Minutes to 1/18 Co-Op meeting

(Forgive the rather dull, outline format. Supreme Overlord, please feel free to add entertaining commentary.)

I. Revisited discussion of the need to add to members:
A. Confirmed the desire to add one family ASAP and ideally add a second one soon.
Karen reported that Melissa (William’s mom) didn’t think it would work well for them, but that Gia and Layla (Ian’s parents) had expressed some interest. Karen said that she would follow-up with them when the opportunity arrived and encouraged others to do so as well.

B. We discussed whether we should do some broad outreach via various Queens listservs/message boards, but there seemed to be a greater comfort within the group to working our own networks, so that people started the discussion pre-vetted. Everyone was encouraged to consider their contacts outside of Blvd Gardens, and Jen said she had some friends in Jackson Heights/Woodside who might be interested.

C. Karen also reintroduced the need to do some more social activities as a group so that everyone could get comfortable with each other and new members could be introduced. Laura pointed out that activities could be informal, such as a craft day, and didn’t always need to require an outing.

II. Strategies for improving and streamlining the “bookkeeping” system

A. Because of errors that occurred over the course of 2009, the secretary’s book required a major audit, which Celia managed successfully. The issue was no single problem, but an accumulation of problem’s that made things tricky to untangle. As a result, it was agreed that “the book” (real or virtual) would not be passed to a new secretary if it didn’t balance, without the leader’s review and approval.

B. To help minimize human error while at the same time making the secretary responsibilities more manageable, Laura voluntarily researched different online options for automating the process. Laura reported that she reviewed four online options, all of which had various pros and cons, but based on her research recommended an individualized blog that would cost the group nothing. Laura set up a model, which she introduced to the group and that can be accessed at: http://thebabysittersclub3000.blogspot.com/

C. Based on the group’s initial enthusiasm, it was decided that for at least one, and likely two, trial months the sits would be logged in both the hard copy secretary book AND the new online blog log, while the group becomes accustomed to the new system and decides whether to fully adopt it.

D. To help work out initial kinks, it was decided that Laura would be the secretary in February and Eric in March.

E. Laura also volunteered to walk people through the blog in small groups if they’re not comfortable doing so on their own.

F. The March co-op meeting will include a complete review of the new system and a discussion of what new policies/roles might need to be spelled out.