A has posted a bulletin on the Management Committee subgroup seeking approval for $100 for a project to ‘leverage’ off current community concerns about increasing water rates. The idea is to stimulate community discussion and ideas about ways to reduce water consumption and therefore cost.

Pending completing of a software upgrade from the developers the group bulletins do not provide tools to encourage the discussion leading to a decision on this matter. The same issue will undoubtedly arise in time with other projects.

The discussion forums do provide for the discussion but only send an email advice to members who have ‘subscribed’ to them so some members can miss out.

To address this I have added a link from the Management Committee group header to the Management Committee forum category so you can go straight there.

Postings to the Management Committee forum category are not visible to other members of Transition the Grove

Let the discussion begin…

Below is a copy of A’s proposal.

[quote]This small project is coming out of the Water Sub-group. It seeks assistance with:

* 2 x $50 as prize money
* encouragement to go ahead
o there should be learning coming out of it about approaching churches schools Moreton Bay Ratepayers Action Group and other groups in regard to placing notices in their bulletins and how willing they are to do this
o it is an opportunity to be visible in the community promoting a lower use of key resources in a constructive way
o it is designed to be educational – directing people to the website and in particular to the Water Forum. To win people must join and must make an entry on the Water Forum.
* Hopefully it can be achieved with no other resources such as printing.
* It would be really good to have some members of the Education Group approach the local schools about announcing the competition in their bulletins.
* We could try approaching local newspapers and elected members to let them know and see if they’d like to endorse it.
* It would be really good to have a couple of volunteers to write the announcements.
* A deadline date to end the competition needs to be chosen.
* Volunteers will be involved in phoning or visiting or emailing locals schools/churches etc but no other action that would raise any risk is envisaged.

The project is best carried out very soon to follow on from the Moreton Bay Ratepayers Group meeting and the St Williams Be More Weekend this weekend so request approval at next meeting if possible.

C from the St Williams Social Justice Group is now a member and could assist too.

The project is for two small competitions (concurrent).

Following the process for Projects
Prize of $50 for the best water-efficiency suggestion on the Transition The Grove Water Forum (by deadline Water Subgroup selects winner)

Prize of $50 for a ‘mini-lottery’ that is open to Transition The Grove members. Based on last water rates bill people with per person water usage (in litres/day) below 100 litres/day can enter. One winner drawn and wins $50. No charge for entering. How you would calculate: Say a household had 4 people in it divide daily water usage by 4. Winner needs to provide some backup for number of people in household and produce their water rates bill.

Background:
Two recent water developments locally.
*A big meeting hosted by the Moreton Bay Ratepayers Action Group protesting steep rises in water prices under Unitywater. They were told point blank by Unitywater’s Jim Soorley to get used to it because prices will continue to go up. A lot of feeling.
*St William’s Social Justice Group has a project on being aware of global water shortages and having a weekend when people reflect on what it would be like to live on 20 litres/day compared to what Australians actually consume.

Timeline:
This is very relevant right now. The protest meeting is just over and very fresh in people’s minds. Prices are going to continue to go up for water.
The St William’s Be More Weekend: Water A Global Crisis is on 6-8th August.

Cost:
$100 (plus possibly advertising).

How to alert people to the competition:
Approach St William’s Social Justice Group and invite them to partner in the competition as part of their Be More Weekend by putting an announcement about it in the church bulletin.
Ask other churches to do the same thing.
Ask schools to put it in their school weekly newsletters.
Find out what local newspapers such as North West News would charge for putting it in or whether they’d put it in for free.
Let local Councillors know and Geoff Wilson MP.
The Moreton Bay Ratepayers Group could also be involved.

Outcomes:
Local action on water that is straight forward and quick and immediate and something we can do and be visible for doing.
To participate in either competition locals have to join Transition The Grove online. For the first competition they also have to use the Water Forum. So this is a membership drive and skilling in using the Forums to get local discussion started and visible.

Actions needed:
For us to discuss this and agree to put it to the Management Committee to request funds and for them to vet it.
For us to prepare announcements to go in ads in local newsletters and find out what the North West News would do.
Speak to St Williams Social Justice Group. The Moreton Bay Ratepayers Group could also be involved.
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