| RingWood Association Charter |
Caring and sharing is the lifeblood of a community and what comes around goes around. All beings will be afforded respect at meetings, which may not be allowed to become kangaroo courts or theatres for vilification or the scapegoating of individuals. Meetings may impose penalties on any occupant, but only for breaches of agreement/s or repeated disruptive behaviour at meetings. This includes disrupting the decision making process by consistently voting for the sole purpose of defeating unanimity, for refusing to speak during meetings or to stop new members from being accepted without providing any valid reason. All Members and Residents must obey penalties imposed by a meeting. Penalties must not be beyond the individual�s capacity to easily conform to them. Penalties are to be generally incurred in the following order and are to be commensurate with the degree of the breach of these agreements; only in cases of extreme breaches of agreements or repeated refusal to accept penalties may the more extreme penalties be incurred. Penalties may apply in conjunction with other penalties. 1. A simple heartfelt apology. 2. Restitution to Association or individual/s (where required - if property is damaged, for instance), as equitably determined by meeting. 3. Community Service; 1-28 days as determined by facilitator, subject to agreement by meeting. 4: Suspension from voting rights for 1-4 months, determined as in (3) above. 5: Temporary expulsion from community and land {1-3 months, determined as in (3) above}. 6: Exile � the member must be repaid full equity (if any) in RingWood for this penalty to be enacted, and the decision to exile a Member is subject to a unanimous agreement of a meeting of all Members. Equity must be repaid in accordance with the method of loan repayment outlined above. This penalty is only an option after repeated breaking of agreements or extreme violations of any agreements resulting in significant damage or injury. These penalties may only be exercised in order at successive meetings. The exception is where penalties are being applied for wilful, extreme or rapidly repeated breaches of any agreements. Guests may be penalised by decision of a meeting using any or all of the methods above at any time. Their host is responsible for their actions (and restitution) if the guest is not. Ensuring that these penalties are applied is a community responsibility. Outside authorities may be asked to intervene if there is any danger of personal injury or property damage, where the community fails to promptly deal with the situation. A treasurer and assistant treasurer will be appointed by meeting and positions cleared and renominated at least once a year. The same individuals may serve in these posts in successive years. Treasurers are responsible for recording and balancing all RingWood finances and must maintain and update records, receipts etc at least once per week. Records of equity of individual Members must be regularly updated. Records and financial and other documents must be stored under lock and key and must be made available for inspection by any Member at a meeting. RingWood funds and (non real estate) equity may only be spent or disposed of with consent of a quarterly meeting. Members and Residents are personally responsible for debts incurred by them as individuals. RingWood bears no responsibility for private debts of individuals. RingWood property or equity may not be mortgaged nor otherwise used as collateral for debts nor borrowed against. Members may transfer their equity in RingWood to any other Member with unanimous consent of all Members; RingWood will first be offered a first option to purchase at a quarterly or general meeting. After twelve months this option expires and RingWood must accept the transfer. Any purchaser (or inheritor) of structures or other equity in RingWood must successfully undertake all requirements to become a RingWood Member, including residence for the requisite period, before equity or other transfer takes place. Members with positive equity in RingWood may be exempted from regular contributions if the value of their contribution is regularly deducted from their equity. This may only be decided by a meeting. In individual instances of genuine hardship a meeting may decide to temporarily replace a Member or Resident�s contribution in full or part with commensurate community service. The minimum general contribution is to be considered as 10% of the gross adult welfare income. Fees & other contributions are placed in a RingWood (ethical investment or non-bank) account and recorded in hard copy by the treasurer. This account pays rates and other government fees & charges, incorporation fees, utilities costs, reticulation & irrigation and road establishment and maintenance costs. This account may also be used to purchase land or other facilities. Any payments from this account will be recorded in hard copy by the treasurer. Any non-regular (direct debit or similar) withdrawals or outgoing payments may only be extracted with the signatures of at least three Members after a decision to do so is made by a meeting. RingWood may accept free contributions of money or property at any time. RingWood will work to achieve its aims and goals. All RingWood associates (Members, Residents and guests) will work co-operatively upon endeavours that have been determined at a meeting if they have been made by the unanimous agreement of all Members, unless circumstances honestly make this impossible. We the undersigned have read and understand these agreements and will that it be so: I agree to be a member of RingWood. NAME DATE RingWood Witness 1 RingWood Witness 2 SIGNATURE |
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| Sharing and Balance |