Slice Yourself Off A Nice Piece of Co-op Pie
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To Live At A Co-op Now What The Hell Does That Mean? Have you ever had a terrible landlord? Living at the Co-op means no more landlords, because YOU ARE THE LANDLORD (well, you and the thirteen other Co-opers). Sure, we pay rent, but unlike everyone else we pay that rent to ourselves. Where does all that money go? Well, we live in a rickety old mansion from the 1880's. There's still a lot of restoration work to get done around here. We've also got taxes and fees to pay. Housing ain't free ya know. Even if you own it outright, there's still that pesky government with its hand in your pocket.
But, thats the boring stuff that nobody wants to hear about. Lets talk about food. Food is one of the most important things to our co-op. Every month, everybody chips into a food and utilities fund. That money then goes to heating our home and our stomachs. Food is purchased in bulk (by our bulkinator), and twice weekly by our shoppers. We also purchased a share from our local CSA (community supported agriculture). Fresh, locally grown, organic vegetables are available whenever in season. Dinner is served 5 days a week, Sunday through Thursday, with brunch on Sunday morning to boot. Who cooks? We do. Everyone signs up to cook once in a cycle. When everyone has cooked, we start all over.
But, who cleans up? With 13 people and all that space isn't the house a huge mess all the time? The answer my friend is no. Who cleans? We do. At the beginning of every month, we all sign up for chores. Somebody keeps the fridge tidy, somebody cleans up the Honorable Ronald Regan Reading Room (our joshingly named library), somebody changes the water for the tofu, and and somebody vacuums. Everybody has two or three chores that only take a few hours a week. There are also longer-term elected chores. We have a treasurer, Choreographer (chore-ee-og-ra-fer), a maintenance cooordinator, the bulkinator, membership, the loose end, and the tight end. Besides this, there are work holidays where we all build community spirit by fixing up our rickety old house together. (Check the photos page for some shots of us hard at work) This all seems like quite a bit of responsiblity, but once you start, it seems like a breeze.
But who is in charge? Who decided all of this? The Answer: We Did. The basic tenet of cooperative living is that there is some insight or wisdom in a group that is stronger than that of any individual in the group. We hold weekly meetings where we make decisions by either consensus or a modification thereof. Isn't there some check and balance to make sure you don't spend all of your money on castles in the sky? Our members live here and make decisions based on what is best for the group. No one is denied a voice in a decision. Members share information with eachother and come to a consensus as to what the best solution is for the whole group. If the group really is acting outside of its own best interest, a co-oper can always block a decision, but in a group that listens and communicates effectively, that should almost never occur.
I know it sounds a bit complex, but its not as difficult as all that. There are hard times and good times just like any other living situation. What makes us different are the meetings, the work holidays, the meals, the sharing of chores, and working together. By this we build together a strong community. In this community is a place for our members to grow, to be empowered, and to make a difference in the world around them. That is what a co-op is all about.  |
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Want to learn more? Stop by for our weekly potluck, every Wednesday at 7pm!
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