Cohousing Associations of Central Texas Umbrella Services (CACTUS)
December 4, 2001
Minutes for Meeting #4
Attendees:
Selwyn Polit
Greg Thompson
| Colette Henricks
Eileen Nehme
Janet Hailey
Tom West
Dory Grace
1. Introductions
2. Cohousing overview - there was some discussion and description of what cohousing is, for the benefit of members who had questions about various aspects of cohousing.
3. Check-in on projects
· Central Austin Cohousing - Has spent most of this year focusing on structure and procedures. Now beginning process of incorporating and looking for land. Have some places identified.
· Rural Group – Has been looking at land to get a sense of the market. Are also discussing how to best organize a development effort and to form an association. They are reviewing existing documents and updating.
4. Web Site – http://austinprogressivecalendar.com/cactus
The web site is up! Selwyn, Michael, and Eileen got together and created pages with Mission Statement, Resources, What CoHo Is, Links, Calendar, etc. People are asked to link to it from your web sites. We plan to create our own domain name shortly. Some metatags need to be put in.
5. Treasurer Report – Collected enough last time to buy the CoHo slideshow. About $34 in the pot.
6. Handling New Folks – One idea is to start each meeting with video and intro for first time people. Idea to have one person there early to meet new folks (host person) and they do this introduction. They need the ‘Resource Sheet’, copy of the video. Discussion continued about what CACTUS role in promoting groups. Decided that we will keep the Chron. ad going and advertise for new folks, informing them this is a working meeting. Offer an introduction before. Collete will rewrite ad. Ad to be posted to media outlets (Eileen) has list.
7. PR Group – This group will be folks who want to work on getting the word out (marketing) cohousing. Discussed community outreach as a first step to alert public, followed by public event that is intended to bring new folks together for information and socializing with each group. Brainstormed places to outreach, langage to use, type of event to organize, and when. We had planned a local conference on coho in the Fall.
8. CoHo Intro – Social and info meetings to bring new folks for intros. The idea is to pick a neutral place, include food, representatives of each coho group.
Dory to find a place and contact other coho groups to have a representative present.
PR Committee of Eileen and Michael will coordinate publicty. Others volunteered to take on specific contacts as requested. Tom to put in APJC Calendar.
Date: Sunday, March 3, 2:00-5:00pm.
9. Slide Show – We now have slide show! Will do at the CoHo Intro event. Get more outreach presentation contacts at the event.
10. Fall CoHousing Conference –Eileen presented a planning outline for this conference. She would like to write grant proposal to help finance. We need an umbrella group to act as our funding conduit until we incorporate as a not for profit. She presented a budget proposal involving compensated organizing work in prep for the conference and follow-up. She has some foundations in mind as potential supporters. Date proposed is Nov 1 and 2 (Friday evening and all day Saturday). Friday evening will be a general introduction. Saturday would be workshops for both residents and builders, bankers, realtors, etc. We need to think about key note speaker, workshop presenters.
Eileen wants to have a grant ready by January 31, 2002
She requests suggestions for funders and programs. nehme@ev1.net Discussion on list serve group is welcomed.
This is a proposed project and will be subject to getting adequate funding. We will re-evaluate plans as funding resources are determined.
Add this idea to web site as an active proposal and project.
2002 Meeting Schedule: Second Tuesday of Each Month. 6:30 to 8:30
Next Meeting at Colette and Selwyn’s
Agenda to be decided.