Butler Committee Meeting Minutes 8.4.08

Submitted by Jane Phillips, Recording Secretary

Committee members present: Jane Phillips, Shannon Hughes (Chair), Dante Ricci (GSG Rep), Jeffrey Dwoskin (Housing Rep), Patrick Ross (Treasurer), Tao Long (Garden Co-coordinator), Chin Jou (Social Chair), Nicole Jui (Garden Co-coordinator), Bronwyn Smith (Community Room Coordinator), Anna Frost (Dolly Coordinator), Andrew Owen (webmaster).

Community member present: Nancy Jones, Olivia Martel, David Jorgensen.

Meeting called to order at 9:03 pm.

Shannon (Chair): Starting out with elections for Chair to replace Shannon. Shannon asked whether anyone present would like to run for Chair, and David Jorgensen was the only candidate - Shannon explained the candidacy rules for Chair. David explained his role in developing the proposed changes to the bylaws, and also explained that he has run groups in the past. David was voted in as interim Chair (until November, pending passage of the proposed changes to the bylaws) by show of hands of those present.

Patrick (Treasurer): Handed out summary of expenses for the past month. The Princeton account is at -$162 (cable bill and garden reimbursement) and the Sovereign account is at $693 ($282 of which are Committee funds). Patrick noted that last year, the Princeton account got funds at the beginning of July, but the Butler Committee hasn't yet received funds. Olivia thinks that funds are sent out to housing Committees in August, but will check with Lisa.

Tao and Nicole (Garden): Made a composting flier, and plan to print it and distribute it to new residents. They are trying to get a list of new residents from Housing. The handle on the composter is broken, and they are trying to contact the company to come and fix it (warranty is expired). They are looking into buying a new composter (should cost ~$500) - Andrew Owen suggested that the Committee submit it as a major maintenance request. Jeff will add it to the list, and noted that the issue would take a few months to be addressed and possibly approved. There will be a harvest party during the first week in September for the gardeners - Tao and Nicole will ask gardeners to bring some produce from their plots in the garden and have a barbecue. They are looking at shredders for the computer room, and it should cost ~$220 for 10 gallon paper shredder. Emptying the shredder and maintaining it in working condition could be problems. Jeff noted that the shredder could be put with the composter in the major maintenance request. Jeff spoke with Jim Consolloy, and Jim will provide a concrete pad near the garden for tools for the garden. Patrick suggested that the concrete be touching the fence so that groundhogs cannot get into the garden.

Andrew (Webmaster): Minutes and mowing news have been posted. Andrew noted that there has been a dramatic drop recently in emails about laundry machines breaking.

Chin (Social chair): Nancy, Chin and three other residents cleaned out the storage closet within the past few weeks.

Olivia: Has reported shrubs needing clipping, weeds in the playground, and other things brought up at the last meeting. Several people present noted that there is poison ivy at trees around the Community Room and on the outskirts of the field near Faculty Road. Olivia will follow up with Jim Consolloy. Olivia is also following up on all these issues with the new Facilities person.

Anna (Dolly): Is going to email information about the dollies to Andrew for the website (there are two, one small and one large, and also one ladder - and they will be loaned out separately). Anna also set up a Google calendar for scheduling the dolly so that residents can know when it is available (will not be posting people's whole names, only initials). As a major maintenance request: Anna thinks that the kiosk, used for posting information, could be moved to near the bus stop from its present place on Devereaux, along with a bench. Anna and Nancy will move a bench from elsewhere in Butler to the bus stop. For the kiosk, Jeff suggested that a sign be made to note that fliers should have dates posted on them.

Bronwyn (Community Room): Bronwyn has a key to the Community Room bulletin board, and wants to know what the Committee thinks should go in it. She thinks she will post the most recent Bugles, along with information about resources for move-in, etc. Anna will help Bronwyn. Nicole suggested that Bronwyn also post the events calendar for each month. Olivia delivers them to Butler, and will make sure that Bronwyn gets them in the future. Contact Bronwyn with further ideas. Bronwyn asked about caulking around everyone's tubs, suggested it as a major maintenance request - Jeff suggested that instead, people should file work orders with Facilities individually because they will get quicker service. He suggested that a list be made for the website of common problems for which people should call Facilities (Andrew will follow up).

Dante (GSG): GSG hasn't met since our last meeting.

Jeff (Housing): Top loading laundry machines have been replaced with front-loading ones within the past few weeks. Several of the out-of-order signs have gone missing - Olivia will follow up to get more. Talked with Jim Consolloy about tree overgrowth near the garden, and the trees should be trimmed back soon. Some residents have had problems with ticks near their apartments - someone who lives in Butler actually got Lyme Disease. They considered spraying for ticks, but they decided that it would probably not be effective or practical. They have decided to send out an email to residents giving information about how to avoid ticks and Lyme Disease, etc. and Jeff hopes to compile this information for the website as well. EHS will hold an information session if people want them to. Olivia suggested that this information also be put up on the bulletin board in the Community Room.

Housing asked about usage of common spaces for the move to Stanworth, etc., in the future. They are thinking of building common space in Stanworth in the future. Jeff wants to compile a list of things that are important in common spaces - please email Jeff with ideas and they will be talked about at the next meeting.

Major maintenance requests in addition to the ones already noted: 1) Need road signs in Butler (one way, do not enter, also a sign that says "Butler" at the entrance). 2) A change machine in the computer room (the GC got one recently) - it would be in the computer room because the computer room is more secure. Would be an issue because the GC House Committee bought and maintain theirs on their own, so Jeff will take this off the list. 3) Would like to have bike posts installed near the shuttle stop (along with other shuttle stop ideas). 4) Expand the basketball court to a full court size - Jeff asked whether this should be a priority at this point, and the Committee agreed that it was a good idea, along with other general improvements to the playground.

Discussion on proposal for ammendments to the Bylaws:

David led the discussion. The subcommittee has had issues with the tiers for types of officers, along with whether Committee positions should be eliminated. Patrick asked about other options for the tiers of eligibility for positions. They are considering eliminating the experience issue so that people who had never been to meetings could at least be put on a ballot against someone who had been to meetings. It was decided that the tiers concerning experience would remain as two separate tiers (that those with two meetings experience would have priority over those who have never been to a meeting) for the time being, but that people should think about it and it can be talked about at the next meeting. Dante asked about nonresident students, and how housing priority would work, and as of now, they would have priority in the Butler lottery as per Housing rules.

The members of the subcommittee had tried to space out the work required for each position, and tried to make each position about the same amount of work. Olivia mentioned that Housing isn't sure what to do with the Housing priority issue other than ask the Housing Committees to limit their own size in preparation for the Housing crunch. Andrew noted that it might be better to only downsize the Committee if forced to do so by Housing. Jane does not think that it is necessary to downsize the Committee prematurely. Andrew noted that certain positions can have varying amounts of work depending on the amount of time the Committee member is willing or able to put into the position. Anna and Bronwyn noted their issues with the idea of consolidating the Community Room and Dolly Coordinator positions, and the fact that certain positions can be very busy at different times during the year. Anna suggested that the Dolly coordinator be turned into a Move-in/Move-out Coordinator position.

Nicole asked about what would happen if all positions of the present Committee were kept, and it was stated that it is possible that in the future, there might be fewer housing spots available to Housing Committees.

Possibilities:

1) Keep proposed changes (8 total Committee positions, merging Webmaster/Secretary/Bugle Editor, Community Room/Dolly, GSG/Housing Rep positions)

2) Keep all 11 Committee positions (not including Bugle editor)

3) Keep proposals, but keep Community Room and Dolly coordinator separate (9 total positions)

Went around the room and everyone present stated their opinions on the above possibilities. It appears that opinions are spread mostly between possibilities #2 and #3, with a couple of people also voting for #1. There was also further talk of a move-in/move-out position being combined with another position, possibly the Dolly Coordinator position (Anna mentioned that people ask her questions about move-in/move-out often while they are borrowing the Dolly). David suggested that most positions be kept. Jeff argued for the reasons why the GSG and Housing Reps should be combined, and Shannon argued for why the Webmaster and Secretary should be combined. Dante stated that he has no problem with merging the GSG Rep and the Housing Rep positions, and they think that it would serve the community better if those two positions were put together.

Conclusions from this meeting: Bugle Editor position is being eliminated. Housing and GSG Reps want to be one position. The Dolly Coordinator would also be a Move-in/Move-out Coordinator. Jane suggested that the Secretary and Webmaster have more duties assigned to their positions, or have duties shuffled from other positions to those two to make them have more even workloads with other Committee positions. It was agreed by show of hands that the Secretary and Webmaster would stay separate, but that more duties would be assigned to those positions. (Jane and Andrew will think about possible additional resposibilties for these positions and report on them to the Bylaws Subcomittee.)

Meeting adjourned at 11:10 pm.