How we work: our work team, work party, and committee structure
upper courtyard

Residents work through a number of structures including work teams, work parties, and standing committees (and occasionally task forces).

Work Teams
Every member of the community is on a work team, which meets every six weeks to do general maintenance work. This includes the children who take on age-appropriate tasks.

Work Parties
Work Parties occur quarterly and involve about 6 hours of work, with another hour or so for a prepared lunch. These parties usually address major projects, such as building a stair case, painting, staining fences, major landscape or regrading projects, fixing pavers, etc. Generally, work parties are held one Saturday in March, the first Saturday after Memorial Day, first Saturday after Labor Day, and first Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Committees
Committees do most of the work of the community, including preparation for community decisions. Some decision-making power is delegated directly to the committees. Each adult member of the community is expected to participate in a committee. Besides contributing to getting the work done, being on a committee is a good way to get to know each other.

In early 2001, we redesigned our committee structure to go from topic areas (landscape, finance, meals, etc), to a structure based on systems, and focused on maintenance (roofs, outdoor structures, porch staining, etc.). We are still evaluating the new structure, but in general, a lot more focused work is getting done. The new committe structure is as follows:

1. Maintenance Management Committee

This committee is the heart of the new struture. Their primary job is to make sure the structure is working, and to assist each committee in getting their own work done. In addition, they have functions of their own:

Manages maintenance files (electronic and/or hard copy)
Manages O&M manuals, system information, records and resources (library)
Coordinates weekly Chore Teams and quarterly Work Party lists/schedules
Assists Maintenance-Oriented Committee leads with prioritization of unbudgeted maintenance and repairs
Manages and publicizes committee assignments
Coordinates general Maintenance Budget with the Finance Committee
Monitor workability of the Systems Oriented Committee Structure Proposal”
Make Minor changes as needed and report to full PRCA group.”
Bring major changes back to the community for consensus.”

2. People Decisions and Services Committee

Decisions are made using a consensus process. Residents strive to find consensus on an issue. In the six years we have been around (not including the very challenging formation process), we have never taken a "majority wins" vote. A consensus process is a lot of work, and sometimes bogs down timeframes, however, it has worked very well for us. The committee is responsible for the following:

Schedules PRCA meetings
Trains facilitators
Maintains PRCA Meeting Minutes
Maintains Condo-Docs and By-Laws
Manages Unit Resale Designation Process
Manages New Member Orientation functions pre- and post-sale of a unit
Maintains PRCA Phone List
Manages internal social activities
Manages the CH Calendar
Manages external relations according to adopted policy
Manages disaster preparedness functions
Manages young people's "committee" functions
Manages US Mail to CH
Implements Owner/Renter Policies
Prepares and manages committee's operating budget

3. Meals Committee

Meals are cooked in the Common house three nights a week. A menu is created at the beginning of the month, and residents sign up to shop, cook, and clean (which is required if you want to eat). This works out to about two chores a month, in exchange for twelve meals a month. Most residents would agree that the informal visting that happens during meals is the best part of cohousing, and keeps folks connected. Meals tend to be well balanced, with a slightly vegetarian flair to them. Residents who are vegetarian, or eat dairy-free are accomodated at each meal. The commitee is responsible for the following:

Plans and schedules monthly meals menus
Maintains sign-up sheets
Collects member payments and maintains food club books
Purchases and maintains small kitchen equipment and appliances
Maintains stock of bulk food items
Committee members are designated shoppers
Coordinate with the Landscape Committee on community food gardening
Prepares and manages kitchen operating budget

4. Finance Committee

Maintains PRCA books
Collects dues and pays bills
Prepares quarterly reports
Manages PRCA Reserves Fund
Plans and conducts annual budget process
Manages and maintains PRCA computer
Files tax forms
Prepares Unit Resale Documents
Maintains PRCA Insurance coverage
Prepares and manages committee's operating budget

5. Roofs and Structural System Maintenance Committee

Maintains roofs, gutters, porch roofs, dormers, vents, skylights
Maintains foundations, framing (floor, wall & roof), bathtub structural components
Maintains common plumbing, sewer, gas lines, electrical wiring within the living units
Performs Design Review process for new projects
Prepares and manages committee's maintenance budget

6. Building Skin & Porch System Maintenance Committee

Maintains siding, staining, windows, doors, trim, caulking
Maintains porch steps, porch surface, porch posts, decks
Prepares and manages committee's maintenance budget

7. Utilities Maintenance Committee

Maintains waterlines, meters, faucets, hose-bibs and shutoff valves to all buildings and within the CH
Maintains storm drain lines, catch basins, sump pump (alarm in shop), grates, parking lot and garage drainage systems
Maintains gas lines, meters to all buildings and within the CH
Maintains sewer lines from all buildings and within the CH
Maintains exterior lights
Maintains plumbing, electrical wiring to all buildings and within the CH
Maintains knowledge base on the Apollo heating systems
Investigates conservation options and coordinates with affected committees
Prepares and manages committee's maintenance budget

8. Common House Development and Maintenance Committee

Manages the development of the basement
Manages further development phases
Maintains large appliances - CH refrigerator, freezer, stove, vent hood, dishwashers, furnaces, washers, dryers, copy machine, hot water heater/booster, water filter, telephone, fax, computer
Maintains interior walls, floors and trim
Maintains furniture and library
Maintains craft area
Coordinates with Landscape Committee on site development around the CH
Prepares and manages committee's development and maintenance budgets

9. Shop, Tools, & Storage Maintenance Committee

Manages and Maintains CH shop, Gail's basement,
Maintains all shop and all landscape tools and the common carts
Prepares and manages committee's maintenance budget

10. Outdoor Walkways and Equipment, & Parking Maintenance Committee

Maintains sidewalks, paver blocks, stairs & rails, exterior concrete surfaces, fences
Maintains BBQ grills, fire pit, picnic tables, outdoor chairs, playground, basketball hoop, outside play equipment
Manages garage storage, bike storage, on site parking rotation schedule
Maintains garage interior concrete surface, driveway surface, gravel lot surface, garage doors and electronic controls
Manages the graffiti removal
Monitors and manages garage sound insulation
Administers Design Review guidelines for Limited Common and Common Areas
Prepares and manages committee's maintenance budget

11. Landscaping Development and Maintenance Committee

Plans and Manages development of all common landscaping on the site
Maintains lawns, trees & shrubs, gardens (herb, flower on 17th, vegetable), natural vegetation, pond, nursery, rockeries
Install and maintain irrigation lines and devices
Coordinates with Common House Committee on site development around the CH
Coordinates with Meals Committee on community food from the garden
Prepares and manages committee's development and maintenance budgets
* There is also a Garden Committee which is separate, and voluntary, for those wishes to use a plot in the community garden.

12 .Waste Management & Animal Control Maintenance Committee

Manages garbage, recycling, food composting, yard waste
Develops waste reduction strategies
Manages domestic pet waste
Maintains all buildings and grounds against birds, squirrels, moles, rodents, wasps, termites
Prepares and manages committee's maintenance budget

Task Forces
These are occasionally formed if an issue arises that does not fit within the purview of a committee. While a committee is ongoing, a task force will work together only until the task is complete. An example is the unit sale task force, or the common house basement guidelines task force.