get involved in community meetings and committee work.

7. Where do we get our funding?
7.1 We are funded through the GOCA operating budget;
7.2 We submit our budget needs to the community's consensus based budget process