Ridgewood Commons Group Charter - Template

**********TEMPLATE*********

Ridgewood Commons Group Charter

Working Group / Admin Committee Name:
Contact Information: [i.e. Email to reach out to to express interest, signal chat link, socials]
Date Charter Ratified: XX/XX/2025 (to be filled in once charter is ratified)

Connection Statement:
[This section is a space to provide a short statement on how your working group or admin committee is connected with Ridgewood Commons (RC) and the community at large. Questions to consider are:

• What is the purpose of your working group / admin committee?
• What are your priorities?
• How does your working group / admin committee intersect with the RC space and community?]

Example*: The Finance Committee aims to provide financial oversight for Ridgewood Commons to ensure the collective makes sound financial decisions that consider both the effective replication of the space as well as the needs of the community. Recognizing that financial management is a potential source of conflict, the Finance Committee will prioritize trust, accountability, and transparency to the Spokescouncil and members will maintain active involvement in the space and community.

Powers & Rights:
[This section will outline the specific powers and rights that the working group or admin committee has. This includes a general outline of how the group uses the space and any abilities the group or committee has. Note that any and all of these powers and rights will be ratified by the Spokescouncil, thus empowering the group or committee to act in accordance with this charter. Future/expanded powers and rights would be decided through the proposal process. Questions to consider are:

• How do you use the space currently?
• What necessary abilities and powers does your group need in order to autonomously function, while also maintaining accountability to the space and Spokescouncil?
• In what ways could these powers and rights come in conflict with your responsibilities and any liability noted in the section below?]

Example*: The Finance Committee is empowered to:

• Provide oversight on Ridgewood Commons finances, including any/all fundraising streams, spending decisions and patterns, and future financial and community goals. This oversight includes veto power for financial decisions that endanger the replication of the RC space.
• Utilize the RC space when free and available to conduct meetings.

Responsibilities & Liability
[This section will outline the specific responsibilities and potential liability that the working group or admin committee has. This includes a general outline of how the group is accountable to the Spokescouncil and RC community. Note that any and all of these responsibilities will be ratified by the Spokescouncil, thus solidifying the accountability the group or committee has. Future/expanded responsibilities would be decided through the proposal process. Questions to consider are:

• What areas of the space is your group utilizing, and what does your group need to do in order to maintain these areas for your use as well as the use of the RC community? Cleanliness is key!
• What are any hazards or potential liabilities that your group should consider in order to make sure RC can continue to function?
• How are you accountable to the Spokescouncil?
• How will you ensure that your group lives up to its responsibilities?
• What general commitments (financial or otherwise) does your group make to the RC space to ensure its effective reproduction?
• In what ways could your group potentially come into conflict with other groups or others who use the space, and how can you mitigate this potential conflict?]

Example*: The Finance Committee is responsible to:

• Ensure that any/all financial decisions consider both the effective replication of the space (including, but not limited to, meeting and maintaining buffers for all expenses, ensuring legal financial compliance, and mitigating internal conflict arising for financial reasons), as well as the needs of the community and RC Points of Unity.
• Provide clear and transparent reasons for any major financial decisions, including vetoes on spending.
• Provide regular reports to the Spokescouncil on revenue/expense trends.
• Maintain secure financial records.
  
  

  * The examples provided are preliminary drafts and not reflective of the Finance Committee’s charter, which will be completed in preparation for Spokescouncil ratificationMaintain secure financial records.

  
  

  Ratified: XX/XX/2025