Dear Barnardsville Friends,
I want to give you a brief summary of our last meeting and a reminder of the next meeting, so that you (hopefully) can put it in your calendars. To strike while the iron is hot: the next meeting should be Thursday, August 14, 7 p.m. at the Old Fire House, unless I hear from a lot of you that it doesn’t work.
In thinking about the meeting minutes/notes/report, or whatever we want to call it, I had a brainstorm. I can’t really do adequate note-taking while moderating the meeting. Most people don’t want to be “secretary” and take minutes. So, I suggest that we make it a work-in-progress that we all share. I will put out a basic outline of what we discussed. With our new blog site, so miraculously set up and moderated by Vickilynn, you all can add to it what you remember that you (or maybe even someone else) said.
Let’s try this, shall we?
Here’s my summary:
It was Thursday, July 17, at 7 p.m., at the Old Fire House (where Kate and Bob so kindly allowed us to meet). There were about 20 of us present.
We started out talking about the various networks for groups like us that provide models, resources, information, and a structure for proceeding. There had been a flurry of emails just prior to the meeting about the following. Transition Town (http://transitiontowns.org), Relocalization Network (http://relocalize.net) and Community Solutions ( http://www.communitysolution.org/) please note that I gave you the wrong email address in prior communications, there’s no “s” on the end, that’s a different group). We decided to ask a smaller group to look at the various options and report back to the whole group. Bob Broadhead, Julie Covington, myself, and (as I mentioned at the meeting as she wasn’t present) Melinda Stuart volunteered.
I read the purpose statement that we’d composed at an earlier meeting. We talked about our name, but decided to wait to select it until we’d decided about connection to one of the above networks (or not).
We also talked about the blog site and google email group that Vickilynn has set up for us. (We decided to have both, rather than one or the other.) Somebody needs to fill in here if we made any decisions, except to say thank you!
We talked about how our movement would grow. We remembered an earlier decision to wait until fall for a community-wide meeting (maybe at the Community Center); we promised ourselves that we would begin planning it at the next meeting.
Kim Carlyle raised the issue of outreach and offered to coordinate a “committee” to think about options and present them to the group. Tim Haycraft offered to help.
Arrachme reported on the situation at our Barnardsville post office. It has faced threats of being cut, and a number of us had expressed concern. We decided that the need to support the P.O. by buying our postage and mailing our stuff from there should be presented to the larger community through the Big Ivy Commuity Newsletter. Arrachme took on writing an article for the next issue.
James Davis gave us information about the solar kit he’s located that is reasonably priced (c. $3,000) and reasonably easy to install oneself. He has not yet ordered it, but will keep us informed, in case anyone wants to come help/observe the installation. Also, the option of ordering a number at once for a discount (if that’s possible) was mentioned, I believe. Please let James know if you’re interested.
Finally, we discussed the lowly garden weed, purslane, which turns out to be very healthful (and easier to grow than not). It has lots of Omega 3 fatty acids, which we’ve fairly recently learned is very important to our health, plus C and at least one other vitamin in high quantities, plus antioxidants. I brought several sprigs for folks to taste. It was such a hit that Vickilynn has put uploaded our recipes on our blog site.
If you were there, please add what you remember . . . . I’ve only touched upon a lot of good comments and ideas!
Susan
Sustainable Big Ivy 
Report on 8/21/08 Meeting by Susan B.
There were nearly 20 people present at our meeting at the Old Fire Station (thank you, as always, Kate and Bob!)
We began by reading the Statement of Purpose that was adopted at our second meeting.
Melinda Stuart reported on the group that met to discuss three community networks we wanted to know more about. She said that the group had agreed that two of them were of particular interest: Transition Towns and Relocalization Network. However, we had agreed that we did not need TO join either at this juncture. We can take advantage of the many resources and options they offer without being members. The more important step seemed to us to be one of forming a steering committee and beginning to plan some community outreach programs. Another important step is to select a practical high visibility project we can carry out to gain credibility. We will be forming working groups in the process. Once they are set up, each will have a representative on the steering committee and the original steering committee will disband. (This is basically the procedure suggested by Transition Towns.)
Zev Friedman reported on Transition Towns; Susan Broadhead (me) on Relocalization Network. You had to be there to hear them, but information about how both work may be seen on their websites.
At the beginning of her report, Melinda also mentioned that we do not have a lot of people signed up on the google email service yet. She suggested that we monitor this and make changes if necessary. (MAIN has a Sustainability section which offers local information and resources. It’s another reason for considering using their service, if one of our members who is on MAIN would do it.) In the meantime, I said that I would continue sending information to the email list I’ve built (asking people to let me know if they don’t want to continue to get email from us).
Next we discussed the formation of a steering committee. I suggested the name of Planning Group, instead of Steering Committee. This was accepted by the group. We reviewed and accepted the following draft that I had proposed for responsibilities of the Planning Group:
–Commit to serving on this group until enough working committees are set up to provide members as representatives of the committees for a Steering Committee.
–Read as much as possible about peak oil, climate change, and the solutions out there. Particularly important to read: the Transition Handbook.
–Commit to meeting at least once per month between regular group meetings, and to planning together via email/phone.
–Plan the agenda for the regular group meetings.
–Act as a ‘think tank’ for the group, previewing possible programs and making suggestions concerning programs/projects/positions.
–Respond to each other in a timely and respectful manner.
The following members present volunteered to serve on the Planning Group:
–Julie Covington
–Vickilynn Haycraft
–Kate Matthews (will take notes)
–Velvet Cunningham
–Susan Broadhead
The last question we addressed at the meeting was the matter of our name. There was a lot of discussion and a very close vote. The winner: Sustainable Big Ivy!
We agreed that the Planning Group would talk about the last two items on the agenda and come with some recommendations to the next meeting, which will be held on the third Thursday of September, the 18th, 7 p.m. at the Old Fire Station.
Please plan to come.
Susan
By: vickilynn on August 29, 2008
at 10:06 pm
Sustainable Big Ivy Group
Meeting Notes, September 18, 2008
Introduction of group members present
Film screenings for outreach/education
* The group decided that Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons, followed by a potluck, are good times to show pertinent films to the larger community at the Community Center. Planning Group will work further on scheduling and list of films to screen.
Discussion about draft of informational flyer for outreach/education
* Susan Broadhead presented draft of a flyer to describe the group’s purpose and to invite broader community participation. After some agreed-upon copy changes, Susan said she would put together a few copies to hand out at the Tailgate market wine-tasting on September 27 and to hand out at the remaining Tailgate market days.
Discussion and comments about Skills Directory
* We don’t want to conflict with existing resources (e.g. offering free advertising to community businesses in the skill directory when they are expected to pay for ads in the Big Ivy News).
* Where do local businesses fit in, then? Suggestion: if a business advertises in Big Ivy News, perhaps they get a free listing in the Directory. We need to get permission of the business before listing them in the Directory.
* We don’t want to be in the position of rating people and/or services that appear in the Directory. Angie’s List (http://www.angieslist.com) was recommended for its ratings features, and it has an Asheville chapter that extends to Barnardsville.
* We need a disclaimer that says we don’t endorse any of the services listed in the Directory.
* Call for volunteers: once we establish how the Skills Directory works, we need volunteers to get the word out to neighbors and to collect/solicit listings.
* Discussion of affiliating with the Asheville LETS organization (Local Exchange Trading System, http://www.ashevillelets.org): we decided a formalized system is too advanced for where we are now; we want to keep it casual (neighbor-to-neighbor exchange of services), but recommended that folks check out the Asheville site to consider as a model for the future.
* Julie Covington presented a fill-in form for Skills Directory listings. Vickilynn Haycraft will post it on the group’s blog site. (Done!)
Emergency Preparedness
* Velvet Cunningham passed around a questionnaire asking folks for input about informational classes/workshops that we might sponsor for the larger community.
* Proposed topics include water (gathering, purifying, storing, using); food (gathering, storing, rotating, using); home pharmacy; first aid; 72-hour kits; evacuation plans; emergency pet care; preparing the home; town, county, state, and country issues (pandemic plan, disaster plans, potential threats); and more.
* Meeting participants indicated interest in the various topics and classes will be planned and scheduled according to level of interest. Classes/workshops will be scheduled at Community Center.
Inreach, for group members to get to know each other better
* Susan Broadhead reported that Michael Lightweaver would be happy to host a potluck at his retreat center on Sunday October 5. No further action/decision was taken.
* The Broadheads, and Zev and Julie offered their places as future potluck locations, and it was repeated that a potluck following the film screenings at the Community Center would be logical and pleasant opportunities to get to know each other better.
General discussion:
* We need to form committees to work more specifically on each of the three focus areas: Outreach/Education, Community Skills Directory, and Emergency Preparedness Classes.
* Susan Broadhead encouraged everyone to explore the Sustainable Asheville website (http://www.sustainableasheville.org) .
* Zev was thanked for the contribution of his expertise on sustainability issues.
* Visions for the future:
o Develop a Big Ivy community garden.
o Develop a solar farm to create community solar power supply that would provide local electric power.
o Start an oral history program to get/collect knowledge from community elders before such knowledge disappears.
o Establish a microenterprise program with a base of funds to help small businesses get started.
Next meeting: Thursday October 16, 7:00 pm at old Fire House, 1679 Barnardsville Hwy across from post office
By: Kate Matthews on September 25, 2008
at 8:34 pm