Meetings & Decision Making
Consensus

We make our decisions by formal consensus. Every member must agree to a proposal for it to be passed, or a compromise must be made that everyone is comfortable with. A member may choose to "stand aside" in a decision if they do not want to accept a proposal but do not feel comfortable blocking it. Full members may "block" a proposal, while provisional members may not. Provisional members' input, however, is taken into consideration as much as a full member.

Meetings

We regularly meet twice a week to discuss community issues and check in with members. Meetings usually last about an hour and a half. We have one direct-focused community meeting to make announcements, coordinate work and trips, and decide on proposals. Every member has an equal chance to be heard. Our second weekly meeting is an interpersonal meeting where we get together as a community to discuss our interpersonal relationships and to resolve conflicts. We expect all visitors to attend meetings, and we encourage all members to attend and participate fully in community responsibilities.

Full vs. Provisional Membership

When an individual becomes a member, they have "provisional" member status, which lasts at least one year. Though rare, during provisional membership, the community may ask the provisional member to leave if community conflicts cannot be resolved, or in extreme situations of physical violence or violent communication. During provisional membership, the member has a three-month review of membership, as well as other meetings with the community to discuss how membership is going. This all culminates at a final meeting of decision for full membership.

Full membership offers two main benefits not available to provisional members: a full member may block a decision at a meeting, and the community covers their health care costs.

Acorn Community
1259- Indian Creek Road
Mineral, VA 23117
Email: info@ acorncommunity.org
Phone: (540) 894-0595