1987 Annual Plan
01-01-1987
East Wind
1987 Annual Plan EW-B2
(proposed by the board 2-5-87)
Introduction:
Overview
Objectives and Goals
Space Use
Resource Allocations:
Income contribution report
Income statement
Funds statement
Domestic Expense Budgets
Business Expense Budgets
Profit Use List
Labor Summary
Labor Budgets
Permanent worker summary
Appendix:
A-Projects submitted but not included in Plan
B-Weekly labor budget averages
passed by community meeting March 11, 1987
1987 ANNUAL PLAN OVERVIEW
After two years of high profits and low membership, it seems like 1987 will have lower profits but a larger labor supply. This will allow us to better fund some of our domestic areas, although not at ideal levels certainly, but it will limit our purchase of major items and initiating of some projects.
We will be trying to raise our standard of living through some domestic budget increases and also through some of the items on the profits use list. It's not always clear which way to spend money to do the most for the quality of life for the most people. We also are going to need to be making capital investments to increase our future business profits, and have to balance that against more immediate needs for money. it seems like all of these questions need more on-going discussion and long range planning than we have been doing. We need to develop some general agreements on the order in which to do major construction and repair projects; how to fund business investments, and what levels are appropriate for support costs.
This year we used a new method of labor budgeting - there are three sets of budgets for populations of 46, 49 and 52. We are starting the year at the top of that range. Population committee is getting more labor and money to keep membership high, and the children's program is getting a slight increase to reflect the larger number of children it is caring for.
Support costs are taking a large step forward this year. Part of this is a real increase to help rectify years of bare bones spending, part of it is to cover a higher population. Most of the increase however is in taxes and insurance costs which do nothing for our standard of living and we don't have much choice about. We don't intend to set a precedent of such radical increases in domestic expenses.
The profit use list is mainly made up of three projects: completing the new children's building, buying vacuum pack equipment and additional storage equipment to augment nut butter product line and hopefully profitability, and computerizing the accounting system to give us more current information and help managers control their budgets.
We also have to start out with the profit use list with the second small truck and the remainder of phase one of the kids building that we committed to in 1986.
Another item on the list is a general repairs and sprucing up category that we would like to have included every year to keep our buildings in better condition. This would cover a number of projects.
There are several other long-term improvements in the works. Late in 1986 we started paying into the PEACH fund to help protect us against major medical expenses in the future. The fund will start paying claims in 1990. The cost of the premiums is reflected in our regular medical budget. We also hope to start planning for the new dairy barn and for a sewage system so we will be ready to start work on them when we have the money.
In conclusion, we need to take steps to keep our membership growing to give us the labor to fund both the domestic and income production. We also need to do whatever is necessary to keep profits high enough to raise our standard of living through domestic increases and major projects as well as to fund capital investments in our businesses. It is likely we will have to make major expenses in nut butter in order to increase its dollar per hour and that branch will be working with an outside consultant to figure out how to do that. We may also want to use a consultant to help us evaluate growth potentials in our other businesses.
As always, we need to continue to improve community retention and management skills. These things would make all aspects of life flow more evenly and improve our efficiency.
OBJECTIVES AND GOALS FOR 1987
Membership; to increase population we will:
1) Continue to emphasize recruitment
2) Work on retention
3) Improve the gender balance
4) Provide more member housing, raise membership ceiling
Children
1) Support two pregnancies and two births
2) Accept new families as space and labor permit
3) Complete new children's building
4) Clarify decision-making structure of the program
Agriculture; to maintain operations at a limited level we will:
1) Keep beef herd the size we need
2) Maintain chicken flock
3) Minimally maintain fields
4) Keep improving garden
5) Reactive Foopin
6) Plan for resumption of dairy
Financial
1) Work toward a profit level of $100,000 without compromising domestic labor needs
2) Increase working capital to $175,000 minimum
3) Keep spending within budgets
4) Whenever practical, spend in accordance with our ideals
Industry
1) Work towards an industry sales level as follows:
11,500 hammocks
800,000 lb. Nutbutter
7,000 sandals
2) Obtain a minimum of production and sales as is outlined in this plan.
3) Increase $/HR.
4) Improve our work environment
5) Increase participation in industry decision-making
Social
1) Increase group cohesion and lessen isolation of individuals
2) Improve gender balance
3) Increase work satisfaction and improve management, especially help agriculture in planning and seeking management and help BUG improve appearance of building and grounds.
Plant & Equipment
1) Reduce use of electric heat
2) Start planning a sewage system
3) Maintain and improve buildings and maintain grounds
SPACE USE
Phase 1 of Children's building
If needed, as many as six member spaces will become available in the new building upon completion of phase 1. These spaces will remain available until phase 2 is completed. This will allow us to raise our membership ceiling by 6.
Blue trailer
The blue trailer is being designated as BUG branch space to be used for office and storage.
New Bus
The bus is being designated as space for people to use to play music. Social committee will over-see its use.
Phase 2 of children's building and Anarres
Upon completion of phase 2 of the building the children will move into it. Anyone living in the building at the time will be relocated to other housing. After this move is made the ground floors of Anarres 1 and 2 will be remodeled. The specifics for this will be determined by community later. The two rooms that the child branch currently has upstairs in Annares will revert back to member space.
S.P.O.T.S.
There will be a SPOTS program in 1987. The number of SPOTS units available will be 1470 and will pay a maximum of $10 per unit. The program will be administered by the Casual Furniture branch along the lines it has operated under in the past, (i.e., the 1986 community legislation).
The time periods in which the program will be in effect will be determined by the Casual Furniture branch.
SIX MONTH REVIEW
Six months after this plan is approved, the board, with the aid of Social and resource committees, will conduct a review of the plan in light of conditions at that time. Any changes deemed necessary should be proposed to Community.
The intent here is to encourage a re-evaluation of this plan and , if due to changing conditions, necessary changes be made to better meet the needs and goals of community.
