Two years of dealing with the pandemic have forced most of us into learning how to navigate digital meeting platforms. Many of us have become comfortable with the Zoom platform in particular and it has some distinct advantages. While not advocating that all meetings be held on digital platforms, we the undersigned would appreciate the Board adding a Zoom/virtual component to our monthly meetings for many reasons, including:
- Members may attend and participate even when away from home
- Members with small children may attend without arranging for a babysitter
- Mealtimes need not be disrupted; participants can simply turn off the video.
- Members with disabilities may attend without the extra burden of an in-person meeting, especially in cold or hazardous weather
- Members and BOD avoid having to leave home in bad weather - including our manager and other staff who do not live on property and would otherwise have to drive
- Members may attend who would like to observe, but have personal reasons for not coming to an in-person meeting
- And most importantly members avoid having to endure possible exposure to Covid 19, influenza and other respiratory diseases at the height of transmission season or surges (Please note that our membership includes the elderly, members with co-morbidities and compromised immune systems that put them at higher risk for many infectious disease)
Taking into consideration the needs of all members creates inclusivity and enables a stronger community where more voices are heard.
Updates
January 22, 2022
The momentum is incredible. It is clear that the need for accessible board meetings is felt by so many of us.
21 Comments
I fully agree with the many reasons already listed for offering the zoom option for our members. Benefits include keeping everyone safe, being inclusive and allowing everyone to feel a part of the whole. I will add that during the time that zoom meetings were offered, there was certainly more membership participation. Thank you to each of you for giving your time and talents to volunteer on our board.
I agree for all of the stated reasons. As a single parent of a young child, I cannot attend in-person meetings. I would also like to add that zoom offers closed-captioning, which facilitates the participation of the hearing impaired. Since the meetings do not offer ASL interpretation, this may be the only way that some members can follow the meetings.
I think the availability of this technology for board meetings is essential! Times have changed and many of the members are getting older and need this type of support!
I am personally at low risk for severe symptoms from covid, flu, or other infections, but i have kid in school and another who works with the public, as well as my and my partner's exposure. Because of this i have been hesitant to attend meetings in person where many attendees may be high risk and do not have a remote option to participate, because i do not want to risk being a transmission vector.
I would love the relative ease of participation that this would create! More access will mean more participation, from members who are not typically able to be there, so it wouldn't just always be the members who have free time, or a particular axe to grind. Openness is is in the spirit of a cooperative, and will improve our community.
I would like a virtual option
Thanks to all who signed the petition and took time to comment. If you know other folks who live in the co-op but haven't yet signed, please encourage them to do so - preferably before tomorrow night's Board Meeting. (Jan 26, 2022) Lynda and I are on the agenda.
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Two years of dealing with the pandemic have forced most of us into learning how to navigate digital meeting platforms. Many of us have become comfortable with the Zoom platform in particular and it has some distinct advantages. While not advocating that all meetings be held on digital platforms, we the undersigned would appreciate the Board adding a Zoom/virtual component to our monthly meetings for many reasons, including:
- Members may attend and participate even when away from home
- Members with small children may attend without arranging for a babysitter
- Mealtimes need not be disrupted; participants can simply turn off the video.
- Members with disabilities may attend without the extra burden of an in-person meeting, especially in cold or hazardous weather
- Members and BOD avoid having to leave home in bad weather - including our manager and other staff who do not live on property and would otherwise have to drive
- Members may attend who would like to observe, but have personal reasons for not coming to an in-person meeting
- And most importantly members avoid having to endure possible exposure to Covid 19, influenza and other respiratory diseases at the height of transmission season or surges (Please note that our membership includes the elderly, members with co-morbidities and compromised immune systems that put them at higher risk for many infectious disease)
Taking into consideration the needs of all members creates inclusivity and enables a stronger community where more voices are heard.
Updates
January 22, 2022
The momentum is incredible. It is clear that the need for accessible board meetings is felt by so many of us.
21 Comments
Many excellent reasons to do this enumerated in the petition. If Board members have laptops this will be easy to do. There are no technical difficulties that can't be overcome. Lack of a state mandate is a poor rational for not doing this.
I fully agree with the many reasons already listed for offering the zoom option for our members. Benefits include keeping everyone safe, being inclusive and allowing everyone to feel a part of the whole. I will add that during the time that zoom meetings were offered, there was certainly more membership participation. Thank you to each of you for giving your time and talents to volunteer on our board.
I agree for all of the stated reasons. As a single parent of a young child, I cannot attend in-person meetings. I would also like to add that zoom offers closed-captioning, which facilitates the participation of the hearing impaired. Since the meetings do not offer ASL interpretation, this may be the only way that some members can follow the meetings.
I think the availability of this technology for board meetings is essential! Times have changed and many of the members are getting older and need this type of support!
I am personally at low risk for severe symptoms from covid, flu, or other infections, but i have kid in school and another who works with the public, as well as my and my partner's exposure. Because of this i have been hesitant to attend meetings in person where many attendees may be high risk and do not have a remote option to participate, because i do not want to risk being a transmission vector.
I would love the relative ease of participation that this would create! More access will mean more participation, from members who are not typically able to be there, so it wouldn't just always be the members who have free time, or a particular axe to grind. Openness is is in the spirit of a cooperative, and will improve our community.
I would like a virtual option
Thanks to all who signed the petition and took time to comment. If you know other folks who live in the co-op but haven't yet signed, please encourage them to do so - preferably before tomorrow night's Board Meeting. (Jan 26, 2022) Lynda and I are on the agenda.
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Many excellent reasons to do this enumerated in the petition. If Board members have laptops this will be easy to do. There are no technical difficulties that can't be overcome. Lack of a state mandate is a poor rational for not doing this.