ZUNI MOUNTAIN SANCTUARY ARTICLES OF COMMUNITY


Revised August 09, 2006



This document presents the operating by-laws for Zuni Mountain Sanctuary (ZMS). These by-laws describe the privileges and responsibilities of the ZMS Stewards, the ZMS Board of Directors, the supporting members of ZMS and visitors to ZMS. This document is distinct from the ZMS Articles of Incorporation, which is the legal document that establishes ZMS as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation registered in the state of New Mexico.


Vision Statement


ZMS is a consensus-run, inclusive, intentional and earth-friendly Radical Faerie sanctuary dedicated to the sustenance and well-being of faeries and lie-minded folk.



Mission


ZMS is dedicated to the healing process. Through healing programs and an intentional living experience focused on nurture, ZMS offers to create a safe, accepting and respectful environment that fosters deepening growth within its members, visitors and the greater community. ZMS offers programs, gatherings and a cooperative back-to-basics living experience as its spiritual curriculum.



I. Stewardship


A. Who is a ZMS Steward: A ZMS Steward is a ZMS resident granted the privilege of residing long-term at ZMS. Stewardship privileges depend upon an on-going interest and concern for the people residing in the land and the larger shared vision of the ZMS community.


B. Becoming a Steward: After visiting ZMS for at least one (1) month, a visitor may petition to become a Steward Candidate (“Candidate Permanent Member”, as described in the ZMS Articles of Incorporation, Article III, Section 3.1.1). When petitioning to become a ZMS Steward, the candidate must agree to abide by these Articles of Community. If the stewards feel that either they or the land cannot sustain any more stewards, they may reject the petition.


If the stewards accept the petition, the candidate begins a period (currently seven (7) months) of temporary stewardship, during which candidate must participate in the steward community meetings and their consensus process. If, during this period of temporary stewardship, the consensus of the stewards is that the candidate is not acting as a steward, the stewards may end the temporary stewardship. Whether the former candidate must leave or may stay on as a visitor is for the community of stewards to decide on a case-by-case basis.


If the steward candidate completes the period of temporary stewardship, the stewards (or, as described in section I.H.2, the stewards and the Board of Directors) must meet to take a consensus vote on whether to grant long-term stewardship status. If the stewards do not grant long-term stewardship status, the stewards must decide whether the former candidate may stay on as a visitor.


C. Personal Residences: A steward may petition their fellow stewards (0r, if there are fewer than five (5) stewards, the Board and/or the stewards) for permission to construct a personal housing structure. Stewards who build themselves a personal housing structure agree to the following conditions:


D. Steward's Rights: The rights recognized by the State of New Mexico and the United States of America shall apply to all people living and/or visiting on the land and shall not be abrogated by the community of stewards.


E. Steward's Responsibilities: All stewards agree to the following:


Creating and Maintaining a Steward's Handbook: The stewards agree to create and maintain a “Steward's Handbook”. The handbook will detail all necessary information for fulfillment of stewardship that is not included in these Articles of Community. This handbook will be available to all those interested in stewardship at ZMS.


Learning about Community Life: Stewards agree to learn and participate in the consensus process and permaculture philosophy. Stewards also agree to familiarize themselves with the AMS Articles of Incorporation.


Participating in Community Meetings: Stewards agree to attend regular policy meetings and Heart Circles. ZMS will hold Heart Circles on a regular basis to give both the stewards and visitors a chance to speak from the heart and to be heard without fear of interruption or judgment.


Fostering Community: Stewards agree to work together in a consensual and collective manner to foster a community spirit by preparing food together, by dining together and by creating workshops, art projects, gatherings, entertainment and whatever else the community wants.


Daily Infrastructure Maintenance: The stewards must maintain the physical infrastructure through daily active participation in keeping the property repaired, clean and organized.


Financial Participation: Stewards agree to pay a monthly fee of $35 - $45 per week or $125 - $150 per month.


Managing the General Fund Checking Account: This account accepts the fees that the stewards pay to ZMS, as well as any contributions made by guests to cover the cost of their stay at ZMS. The stewards shall use the general fund checking account to buy food, supplies and anything else needed for the day-to-day operation of the community. This account is distinct from the restricted fund checking account, a Board-manages account that receives all other donations to ZMS.


Personal Responsibility: Each steward, steward candidate and visitor shall be responsible for his or her acts while on the land.


F. Steward Leave: If a steward wants to leave the community for a period greater than three (3) weeks, but does not want to terminate their stewardship, they must petition the community of stewards for its consent. If a steward misses three (3) weekly house meetings without prior agreement from the community, the steward has effectively resigned their stewardship.


G. Health Care: ZMS promotes good health through natural and preventive care, such as herbal therapies, bodywork, meditation and other holistic healing methods. However, ZMS will not be responsible for any medical expenses that a steward might incur.


H. Termination “For Cause” of Stewardship: If the conduct or the affairs of a steward become incompatible with the overall well being of the community, and the stewards are not able to resolve the problem among themselves, then a group of at least three (3) stewards may petition the Board of Directors to take remedial action.

  1. If the Board agrees that action is warranted, the Board may adopt a consensed resolution setting forth its recommendation, which may include ending the stewardship of the subject steward. The Board must then present its recommendation at a meeting of the stewards. After considering the recommendation, the stewards may, after a consensus vote (a consensus that excludes the vote of the subject steward), take action as they deem appropriate, including ending the stewardship of the subject steward.


I. Departing Assistance: Upon termination of stewardship (whether by the subject steward's choice or by community consensus “For Cause”, as described above) the community can arrange assistance, financial or otherwise, for the departing former steward. ZMS shall base this assistance upon the person's needs and community resources.



II. Board of Directors



A. Who are the Board of Directors: The ZMS Board of Directors is the community's “Faerie Godparents”, fostering and maintaining the long-term vision and direction of the community. The Board shall consist of at least three (3) non-stewards who share the community's vision and who agree to support the realize that vision.


B. Meeting Annually: The Board shall meet at least once a year on the land (the required Annual Meeting, as designated in the Articles of Incorporation, Art. IV, Section 4.3) or more often, as is deemed necessary by consensus, to consider the ongoing direction of the community, and to offer specific solutions to any outstanding problems facing the community. Any changes to these Articles of Community must be consensed upon by the Board.


C. Quorum for Business: The quorum required to conduct business is at least fifty percent (50%) of the current Board members. This is in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation, Article IV, Section 4.3.


D. Becoming a Board Member: ZMS Board members are elected by consensus at the annual meeting for a term of one (1) year. All stewards who, while at the annual meeting, express an interest in being a Board member are accepted as Board members. Any other interested person attending the annual meeting may present themselves to be consensed as Board members. At other times, any person in good standing with the community may petition the Board for membership. Through this process, newly consensed ZMS stewards may become Board members at any time of the year.


E. Electing Board Officers: At the Annual Meeting, the Board shall elect a Secretary and Treasurer, as required by the Articles of Incorporation. In addition, the Board may elect any additional officers deemed necessary and reasonable.


F. Candidacy for Board Membership: Stewards and other interested people in good standing who present themselves are eligible.


G. Resignation: If a Board member is unable to attend meetings or is otherwise unable to participate in Board business, the Board member may resign from the Board. Any Board member who misses three (3) meetings has effectively resigned. In the case that a Board member holding the office of Secretary or Treasurer resigns, the Board shall hold a special meeting to elect a replacement.


H. Board Responsibilities: The responsibilities of the Board include the financial operation of ZMS, as well as consensing stewards when their number falls below the thresholds specified below.


  1. Consensing Steward Candidates: If, at any time, there are fewer than three (3) stewards living on the land, the Board shall consense ZMS Steward Candidates until there are three (3) stewards in residence. When there are three (3) stewards living on the land, both the stewards and the Board will jointly consense steward candidates. When there are five (5) stewards in residence, the stewards will have full authority to approve/consense new stewards.


  2. Financial Operation: As specified in the Articles of Incorporation, the ZMS Board of Directors is responsible for the financial operation of ZMS. This responsibility incudes the filing of corporation documents and taxes, fulfilling the “gift letter”, participating in committee(s) and handling any other legal matters. The Board also retains responsibility for the restricted checking account. The restricted account is one of two ZMS checking accounts: a restricted account and a general fund account.


I. Committees: The Board shall create the following standing committees:

The Board may create and disolve committees as needed. Non-board members may chair committees.


J. ZMS does not tolerate violence and/or the abuse of alcohol and drugs within the community. ZMS prohibits the possession of firearms on the land.


K. Unspecified Policy: The stewards retain any policy decision not specifically assigned to the Board by these Articles of Community. The stewards will meet regularly (weekly, at a minimum) to discuss the affairs of the community and to make such decisions as are necessary.


L. Advisory Board/Wisdom Keepers: As needed, the stewards or the Board may select and invite respected friends and people of vision to serve in an honorary and advisory status to counsel, to offer advice on the building of our community and to give spiritual guidance. These people shall collectively or individually serve as advisors that the Board can call upon to serve as group leaders in conflict resolution or policy formulation aspects of the community. They shall serve without vote or compensation unless empowered by the community to act in an official capacity. Non-resident Board members will act as a wisdom council in the event that conflict resolution is necessary.




III. Community Meetings and the Consensus Process


The community of stewards shall meet as a group at least weekly to conduct community business. The stewards shall reach decisions by consensus, rather than by majority vote. Each steward or steward candidate is entitled to vote and speak on an equal basis with all other stewards or steward candidates.


  1. The community of stewards shall meet at least weekly to discuss community issues and to make the decisions needed to keep the community flowing and moving forward. The stewards may form committees, as necessary, to focus tasks at hand. The stewards may give these committees the authority to make decisions on their area of focus, but these committees will still be accountable to the community as a whole.


  2. If one or more stewards choose to block consensus on the solution to a pressing problem, then the steward or stewards who are blocking consensus must research and/or reconsider their position further and present an alternative solution at the next meeting. All stewards must strive to put aside their emotions and egos during procedural meetings in order to find commonality among opinions and build bridges towards consensus solutions. If a solution is acceptable, but not “optimal” to a steward, the steward may “stand aside” from voting to allow the consensus process to move forward.


  3. Should the stewards find it necessary, they may call a special meeting of the Board of Directors to help move the decision-making process along.



IV. Supporting Members


ZMS welcomes those who with to support the community to become supporting members. For an annual donation of $35.00 or more or in kind, anyone can become a supporting member.



V. Visitors


ZMS encourages people of like mind and spirit to join us as visitors. The community expects visitors to make a per-day donation to help cover the cost of their stay. Ideally, no visitor is ever turned away for lack of funds, but the community might not always have sufficient funds to support non-contributing visitors. In such circumstances, if the general welfare of the community is threatened, the community may ask a visitor or visitors to leave until the community finds itself able to support visitors lacking sufficient funds.


The community expects that all visitors will “check in” with the community at weekly house meetings. Visitors staying more than a few days are expected to participate in the day-to-day functioning of the community, and the level of commitment to the community is expected to increase with length of stay. If the community feels that a visitor has exceeded the time appropriate for their stay, the community of stewards may ask the visitor to leave.



VI. Mediation



In the case of a dispute among any of the stewards, all stewards agree to resolve the conflict without litigation or force. Instead, all agree to mediation by the community of stewards. In the event of an impasse, any participant in the dispute may request that the Board of Directors appoint one or more persons (Wisdom Keepers) to mediate the dispute. When the Wisdom Keepers come to a consensus on a solution, they will present it to the community of stewards. The community of stewards agrees to implement the solution as presented by the Wisdom Keepers, whose decision shall be binding on all parties directly involved in the dispute, as well as the community of stewards as a whole.



VII. Legal


All ZMS stewards and members of the ZMS Board of Directors shall familiarize themselves with the Articles of Incorporation and these Articles of Community in order to comply with the laws of the State of New Mexico and the United States of America concerned with the operation of this corporation.


ZMS shall always support, uphold and enforce the laws of the State of New Mexico and of the United States of America. Whenever possible, the community will strive to resolve its problems within the community and will not seek the intervention of judicial or law enforcement agencies. ZMS prohibits violence, drugs, the abuse of alcohol and the possession of firearms upon the land.


VIII. Amendments



A consensus vote of the Board of Directors may amend this document.



IX. Signatures


We collectively agree to share our energy and labor to create an environment for living in this place and time and welcome others with open and loving hearts to join us, as they feel called.

Signed August 11, 2005 (actual signatures on file at ZMS)


Peter McCabe
Ralph Victor Greco
Howard L. Brown
Tony Osborn
Eden Gloria
Stuart Norman
Ross Nantz
Mark Kuszmaul
Joel Tryheart
Santa Sakichata
D. Milton Markey
Mike Neuschwanger
Christopher Carlson
Nicholas G. Diemos