Spokescouncil Planning Group (SPG) Charter

Working Group / Admin Committee Name: Spokescouncil Planning Group (SPG)
Contact Information: rcspokescouncilplanningwg@proton.me
Date Charter Ratified:

Connection Statement:

The Spokescouncil Planning Group (SPG) is dedicated to critically evaluating and supporting the ongoing evolution of Ridgewood Commons’s governance model. Our aim is to help foster more democratic processes and deepen participation across the space. We do this through internal evaluation, research into governance models used by similar spaces, and by drafting proposals for the RC Spokescouncil when we identify opportunities for improvement.

Powers & Rights:

• The SPG is entitled to schedule a monthly two-hour meeting at Ridgewood Commons, coordinated with the Programming Committee.
• We claim a dedicated section of wall, sufficient to display the proposal board and adjacent explanatory materials.
• The SPG has the authority to manage the proposal board, including:
  • Removing expired or non-proposal items
  • Replacing the board if needed (with reimbursement for material costs)

Responsibilities & Liability:

• The SPG is responsible for removing proposals that:
  • Have been on the board for over three months
  • Have been blocked by the Spokescouncil
  • Have been approved (after uploading them to the RC wiki and sharing the link in the Spokescouncil Announcements Signal chat)
• SPG meetings are open to all members of RC working groups.
  • Meeting details (time and location) will be announced in the Spokescouncil Announcements Signal chat.
  • First-time attendees are invited to observe and may participate fully in subsequent meetings.
• To maintain membership in the SPG, participants must:
  • Attend most meetings. Members who miss more than two in a row without a clear reason will be removed.
  • Contribute actively: either by taking on action items and making a good-faith effort to complete them, or by performing key meeting roles (e.g., facilitating, note-taking).
  • If removed, members can rejoin by attending a meeting in observation-mode, following the same process as anyone else at RC.
• The SPG is responsible for cleaning up after meetings.
• The SPG will work with the fundraising committee to find ways to support the space.