Community Meeting

Monthly Community Meetings provide the foundation for our life together. This is where major decisions affecting the community are made, where vision for our future is developed, and where our commitment to each other and to the community is strengthened. Attendance at community meeting is expected, but not required, of all members (and renters, if any). Meetings are facilitated by members on a rotating basis, and decisions are made by consensus.

The Committee Structure

Most of the work at Cobb Hill is done under the umbrella of one of the standing committees. Standing Committees are charged with ongoing responsibility for a specific aspect of Cobb Hill life. They generally meet on a regular - often monthly - basis. These committees have a chair or co-chairs, provide notice and agendas in advance of meetings and minutes following. They are supplemented by Ad Hoc committees which are charged with addressing issues that are assumed to be time-limited. Membership in all committees is open to Cobb Hill residents and renters. Some attend meetings on a consistent basis and participate in ongoing committee work; others attend only when drawn by specific agenda items. As of early 2007, two of the committees are using policy governance for decision-making. This process will be evaluated by the community, and if it proves useful, will be extended to the remaining committees. A list of current committees follows.

Active Committees:

Land Use: oversees Cobb Hill enterprises, manages the farm as a unified whole according to the sustainability principle of Cobb Hill, promotes the productive capacity of the agricultural land and buildings.

Forestry: practices stewardship of Cobb Hill’s 270 acres of woodlands in a manner that promotes forest health, diversity, and sustainability.

CHops (Cobb Hill operating systems): maintains community systems (water, septic, and heating), roads and paths; promotes ways to reduce Cobb Hill’s environmental footprint.

Landscape: maintains the community’s flowerbeds, shrubs and trees in the central common area.

Membership: serves as the contact point for people wanting to visit and learn more about Cobb Hill, creates and maintains a waiting list for home ownership, is active in the process of resales and rentals.

Finance and Legal: facilitates the development of the annual community budget, provides financial and legal planning for the community.

Ad hoc committees:

Kid and Kaboodle: supports the children as valued and respected members of our Community, encourages unity amongst the various ages, explores ways for them to participate in a number of regular activities and special events.

Community Wellbeing: facilitates community vision process, addresses needs that are unmet by other committees.

Leadership

Cobb Hill has experimented with several models of leadership. In previous years, members took turns acting as clerk or co-clerk for a year or more. The clerk acted in one or more of the following ways: facilitating community meetings, providing general oversight of the community’s affairs and facilitating decision making. For over a year there was no clerk, and community meetings were facilitated by volunteers. As of the spring of 2007 we have two members who have accepted the role of co-clerk.