About us

Structure and function of the Boorondara Sustainability Network

Our functions

The BSN is envisaged as an interactive network where members and supporters are able to exchange ideas and information. Our key aim, as expressed in our mission statement, is to contribute to a more sustainable way of life in Boroondara. Individuals and local environment action groups may join and contribute.

Our website will be our main interface with the public and residents of Boroondara in particular. The BSN will hopefully provide a supporting focus to the sustainability initiatives undertaken and proposed by the City of Boroondara. As such, the BSN offers environmentally conscious residents of Boroondara an opportunity to actively contribute to Council’s development of environmental policies and sustainability initiatives.

Traditional government bodies and organiations at both local and state levels are often constrained by cumbersome bureaucratic processes, which can result in lengthy delays between the inception of an idea and its final realisation.

With sustainability being the underlying goal of the BSN, we intend to contribute to relevant Council processes and actions. This may included Council buildings and premises, the business sector, transport and public infrastructure, water, energy and local initiatives such as community gardens.

Our structure

The BSN will be an incorporated organisation, in order to meet practical requirement for grant application and receipt of donations. As such, it will meet standard prerequisite requirements (AGM, constitution, minutes of meetings, management of budget of possibly membership fees, convenor, secretary etc.). Our organising structure will be minimal and its admin and budget processes kept as simple as possible.

Supporters and members

 

Our website http://www.sustainableboroondara.org/ will be our main interface and offer online registration for supporters and members. A number of standard procedures will need to be adhered to such as:

• signing on to our charter
• agreed member and supporter acceptance procedures
• authenticity of identification (real names and email addresses)

Supporters will:

• be able to register online for free
• have access to supporters and members content on the website.
• be able to choose whether their name is published as a supporter on the website
• have their own members page on the website, with an optional contact form
• have their email addresses protected
• have the option of joining an email distribution group for occasional news and updates

Members

We are in the process of defining what will apply to members, in addition to the list of functions available to supporters.  Some matters that will be resolved during the incorporation process will be membership fees, voting rights, individual members and affliated group members, voting rights etc.

Members will also be able to choose whether their name (or that of their group) is published on the website as part of the network.

Draft 23 January 2009.  Authored by Heinz Kreutz and Peter Campbell.