Submitted by Cindy Schnee
I feel trepidation about attending the next co-op meeting on March 14 because the last meeting on March 2 left a bad taste in my mouth. There were negative feelings and mistrust conveyed by some individuals, a feeling I do not share and resent having to participate in. I am frustrated that this kind of behaviour can dominate meetings, especially as attending meetings is an opportunity for members to participate in the co-op. Opinions are important and need to be heard, but there is a need for balance by other voices. It is also concerning that the meeting was unnecessarily long because some members were intent on advancing their own agendas. I left that meeting feeling flabbergasted that it happened the way it did. I don’t like that a meeting can devolve to a point where individual members need to decry uncooperative behaviour. It doesn’t feel good to have to write this type of note after a meeting and I am hoping that we can find a way to prevent uncooperative agendas from overtaking meetings. Despite my apprenhension I will attend the next co-op meeting, because participation is important to our governance and community.