On a similar note to Ashcroft's earlier posting I'd like to announce that I'm running a small experiment in self-governance of a territorially based community in Sutherland: Known as "The Waterfall Garden Collective" the place is supposed to be a haven and small community for new residents with artistic, creative and social aspirations.
We charge 50L$ per week of staying but the special thing is that the accumulated land fees are to be spent fully in accordance with decisions taken at the community meeting where every tenant has one vote.
Furthermore, new rules may be added to those already governing staying there by a majority decision of the community meeting.
In addition to the 50L$ weekly fee residents must contribute either by staging an event per month in the Collective or by creating something that is accepted for into the portfolio of the collective's shop.
It is a very small experiment at the moment since it's set up on land I had to spare - there are only 3 residents - but I am hoping it can provide more SL residents with experience of the positive aspects of governing local communities in a democratic fashion.
In case you're interested I have attached the detailed regulations for the collective in the below:
[quote:1b4qwg5v]Dear resident
Welcome to the Waterfall Garden Collective: A place that we hope will foster a small, thriving community of creativity and socialising.
It's really the aim with this place to become a retreat where you can feel at home in the company of good neighbours and friends and feel free to explore your creative talents. In order to ensure that the collective remains such a place it is necessary to have a few rules. Of course we do not want to be a rule-driven society but as you probably know, rules exist to protect the community as a whole against abuse. Please remember the primary purpose of this place is to have fun together.
If you have any questions about your stay here or about these rules please do not hesitate to IM Diderot Mirabeau or Natasha Prevost.
RENT
Rent for a residence in The Collective is currently 50L$/week plus you need to do some chores to contribute to the collective. The money should be paid by the first of every month to Diderot Mirabeau with an accompanying IM and it will go into the collective treasury and can be spent on implementing collective decisions at our community meetings.
In addition to paying rent you need to:
- Attend one event or a community meeting per month in the garden of our collective
AND
- Stage one event per month that begins in the garden of our collective
OR
- Create an item that is approved for sale as a product in the "Pretty & Peculiar" shops in Healey and Neufreistadt per month. You will get 80% of the sale price and the rest will be commission for the shop owner.
OR
- Do some other voluntary work as a service to the collective that is approved at the community meeting
COMMUNITY MEETING
There will be a community meeting in the garden at 1 PM the first Sunday of every month. At the community meeting residents can raise, discuss and vote for proposals on how to spend the Collective's Treasury and to introduce new rules that apply for tenants and landlord. The landlord has one vote at the meeting and the residents have one vote per house.
FURNISHING, CUSTOMISING AND BUILDING
- You may furnish your studio and change the inside textures as you desire.
- The outside textures may only be changed after prior approval by the landlord
- The rooftop garden may be furnished and decorated as you desire, but other tenants may complain if they don't like how it looks
- You may build a skybox/platform at 250 metres or higher above your lot. You can decide for yourself how this skybox should look
- You may use no more than 133 prims in total plus the prims for the studio on your lot.
- You may only use scripts that do not cause the community to lag over an extended period of time
- You may propose to replace the studio with something else but before doing so you need prior approval by the landlord. The landlord will only approve replacements that are in harmony with the surroundings.
- You may rezz objects in the garden for your own use and only temporarily. Remember to clean up after yourself when done.
- Only realistic particle effects are allowed
- Temp on rezz needs landlord approval before usage if you intend to use it as part of the furnishing or decoration
BEHAVIOUR
- Don't annoy the other residents - through for example pornography or weapons, spamming or shouting
- Your guests are your responsibility
VIOLATIONS
If you are in violation of the above rules the landlord or a tenant will ask you to comply. If you do not comply the community meeting will vote on whether you should be evicted. You do not have a vote in such decisions.[/quote:1b4qwg5v]