Q: How can you be contacted?
A: clejan@mindspring.com
A phone number to reach us
by is,
504-874-1234.
Q: I'd really like to talk to you on the phone, but I can't
afford lengthy long distance calls right now. Can you call me?
A: If you are located in the
U.S.,
we would be happy to call you.
Q:
Communes have been tried and they were mostly a failure. Why do
you think yours will succeed?
A: We
think many communes made identifiable mistakes, which we don't
plan to repeat, because we have studied history. Examples
include going into debt, not having legal documents and
agreements, not having farming skills, not having a financial
plan, not having a decision-making and government framework, not
having healthy methods and structures for dealing with
conflict-resolution, not having methods of getting the members
to feel good about each other and the community--what the
sociologist Elizabeth Kanter (link) called commitment
mechanisms, diving into the commune building prematurely,
spending too much time arguing and debating rather than building
infrastructure. But more
importantly SOME communes have been thriving for many years. It
is from these communes that we can learn what works. Some of
this work has already been done for us by Diane Christian in
Creating a Life Together (link). But even with all the hindsight
and all the successful examples, we could still fail, because
what we are attempting to do is fraught with difficulty.
Q:
How is your commune different from other communes, both existing
and defunct?
A:
Please see our
[compare and contrast section]
Q: Where will the community be established?
A: That has not yet been determined. There is definitely room
for discussion in this area, particularly if you are a financing
member (with money to contribute to the community) or a founding
member (with a group of at least 20 committed people).
Q: How much land will the community have?
A: We envision possibly as much as 500 to 1,000 acres.
Q: Why so much land?
A: For natural areas, for farming and maybe for heating and
cooking (wood lot).
Q: How many people will be in the community?
A: We envision a community of as many as 100 to 200 people,
with approximately 1/5 of them children.
Q: Why so many people?
A: For many different reasons –
1) social interaction
2) efficiency of food preparation
3) children’s school
4) lower expenses per person
5) business and job creation
6)
creating Culture takes alot of people
Q: What will the expenses per person consist of?
A: On a community basis, shared expenses will probably consist
of –
1) property taxes
2) food that is not grown on site (for example, rice)
3) maintenance for buildings and equipment (for example, a
tractor)
On a personal basis, expenses could include –
1) solar energy for individual use
2) clothing
3) dentist / doctor
4) car pool
5)
hobbies
Q: How will community members make money?
A: Some people may prefer to work outside the community.
Others may wish to work within the community, either by running
a business or working for someone else who has established a
business. In any case, minimal basis financial need per
person should greatly reduce the amount of time needed to be
spent working for money and/or increase one's options and
opportunities greatly; such as earning money through one's
passionate interests or causes.
Q: Is it possible that the community may establish a community
endeavor, like an organic u-pick blueberry farm, in order to
cover the property taxes and other community expenses?
A: Yes.
Q: How will the community be financed initially?
A: We envision a small group of people with financial assets,
coming together and pooling their assets to purchase the land
and materials for community buildings. We may also solicit
funding from individuals and foundations who want to promote
good causes, but don't necessarily want to live with us.
Q: Why not get a mortgage and let all community members share
in paying for the land and buildings?
A: Because the financial pressure becomes too much of a
burden. By the time the mortgage is paid off, the interest on
the loan will be three or four times what the loan principal was
initially and everyone in the community will be working for the
bank in a very dedicated sort of way for years and years.
Q: How much will the initial investment in the community be?
A: We envision something like $1 million.
Q: One million dollars seems like a lot of money. Why so much?
A: Building materials, tools, and good land are not cheap.
Q: Besides pooling their financial assets to get the community
started, how will the privileges of the financing members be
different from all the other members?
A: There may be some very limited special privileges for the
financing members, but essentially, the financing members will
have the same responsibilities and rights within the community
as every one else.
Q: What will be required for all people who wish to join the
community, regardless of asset contribution?
A: We must share the same goals, values, and vision.
Q: What will be required for those people joining the community
who do not have financial assets to contribute?
A: In addition to sharing the same value system, there might be
a small joining fee, for example, $500 per person.
Q: What are the values?
A:
Values
Q: Why is it so important that everyone in the community share
the same value system?
A: To provide a strong cohesiveness to the community.
Q: What’s in it for the financing members?
A: The same thing as all the other members, that is, a most
superb quality of life-
1) the ability to live in a very spiritual way, in tune
with nature and the seasons and other community members
2) excellent diet
3) stress-free lifestyle
4) knowledge that they are setting an example for others
5) significant amount of free time that can be used for
personal interests, for example, art and / or activism
Also, it may be decided that financing members might be able to
bring a cat or a dog into the community.
Q: Will the financing members be able to recoup any of their
investment?
A: It is possible that if the community does not flourish
within a given time frame, the decision will be made to disband
the community. At that point, the land and other community
assets will be sold and the proceeds divided among the financing
members according to the ratio of assets initially contributed.
Q: What if a financing member has invested every bit their
life’s savings into the community?
A: It is recommended that people do not invest every bit of
their life’s savings; a portion of their savings would be more
reasonable.
Q: What if a financing member has invested in the community and
the community thrives, but the financing member still wants to
leave the community, can they get their investment back?
A: No. It may be possible for the financing member to find an
outside person to buy them out, so to speak, but this may be a
highly unlikely scenario as new community members will be able
to join for little or nothing.
Q: Are you serious? Are you nuts? I don’t get it. Why would
someone want to invest their hard earned money in a community
that other people can join for little or nothing?
A: What are the alternatives? To stay in the system, stressed
out by modern life and fast food? To homestead on an individual
or couple basis (which is lonely and inefficient and costly)?
Q: When will the community be established?
A: We hope that the financing members will be together by the
fall of 2006 and the community land will be purchased shortly
thereafter.
Q: How much work will be required of the community members?
A: After the community has been established, we are hoping to
achieve a real economy of scale within the community for growing
and preparing food and other work. One of our main goals is
maximum free time.
How low can we go to be efficient and effective? Eight hours a
week? Fifteen?
Q: The work requirement seems like it could be understated.
Are you sure that it could work this way?
A: It is probable that there will be a need for volunteer
committee positions, for example, gardening, kitchen, school,
building maintenance, etc. However, it’s possible that
committee membership could be included with the work requirement
and that the work requirement is slightly more as a result. In
addition, there is much work to do done in establishing the
community.
Q: I’m retired and not all that strong physically, yet I have
income from other sources. Do I have to work?
A:
[No, it may be possible that you could pay someone else in
the community to fulfill your work requirement.]
Q: Why aren’t the details spelled out, for example, where the
community will be located, or if committee participation is
going to be mandatory or voluntary, or if the financing members
will have special privileges, or if there’s going to be a
joining fee?
A: Because we feel that it is more important to create a
community with people who share the same values we have, and
that details can be worked out within the community or, perhaps
initially, within the financing members' group.
Q: What are the “communal aspects” of the community?
A: 1) Work: growing and preparing food, building and
equipment maintenance, children’s school, etc.
2) Building uses: large shared dining area, media
center, etc.
3) Optional community activities
Q: I am very interested in joining this community right now.
What can I do to help the community get started?
A: see: what's next
We would like to add your name to our list of interested
people. Tell us about you!
Please give us as specific feedback as you possibly can
regarding this proposal. (Don't worry about hurting our
feelings.) Are you attached to a particular area of the country
or certain climate? Will you be joining us a financing member or
as a founding member?
In addition, we soon will be adding a members forum section. At
that time, we will ask each person to submit a letter of
introduction to the forum, so that everyone can electronically
"meet" the other people involved.
We are also planning on a get together weekend sometime this
fall (mid October?) in Florida for everyone interested in the
proposal. In the meantime, however, think about getting
together with us on an individual basis -- do you have some
vacation time coming up and could come to Florida? Can't get
away, but we could visit with you if we are traveling in your
area?
Q: What kind of labor is involved in being a founding member?
A: Right now, we are making a huge effort to spread the news
about the community and to get both financing and founding
people together. Later, after the land is purchased, buildings
and other infrastructure will have to be created.
Q: The labor for founding members sounds like quite a bit more
than that required for members who join the community later,
after the community is established. What if I decide to wait
and join the group at a later date?
A: It may be possible that we will never reach “critical mass”
and the community will never get off the ground. If you are
interested, we encourage you to contact us now.
Q: The labor for founding members sounds like quite a bit more
than that required for members who join the community later,
after the community is established. What if I join the group
now and help with establishing the community and then later
decide to leave the community, will I be reimbursed for my
efforts?
A: No.
Q: What about housing and community buildings?
A: Please see a separate Q&A on
simple buildings.
Q: I am chemically sensitive; is this community going to be
chemical and smoke free?
A: We envision a community that is chemical free, with no
smoking in shared community areas. However, the community might
have to rely on wood for heating and cooking. In addition, it
could be that some people without sensitivities may smoke, or
use products that have been treated with chemicals (like
mattresses or carpeting) in their own personal areas, or wear
perfumes.
Q: What is the pet policy for the community?
A: To be determined.
Q: I've read and agree with the shared values; however, I'm
concerned about joining because I travel quite a bit. How will
that work in terms of my community obligations?
A: Traveling is fine, but there are related issues that will
need to be worked out by the community. It's impossible to say
at this point exactly what the final answer will be. Probably
frequency and duration of trips will be taken into
consideration, as well as the possibility of using available
rooms for community guests.
Q: Can you talk a little about religion and spirituality in the
community?
A: We see the community embracing spiritual wisdom from many
different paths, without a commitment to a specific one. We
imagine that the community will develop many ways in which to
express spirituality. Several possibilities might include: a
silent hand holding before meals, a daily gathering to share
teachings and to reaffirm our connectedness in community,
rituals, celebrations, meditation, yoga. We hope to express
spirituality every day in simple living and caring for one
another. Also see: culture.
Q: Will the community use consensus or democracy for decision
making? Will there be any processes in place for conflict
resolution?
A: At this point, we are not sure which decision making process
will be the one which will best serve the community, although we
realize that this is probably going to be one of the very first
decisions! :) Currently, we are not very well educated in
decision making processes or conflict resolution, although we
have bought books and are reading. We understand how vitally
important these issues are to community. We are committed to
learning and becoming skilled in these areas. For decision
making, we are leaning towards the Twin Oaks model of planners
and managers with community input
www.twinoaks.org. For
conflict resolution, we are leaning towards co-counceling (link)
and non-aggressive communication (link).
Q:
Do you have a yahoo group (discussion forum)?
A:
Click to join precioustimecommune
yahoo group
